Canada travel with a felony

[baybridge]

Please anyone with real experience not just links on the internet.  Cruise coming up in a couple of months. We will start in Alaska and end up in Canada.  One of the group has a serious felony from 20 years ago.  He has read the information available but "tested" it by driving into Canada last year. He was not turned away at the border.  When does Canada check for this, before we board in Alaska? Or as we are getting into Canadian waters?  I tried to talk some sense into the man but he isn't worried.  I assume Regent won't help or refund if he is denied boarding.  So anyone know anyone who was denied boarding for their records in the States.  Yes I read Regent FAQ's on subject. 

 

New account so to protect identity of the guest

[PhD-iva]

10 hours ago, baybridge said:

Please anyone with real experience not just links on the internet.  Cruise coming up in a couple of months. We will start in Alaska and end up in Canada.  One of the group has a serious felony from 20 years ago.  He has read the information available but "tested" it by driving into Canada last year. He was not turned away at the border.  When does Canada check for this, before we board in Alaska? Or as we are getting into Canadian waters?  I tried to talk some sense into the man but he isn't worried.  I assume Regent won't help or refund if he is denied boarding.  So anyone know anyone who was denied boarding for their records in the States.  Yes I read Regent FAQ's on subject. 

 

New account so to protect identity of the guest

I hope you will be able to get some information and direction on your issue. It’s very good to proactively Try to figure this out in advance. Myself, I have no experience in this area, but just a thought. What if you called or visited the nearest Canadian consulate or embassy here in the states to ask them?

Enjoy your cruise!

[Bruce61]

12 hours ago, baybridge said:

Please anyone with real experience not just links on the internet.  Cruise coming up in a couple of months. We will start in Alaska and end up in Canada.  One of the group has a serious felony from 20 years ago.  He has read the information available but "tested" it by driving into Canada last year. He was not turned away at the border.  When does Canada check for this, before we board in Alaska? Or as we are getting into Canadian waters?  I tried to talk some sense into the man but he isn't worried.  I assume Regent won't help or refund if he is denied boarding.  So anyone know anyone who was denied boarding for their records in the States.  Yes I read Regent FAQ's on subject. 

 

New account so to protect identity of the guest

 

Don't take this as the absolute answer but we did the Seward to Vancouver trip with a friend who had a very old DUI conviction.  He was so worried that they decided they would go directly from the port terminal to the airport.  Funny enough, there was absolutely no visible customs check in Vancouver and the customs at the Vancouver Airport was US Global Entry.  

 

I would think the worst case scenario if they had a problem would be they escort him from the ship to the airport to leave their country.  What else could they do?  Prevent him from leaving the ship?  Seems doubtful.

 

I would have him call the Canadian border people on their website.  They even have a procedure to be pre-cleared. 

 

 

[DaveFr]

The following Canadian government website might be of help to the OP’s friend. (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html)

 

Dave

[baybridge]

Thanks for the support. Now I have another concern. The whole group of us are taking the train in Skagway into the Yukon. I found some other helpful posts in other groups.  One person was not allowed to take the train ride, another one was pulled aside as they entered Canadian waters. Seems that entering Canadian waters with a felony conviction in itself is illegal.  

Regent won't/can't stop the boarding in Alaska (confused as to why).  Rest of the group we are traveling with said not to worry because the person in question has driven a car into Canada within the last 2 years.  

I am the only one in our group who is concerned so I guess I should not borrow trouble.

 

[baybridge]

11 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

I hope you will be able to get some information and direction on your issue. It’s very good to proactively Try to figure this out in advance. Myself, I have no experience in this area, but just a thought. What if you called or visited the nearest Canadian consulate or embassy here in the states to ask them?

Enjoy your cruise!

Wonderful idea but the group has decided no action is the best action. They don't want to call attention to his record.  

[PhD-iva]

If you get a chance, pls come back and let us know how things went.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Pcardad]

Regent will not get involved in this....If a guest breaks the law, they will be put off the ship.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

13 hours ago, baybridge said:

Thanks for the support. Now I have another concern. The whole group of us are taking the train in Skagway into the Yukon. I found some other helpful posts in other groups.  One person was not allowed to take the train ride, another one was pulled aside as they entered Canadian waters. Seems that entering Canadian waters with a felony conviction in itself is illegal.  

Regent won't/can't stop the boarding in Alaska (confused as to why).  Rest of the group we are traveling with said not to worry because the person in question has driven a car into Canada within the last 2 years.  

I am the only one in our group who is concerned so I guess I should not borrow trouble.

 

If I remember correctly there is an option to not go into the Yukon, or at least not get off the train, thus avoiding Canadian Immigration. We did this one years ago, perhaps it's still offered?

[Lonedaddy]

21 hours ago, DaveFr said:

The following Canadian government website might be of help to the OP’s friend. (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html)

 

Dave

Based on reading this I would think 20 years is considered enough time to be "rehabilitated."  perhaps OP should have the person get a copy of his police report over the past 20 years to hopefully show there weren't any other issues/events.

Edited May 9 by Lonedaddy

[papaflamingo]

On 5/8/2024 at 8:30 PM, baybridge said:

I am the only one in our group who is concerned so I guess I should not borrow trouble

Like others, I have no actual experience with this type of problem, but you don't need a visa if you're from the U.S. and have a passport to disembark a cruise in Canada.  I seriously doubt that anyone will say anything, especially since he's driven into Canada recently.  Since he has made the decision to take the cruise regardless,  I'd simply make sure he "flies under the radar" and doesn't bring it up unless specifically questioned by someone in authority and simply not worry about it.   I bet it all goes smoothly and you have a great cruise. 

Edited May 10 by papaflamingo

[Dobby36]

I have an old felony from years ago, which was expunged (will not show up on a regular background check, but still results in global entry application denial) after I completed probation and restitution.  
 

I’ve traveled to Canada 3 times since then, and only found out about the potential for issues between the second and third time.  I did a good bit of research with the help of a friend of mine who does immigration law.  The best we could tell is that there is a sort of random sampling of folks who enter who get screened for criminal convictions, and that it isn’t a procedure done to 100% of entrants to Canada.  Good news is that means it would be rarer to be denied entry. Bad news is one successful entry does not necessarily guarantee entry on another occasion. 
 

Additionally, once an initial denial/hold occurs, there is an opportunity to complete the rehabilitation exemption application that @PhD-iva was referring to.  It’s essentially the same paperwork, but you’ll need to pay the filing fee in that moment, and have your conviction info (case numbers, disposition, exact dates, etc) readily available.  So have your friend bring these and payment means, as a last case resort.  
 

 

[baybridge]

I appreciate all the responses.  I wanted to be prepared for the worse.  Had no idea that the passports are sampled so that one successful entrance doesn't guarantee  another entrance.  I tried to bring this up with the group but was poo-pooed.  He has been amazingly lucky in his travels. His felony conviction was supposed to keep him from entering Great Britain but he's been twice.  I will come back after the cruise to update you all.

 

[chengkp75]

I'm not sure that it is a passport "sampling" that randomizes the scrutiny, but I know that CBPS gives each agent quite a bit of latitude when determining action.  As noted, Regent will not get involved (it's not their business), and he may not be allowed on the train to the Yukon, or he may, upon disembarking in Vancouver, be escorted by CBPS to his flight.  Or, nothing may happen.

Edited May 11 by chengkp75

[gb58]

On 5/7/2024 at 8:42 PM, baybridge said:

Please anyone with real experience not just links on the internet.  Cruise coming up in a couple of months. We will start in Alaska and end up in Canada.  One of the group has a serious felony from 20 years ago.  He has read the information available but "tested" it by driving into Canada last year. He was not turned away at the border.  When does Canada check for this, before we board in Alaska? Or as we are getting into Canadian waters?  I tried to talk some sense into the man but he isn't worried.  I assume Regent won't help or refund if he is denied boarding.  So anyone know anyone who was denied boarding for their records in the States.  Yes I read Regent FAQ's on subject. 

 

New account so to protect identity of the guest

Sorry, but if he "isn't worried". Why should you be?

[baybridge]

On 5/11/2024 at 5:53 PM, gb58 said:

Sorry, but if he "isn't worried". Why should you be?

Because i like to be prepared for as many contingencies as possible.  i like to know what to expect and how to handle the issue.

[Pcardad]

13 hours ago, baybridge said:

Because i like to be prepared for as many contingencies as possible.  i like to know what to expect and how to handle the issue.

I think his point is that is isn't your issue. There is little you can do. Regent won't talk to you about a guest and Canada won't talk to you about another person. If he is caught, Regent will not help him break the law. He has to fix this on his own...or deal with the repercussions on his own.

[nfcu]

21 hours ago, Pcardad said:

I think his point is that is isn't your issue. There is little you can do. Regent won't talk to you about a guest and Canada won't talk to you about another person. If he is caught, Regent will not help him break the law. He has to fix this on his own...or deal with the repercussions on his own.

Remember, he was "asking for a member of his group" or as we say,"asking for a friend." 

 

I bet it is his issue.