A foreigner who wishes to enter Canada must fulfill all immigration requirements before he/she is allowed entry into Canada. Foreign nationals who have been convicted of a criminal offense (including misdemeanor DWI or DUI) or have failing health may be considered inadmissible to enter Canada under Canada’s health and security regulations.
However, the restriction may be temporarily lifted if the Canadian government issues a Temporary Resident Permit also known as TRP,
A Canadian Temporary Resident Permit is a legal document issued by the Canadian government to a foreign national otherwise denied entry into Canada for a specific period of time. The Temporary Resident can be issued for as long as three years (multiple-entries) or as little as one day (single entry) depending on the several compelling factors such as the foreigner’s reason for entering Canada and the strength of their appeal.
A foreigner who wishes to overcome the Canadian criminal inadmissibility is required to apply for Criminal Rehabilitation provided the criminal sentence was completed five years ago.
It is important to note that a Canada Criminal Rehabilitation takes a lot more time to obtain than a Temporary Resident Permit, consequently, most foreigners will apply for both (Criminal Rehabilitation and a Temporary Resident Permit) with the aim of entering Canada immediately with a Temporary Resident Permit and then in the future with a Criminal Rehabilitation.
Applying For A Canadian Temporary Resident Permit
Application for a Temporary Resident Permit is often likened to self-representation in court, it is likely not a wise decision without the help of an immigration expert, but you are technically allowed to do it.
It is often advised to employ the help of immigration experts/consultants as the Canada TRP is a very complex legal process that will definitely overwhelm a person. In order to be issued a TRP, the appeal must be crafted in a persuasive narrative that justifies the applicants need to travel, and the appeal must be backed with enough documentary evidence to convince the Canadian Immigration officials that the applicants need to enter Canada is greater than the potential security or health risk.
Chances Of Being Offered A Temporary Resident Permit In Canada
When an appeal for a TRP is assessed by an immigration official several factors are considered if the applicant should be allowed entry into Canada or denied entry. Several factors from the particulars of the individual DWI’s conviction to the reason for entry.
The decision to grant an applicant entry into Canada is always up to the assessing officer and sadly there guarantees are not always certain, however, an experienced Canadian immigration expert would be able to tell most of the clients how roughly or good a shot they have at their appeal.
The best way to get a TRP approved is to submit a well-prepared and fully compliant appeal than contains a compelling narrative about your reason for visiting Canada and why your visit does not pose a security or health risk and you will not re-offend.
Temporary Resident Permit Processing Time
Typically, a Temporary Resident Permit processing time takes around three to six months. It is advisable to factor the time it will take to obtain necessary court documentation for a criminally inadmissible applicant.
