WLF said:
Thank you for the replies. I know that the arrest is on my record because it came up on the background check when I was hired by the airline. I will see what they say at the border. Does anyone know how the Detroit-Windsor border crossing works? If I drive, when do I speak to the border agent and what happens if they say I am inadmissible? Do I just turn around and go back to the US, no harm no foul?
rhcohen your comment brought up another question. Since it is up to an individual border agent whether I am admissible or not, what if when I try this border crossing and that agent says I am good to go, but then I have a flight to Canada for work and that border agent comes to a different conclusion. Is that a possibility, or will they have a record that I was admitted previously?
Thanks again for the help.
most likely when you drive up to a border, you will first encounter primary, which are the booths you drive through. the agent at the booth will ask the usual questions, and either let you go, or give you instructions to park your car and go to the immigration office inside, which is commonly called secondary. I have never been to that border, so i don't know what it's specifically like there. Most land borders are the same though, it's just depends on how big they are.
yep, that can certainly happen! if you get pulled into secondary, more likely than not, the officer will have typed up information about your previous experience in the system, so that the next time they have a record of it. Frankly, unless the second officer finds significant fault on your behalf, like catching you in a lie, or it's obvious you are trying to move there, i would say the chances are pretty slim - especially if you are going there for work as a pilot. sometimes, they will give you a visitor's record so they can actually track your entry and exit, and know you have complied with them before -which is what i suspect they will do for you if you enter as a "business visitor" ie: pilot.
When they refuse entry, yes, they will turn you right back around, and you will have to go back to the US border. They don't care where you are or what time it is.
I also agree with Ponga, that i don't think you qualify for "Rehabilitation" because you have not been convicted. I don't think having a charge on your record makes you inadmissible, i *think* what makes people criminally inadmissible is when they have been CONVICTED of something, and have had to either serve jail, pay a fine, or get probation. I would also recommend not contacting a lawyer UNTIL there is an actual issue you face at the border.
