I have been considering a trip to Canada later this year however, I have a couple of queries that I need answers to - I have convictions which I know can affect my entry and make me inadmissible even as a British Citizen.
1. Does anybody know what questions are asked at the airports upon entering Canada?
2. The police records have never used my full double barrelled surname while my passport would show my full name. If I was therefore checked according to my passport, I'm wondering if my convictions would show up. The police have missed off my first last name and seem to only know me by my last last name. Can anybody give me advice on this?

Thanks

Once you arrive in Canada, immigration take your finger prints and match them to the worldwide database. So mismatch in names won't help.

Unfortunately if you're found to have convictions that you haven't declared on your landing papers you will be banned for life from entering Canada, once they release you from the detention centre.

Be careful


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1 - The bog standard question at Canadian immigration is "What brings you to Canada". Give them the correct answer & you should be fine. Make sure you have 'reasonable' funds for your visit plus a return ticket to the UK too.

2 - The Canadian immigration form you fill in on the aircraft doesn't ask any questions as to if you are a previous criminal, a member of a terrorist organisation or a member of the Nazi party between 1933 & 1945 like their US Neighbours. Woe betide if you've visited a farm 6 weeks previously or are carrying some chrysanthemum's or seeds for your Auntie though. (Yeah I used the spell check for that dodgy flower mentioned) Best not to be carrying firearms in your checked in baggage or a huge wad of cash if you've recently done a bank job either. The form will ask you regarding firearms & loads of cash.

Chances are you'll be just fine if you suffer temporary amnesia regarding your past.

I never had my fingerprints taken on any visit to Canada?

Me neither


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Then why did you make it up?

Because based upon the OP's 2nd question, it appears they're looking to potentially enter Canada under false pretences. I'm not a fan of that.

I may be incorrect, and apologise if that's the case. It's often difficult to understand the context of the written word in a forum such as this.


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Thats how I understood it too, however it's all well and good the OP being advised that temporary amnesia might be the way to go in these situations, and whilst fingerprints might not be taken - don't forget that the immigration officers can and do give at least one person on each flight the third degree when coming into Canada, even for a visit.

Is it bit far fetched though to think that there's a real risk that the OP will be randomly fingerprinted (how often does that happen?) and that those fingerprints will be matched some lurking in a computer somewhere (how often does that work?) just while visiting. I think avoiding arrest during the visit would be prudent though.

Wasn't implying about the fingerprints, I think it's only the States that do that anyway, but just that even Canadian citizens (ie my mum in law) get pulled to one side on the way in to Canada and questioned - so it could quite easily happen to someone else.

Entry was recently refused at Halifax airport to a well known artist, a 79 year old US citizen, who has a summer home in Nova Scotia and had been spending summers here for the past 17 years ! They did a check and found criminal stuff from eons ago. I think the story was in the Halifax Herald a couple of days ago. I'll see if I can find it.
I think that the border folks know a lot more than they let on.

Cheers guys, still a little unsure as to whether or not to risk the chance of them asking the questions :S It's not that I want to enter under false pretenses, just that as I see it I'd be entering as myself but it's just the police here have made an error with my name. I think if I was fingerprinted that I probably would be found out and they wouldn't like it anyway so I'm erring on not to bother.
Anyway, thanks for the advice, much appreciated XD