Hi everyone last week, I went in for my biometrics for my first-time waiver. The person helping me was wonderful—very kind and made the experience go smoothly. They mentioned my paperwork was very thorough and well-prepared. He didn’t ask too many questions and said the feedback was positive. He also mentioned it could take up to six months to receive a response.

The only thing I’m unsure about is that he asked if I’d ever been refused entry to the U.S. due to inadmissibility. I said no, but about 15 years ago, I went with friends around the time when the rules changed from allowing entry with a driver’s license to requiring a passport. The driver only had a driver’s license, and our reason for the visit was casual; we just mentioned we were going shopping for a couple of hours. They asked if we’d visited a country like Iran, we said yes, and they took our fingerprints and turned us around, though we don’t recall being given a specific reason.
(It was right around the time where after a few months later I was charged in Canada and got a record)
So, I answered “no” , and the officer didn’t say anything further. I’m wondering if that might cause any issues? Or am I just paranoid.
I had no reason to misrepresnet someone I just didnt recall that and I dont remember the reason for denial and never went back again.

5 year waiver - reapplication

Person missed the email, we were just checking to be safe there is was. .

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
10/15/2024, 12:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
12/8/2023, 11:38 AM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
12/5/2023, 09:59 AM EST : Status changed to Paid
12/5/2023, 09:52 AM EST : Status changed to Signed
12/1/2023, 01:41 PM EST : Application Created

5 year waiver - reapplication

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
10/30/2024, 08:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Completed
7/11/2024, 10:00 AM EDT : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
7/9/2024, 02:48 PM EDT : Status changed to Paid
7/9/2024, 02:46 PM EDT : Status changed to Signed
7/3/2024, 04:01 PM EDT : Application Created

Hi everyone, I will travel first time on my 1 year waiver to US. I want to know, to avoid any possible embarrassment in front of other accompanying family/friends, if immigration official generally ask about the offence or not?

I understand they may ask about where you are likely to stay, duration, purpose etc., which is of no concern.

@Peter Niepwiem congrats!! How did you feel about the wait?

I just got 5 years waiver.
First renewal.
ARO submitted December 22 2023.
Completed today October 31.
10 month and 9 days

@Joey thanks to ChatGPT I also was able to display a great deal of remorse and contrition for my marijuana use in 2008. I just hope i get a 5 year waiver because at 1500$ a pop and an exchange rate of 0.71$ I'll just go to Mexico where they actually like us

@WaiverJourney2022 That's what I would assume. The only thing that has changed in my application was time passed...and I mentioned that so eloquently. 😂 We'll see next time!

@Joey perhaps because the charges are a bit more serious I assume they don't want to give five year for that reason unless someone has had the luck in getting that and I think it's Case by case anyway from what my understanding is.

@J Rogers

[ WaiverJourney2022 appended this reply on October 30, 2024 @ 4:10 pm ]

I wasn’t denied or anything, but my file included five pages. One page was signed by the Clemency Department, stating that my pardon was granted, and another was signed by the chairperson confirming the grant. 2 pages were like a certificate but the page in question was last of the pages, signed by board members (pardon granted as well) mentioned an "incident" with no charges.

@J Rogers I honestly can't remember until I read it over later...I wrote it up over a year ago. I'll read it tonight and let you know how poetic I was. 😎

@ana I was charged with 3 counts of trafficking (cocaine), and proceeds of crime, in 2009, convicted in 2012. I was granted a Canadian pardon in 2022.

@Joey This is very rare (for me anyways) to get consecutive 1 year waivers, Did you improve the application? In what way? If you keep submitting the same things...you will get the same result.

@Joey can you please share some details about your transgression. Curious as to why you received 1 year for the renewal. Thanks.

1 year waiver - first waiver

Documents Shared With You
ARO Decision
Please review the documents
Status History (5)
10/1/2024, 01:36 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
11/20/2023, 02:38 PM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
11/16/2023, 03:12 PM EST : Status changed to Paid
11/16/2023, 03:10 PM EST : Status changed to Signed
11/8/2023, 01:10 PM EST : Application Created

I have another client who went to the border in November 2023 but the email came on Septmber 27 so they missed the waiver by a day.

Finallyyyyyyy. Second waiver, 1 year again. I applied from the Windsor-Detroit border.

Status History (5)
10/28/2024, 12:30 PM EDT : Status changed to Completed
12/21/2023, 01:23 PM EST : Status changed to Submitted to ARO
12/21/2023, 10:38 AM EST : Status changed to Paid
12/21/2023, 10:37 AM EST : Status changed to Signed
10/20/2023, 03:46 PM EDT : Application Created

@WaiverJourney2022

People who get a "propose to deny" usually have extra pages. But Pardons and Record Suspensions are also slightly different in how the documents are worded. The purpose of the pardon is really just to show why the record is not visible, and also to show what the record used to look like.

@Loisgh Thanks for the reply, alright, I’m curious because I was told that some pardons don’t even include all those pages, so I assume they wouldn’t be searching for a "missing" one, so to speak.

@WaiverJourney2022 i would just include partial and your certificate. My pardon mentioned my charges were not serious.

Hi everyone, I will travel first time on my 1 year waiver to US. I want to know, to avoid any possible embarrassment in front of other accompanying family/friends, if immigration official generally ask about the offence or not?

I understand they may ask about where you are likely to stay, duration, purpose etc., which is of no concern.