[pct-l] crossing into canada

[Stephen Adams]

Holy Freakin Cow Batman !  
Yeah, just walk up and step over and return the way you came.  Absolutely nothing wrong with a little backtrack.  I don't have any kind of record but that's pretty much rediculous.  I could see having to provide letters and such showing it's not a habit and or rehabilitation, and I understand they are taking a serious stand against it, that's pretty harsh.  If someone had like three DUI's, and other drug or drunk related issues I could see saying no way Jose, you are a problem.  And I know not one person who has been busted for drunk hiking.   
On Dec 10, 2009, at 8:51 PM, Bob Vance wrote:

> got this info from the seattle times.it`s only a couple of months old.
> 
> 
> Getting right with Canada
> There are three ways to get admitted into Canada once you've 
> been convicted of a DUI. But you have to be prepared for lots of hassles, 
> paperwork, fees and months of waiting for the Canadian bureaucracy to process 
> your application.
> 1. If the completion of your DUI sentence is less than 5 
> years old, the only way to get into Canada is with a temporary resident permit, 
> which costs $200 Canadian. (Having had your DUI knocked down from a gross 
> misdemeanor to negligent or reckless driving can still prevent you from going to 
> Canada.)
> You'll need to show the reason for your visit is "urgent," said Peter Lilius, 
> immigration program manager for the Canadian Consulate in Seattle.
> A ski trip to Whistler is not deemed urgent. Think more along the lines of 
> having an ill relative in Canada or an important business meeting you need to 
> attend.
> Even then, being admitted is not guaranteed.
> The officers at the port of entry, said Lilius, "have the discretion."
> Before driving to the border, you can click on the Seattle Canadian Consulate 
> Web site at www.canadainternational.gc.ca/seattle.
> You can download an application for a temporary visit and either mail it in 
> or bring it in person.
> "Processing times may be lengthy," says the consulate.
> The Web site also contains frequently asked questions about visiting that 
> country.
> 2. If you completed your DUI sentence more than five years 
> ago, you can apply for Approval of Rehabilitation. The nonrefundable fee is 
> either $200 or $1,000 (Canadian), depending on the seriousness of your 
> crime.
> The Canadians want proof "that you have a stable lifestyle and that it is 
> unlikely that you will be involved in any further criminal activity."
> It involves considerable paperwork. You will need to provide your FBI file. 
> You will need to provide a "police certificate" of criminal history, if any, 
> from every state in which you lived more than six months since age 18. You will 
> need to explain each offense. You will have to provide dates and all your home 
> addresses and places of employment since age 18.
> Processing time can take a year or more.
> But, if you're approved, then you'll no longer have problems at the border 
> because of your past.
> 3. If you have had only one DUI, and sentencing was 
> completed more than 10 years ago, you can drive to the border with basically the 
> paperwork for the Approval of Rehabilitation.
> A border officer can approve you on the spot, at no charge, and that past DUI 
> will no longer be a problem when crossing the border.
> Again, it's at the officer's discretion.
> There also are law firms that specialize in helping you 
> through the process.
> David Andersson, a Canadian citizen who can practice law both in the U.S. and 
> Canada, works with the law firm of Chang & Boos, which has offices in 
> Bellingham.
> Expect to pay $3,000 to $5,000 for them to handle the paperwork, which 
> includes having someone from the firm accompany you to meet with Canadian border 
> officials. Expect it to take three to six weeks from the start of paperwork to 
> meeting with border officials.
> Andersson says his firm handles only 10 to 15 such cases a year, a tenth of 
> what it could do.
> "I call it my drunk American practice," he says.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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