The 2025 International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous will take place in Vancouver from July 3-6. If you're planning to attend but have a past criminal record, including a DUI, it's important to begin preparing for your trip to Canada well in advance.
This year’s convention will celebrate the 90th anniversary of A.A.'s founding in 1935. The event is held every five years, and the 2020 convention was cancelled due to the pandemic, making this a much-anticipated return.
The 2025 International Convention will feature meetings, workshops, dances, and other events celebrating global sobriety.
If you or a loved one are planning to attend, here are a few important things to keep in mind:
A prior DUI conviction could prevent you from entering Canada.
If you have a past DUI conviction, arrest, warrant, or pending charge, you may be denied entry to Canada. DUI is considered a serious criminal offense in Canada, and a conviction can make you inadmissible to the country. This means you could be denied a visa, electronic travel authorization (eTA), or be refused entry at the border.
Other alcohol-related offenses may also pose challenges. For example, if you have been convicted of two or more summary offenses (similar to misdemeanors in the U.S.)—such as public intoxication, causing a disturbance, or indecent exposure—you could be deemed inadmissible as well.
It’s important to note that you don’t need to be convicted for this to apply. Even if you’ve only been arrested and are awaiting charges or a final verdict, you could still be found inadmissible.
Understanding Canadian law regarding DUI offenses
For immigration purposes, Canadian authorities assess foreign criminal offenses by comparing them to equivalent Canadian laws. This process, known as the equivalency test, involves matching the foreign offense to its Canadian counterpart based on the Criminal Code and other relevant legislation.
On December 18, 2018, Canada introduced stricter penalties for impaired driving, increasing the maximum sentence for a DUI conviction from five years to ten years in prison.
As a result, if you were convicted of a DUI offense abroad on or after this date, you may be considered inadmissible to Canada due to serious criminality.
If you are unsure about Canadian laws or need help interpreting how foreign convictions relate to Canadian statutes, it’s a good idea to consult an immigration lawyer for guidance.
How to Overcome Inadmissibility and Enter Canada
There are several ways to overcome criminal inadmissibility, depending on the nature of your offense(s), the number of offenses, and the completion of any sentences.
Here are some options if you have a prior DUI conviction:
Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
If you are inadmissible but have valid reasons for wanting to enter Canada, you can apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP). This permit allows you to bypass inadmissibility for a specific period.
To obtain a TRP, you must demonstrate that the reasons for your visit outweigh any potential health and safety risks to Canadian society, as determined by an immigration or border services officer.
Since the ultimate decision to grant your Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) rests with the immigration officer, it’s important to submit the strongest possible application, thoroughly justifying your reasons for wanting to enter Canada.
It’s also essential to understand that a TRP only grants temporary entry to Canada. TRPs are typically issued for short durations, generally covering the length of your stay. In exceptional cases, if you have very compelling reasons, a TRP could be issued for up to three years.
Most applicants must apply for a TRP through the visa application center in their country of residence. U.S. citizens (and other visa-exempt travelers entering by land) may apply at the border, but this can be risky, as the decision is made on the spot by the immigration officer. For important events like the A.A. International Convention 2025, it’s wise to plan ahead. TRP applications can take several months to process, often exceeding six months, and the Government does not provide specific processing times.
Criminal Rehabilitation
If at least five years have passed since you completed your DUI sentence, you may be eligible to apply for **criminal rehabilitation** (also known as individual rehabilitation). Unlike a TRP, criminal rehabilitation permanently resolves inadmissibility. If approved, you will no longer be considered criminally inadmissible to Canada, provided your criminal record remains unchanged.
To be approved, you must demonstrate that you are unlikely to engage in future criminal behavior.
Note: If it has been less than five years since the completion of your sentence, you are not yet eligible for criminal rehabilitation and must apply for a TRP instead.
When applying for criminal rehabilitation, an immigration officer will review your application and supporting documents before making a final decision.
The entire criminal rehabilitation process can take anywhere from six months to a year or even longer. Since the Government does not provide specific processing times, it’s important to plan ahead.
If you are inadmissible but eligible for criminal rehabilitation, it’s best to begin the application process as soon as possible to ensure smooth entry into Canada.
It’s important to note that criminal rehabilitation applications cannot be made at the border; you must submit your application through the appropriate visa application center.
Deemed Rehabilitation
If more than 10 years have passed since the completion of your DUI sentence, and you have only one non-serious conviction on your record, you may qualify for deemed rehabilitation.
In this case, you do not need to formally apply. If you meet the criteria, you will automatically be considered rehabilitated for the offense that made you inadmissible, allowing you to enter Canada without further application.
However, if you're uncertain about claiming deemed rehabilitation, it’s advisable to consult an immigration lawyer in advance. A lawyer can provide a legal opinion letter (see below) confirming your eligibility for deemed rehabilitation.
Note: If you have more than one non-serious conviction, or if your DUI offense occurred after December 2018, you will not qualify for deemed rehabilitation. In these situations, you will need to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) or criminal rehabilitation.
Legal Opinion Letter
In some cases, you may not be considered inadmissible to Canada, despite having a DUI (or other charge) on your record. For example, if your DUI conviction was expunged, or if you were granted and successfully completed "withheld" or "deferred" adjudication, you may still be eligible for entry.
In these situations, it’s highly recommended to consult with an immigration lawyer. They can help prepare a legal opinion letter, which outlines why you should not be deemed inadmissible to Canada on criminal grounds. This letter can support your case and provide clarity on your eligibility for entry.
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