Temporary Resident Permit
Traveling to Canada with an Inadmissibility
There are many reasons for being inadmissible to enter Canada, such as:
- Criminal record
- Misrepresentation
- Inadmissible Family Member
- Medical Inadmissibility
No matter the reason, the burden remains the same: your reason to enter Canada must outweigh the risk you may pose to Canadians.
Traveling to Canada with a Criminal Record
Are you planning to travel to Canada but have a criminal record? Technically, this means you are criminally inadmissible to enter Canada. However, depending on the severity of your criminal past and the purpose of your travel, you may be eligible to bypass your inadmissibility with a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP).
A TRP will lift your criminal inadmissibility for a limited period (up to 3 years) and allow you entry into Canada. It is important to note that this is not a permanent solution. Once your TRP expires, you will once again be deemed inadmissible and would need to reapply for a TRP or opt for the permanent solution via Criminal Rehabilitation. You are only eligible for Criminal Rehabilitation if it has been 5 years since the completion of your offense.
Common Criminal Offenses which require a TRP to enter Canada:
- DUI
- Assault
- Theft
- Fraud
- Drug Crimes
TIP: Traffic offenses are generally outside the scope of criminal inadmissibility. However, it is important to compare your traffic offense to the Canadian equivalent to ensure it is not labeled a criminal offense in Canada.
How to Build a Strong TRP Application
Purpose of Travel
To ensure you have the highest chances of success, you must have a valid and compelling reason to enter Canada.
These reasons can include traveling for business, visiting a sick family member, or attending an important family event. The immigration officer reviewing your TRP application will assess your reason(s) on a need vs. risk basis. Simply put, your reason to enter Canada must outweigh the risk you may pose to Canada. Whether you are a business traveler entering Canada to visit a client, or a leisure traveler entering Canada for tourism, you must provide documentation demonstrating your purpose of travel.
Remorse
Along with a valid and compelling reason, it is equally important that you demonstrate remorse for your previous offence(s) and highlight the positive changes you have implemented into your life.
Even if your offence(s) are minor in nature, you cannot casually dismiss them. Canada takes all criminal offenses very seriously and so must you.
Ties to Home
How can you show this? By demonstrating ties to your current country of residence and/or country of citizenship. In other words, you must show that you have responsibilities back home which requires you to be physically present.
- Employment
- School
- Family (i.e. spouse, children)
- Assets (i.e. real estate, business, other investments)
Submitting your TRP Application
There are two (2) ways to submit your TRP application. You can submit your application to the Canadian Consulate, or directly at any Port of Entry.
Canadian Consulate
Processing times at the Canadian Consulate range between 4 to 12 months.
Submitting your application to the Canadian Consulate requires that you submit a complete application, which the required original documents. Failure to do so may result in a returned application or a refusal.
If you decide to obtain a TRP at the Port of Entry, you must show the officer that you have an urgent and compelling reason to enter Canada and that you cannot afford to wait 4 to 12 months for the Canadian Consulate to render a decision. Immigration officers at the port of entry will generally only issue you a TRP for a short duration (i.e. 3 days) to allow you to attend your urgent matter inside Canada.
You must prepare your application package in advance and be ready to present it to the immigration officer at the port of entry. The immigration officer will review your TRP application and render a decision at the port of entry.
Tips Increase TRP Success Rate at the Port of Entry
At the end of the day, the decision to issue you a TRP at the Port of Entry rests with the officer reviewing your application. Officers have full discretion. However, there are things you can do to ensure you have the best possible chances of success:
Submit your TRP Application to the Canadian Consulate before going to Port of Entry.
Request to Speak to Supervisor
Once you assert your right to speak to a supervisor, he/she will review your application and render a same day decision.
This will be viewed in your favor, as the officer will see that you are taking this seriously and have gone through all the necessary steps.
Failure to recognize the specifics of your inadmissibility and the seriousness of your offense(s) will show the officer that you have not demonstrated remorse and could likely lead to a refusal.
Have a Question?
How We Can Help
Applying for a Temporary Resident Permit can be a time-consuming and confusing process due to all the requirements, fees, and steps to be taken. It is not just about obtaining the required documentation and submitting your application. To ensure you have the highest chances of success, you must go above and beyond what is simply required.
At Visapath, our representatives are highly trained and experienced with TRP applications. We can thoroughly guide you through the process to ensure the best possible chances of success.
Whether you have an urgent business meeting, have a family event, or looking to vacation in Canada, we have handled TRP Applications from all walks of life and with a high success rate.
If you have any questions or personal inquiries,
please do not hesitate to contact us. Call us to
book a consultation.
Testimonials
I have clients in Canada and needed to ensure I would be able to visit them in person on a quick time frame. I looked at several Law Firms and found Akrami had competitive pricing and stellar reviews. Although my application was not fully reviewed and approved before my first trip, I was well armed and prepped for the border officials. I was able to get in as needed and had a full packet ready in case it was needed. The team at Akrami is highly responsive and I can tell they work hard to ensure their clients succeed at entering Canada. My Temporary TRP resident permit was eventually fully approved and I highly appreciate their work.
Irwin Carlin
Very professional. They provided all the needed step by step guidance so that I could obtain a temporary residence permit. Very helpful with questions and concerns. Glad I did not try to do this on my own.
Wing Kwag
In my career field, being able to enter Canada is a necessity. I had already applied for Rehabilitation, but my application hadn’t been processed, making getting hired by a new company impossible. Shabnam suggested that I apply for a Temporary Residency Permit. She refused to rush the process and made sure that all of my documents were complete and in order so that my opportunity for success was as good as possible. When she sent me to Customs and Immigration, I left with my TRP in hand!! Shabnam is also working to make sure I didn’t miss anything on my Application for Rehabilitation and sending additional documents to help ensure my success.