Screen for what could bar you from the US or Canada — criminal inadmissibility (including DUI in Canada), overstays and re-entry bars, prior removals, and misrepresentation — plus the permits and waivers that resolve them.
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Being eligible for a visa is not the same as being admissible. A separate body of law lets both the US and Canada refuse entry to people who are otherwise qualified, based on criminal history, prior immigration violations, misrepresentation, and certain medical grounds. Admissibility is ultimately assessed by an officer at the port of entry, which is exactly why any potential ground should be resolved in advance rather than gambled on at the border.
The categories differ between the two countries and are technical. What looks like a minor matter in one place can be a hard bar in another — the classic example being how Canada treats impaired driving. Understanding which specific ground might apply to your history is the first step, because the remedy (a permit, rehabilitation, or waiver) depends entirely on the ground.
Canada is notably strict on criminality. It reclassified impaired driving as serious criminality, so even a single DUI can render a traveler inadmissible. The fixes are a Temporary Resident Permit, which authorizes entry for a specific need, and Criminal Rehabilitation, a longer-term solution generally available a set number of years after the sentence is complete; some people become 'deemed rehabilitated' simply through the passage of time. All of these require applications and lead time.
US criminal inadmissibility turns on categories — crimes involving moral turpitude and controlled-substance offences prominent among them — with narrow exceptions such as the petty-offence exception. Drug-related admissions or convictions are especially problematic. Where a ground applies, a waiver may be available, but the analysis is offence-specific and fact-sensitive. In both countries, pulling your own complete records first is essential so you know exactly what an officer will see.
Prior immigration violations carry some of the heaviest consequences. In the US, unlawful presence beyond certain thresholds can trigger three- or ten-year re-entry bars, sometimes requiring a waiver. A previous removal or deportation generally bars return for a set number of years, and re-entering without the required consent — permission to reapply in the US, or an Authorization to Return to Canada — can itself be a serious offence. Misrepresentation findings commonly bring multi-year bars, such as five years in Canada.
These grounds are not do-it-yourself territory. The stakes include lengthy bans and, in the worst cases, criminal exposure, and the rules are intricate and change over time. Anyone with an overstay, removal, or misrepresentation in their history should get a legal assessment before booking travel or filing an application. This tool is an educational screening aid only — it flags issues to investigate, but it cannot determine your admissibility or substitute for advice from a licensed immigration lawyer.
Embed this free Inadmissibility Check wizard on your law firm site — it runs in an iframe and includes a link back to LexScale.ai.
This tool provides general educational information about US and Canadian inadmissibility, not legal advice, and does not determine whether you can enter. Grounds of inadmissibility, permits, rehabilitation, and waivers are technical, fact-specific, and change over time. Consult a licensed immigration lawyer before traveling or applying if any ground may apply to you.
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