Mukilteo Everett Snohomish County DUI Attorney: Travel to Canada with a DUI may get easier

Mukilteo Everett Snohomish County DUI Attorney:  Travel to Canada with a DUI may get easier

The federal government is looking at ways to ease bordercrossing restrictions on Americans with convictions for drunk driving, after getting complaints that border officers are turning away too many people.

A briefing note obtained under access-to-information laws show Canadian tourism officials have been lobbying the government to relax the rules because of concerns that tourism -particularly fishing and hunting industries -could be taking a hit.

Currently, U.S. citizens with such convictions can enter Canada only if certain conditions are met. They can enter if they have had 10 crime-free years since their conviction. If at least five years have passed, they can apply for a visa, but applications can take more than a year to process.

The last option is to apply for a temporary resident permit, but these are handed out only in "exceptional" cases.

In his briefing note, Canada Border Services Agency president Luc Portelance said CBSA and Citizenship and Immigration Canada were reviewing different options to relax some of the restrictions and "reduce bilateral irritants with the U.S."

For instance, they are considering letting border guards to allow entry "of foreign nationals with less serious inadmissibilities, including some DUI cases."

They are also looking at ways to improve communication with American travellers "caught off-guard by their inadmissibility" and to simplify relief options for them.

Luc Nadon, a CBSA spokesman, said Friday the proposed changes are still under review.

David Goldstein, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, said Friday he is encouraged the government is talking about loosening some of the rules. Goldstein said the number of American tourists who spent at least one night Canada has steadily fallen from 15 million in 2002 to 11.7 million in 2010.

Goldstein stressed that he is not advocating for the borders to be wide open to criminals, but "there's a healthy balance that needs to be applied."

Goldstein said it's not just outdoor enthusiasts who are being turned away for long-ago DUI convictions, but business people who are coming to Canada to attend conferences.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Americans+with+convictions+break/5077678/story.html

For information on your Mukilteo Snohomish County DUI please contact our Mukilteo, Everett and Snohomish County  DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115, email us at david@davidjollylaw.com,  or check out our main website at http://www.washdui.com or www.mukilteodui.com, www.everett-dui.co, www.marysville-dui.com, www.dui-bothell.com, or www.anacortesdui.com