Here is a story about the hassles involved with trying to get into Canada if you have a DUI conviction on your record. Under Kansas DUI laws, and the DUI laws of most other states in America, a first and second time DUI is considered a misdemeanor. However, in Canada, any DUI is considered a felony and Canada does not allow individuals into its country if they have been convicted of a crime which would be a felony under Canadian law. As the article points out, more and more Americans are being denied entry at the border as technology makes it easier for the Canadian immigration authorities to discover prior DUI convictions. In my own practice, I have seen this become a problem for people who are trying to get into Canada for business, vacation or fishing and hunting. Even George Bush was required to get a special visa to enter Canada while he was President of the United States, because of a 1976 DUI! So, they are pretty serious about it. In fact, a diversion can be a problem because while a person is on diversion, his or her case is still considered to be pending. Canada also won’t let you in if you have a “felony” case pending. Whether you get stopped at the border and detained for a background check is largely a question of luck, but if you do and you have a DUI in Kansas or anywhere else it may be a problem.
This is just one of the many incidental costs associated with a Kansas DUI arrest. My website has a whole page of other ancillary costs involved with a DUI conviction, including increased car insurance rates, other travel restrictions, lost employment and education opportunities, and the cost of court-ordered treatment. Because of all of the hidden costs associated with a conviction, if you get charged with a DUI, you need the best Kansas DUI lawyer you can possibly find. Previous blog posts of mine have described how to find such a person to represent you. As our society becomes more and more technologically connected, the world gets smaller. A DUI conviction can haunt you, not just here, but in Canada and around the world.