Although considered a positive, reformative step in Canada, whether you have a Pardon or not bears very little to no benefit toward your admissibility into the United States. For example, if a U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officer were to ask you if you’ve ever been criminally charged or fingerprinted, you would be obliged to answer honestly whether Pardoned or not. And that honest answer could make you inadmissible to the U.S. Additionally, no one in Canada can say with certainty the exact information available to U.S. Custom Officers when you try to cross the border. For these reasons, it is advisable to obtain a U.S. Waiver if you don’t wish to leave your admissibility to chance when seeking to cross the border.
