Do DUIs From Over 10 Years Ago Still Affect Entry to Canada?

• Yes, a DUI from over 10 years ago can still affect entry to Canada because impaired driving is treated as serious criminality under Canadian law.
• Past trouble-free travel doesn’t guarantee future entry, as admissibility is reassessed every time you arrive and old records can resurface.
• Time alone doesn’t clear a DUI for immigration purposes and without formal approval, travellers can still be refused at the border.

Why Old DUIs Still Matter to Canada

Many travellers are surprised to learn that a DUI from more than a decade ago can still affect their ability to enter Canada. This is because Canada doesn’t treat impaired driving the same way many other countries do. Under Canadian immigration law, impaired driving is considered serious criminality, not a minor offence.

What matters is not how long ago the DUI happened or whether you have lived a completely trouble-free life since. What matters is how the offence is viewed under Canadian law today. Even a single DUI that resulted in no jail time and was resolved years ago can still make someone criminally inadmissible to Canada.

Many people assume that once enough time has passed, the offence simply disappears. In Canada, that is not always true. Time alone doesn’t automatically erase a DUI for immigration purposes. Without the right legal step being taken, the offence can remain relevant indefinitely.

Why People Get Stopped at the Canadian Border After Years of Trouble-Free Travel

For many travellers, the stop comes out of nowhere. One day you’re waved through like always. The next, you’re pulled aside and asked questions you have never been asked before.

What changes is visibility.

Border screening today looks very different than it did ten or fifteen years ago. Information moves faster, systems are more integrated and old records are easier to surface during routine checks. A DUI that sat quietly in the background for years can suddenly come into focus without warning.

Timing also plays a role. A system update, a data refresh or a deeper review triggered during inspection can bring past offences forward. Nothing new has happened in your life, yet the file looks new to the officer reviewing it.

Your interaction at the border matters too. A routine question can lead to a more detailed conversation. Once a past DUI is confirmed, the officer is required to assess admissibility under current Canadian law. That assessment happens in real time, regardless of how often you have crossed before.

Previous entries don’t protect future travel. Each attempt to enter Canada is treated as a new legal decision. That’s why people who have travelled trouble-free for years can suddenly find themselves facing delays, questioning or refusal.

Does the 10-Year Rule Automatically Clear You?

This is one of the most common and most dangerous assumptions we see.

Many people believe that once ten years have passed since a DUI, they are automatically cleared to enter Canada. They plan trips, book flights and drive to the border with full confidence, only to be told otherwise.

In Canadian immigration law, time matters, but it’s not the whole story.

The so-called ten-year rule is often misunderstood. In very limited situations, a person may be considered rehabilitated by the passage of time alone. That depends on factors like when the sentence was fully completed, how the offence compares to Canadian law and whether there was only a single offence. If any part of that analysis doesn’t line up, automatic clearance doesn’t apply.

Another issue is that impaired driving laws in Canada have changed. What may have been treated as a less serious offence years ago can now be viewed as serious criminality. That shift alone can remove someone from the automatic rehabilitation category, regardless of how much time has passed.

What Happens If You’re Found Inadmissible at the Border

Most people first learn something is wrong during secondary inspection. You’re asked more detailed questions, your past offence is reviewed and the officer makes a determination based on Canadian law. If the officer concludes that your DUI makes you inadmissible, you won’t be allowed to enter Canada.

In many cases, you are refused entry and required to turn back immediately. Your trip ends before it begins. Flights are missed. Meetings are cancelled. Family events go unattended.

What surprises people most is that this decision doesn’t disappear once you leave. A refusal is recorded. Future attempts to enter Canada are often more difficult, not easier, because the issue has already been identified. You can expect more questions and closer scrutiny next time.

In some situations, the officer may explain that you could have entered with the proper approval in advance, such as a Temporary Resident Permit. Hearing that after you have already been refused is frustrating, but it’s common.

There is also an emotional impact that people rarely expect. Being told you are inadmissible can feel embarrassing, stressful and deeply unsettling, especially when the offence happened many years ago and no longer reflects who you are.

The most important thing to understand is that a border refusal is not the end of the road, but it is a warning sign. It means the issue needs to be addressed properly before you attempt to travel again. The sooner you do that, the more control you regain over your future travel to Canada.

Your Legal Options If You Have an Old DUI

An old DUI doesn’t mean your travel to Canada is over. However, you need the right legal solution in place before you travel.

There are two primary options that allow people with past DUIs to enter Canada legally. Which one makes sense depends on your timing, your travel purpose and your long-term plans.

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A Temporary Resident Visa is designed for people who are inadmissible but have a valid reason to enter Canada anyway.

It’s often used when travel is urgent or unavoidable. This could include business meetings, conferences, family events, weddings or emergencies. A TRP does not erase the DUI, but it can allow you to enter Canada despite it for a specific period of time.

TRPs can be issued for a single entry or multiple entries and can be valid for days, months or even longer. The key is demonstrating a clear reason for travel and showing that your need to enter Canada outweighs any perceived risk.

Many people assume they can ask for a TRP at the border. While this is sometimes possible, it is risky. Border-issued TRPs are discretionary and far from guaranteed. Applying in advance gives you far more control and reduces the chance of being turned away.

Criminal Rehabilitation

Criminal rehabilitation is the permanent solution. Once approved, it clears the inadmissibility caused by your past DUI. This allows you to travel to Canada without needing special permission each time. For people who travel regularly or want peace of mind, this option is often the goal.

Eligibility depends on factors such as how much time has passed since you completed your sentence and whether there was more than one offence. The application requires detailed documentation and a clear legal analysis. This is not a form you want to rush or guess your way through.

Criminal rehabilitation takes longer than a TRP, but it offers certainty. Once it is granted, the DUI no longer controls your travel plans.

Choosing between a TRP and criminal rehabilitation is not about right or wrong. With the right guidance, many people use a TRP for immediate travel while working toward rehabilitation for the long term.

The most important step is addressing the issue before you arrive at the border. That’s where options feel limited. Planning ahead gives you choices.

What to Do Before Your Next Trip to Canada

If you have an old DUI, the worst place to find out it still matters is at the border.

Before you book a flight, pack a bag or drive north, take time to understand where you stand under Canadian law. That means confirming whether you are inadmissible, whether the ten-year rule truly applies to you and which legal option fits your situation.

Avoid relying on assumptions, past travel experiences or advice from friends who crossed without issue. Each case is different and small details can change the outcome entirely.

The safest step you can take is getting legal clarity before you travel. With the right strategy in place, you can move forward confidently, knowing you have done what is required to protect your plans.

An old DUI doesn’t define your future travel, but ignoring it can disrupt it.

If you want peace of mind before your next trip to Canada, speak with a legal team that handles these cases every day. Planning ahead gives you control. Waiting until the border takes it away.

Book a call with one of our client coordinators and take a first step towards building a strategy that works for your travel needs and your long-term goals.