I-194 Waiver Forum

Booking a Trip - Without a Waiver

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michelle Trusted posted

Hi All,

Michelle here from FPS Fingerprint Pardon Services. I cannot believe that this is something that I have to post, but lately, I have been dealing with very upset clients, due to the fact that days after filing the E-safe, they book a trip to the USA. So, I am posting this to save yourself and or the company that you hired to assist you with a Waiver.

1. Do not book a trip until you have your waiver.

2. It does not matter that you have had waivers in the past. It is not a guaranteed that you will receive a renewal waiver. Sometimes this happens.

3. There is no way to beg, plead, or force the USA to complete your waiver sooner.

4. As a service, I try to predict the best I can regarding timelines. However, I have no control over RCMP, Court Houses, or the USA. Either do you.

5. Timelines right now: RCMP - up to 120 days. Courthouses from Edmonton or Wetaskin, Alberta, Hamilton, ON, and Regina, SK are minimum 6 - 8 months, or longer. Some court houses in NF are 1 year.

NOTE: Portal, ND POE will not complete their portion of fingerprints, without court documents......They will turn you away.

6. USA is up to 6 months.

I am now telling people to be prepared for 1 to 2 years for a waiver.

Plan ahead, and do not blame anyone but yourself, if you booked a trip without a waiver, especially if you have been denied or have had a previous waiver.

David79

Learned the hard way, email USCIS, had booked trip 2 months ago. Now emailed them… they don’t care. So if I don’t get it on time, non-refundable tickets… it’s my fault.

Gord

@michelle I waited 18 months to get my court documents from Barrie Ontario! Submitted Dec 10 2022, received June 14 2023. It was an extreamly frustrating wait. It was only three months for Oakville and Montreal.

NSpring

@Gord I went to Barrie also however, I asked them to fill out my court information form for my Pardon and submitted that for my waiver. It took 5 days to receive it. When I went to the courthouse they redirected me to many areas to get the right person.

Michelle Trusted

@NSpring, wow, 5 days, you were very lucky. Also, did you have any problems submitting the Pardon court documents form for the Waiver? Unfortunately, here in Saskatchewan, those forms would be rejected by Customs.

NSpring

@Michelle I had no issues whatsoever submitting them to customs. I had asked a question here about that and John Rogers said I could use them. I'm still waiting on my waiver and now (reading your note) I am nervous I will be rejected. I hope that is not the case.

J Rogers Trusted

@NSpring They would simply ask you for different documents. No need to be nervous.

Once you upload something to eSAFE, if your insistent at the border, they won't turn you away. Most of my clients go without court documents, and if they give the person a hard time they call me and I talk the officer into taking it. Remember, they are not keeping anything anyways, they are just ensuring your documents MATCH what has been uploaded.

NSpring

@J Rogers Thank you John! I appreciate you helping me. Do you think they would deny my waiver because I submitted the Pardon Court Form?

I submitted my RCMP prints (my record was still showing as I didn't have my pardon yet, just applying for it- it was failure to comply with my probation order with a fine), A note about my charge that lead to the record of failure to comply (It was conditionally discharged and its been 13 years now). Personal Statement, Letters of reference, work letter

Michelle Trusted

@NSprint - John is right, I must remember that in Ontario - Customs is very different then out WEST and I tend to give advise concerning Saskatchewan and Alberta. Congratulations on a quick Pardon.

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