Many a FAST Card Application Form is denied by the Canadian and US Customs and Border Protection authorities because a trucker has a criminal record. Other truckers without criminal records are denied even though they appeared to fit the FAST card program requirements.

If you have been denied a FAST card and can provide us with your GOES ID and password, we will process your re-application for FAST for you at half of the cost of our standard FAST service. This means that we will only charge you USD $59.99 (plus $50 government fee) to process your denied application. We cannot guarantee your FAST card but we can ensure that you have the best chance of obtaining one.

FAST Pass for Truckers with Criminal Records

The reasons for FAST card denials are many and varied but by far the most common is that the trucker had a criminal record. FAST Pass is an initiative of the Mexican, Canadian and US governments to speed up border crossings between the three countries and expedite the flow of goods in transit; the program was designed to admit low risk truckers only i.e. those with a clean criminal record and no history of immigration violations. The crime may  have been committed many years ago and you may have lived as a law abiding citizen ever since, but this carries no weight with FAST pass program officials; unless the crime has been pardoned or waived in both countries you will not be eligible for a FAST Pass.

Truckers with criminal records are ineligible for a FAST Pass unless they have received a US waiver and / or a Canadian pardon, which wipes the crime form the records databases but does not delete it completely from central records offices.  A Canada pardon is only recognized in Canada and not in the US. If your crime was committed in Canada or you are resident there and you committed a crime abroad then you must get a pardon to clear your criminal record with the Canadian customs and border protection authorities. If your crime was committed in the US you need to get a waiver of inadmissibility. It takes around a year to get hold of these documents and even then there is no guarantee that you will then get your FAST pass.

Accuracy and Completeness 

Accuracy is very important when filling out a FAST application; a large percentage of FAST applications are refused because they are inaccurately filled out and contain missing or false information. The details you provide on your FAST application must be typed in the exact way that they appear on your official documentation; you might have always been known under the name of Ronnie Brown but if your passport lists your name as Ronald Albert Brown Sinclair then you must list this as your official name. Likewise your driver’s license may list you as Ronald Brown and this is the name you must enter into the section of the form asking for your license details. Likewise your spouse will at some stage have been known by her maiden name and this must be listed on the application form regardless of the fact that you have been married for the last 30 years. You will not be denied a FAST Pass if your application is filled out accurately (unless you do not meet other essential criteria). Immigration Passport Visa Services guarantee attention to detail and minute accuracy. Our years of experience in filling out government forms means that your application will be presented in the required manner with all of the essential details needed to make an evaluation on your suitability as a trusted traveler.

Permanent Residency Requirements 

A number of denied FAST card applications occur because the applicant has not fulfilled permanent residency requirements. If you have spent a lot of time outside of Canada or the US you may be denied because you have not spent enough time in the country you claim to reside in. Permanent residents from both countries must spend a certain amount of time living in the country e.g. in Canada you must spend at least two years within a five-year period living in the country. FAST authorities require every applicant to provide a five year address and employment history. The details must be complete and include phone numbers and zip codes. Any gaps in this information automatically lead to a FAST denial. Immigration Passport Visa Service can get round these issues by making an initial assessment of your application to see if you qualify under the permanent residence rule. In some instances we can reapply for you once a 90 day period has elapsed.

Reasons for FAST Denials

FAST applicants have received the following statements as reasons for denying their FAST application:

You must be legally resident in Canada for one year before you are eligible for a FAST Card ( you can reapply when you are)

Illegally present in the US from 2004-2006

You have been found to have violated CBP laws, regulations, or other related laws

Two offences of impaired driving

You were convicted of assault with a weapon

Your arrest in 1994 in Houston Texas makes you ineligible for the FAST program

Past criminal convictions

You have been convicted and / or arrested for a criminal offense

You do not meet the time / residency requirements for participation in the FAST program (you may reapply when your qualify)

If you were denied for any of the following reasons, IPVS can help you get your FAST Pass:

Failed to schedule appointment within time limit (You can reapply after 90 days)

Information you provided on your application has been found to be false, inaccurate or incomplete

If you were denied for the following reasons:

You do not meet the program requirements

Your current status may require a more detailed inspection when entering / exiting the USA

You should contact the Trusted Traveler Ombudsman to find out why you were denied a FAST card. In some instances applicants have been told that they had been stopped at the border and had failed to provide satisfactory answers to the border control guard. A note was registered by the guard against their name and this was picked up when the FAST pass application form was submitted.

If you believe that your FAST card was unfairly denied you can appeal to the local enrollment center or to the Trusted Traveler Ombudsman.

IPVS does not guarantee approval for any Trusted Traveler program. Inaccurate or incomplete FAST pass application forms are automatically denied access to the FAST cards program.

More questions about FAST card? Read our FAQ`s