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Hi all, I need to renew my waiver that has expired a couple of years ago, this would be the fifth time doing so successfully for a since pardoned 1989 simple possession conviction.
It`s been a while since I`ve applied for one last, I want to make absolutely sure I have all my documentation in order. I downloaded the most recent I-192 application form but find it no longer contains certain questions that were asked in the past such as places of employment, birth places of parents, copy of criminal record etc. I also recall reading/hearing about the need to include letters of reference which too, no mention is made of this either.
Has the application process been streamlined or am I missing something?
If someone can point me in the direction of a "check list" of sorts that I recall seeing in the past, I would be very much obliged.
@Frank Jr. how do you apply for I-192, do you hire representatives or lawyer
#20 John they do not necessarily drive all the way to Vegas. They will sometimes drive to Bellingham to fly out to Vegas. Same applies for them flying to Vegas from YVR. Apparently(as I am told), they can make much more money in Vegas than Vancouver because apparently the Vegas men will pay more and they can(unlawfully) make USA dollars there. Vancouver is a very expensive city to live in and the men barter way too much for a cheaper price(as I have been told).
@25 HatsBootsHatsBoots, interesting..I had a client years ago, apply for a Pardon, because he was told by Canada Customs, if he had a Pardon, he could get a NEXUS card...I strongly advised that I was not aware of this, but who am I to disagree with Canada Customs...he went ahead and received his Pardon. He then applied for the NEXUS and was approved on Canadian side, but not USA..he was not happy and tried to blame me..after that I, I didn't get involved in NEXUS, but was always curious about how it works...Thanks again...
Technically any alien is inspected when trying to enter the USA...waiver or not. Yes, it is true that you will not have a waiver and a Nexus card. A lot of people get burned by applying for NEXUS because the criminality issue comes up and the persons end up making themselves inadmissible by their own words.
@Michelle you cannot have a waiver and a Nexus card. Nexus means "trusted traveler" but a waiver means you have to be "inspected".
As #25 states. I had nexus previously, and then once I was convicted my nexus was revoked. The letter comes pretty quick, had it within a month of conviction so obviously there is communication going on. The nexus rules are pretty clear on this once it's revoked as well it is a lifetime bar from receiving it again. Note that it wasn't revoked until after my guilty plea. Up until that point it remained valid.
Makes sense, you're no longer a "trusted" traveller.
@ Michelle
You cannot have a NEXUS card if you have a criminal record or a ban to enter either country which can be for a variety of reasons. NEXUS is approved by both governments not only the US. A waiver is to lift inadmissibility to the US for various reasons such as criminal records, immigration violation offences or diseases amongst so many others.
Seeing that NEXUS is renewable every 5 years, the only way someone can get a NEXUS is if his waiver is valid for 5 years. We all know the validity of US waivers are between 1 - 5 years. It would be extremely rare for someone right now to be approved for a NEXUS card given the political situation in the US and the fact that 5 year waivers are becoming difficult to get. Also in the past, a US waiver would not grant you a NEXUS card either way. Seeing that the Canadian government has to approve your NEXUS application, a canadian criminal record will stop you from getting approved unless you have a pardon.
Those people who got one was because they got a pardon years ago which never revealed the existence of a record or have a NEXUS card before getting charged or convicted. Even then, getting charged for a criminal offence will be quickly flagged and your NEXUS approval will be revoked. Some people do however get away with it and continue using their NEXUS cards to cross until they expire.
CBP will become suspicious if a non American crosses the US for the first time or crosses the border quite often. I believe this is what happens when you enter other countries as well. However, other countries do instruct their border protection personal not to scrutinize against tourists. The US has yet to overcome 911 and with the current regime in place, every non American gets scrutinized, sometimes even Americans.
If you are a Canadian crossing for the first time or you a frequent traveler to the US, be prepared to answer many questions asked by CBP agents. What this means is that you shouldn't answer in a way that raises suspicions. One such example would be to carefully think before you answer to have you ever smoked marijuana. A wrong answer according to CBP personel can land you into secondary for a long time and psychological torture in order to make you confess to something you may have not done. Even if you don't confess, once they make up your mind about you then you are probably required to apply for entry waivers for the rest of your life. Many women fall into the CBP trap of raising suspicions that they may be working in the sex industry. It all comes down to answering correctly to CBP.
One thing people need to understand is that it is not a right to enter another country but a priviledge. This is what society thinks is right. People in uniforms tend to circumvent rules for their own gratification. The more people they deny, the more likely they get promoted. They are people just like us trying to make a living, sometimes letting their emotions get the best of them.
My understanding about the "escort" situation is that its more of a "sugar daddy" situation they are cracking down on. But to get there they have to get the women to confess to prostitution. If you have ever been interrogated for 4 hours, its a grueling process where most women would confess to anything to get it to stop.
One things about men/women in uniforms, once they have made up their minds you have done something wrong, they get tunnel vision.
It says only for land travel. Why would escorts be driving from Vancouver to Las Vegas? Isn't that a bit far? Or is it closer than I think? How many hours drive?
The I-94 can be given to Canadians that do not have a waiver. An example is if they suspect you may try to unlawfully move there or possibly overstay. They do what is called a Controlled Visit..which means you are allowed to enter for certain days for a particular reason.
A lot of Canadians mistakenly believe that you are automatically guaranteed 6 months in the USA This is not true since it is up to 6 months with officer approval. Depending on the circumstances, they can demand that you turn in that card before expiry. Note that you can technically turn it in 1 day before expiry.
We see a number of Canadians in BC get the I-94 card that does not have waivers or criminal records..Although again it is because they getting restricted days for certain reasons. BC is different because you have a lot of people trying to enter USA from BC and overstay/unlawfully work in places like California and Las Vegas.
An example is that they especially have a number of young women that escort in Vancouver and leave BC to unlawfully work in Vegas. These women get subjected to the controlled visits often since they state that they are only going to visit friends but the contents of their luggage say otherwise. The link below explains who may still get issued a paper I-94
Thanks, John.
All of us are really talking about the same thing, and what you said was essentially what I said earlier as well.
If you don't have waiver, normally Canadians (in most cases; sometimes, they do get the cards, but based on my interaction with other border crossers, most of the time, Canadians don't get this I-94 card when crossing through land border) won't be issued the paper I-94 when crossing the land border for visit.
Citizens of other countries (even those eligible for visa waiver) do get this I-94 card (when crossing by land) as departure control, but not Canadians without waiver (in most cases).
But (also as you said), if you have the I-194 waiver, you will get this I-94 card (when crossing land border), even if you are Canadian.
I know this to be the case, because I do have a waiver, but it's NOT the I-194 waiver. It's the I-272 waiver (from filing the I-212 to waive removal order).
I crossed over the long weekend at Niagara for the first time, they did NOT give me this I-94 card.
I went with somebody (non-Canadian, but no waiver), and we all got pulled for secondary, but only she got fingerprinted and issued this I-94 card.
@WaiveMein and @Ken I think you are both answering different things.
If you have a waiver, (as Ken answered) the I-94 card serves as a 6 month check on the waiver holder. They run the person through CPIC and ensure the waiver in genuine and make sure they don't appear to be living in the US. The card is for LAND only. You do NOT hand this card in. Leave it in your passport.
If you do not have a waiver and get a I-94 card, its function is as a "departure record". You DO hand this card in when you come back to Canada.
The reason there is a lot of confusion over this is because Homeland Security officers themselves give contradictory information to waiver people.
The card was always MEANT as a departure record. It clearly says on it to hand it in to Canadian border authorities. When you have a waiver, the usage has been modified. If you are a frequent traveler, you want to hold on to the card because it will allow you to skip a secondary inspection every time you travel.
Why is there such a divergence of opinions about this? Because people who do waivers for a living get a lot of feedback from their clients. And then clients are telling us what Homeland Security officers are telling THEM at the border. Despite "warnings", no one is going to lose their waiver if they leave the card in their passport. (waiver holders only)
If your very paranoid, and I get why you might be, then hand the card in if you want. It simply means another secondary inspection when you travel. If you travel every 6 months anyways, this it doesn't matter.
NOTE: Cards are not giving out to waiver holders when you fly.
Jamie, call 1-800-874-2652 and quote your file number. It is not "late" according to the timeline you have said, but no harm in checking like Michelle said.
#11 Thanks for the info. As far as I know, Canadian citizens mostly do not get issued I-94, but I suppose they're trying to place those with waivers under the same kind of control they do to non Canadians.
The issuance of I-94 is common for non Canadians entering under B2 status (paper form for land border, mostly electronically for those coming in from airport), but Canadians mostly simply get waived in (if they come in as visitors).
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