• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Border Line?

Tallnbig68

New member
Moderator: if this is out of line or in the
incorrect forum, please advise.

Have you been disallowed entry into
another country while riding
due to your paperwork
not being in order?

And what did you do to correct/rectify the situation?
Am thinking of entry into the United States from Canada
for Bloomsburg laterthis year..
I do have a current passport however in this era of everybody
wanting or seemingly knowing everything and anything
about everybody and everything am concerned.
My past forty years ago was not all that rosy.

Consulted an immigration lawyer and he came
up with nothing specific. Suggested try and see what
happens. It has been ten years since I was last in the USA,
in fact the summer of 2001! Have not been out of Canada
since for various medical reasons.
 
You already have a passport, that is a first positive step!

If you have no criminal record or drunk driving offences
getting into the US should not be a problem.

If you do have either of these you can apply for a offical pardon.
 
Last edited:
It is hard to understand what you are trying not to put out on the open forum. Here are some shots in the dark to try and help out.

If you are a fugitive you need to check on the statute of limitations for the offense you committed. If the statute of limitations has expired you are likely to be OK. That does not mean they will let you in, just that they won't put you in jail for it. If there is a bar to entry you need to contact the US embassy and or US Customs & Immigration to see what you can do, if anything, to get it removed.

If you are a draft dodger from the Viet Nam war, President carter granted a blanket pardon for that.

If you are a deserter or fled from an offence under the UCMJ you need to check on the statute of limitations again and you might just want to contact a military JAG office about the offense in question.

Hope this helps you.
 
In reply

Way back in history, there was one of those
international conflicts. This particular coflict
was in Vietnam and said mission created
many protests both in the USA and,
here in Canada. Was directly involved
in a particular protest in the middle 1960's involving
the US embassy in Toronto. Was arrested for causing
physical damage to the embassy.
Was convicted, served my time and continued with my life.
Travelled stateside and overseas frequently in the interim and
nary a problem. Requested and received a provincial
and federal pardon for the incident in 1991.
Have travelled to the US only once since, in June 2001.
However post 9/11 the international border has
t been made more secure.
A lawyer was consulted. Comment was "as you
damaged a US property in Canada you may well
you may well not be eligible to enter the US
ever again." Hence my query.
I don't want to be refused entry, lose my
mode of transportation and be returned to Canada
to face our legal system forty five years after the fact;
pardon notwithstanding.
 
A much more concise reply

The US won't necessarily accept a Canadian pardon, if you have one.

Very aware of same. Have never in the past made comment one way or the other
crossing the international border. Seems in the current situation(s) the rules
have become much stricter.

Rather than asking a bunch of well-meaning folks
on a motorcycle website, I suggest you contact those who can give you
a definitive answer..

PM me if you have questions.

Have already submitted the required documents
as requested and at this point
the documents have been accepted;
and is proceeding.

Am not so much concerned about Bloomsburg,
rather a future date
which may place me in the USA.
Simply want to be ready; I may well never
intentiionally enter the US.
Rather be safe than sorry.

If problems will drop you a PM.

Was just wondering if others on the BMW forums
had encountered difficultires.

Thank You
 
I can't comment on the war protest stuff, but you ought to have proof of insurance and registration papers if Canada has such a thing.

Jay
 
I can't comment on the war protest stuff, but you ought to have proof of insurance and registration papers if Canada has such a thing.

Jay

Have those, and those documents are not the problem.

In any event decided after much thought to not persue the issue,
at least on this forum. As noted elsewhere, resigned my membership.
There is just no way in a short period of time anything will be
accomplished to allow me stateside. THe lawyer I am using
has already verbally advised me "clearance is highly unlikely."

Funny in a way, "we" do things when we are many years younger and
never think of the consequences of same even 45 years later.
Governments of all types have long memories and in these days
of intensive record keeping, history of your past is recorded
somewhere just waiting for an official to discover,
and perhaps use against you. My rights stateside are now not.
EOR
 
Make a practice crossing and see what happens. We cross the border quite often and have never had either country do anything other than a glance at the passports and some perfunctory questions. If you are denied entry you will then know what you need to take on to gain entry in the future. Borrow a relatives' car for the test in case of impound.

Now there was the time we were crossing from Austria in to West Germany and the border police were certain my wife was a member of the Bader-Meinhoff gang. That was an interesting several hours. And no she wasn't.
 
I have had many crossings into the U.S. and I believe only once have they asked if I've been arrested. I gave them the truthful answer; "No".

I guess if I were you, I'd have a trial crossing and see what happens. I do know that they keep records as one year most of my crossings were at Buffalo but my first crossing the following January was at Detroit, in my car, not on a bike. The American border official did comment my crossing history. From that I concluded that my name is in their data base as I was not using the same vehicle (license plate) that I normally used to cross. One of my sons used to a Canadian Custom official. He said that the worst thing that you can do is lie, because they know the answer from their screen before it is asked. It is when you lie that you end up sitting behind the 8 ball.

Find out if any vehicle you were using would be confiscated or if they just turn you back.

Good luck.
 
Get it in writing

Whatever you decide to do, if you do contact authorities about this situation, get their response in writing! :deal Make sure any document(s) are signed by that authority.

Government agencies are not synchronized. One hand will not necessarily know what the other has deemed okay.

Len
 
Find out if any vehicle you were using would be confiscated or if they just turn you back.

Good luck.

Vehicles are only seized when someone is being smuggled into the US or if contraband is found. The most that would happen would be a short wait while paperwork is processed and then you would be returned. Avoid deception - honesty goes a long way.
 
Shoe on the other foot. In 2008 we decided to vacation in Alaska. We got passports and dropped a line to the Canadian Gov. After reviewing their list we took a ferry boat from Washington State to Anchorage and never set foot in Canada. Wife and I both "carry" concealed everywhere we go. Legally! I guess we'll not contribute to Canadian economy.
 
Shoe on the other foot. In 2008 we decided to vacation in Alaska. We got passports and dropped a line to the Canadian Gov. After reviewing their list we took a ferry boat from Washington State to Anchorage and never set foot in Canada. Wife and I both "carry" concealed everywhere we go. Legally! I guess we'll not contribute to Canadian economy.

Guess what is legal or acceptable in one country is not always legal in another. We do have strict handgun laws here compared to the states and am pretty sure England does also. Does that prevent you then from visiting any country that has laws you do not agree with? We do understand your constitution allows citizens the right to bear arms and I can respect that. We have different laws that seem to work for us altho there are various points of view on this subject. Not saying one system is better than the other either. I have had American travellers remark they feel safer up here with the laws we have. Have also had Americans say they do not feel safe without a gun. Perhaps like the pros and cons of seatbelts, helmet rules, depends on your experiences maybe? There are laws on both sides of the border that do not make sense to me. I guess just haven't found one yet that makes me think the states is not worth visiting. Gary.
 
Guess what is legal or acceptable in one country is not always legal in another. We do have strict handgun laws here compared to the states and am pretty sure England does also. Does that prevent you then from visiting any country that has laws you do not agree with? We do understand your constitution allows citizens the right to bear arms and I can respect that. We have different laws that seem to work for us altho there are various points of view on this subject. Not saying one system is better than the other either. I have had American travellers remark they feel safer up here with the laws we have. Have also had Americans say they do not feel safe without a gun. Perhaps like the pros and cons of seatbelts, helmet rules, depends on your experiences maybe? There are laws on both sides of the border that do not make sense to me. I guess just haven't found one yet that makes me think the states is not worth visiting. Gary.

Which why I posted what I did in part. My background may well prevent from ever going stateside
ever again and heaven help me if a winged flying machine had to land in the US. Again,
different strokes for different countries, some I can enter, many I maybe or can not. For me the
continuing attraction of going to the USA somehow just isn't there, anymore. Still it would be
good to have clearance for same, just in case. Still waiting for a reply from federal agencies.
These things do take time, dealing with government always does.
 
Final comment

A registered postal letter arrived today.
In short, don't even "think" about entering the United States in any way, shape or form.
Both the department I was dealing with and my lawyers have decided it would best
if I never enter the country. Seems my continuing negative political feelings towards the
country simply means don't even try.Two different interviews with various
officials with me and my lawyers in attendance
present confirmed their feelings and my attitude.
It's over, thanks for all the advice from various individuals
 
Back
Top