Temporary Resident Permit and Inadmissibility

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

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.

How to Build a Strong TRP Application

Purpose of Travel

To ensure you have the highest chance of success, you must have a valid and compelling reason to enter Canada. Such reasons include travelling for business, visiting a sick family member or attending an important family event. The 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 traveller entering Canada to visit a client, or a leisure traveller entering Canada for tourism, you must provide documentation showing 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 USA

You must prove to the officer that if granted entry into Canada for a temporary period, you will leave Canada and return home to the USA once your TRP expires. How can you show this? By demonstrating ties to the USA. In other words, you must show that you have responsibilities in the USA which requires you to be physically present. Examples of ties to your home country can include:

• Employment

• School

• Family (i.e.. spouse, children)

Submitting your TRP Application

There are two (2) ways to submit your TRP application. You can submit your application to the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles, or directly at any Port of Entry. Submitting your application at the Port of Entry is by far the quickest of the two options since the application can be granted on the spot. Processing times for TRP applications to the Canadian Consulate can take between 4 to 12 months. However, it’s important to note that 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.

Application Fees: The processing fee to apply for a TRP is $200 CAD.

Tips and Advice to 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.

Once your TRP Application to the Consulate has been submitted and you received your application number, the officers at the Port of Entry will see in their system that you have applied to the Consulate. 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.

Request to Speak to Supervisor

If the officer at the Port of Entry is giving you a hard time, it’s important to always remain civil and respectful. If the officer does not entertain your urgent request to enter Canada, whether it be to accept a conditional job offer in the USA or to attend an important family event, you have the right to speak to a supervisor. Once you assert your right to speak to a supervisor, he/she will review your application and render a same day decision.

Understand your Criminal History

Officer will likely ask you why you are inadmissible to enter Canada. It is important to familiarize yourself with the nature of your criminal history, specifically the charge(s), sentence, and whether you have completed all aspects of your sentence. 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.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Applying for a TRP can be a time-consuming and confusing process due to all the requirements, fees and steps to be taken. It’s not just about obtaining the mandatory 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 Akrami & Associates, our representatives are highly trained and experienced and can thoroughly guide you through the process to ensure the best possible chances of success. 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 at 416-477- 2545 to book a consultation.

With Akrami and Associates, there's always a way!