@J Rogers just piggy backing on this post but have you ever seen a September letter for one charge (since pardoned) of theft under $5000(i)

@HTCalgary65 You will not get a September Letter for this type of offence. If done properly this is a pretty standard 5 year waiver. My oldest conviction was a guy convicted in 1951 for stealing a car. In 1951 stealing a car got you one full year in jail. If you are white.

Everyone thinks their particular record is "old and minor". I have shoplifters from the 70's. I have gay men and women who were caught having consensual sex, and in Canada their record has been expunged (and rightly so) but they still have to do a waiver. (that is considered a sexually based offence)

I will tell you that my white male clients tend to be the most "outraged" that they have to do a waiver. My other clients, women, men who are from minority communities, younger people, tend to just understand this is what it takes to get the US.

I am in Brampton, so I get a lot of newer clients who are more reflective of the community. But my older clients from the 90's or early 2000's are typically white males because of where I got these clients. Many were from adds in small papers so quite a few are from other places than the GTA.

What they share is outrage that "they" have to do this" "Its a cash grab!" "My offence is stupid" "why do they make people do this".

Obviously there are exceptions, but the truth is older white males are not used to being told "no" when it comes to things like entering other countries. But when you are not a white male, you are USED to being viewed differently.

Maybe age is a factor, but some people, Muslims are a great example, take for granted the US is going to hassle them.

Its interesting though. I don't know who everyone on the forum is, but in many cases I can by how outraged they are that they are required to do procedure. The more outraged? The more likely they are to be an older white male. I am a white male, so maybe its a stereotype.

HTCalgary65 do you have a pardon? Not saying

Is the September letter something that is applied for or possibly just issued or decided by the US Govt. I am awaiting my waiver that I applied for Sept 5 last year. My charges were from 1983 and 1986. Possession of stolen goods obtained by crime. I had been travelling to the US for 30 years and Jan of 2023 they decided to not allow me to enter.

Near 40 year old charges will those treated any different or just standard of possibly getting 5 years only?

I have a friend that got the lifetime waiver card in 1983 for 2 minor pot charges.
He only has to pay the $6 charge if he drives into the U.S.
No problem flying except a lot of the younger US Custom agents have never seen them before and need to ask a superior.

@lorenzo Before 9/11 after 2-3 waivers you would get an I-175 Border crossing card. That was Immigration and Naturalization. When 9/11 happened they cancelled all of those cards.

People who are denied entry CAN get a September Letter which does the same thing as the card, but only if you are deemed to now be "admissible".

I find gun offences, and certain assaults are the most common "criminal record" reasons a person might get a September Letter.

In the olden days (70's? 80's?) some people got lifetime waivers. Can't imagine a political world where someone tries to re-implement that.

No. Waivers for life. unless they change the requirements (ie. type of charge /crime no longer needs waiver) or you’re a wild unicorn and get a September letter