Complications Traveling to Canada After a DUI Arrest

Travel to our northern neighbor is common for tourists and business people alike. Since Canada and the United States are so closely associated, sometimes people forget that it is a foreign country with its own laws.

In Canada, DUI is considered a serious felony offense.  As a result, they generally will bar foreign travelers for up to 10 years after a DUI conviction.  For American businesspeople, this can lead to a loss of employment if travel to Canada is required.

For years, we have advised our clients to accept a reduction to reckless driving as a solution to the problem. Please understand that no attorney can (or should) promise such a reduction.  However, if allowed, it was the optimal solution to the problem.  That has now changed.

Remember, Canada can pass whatever laws and regulations its people want.  Since the beginning of 2016, Canadian officials have changed their position on reckless driving.  Now, the consequences are essentially the same as DUI; they have caught on to it.  The result is that we are now advising our clients, who need to travel to Canada, to fight their cases.