Keep in mind this happened when I was 17..im 27 now(not sure if time has any factor on this ordeal)

Hello all, had a question about myself being a Canadian travelling via airplane into the USA. Long story short I got caught with theft under $5000 and was told by jury to do 80 hours community service and the charges will be withdrawn. I completed them and it got withdrawn like they said..but I was reading that someone with history of criminal charges might not be allowed entrance into the USA.
Is there someone I can call or speak with in order to make sure I am 100% able to fly to their country and not have any issues – my parents are taking us on a trip and they do NOT know about my charge and I’d like to keep it that way LOL and just want to go on the trip…
Thanks for the help!!

There's a risk they send you back to Canada... if you dont want your parents to find out, don't go.

This post was edited by Bozzano on Sep 13 2017 11:52am

It was something dumb i did as a 17 or 18 year old..cant remember actual age but around there..and the judge said it would be withdrawn if I completed the community service..which I did. Simply just trying to find out when I land in the USA that I won't just get rejected into the country.. it's a trip to Disneyworld with my fiance and daughter that they are paying for. I'm not going to not go.. o mean of they go d out they find out but I'd prefer if they didn't lol

This post was edited by Boxi on Sep 13 2017 11:56am

If you have an arrest record for a crime and were charged but never convicted, or if you were acquitted (which is your scenario), you should technically be able to enter the United States.

However, this information will be on your criminal record and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will have access to this information when you try to cross the border.

If the border agent is concerned about something on your criminal record, even if it is not a conviction, you may have a problem gaining entry into the United States.

Thanks for the info! Is there something I can do to be assured access or is it just a.. when I arrive hope and pray I get in?

I think you'll be fine man, your record is 10+ years old and should be easy for them to see you've been legit ever since.

If you really want some peace of mind, you can fill out a form called I-192, which is an application for advance permission to enter as a non-immigrant. Basically you fill out this long form with your intended dates being in the US and send it off along with your fingerprint and you get a response back stating you've been pre-approved for entry. You then bring that with you to the port of entry and if you have any problems, you provide the approval and you're set. I don't think you need to take that route, but here is the site just in case; https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/760/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDIyNTU5MjkwL3NpZC8qa0RmOUhkbQ%3D%3D/~/admission-to-the-u.s.-with-either-a-misdemeanor-or-criminal-record

In the middle of the page you'll see a pdf version of the form you can download.

Thank you much !!@

you should be fine it was a youth charge it shouldn't show up on your adult record unless you breached your probation until u were an adult.

I might have been 18 (adult) when it happened..vant 100% recall but I didn't brake any probation

ah you should still be fine tbh its been over 10 years my brother just went to mexico and he had a illegal weapons charge from when he was 18 hes 26 now