DUI's & Canada

[eelpout#1]

I remember seeing something on this site last year about DUI and entering Canada. If I remember right the Canadians consider DUI a felony and felons are bared from entering Canada. Has this changed and/or is there a expiration time or a way to get this priviledge back. A buddy of mine has two young boys who are getting to be the right age to take on a Canadian fishing trip, but he has a DUI about 2 years ago. The DUI already has cost him his marriage. Anyway I told him that I would pose the question and see if anyone has any new info.

thanks tc

[PikeBayCommanche]

Buddy I knew had that problem also. Have to get an FBI cleared document with background check. At least that is what he did. I would check it out with the Canadian Gov.

[MN Mike]

Check out the Canada forum, second post down should get you the info your looking for.

Mike

[hanson]

Nothing has changed.

You cannot go to Canada for 5 years after the date of the DWI. You can, however, apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) within this period which will allow you short term access into Canada. The TRP is a very paperwork intensive process and it will cost a few bucks as well.

Like others have mentioned, loads of info in the Canada forum.

3 more years to go...

[Down Deep]

One small correction to Hanson's reply.....The rule is 5 years past the date probation ends.

[Questor]

eelpout#1:

I don't have any legal barriers to going to Canada, but I saw the increasing hassles imposed on U.S. hunters entering Canada and I decided that there had to be other international options. And indeed there are, and they turn out to be much better than any trip to Canada I've ever experienced. Cost is about the same too.

[the squirrel]

I went 6 years in a row with 4 people in are truck with with a total of 7 DWI's between the 4 of us and never had a problem. We always crossed around the lunch hour on purpose thinking they will less likley what a hassel. Though this was pre 911. It was a gamble.

[Da Beak]

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I went 6 years in a row with 4 people in are truck with with a total of 7 DWI's between the 4 of us and never had a problem. We always crossed around the lunch hour on purpose thinking they will less likley what a hassel. Though this was pre 911. It was a gamble.

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Not worth risking getting turned back at the Border after a 2 or 3 hour drive. IMHO. They're checking pretty close lately. I know of 2 instances where guys were turned away. One was within 2 years, and the other was 4 years old.

[dirtking]

Just went through with last weekend - They didn't ask. Also waited an hour to get in - back out was a breeze - I enjoy fishing in Canada and will not let an hour break to read the outdoor news keep me from crossing the border. As to the DWI - I know people that swear by using their passport.

[311Hemi]

If they take and run you info and you have a DUI, you will be turned back.

With the being said, last year they ran mine and my dads licenses (neither of us have DUI's). This year (last weekend) we both had passports and the additional passenger had a license. They did not run our info this year. Actually, last weekend was the best crossing we have ever had in the past 17 years I have been going. The Canadians were super nice and for a second strait year let us through without paying duty on the extra case of beer we had.

For the past 17 years I have been going it's a crap shoot if they will run your info or now. Good luck getting them on that good day!

I also think that if you do have to go in to pay duty there is a better chance your ID will be checked.

[ozzie]

We have a guy in our group that has a DW and they have ran his license and he has never addmitted to them that he has one and never has it come up as a problem.....but always have a back-up plan if turned away!!!!!! We haven't had to bad of a problem in the last 3 years crossing the only delay we had was last year a vehicle with the drunks in it got searched and it delayed us 10 minutes but that was because their vehicle reaked of alcohol....Sober driver-wasted passengers!!!

[MN Mike]

Quote:

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We have a guy in our group that has a DW and they have ran his license and he has never addmitted to them that he has one and never has it come up as a problem.....but always have a back-up plan if turned away!!!!!!

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We've had the same thing happen to us, if you feel lucky, roll the dice but like you say, have a plan B.

Mike

[Augusta]

Post deleted by Augusta

[hanson]

The letter of the law is 2 DWI's (within any amount of time) = No Admittance to Canada.

With the way DWI's are getting handed out in this country, pretty soon nobody will be able to legally enter Canada.

[StrosLit31]

How is that going to work next year when everyone needs to have a passport to enter canada or mexico. If you give them a passport can they pull up and see that you have a DUI or do they actually contact someone in minnesota. i would also assume if you fly in they could not regulate this?? only when driving across the border?

[nofishfisherman]

Well hopefully if our laws don't stop people from driving drunk maybe the thought of no more canadian fishing trips will.

[Scott K]

I learned along time ago, there are alot of fish right here in MN. There is no need to drive that far to chase after fish. And it wasnt a dwi that made me think that.

[311Hemi]

Well, I agree....there are definitely lots of fish to be had in MN. But when we have consistently gotten fish like this for the past five years in Canada it certainly makes it fun to keep going back!!! I don't have any lakes in MN that I know well enough to have them produced as well as this one.

Unfortunately we also learned the DWI rules as my 24yo brother now has two and can no longer go with my dad and I. What a freaking (Contact Us Please)!

( Note from Admin, please read forum policy before posting again, Thank-You.) stringer pics

[iffwalleyes]

There might be alot of fish in MN but it doesn't even come close to me to the appeal of Canadian waters. I like fishing a lake where I might see only 5 or less boat on the water. I like non stop action like canadian fishing offers. For that reason it is worth if for me to stay clean or at least try . I agree they are pretty strict in Canada but it is their rules. For me it would be worth risking the trip to Canada hoping to get in. If you do do that you better darn well make sure that your party knows what is up. That would really upset me to have someone on a trip and get to the boarder and find out they couldn't get in.

[prov1900]

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That would really upset me to have someone on a trip and get to the boarder and find out they couldn't get in.

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Yeah, I would feel awful for them when they had to walk back Up until the point that I got to that magic lake and started fishing. Problem is though, when you send them a post card, they would be getting home about the same time (from walking) as I would from driving on that oh so depressing trip home!!!

[NEANGLER]

Haven't been up there but when I did look into it the Law states after 10 years they consider you rehabilitated and do not need to fill out the paper work or pay a fee. If it has been less than 5 years they will not let you in period.

Pretty strict when you can get one here in the states now with maybe 2 or 3 beers in your system.

[Down Deep]

I live in Duluth, so Canada is close and I take advantage of that. I take 8 to 10 tirps each year for both ice and open water fishing. Over 26 years I've crossed the border about 200 times the latest was last Friday. In all these crossing I've only been spot checked once, had to toss some crawlers for improper packing, and had to deliver one guy back to the US side of the border.

I know that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have no idea where these stories come from. These are a couple of my observations and experiences:

If you try to cross at I-Falls on Saturday morning in May or June you are going to be stuck in a 2 to 3 hour line.

Tell the truth and be polite. The border patrol are people too. How would you like to ask the same questions over and over and over to a bunch of people going fishing.

Have your license ready, as they have been asking everytime. A passport will do, but they check your record anyway.

Before you go ask your group if anyone has a D-dub, because they will be refused entry if enough time hasn't gone by since the offense. Last year one of the guys that was with me got bounced. He had been refused entry before, a fact he neglected to mention, prior to departure. He expected a ride back to Duluth. I dropped him off at a local motel and told him he could rent a car or call his wife to pick him up as I was going fishing. Sounds like a crappy thing to do, but he should have said something when asked about a month before the trip.

You can bring in Crawlers packed in paper. No other live bait. Make sure it is paper, because sometimes they check.

Remember that even though Canada is much like the USA it is still a different country and they do some things differently. I always respect their laws.

[slotlimit]

Me and 4 to five guys have been going to Canada hunting for 13 years. Never checked once and never asked. They have never even asked to see if any of our dogs shots are up to date.

[harvey lee]

I have also been checked and not checked when crossing. I will agree that if you have an issue with a DUI, one should let the others with know of this problem as you may be turned away. There are avenues for many to clear this problem up before it ends up in a mess.

[Scott K]

I agree fishing in canada is top notch. I use to go up there fishing 2 times a year. I did this from age 12-27. I was only checked one time going into canada.

The last time I went there was 8 years ago, the US side is the one that hasseld me, on our way back home. They took all 3 of our tackle boxes dumped them in one big pile in my boat. Then took our dirty clothes and dumped it all out on the side of my boat. He then came up to us and said your cleared to pick up your stuff and continue into the US. When we got to the boat and seen that they dumped all the tackle boxes into one pile, that didnt go over very well. One of my crew, I thought was going to get into a punching match with customs. I was informed by another custom officer that if I didnt get him out of there, he will be sitting in jail. Eventually got him to get in the truck and we then drove down the road to a parking lot and went through our tackle. I havent been back since. I have fished MN and wisconsin lakes with almost the same results, and a good time doing it, with no hassle.

Will I go back? I plan on it someday, but it wont be an annual thing ever again.

[cold one sd]

If you have someone going on yur trip that has a DUI that is more than 5 years but less than 10 years old, he can get in by paying a $200 fee. Under 5 years and you won't be admitted.