Criminal Law Canadian with Criminal record allowed to visit US??

[brownatlaw]

I have a Canadian friend with a criminal record (over 10 years ago convicted of possession of firearms), and he wants to visit US.

Will he have a problem at the border?

How could he find out ahead of time if there would be a problem so as not to waste money on a flight?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

M. Brown

 

[NYClex]

Probably not. While firearms offenses make an alien deportable if he has committed it once he has been admitted to the US, they usually do not make an alien inadmissible if he committed them outside the US before being admitted. The exception is if they include a crime of moral turpitude. Simple unlawful possession of a firearm should normally not be grounds for inadmissibility.

To be sure he should inquire about this at the American embassy or consulate in the country of his residency.