Arrested, but never charged....

[blueblue 0]

Thank you for the kind words & good wishes, and most of all for the advice. I am definitely going to speak with an attorney in the future and I will certainly post up my findings here. In the meantime I am considering a move to Ontario, it's as close to my girlfriend as I can get while staying on this side of the line. (I'm from BC, she's from CT). It would at least cut the number of flights required to see her from 4 down to 2.

One thing I am wondering about now, I understand that a person must be "clean" for at least three years to be eligible for a visa. How would this best be demonstrated? As much as I hate the idea of going to rehab for something I wasn't even a regular user of, is that the kind of evidence they would want to see? Should I be collecting letters from employers, landlords, etc., stating that they've never known me to have a drug problem? What sort of evidence should I be gathering over the next few years so that I'm properly prepared when the time comes? I would think that going to rehab and having documentation of that type could even work against me, ie, "well if he went to rehab then he MUST have had a serious problem."

I guess these are all questions for an attorney, but if anyone has any input or related experience, I'd love to hear it. Also if anyone has a recommendation for a particular attorney who specializes in my particular scenario, please PM it to me if you wouldn't mind. Thanks once again.

Well, you are getting a bit ahead of yourself. You haven't even filed the papers yet so certainly haven't been found inadmissible yet. This could all be a non-issue.

But, in the interest of preparing for the worst, going to rehab or joining an AA type of program going to regular meetings could help - they will give you some type of proof that you attended. Getting a report from a rehab place that met with you and determined that you were not an abuser and didn't require treatment. Getting a letter from your physician stating you were tested for drugs and were clean. Start taking a drug test monthly, quarterly, etc. to show evidence of a 'clean' state. Just some possibilities.

If you do start putting together this evidence, DON"T SUBMIT IT TO ANYONE IN IMMIGRATION UNLESS THEY ACCUSE YOU OF BEING INADMISSIBLE DUE TO DRUG USE FIRST. Just keep it in your back pocket in case it might be needed. And have it & your case reviewed by a competent attorney before you go anywhere with it to be sure there are no more tangents they can take you down.

[Krikit 1,165]

Here is the link to exactly what they will be asking/testing you for in the medical:

Medical Form