Federal Pardon Waiver
There is actually no such thing as a Federal Pardon Waiver simply because there is no such thing as a Pardon Waiver. Pardons and Waivers are separate applications. Both are submitted to federal authorities however.
A pardon is granted by the Federal Government in Canada, specifically the Parole Board of Canada.
A waiver is granted by the Federal Government in the United States, specifically the Department of Homeland Security.
Which Do You Need?
If you think you need a federal pardon waiver you probably just need both a pardon and a waiver. But let’s clarify the two because a lot of people get confused about the difference.
Federal Pardon
We already know that a pardon is granted in Canada. The effect of a pardon is that it will seal your criminal record. Provided you don’t get arrested again no one really will ever see it. Employers, police and anyone else do not have access to your criminal record once a pardon has been granted.
Incidentally the pardon in Canada is now called a record suspension. However most people continue to refer to it as a pardon. While some refer to it as a federal pardon others will call it a national pardon, a Canadian pardon or something else.
Federal Waiver
This is where things get tricky when you are trying to determine what you need. Since there isn’t any such thing as a federal pardon waiver you will need one or the other, or both.
A federal waiver will allow you to cross the us border if you have been deemed inadmissible. For the most part anyone with a criminal record is inadmissible to the United States. There are exceptions but don’t take any chances. If you need a federal waiver it is best to have it before being refused entry at the border. Alternatively you should make sure that there is no criminal record for American authorities to see before trying to enter the USA.
 Still not sure?
If you are still not sure about federal pardon waivers which are actually two separate applications just give us a call at the National Pardon Centre. We’re happy to explain things to you.
Knowing the difference between a federal pardon and a federal waiver is important.