If you have read my article Flying Into Canada After A DWI or DUI Conviction, you know that a DWI or DUI conviction may prevent an airman from entering Canada or, at a minimum, may cause the airman some hassle, delay and expense when he or she arrives. Effective March 1, 2012, the situation has changed somewhat.
Now, Canada’s Federal Tourism Strategy has made it somewhat easier for Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency to allow certain airmen who have a DWI or DUI on their record to enter Canada. Under the new policy, it is possible for an airman with one DWI or DUI to obtain a temporary resident permit for one visit without having to pay the C$200 processing fee that was required in the past. However, to qualify under the new policy, an airman must:
- have served no jail time;
- have committed no other acts that would prevent him or her from entering Canada; and
- not be inadmissible for any other reason
Other acts that might prevent an airman from entering Canada include another DWI or DUI, or convictions for public mischief or shoplifting. If an airman has convictions for robbery, fraud over C$5000, or assault causing bodily harm then he or she would not be admissible.
It is important to keep in mind that the fee for a standard (single-entry) permit will only be waived once. In order to gain entry a second time, an airman would need to either pay the C$200 fee and apply for consideration for a temporary resident permit (which may or may not be granted) or wait until he or she has meet the conditions for deemed rehabilitation (which is discussed in my article).
If you have additional questions regarding flying into Canada with a DWI or DUI, you can read my article or obtain more information from Citizen and Immigration Canada here.
