According to Radar Online, Hunger Games actor Wes Bentley was denied entry to Canada because of a drug arrest in 2008.
Wes Bentley Denied Entry to Canada Due to Criminal Record
Bentley had been expected to come to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to promote his
new film, but the drug-related arrest resulted in his being denied entry to Canada. Canada is generally very strict about who can enter the country, and having a criminal record can be a serious impediment if you want to visit Canada.
The actor has been upfront about his troubled past, which included a heroin addiction, massive debt and homelessness. He first received recognition in 1999’s American Beauty.
If You Are Denied Entry to Canada
Unfortunately, even if you have worked to change your life around like Mr. Bentley, you can still be denied entry to Canada with a criminal record – even if the offense seems small, or occurred many years ago.
If you are denied entry to Canada because you have a criminal record, you may be able to apply for a temporary resident permit or visitor’s visa to come to Canada despite your criminal inadmissibility. The temporary resident permit can be applied for at the US-Canada border, or at the Canadian consulate. If you apply at the border you could be instantly approved, while processing times at the Canadian consulate are much longer. However, if you are denied a temporary resident permit at the US-Canada border you will have to turn around and go back where you came from – very inconvenient!
Do You Have a Criminal Record and Wish to Come to Canada?
If you have or fear you will be denied entry to Canada because of a criminal conviction from your past, feel free to contact us. We have handled countless denied entry to Canada cases and can help you too!
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
