Canada Border Crossing Services - CBCS SCAM - Save your money and do the paper work yourself! They didn't do anything but cash in on my money! Winnipeg Manitoba

There are two reports here that give inaccurate information and could lead to a very dissapointing trip to Canada if this advice is followed.

I think the rebutal from Canadian Border Crossing Services explained some of the original complaint, but I want to add a couple points. The horror stories of people being rejected at the CND border for a minor and/or historic criminal offence are true and increasing so with the new criminal data base sharing between the US and CND. This is especially true for people with DUI and drug possession offences. It is extremely unusual that anyone with an offence under 5 years old would be exepted and there is no time limit for an offence without applying for criminal rehabilitation. It sounds as if the border crossing agency did exactly what it was supposed to, but with undisclosed offences on the record it was rejected by CND immegration which is standard proceedure. To suggest filing a TMP, criminal rehabilitation, or CND pardon is a simple process is absurd. There are multiple requests for hard to acquire documentation such as court records, police background checks, FBI background checks, letters from clegy, etc. that are extremely difficult to obtain and document properly.

Saying that anyone simply called the CND consulate to explain their situation and got an answer that having a criminal record is no problem sounds very unusual. First off, the CND consulate does not have a telephone help line where you can discuss your case with a real person and second, they would not tell someone with a DUI to show up at the border and everything will be ok.

I can not believe you showed up at the border with a DUI and they just let you in. You might have gotten extremely lucky and they didn't check or you ran into a rare immigrations officer who issued a short term TMP - this sometimes will be granted at the port of entry for one time only.

So I would say this person got lucky this time and until the criminal charges are cleared through the criminal rehabilitation process, you will be refused entry next visit.

The other person suggesting that the CND border officers do not check criminal records is dangerously wrong. Just because you have gotten in on previous occasions does not mean they will not check you next time and they are checking almost everybody these days.

So I would say this is a fraudulent complaint and poor advice. I know from experience as I have a 10 year old misdemeanor charge for personal marijuana possesion and I might as well have killed somebody according to CND immigration. DUI's are typically treated in the same manner. There can be some rare exceptions, but do not expect to be treated well at the CND border not matter how long ago or how minor your police record is. It wierd that someone would be an exception from this treatment, especially with a recent DUI and multiple offences. My offence is singular, very old and I have compelling reasons to visit CND and letters of invitation from CND companies who would benefit from the environmental consulting that I do. To think that someone can just say please to the immigration officer, fill out a couple simple forms, and walk on in just for a casual visit does not make sense.

The best advice with anyone with a criminal record no matter how trivial or dated is to not even try to visit Canada - it's not worth the hassle, expense and time involved. For those that must visit Canada, agencies like Canada Border Crossing Services can provide greatly needed assistance and advice. It would be nice to believe that CND immigration is there to help US travelers, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

This is mainly a response to the other consumer comment, which stated that you do not need a temporary resident permit to be admitted into Canada on a vacation, because Customs and Immigration will not do background checks on all travelers entering the country. It is true that not ALL travelers will be subject to detailed screening, but they will be subject to the possibility of being SELECTED for detailed screening. My boyfriend is an American, and he had travelled to Canada numerous times despite having several convictions, such as a DUI and possession charges, on his criminal record. Then, last year, he was selected for detailed screening. He was only allowed to enter after paying the $200 fee for a temporary resident permit, and even then, only at the discretion of the border agent, who made it very clear to him that he should apply for another temporary resident permit before attempting to enter Canada again. He missed his connecting flight, and, of course, the airline will not cover a flight that was missed for a reason that was not their fault (i.e. the plane wasn't late; it was "his" fault that he was delayed at Customs).

We used Canada Border Crossing Services to help us apply for his temporary resident permit, which will be good for a year so that he won't have to risk paying $200 and for missed connecting flights every time he comes to visit. (We just heard that he has been approved.) The temporary resident permit is something that we could have applied for ourselves, without the help of a representative (see http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/imm/inadmissible_tr-interdiction_rt.aspx?lang=eng), but we felt reassured that we were having someone with more experience give us a hand. While it is true that CBCS was a less professional presence than other lawyers with whom we've dealt in the past, you get what you pay for... one of those other lawyers quoted us over $2000 to help with an application. Compared to $500 (what we paid CBCS), when $200 is the fee payable to the government for the permit itself, what could we really expect?

As a Canadian, I have had to report to secondary questioning at U.S. Customs and Immigration numerous times myself, and have seen most other people in the waiting room with me be denied entry. I have been investigated in depth in Miami; I have been allowed in, no questions asked, in New York. I have also seen stories in my local newspaper about some of the convicted felons who are easily allowed across land crossings. My final comment is this: you take a risk when you attempt to cross the border. You could be delayed or denied, and it can be expensive. It is your own judgement call, based on your own personal circumstances, as to whether or not a temporary resident permit is worth applying for. It is also your own judgement call as to whether or not you are capable of filling out the paperwork and assembling necessary documents yourself.

By the way, the following is quoted directly from the Canadian government's Washington, DC, website (link is above), "Offences involving operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs where five years have not elapsed since the termination of the sentence will, with very rare exceptions, render persons criminally inadmissible to Canada - and therefore in need of a Temporary Resident Permit to enter Canada for any purpose and any length of time."

Unless your vacation was over 180 days long there was no need for you to fill out any paperwork at all to secure a Visa for a vacation. The Canadian Government is not going to do criminal background checks on thousands and thousands of US citizen that enter their country every day for short travel.

I have been, as well as many of my friends (one with a DUI), to Canada numerous times and never had to fill out paperwork before hand. Just bring a valid US Passport and you would have been fine. You go through customs This company had no right to tell you that you needed to get approval before your vacation. They just wanted your money.

These criminal background checks are done on folks applying for extended stays in Canada. I can't believe they submitted a one year Visa for you??

Unless your vacation was over 180 days long there was no need for you to fill out any paperwork at all to secure a Visa for a vacation. The Canadian Government is not going to do criminal background checks on thousands and thousands of US citizen that enter their country every day for short travel.

I have been, as well as many of my friends (one with a DUI), to Canada numerous times and never had to fill out paperwork before hand. Just bring a valid US Passport and you would have been fine. You go through customs This company had no right to tell you that you needed to get approval before your vacation. They just wanted your money.

These criminal background checks are done on folks applying for extended stays in Canada. I can't believe they submitted a one year Visa for you??

Unless your vacation was over 180 days long there was no need for you to fill out any paperwork at all to secure a Visa for a vacation. The Canadian Government is not going to do criminal background checks on thousands and thousands of US citizen that enter their country every day for short travel.

I have been, as well as many of my friends (one with a DUI), to Canada numerous times and never had to fill out paperwork before hand. Just bring a valid US Passport and you would have been fine. You go through customs This company had no right to tell you that you needed to get approval before your vacation. They just wanted your money.

These criminal background checks are done on folks applying for extended stays in Canada. I can't believe they submitted a one year Visa for you??

Unless your vacation was over 180 days long there was no need for you to fill out any paperwork at all to secure a Visa for a vacation. The Canadian Government is not going to do criminal background checks on thousands and thousands of US citizen that enter their country every day for short travel.

I have been, as well as many of my friends (one with a DUI), to Canada numerous times and never had to fill out paperwork before hand. Just bring a valid US Passport and you would have been fine. You go through customs This company had no right to tell you that you needed to get approval before your vacation. They just wanted your money.

These criminal background checks are done on folks applying for extended stays in Canada. I can't believe they submitted a one year Visa for you??

This is in response to a report filed by DJ in Florida. If you are explaining your story, then all the facts must be disclosed as well.

You failed to disclose that you had several offenses, not only a single DUI, but 5 offenses in total, and the last one being less than 5 yrs ago. The permit was filed to the Canadian authorities in the proper manner as legislated and in accordance to the Immigration Act of Canada. You knew that the adjudication is discretionary and that there is no guarantee to the outcome.

During the course of the application, we assisted you in every manner possible to ensure all the documents were correct and accurate and filed to the Canadian government as quickly as possible. Unfortunately your application was denied for the one year permit. It was denied as you had several offenses from 1993 leading to 2003 and they documented this as the reason.

You contacted the Canadian authorities at the airport in Canada of where you were intending to fly to. You explained that you were denied and you impressed upon them the importance of this visit. I am fairly certain, they informed you that there was no guarantee to being allowed entry into Canada and that you would be examined upon entry and the decision of allowing your visit would be at the discretion of the officer on duty at the time. You took a chance to travel without the proper authorization in advance. The officer has the authority to allow you to visit or deny your entry. You were able to secure temporary permission to enter for a few days.

At no time did we mislead you, nor did we not follow the procedures as set out by our government on the proper steps to take when a US citizen wishes to enter. Those steps are to complete the application and forward it to a consular office for a decision in advance of your travel. (and the procedure is the same for Canadians that wish to travel to the US) To travel without prior authorization is a risk as you are interviewed when you arrive and a decision is made at that time.

When a permit is secured in advance, there is very little chance that you will be denied entry. Any officer will tell you that this is recommended so you will not run into a problem at the border. The permit is valid for land, air or water, multiple entry for business or pleasure for the length of time specified on the permit.

Again, offenses less than 5 yrs ago, requires a permit to enter. The approval is at the discretion of the consulate office and should be applied for 8 - 9 months in advance of your visit. After 5 yrs from the completion of your last offense, you would qualify for a lifetime permit.

I would be happy to answer any questions for those that wish to travel.

Lucy Perillo