Typically, when you have a criminal record you will have a harder time crossing borders. When entering the US you will be asked to provide your passport and be asked a few routine questions.
In some instances, however, they will perform a background check on you to see if you have a criminal background. For some charges like impaired driving, you’ll not have as much problem crossing. If you have more severe charges you will be denied access and may require a US entry waiver. But, can you be denied access from the US due to having a mental illness?
Apparently, you could, and it has happened fairly recently to a disable Toronto woman named Ellen Richardson. She was denied entry due to attempting suicide in the past, which a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent with the Department of Homeland Security accessed from her medical information.
Ellen was told that if she wanted entry into the US she would have to get clearance from one of the doctors approved by US Homeland Security, and she would have to expose her full medical history to their to them.
Canadian Mental Illness DataBase
You may be wondering where the US border got this information. Many Canadians were unaware that there was a database that has a record on every Canadian that had been diagnosed with mental health issues in the past. This database was shared with the US border patrol and is used to determine if that particular person is mentally fit to not be a risk of hurting themselves or others while in America.
Police Service is required by law to register attempted suicides onto a record. That information is then uploaded onto the (CPIC) the Canadian Police Information Centre which is then made available to the RCMP, FBI and US Border Control.
Luckily, the Toronto police worked with the RCMP to develop a new (CPIC) function that prevents US border officials from accessing Canadians mental health records.
If you are having trouble crossing the US border, Pardons Canada has been helping Canadians enter the US hassle-free for years. Applying for a US entry waiver or a pardon/record suspension can be a long and difficult process, which is why many seek help. At Pardons Canada, we have years of experience helping Canadians get pardons and Us entry waivers. Call 1 (800) 543-2137 today for professional assistance with Canadian federal pardons and Us entry waivers.