Hi All,

This may be a really stupid question...

Can a US parolee cross the border into Canada?

My partner is incarcerated in Missouri and although he has a few years left, he will also have a few years on parole.

Does anyone know what the situation is here?

Thanks,

Ken

Ken,

This often seems to depend on the particular customs officer you run into at the border.

I have a brother with a long prison record (from 20 years ago). Last year, he had a girlfriend in North Carolina. He would try to get down to see her every second weekend. It was really a "hit or miss" game, trying to predict if he'd be allowed over the border or not. It seemed to depend on if they didn't enter his name into the computer, and just "waved him through" instead. Of course that's going INTO the U.S. but this even went on post-Sept. 11. (He never had a problem coming back into Canada, because he was born here, and is a citizen.)

I'm not sure if you are asking can your partner come VISIT, or can he IMMIGRATE. If it is the latter, I'd have to do some checking for you. It may involve finishing his parole, then getting some kind of pardon. Of course, even if he got a pardon from the Governor of Missouri, that doesn't mean Canada's Department of Immigration will also feel he is pardoned.

You might start by going to the website for the Department Of Immigration, at:

<http://www.cisr.gc.ca/en/about/legal/index_e.htm>

Love,
Menolly

If a parolee was Canadian trying to get into the US? I bet it would be alot different.

DSD

Dsd:

That's why I was telling Ken about my brother. His parole has been over for 20 years or more, but he occasionally still gets hassled at the border going DOWN to the U.S.

They don't care that you served your time, and such. On the computer, once a criminal, always a criminal.

Love,
Menolly

Menolly and DSD,

You know what? I have 3 years and 7 months to figure this out and then Teddy has 2 years supervised parole and 3 on paper. I am watching closely the same sex mariage situation and then I will contact an immigration lawyer closer to his release. There are a lot of ads in Xtra each issue. Teddy wants to come to Canada instead of staying in the US. That is what he says now anyway.

I have the opportunity working for a Global company with many operations in the USA to move there if need be. If for any reason he cannot come here then I will move him to Buffalo or somewhere like that. If possible then I will get a job in the US and go there. The love I have for him will take me to him if there is no other option.

Just wondering in the mean time. I am a planner and always think things through well in advance if the opportunity is there!

Thanks!

Ken

tebkrg,
Check out this thread about your question. I wanted to know the same thing.

David

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=155&highlight=canada+felony

Gosh, I just read that link David. I drove three time through Canada and didn't know. One in 69 and twice in 72. In 2/69 the two guys were asleep at the crossing (2 or 3 am) and I just drove off.

I wonder if they would do any checking if a passport is shown?

I just spoke to a friend of mine that is up in Whitefish, Montana. He said they denied him because he has a DWI on his record. Suposedly they consider that felony like, or something. I'm going to have to look into that and find out if he had one to many, again.. :) They did run a background, he said.

I have found out a bit about this and if you have controls on your whereabouts with your parole officer then obviously you cant leave the country let alone the state your in in most cases without special permission, and to get permission to leave the country is even harder. As far as entering Canada, you wont really have much of a problem unless you are wanted, or someone who's movements are restricted, cause you will be in a database if you are. The average person can get threw the border with little or no hassle, just dont be wanted on either side or restricted and you will probably be fine. Oh yeah, if you have ever been caught with anything or with anyone that got caught, you have very little chance of getting over. If you are coming over to stay, or to work that is a whole different kettle of fish,,and it aint easy that is for sure. It is possible though. Money and friends help from what I know.
By the way, DWI is a really big thing up here, 15 years ago it was next to nothing,,but its taken very seriously up here now, so if they do a check at the border and you got that on your licence, you can forget it. But you can always try again next time. See sometimes they wave you right threw, sometimes not, you just never know.

All,

Thanks for this information and David, thanks for attaching that thread - it was really interesting and I will begin to look into this. I guess that my relationship is going to have elements that will probably "suck" for a long time to come, but as long as I keep my record clean then at least I can always get into the USA. I spend a quarter of my year there now, so it feels just like home to me!

Thanks again...

Ken

Menolly, My husband is a Canadian Citizen and applied to Canada to transfer up there to finish his sentence. Canada did a lot of research on him and after about a year, we were informed they would accept him to transfer up there on the transfer treaty program. Then after about 2 weeks and NO RESEARCH at all, the Board of Prison Terms in Sacramento, DENIED his request... We were shocked with the over crowded prisons in CA, but since his sentence would have been less in Canada they denied it. What we want to know is when he finishes his sentence here in Calif can he have his parole transfered to Canada so we can head straight there.. If so, how can we plan for that. He has 4 years left here... ? Also, would it do us any good to re apply for the transfer... Thank you, jeanette