Canada has very specific restrictions on people travelling to or through Canada. Beyond direct travel to Canada, this also includes cruise departures which includes a stop-over in Canada, such as most Alaska Cruises.

According to the Official Government of Canada Website: www.cic.gc.ca

To visit Canada you must:

·        Have a valid travel document, such as a passport

·        Be in good health

·        That you can prove you will be returning to your home country

·        That you have enough money for your stay in Canada

·        If you are not a US Citizen, you may also need a Visa

Some people are inadmissible – they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible and can be surprising to many Americans. This includes involvement in criminal activity, human rights violations or involvement in organized crime.

Some more common examples include:

·        Any DWI or DUI conviction within the last 10 years

·        Spending any amount of time in jail, regardless of how long ago

·        A record of missing child support payments, failure to appear in court, etc.

·        A conviction of almost any crime, including misdemeanors (failure to pay a speeding ticket, etc)

It is up to the immigration officer that you encounter in-country to determine if they will let you in. You may hear about people entering Canada, who have such offenses on their records. However, you cannot take it for granted. They can and do turn people around and have them pay (at your expense) for the next return flight to the US.

In some cases, you can apply for a temporary resident permit that will allow you to enter the country under specific circumstances.

Unfortunately, your travel agent cannot offer legal advice. However, please advise your travel agent if you believe you might have a problem entering Canada. Several options may be available to you.