Find Out if You Should Apply for a Temporary Resident Permit
Have you had a criminal conviction in the past and wonder if you will be able to enter Canada? Have you ever entered Canada previously but recently have been denied entry due to your criminal record? If you said yes to either of these two questions, we highly suggest you applying for a Temporary Resident Permit. With the aid of the Temporary Resident Permit, foreign nationals, including United States citizens, are able to temporarily enter Canada even though they have criminal inadmissibility. Therefore, in this article, I will explain who should apply for a Temporary Resident Permit and the advantages of applying for a Temporary Resident Permit if you are criminally inadmissible to Canada.
What is a Temporary Resident Permit
Many foreign nationals are unfamiliar with what a Temporary Resident Permit application is and how it will benefit them when entering into Canada with a criminal record. As an individual with a criminal record, you would be deemed criminally inadmissible to Canada should you attempt to enter. As a result, you should diligently obtain the proper authorization for the potential to gain entry into Canada. The authorization can either be through the Temporary Resident Permit or through Criminal Rehabilitation. Criminal Rehabilitation applications require more time to have passed before becoming eligible; whereas, the Temporary Resident Permit requires a less specific time to have passed in order to be eligible. With the help of the Temporary Resident Permit, and if it is approved, it will allow you to enter Canada while also having criminal inadmissibility. The permit essentially lets Canadian Immigration know that your reasoning for travelling to Canada is important and that you are not a threat to Canadian society.
Who Should Apply for a Temporary Resident Permit
Foreign nationals, including United States citizens that have inadmissibility issues should apply for a Temporary Resident Permit. This can apply to individuals who have criminal, medical, financial, security, human and/or international rights violations inadmissibility. In all of these circumstances, you should apply for a Temporary Resident Permit in order to obtain entry into Canada. In most scenarios, however, many individuals with criminal records are the ones to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit. In these specific scenarios, it is very important for the applicant to demonstrate their remorse about the criminal offence as well as the importance of their travel and entering Canada.
Eligibility Requirements for a Temporary Resident Permit
Not everyone can apply for a Temporary Resident Permit as there are specific eligibility requirements that one must meet in order to apply. It is important to recognize that one of the eligibility requirements of a Temporary Resident Permit application is demonstrating that the desire to enter Canada outweighs any safety or health risks to Canadian society. Essentially, you should not be a threat to Canadians due to your inadmissibility. Additionally, you must have valid and legitimate reasons for entering Canada. Please note that this eligibility requirement applies to all foreign nationals that have any form of inadmissibility. With sufficient information and documentation provided to the Immigration officer, the foreign national will have a much higher chance of entering Canada with their inadmissibility.
Another very important eligibility requirement for a Temporary Resident Permit is the time requirement that needs to have been completed prior to applying for the permit. For instance, it must have been less than five years since the completion and end of your sentence in order for you to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit. To further specify, the end and completion of your sentence entails the time being counted from the day the sentence was successfully completed, i.e. all fines, all probation, all parole, etc.
As a result, in order to overcome your inadmissibility to Canada and become eligible to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit, you must:
- Have at least 5 years pass since the end of your sentence, AND
- Have legitimate reasons to travel and enter Canada.
Factors That Can Affect your Temporary Resident Permit Application
Before applying for the Temporary Resident Permit, it is very important to recognize and understand your criminal record. The reason for this is because the authority and discretion is entirely in the hands of the Immigration officer and, thus, they can either approve or refuse your application on these merits:
- How many crimes you have committed
- How serious each crime was that was committed
- How much time has passed since each crime
- Why you committed the crime(s)
- How you’ve changed since the crime(s)
- How and why you are not likely to reoffend
- What your present life circumstances are
- Are you a part of your community
You should ask yourself these questions prior to submitting your Temporary Resident Application, that way you can better prepare yourself and your application to reflect the changed person you’ve become. It is very important to demonstrate your good character with solid evidence and proof so the Immigration officer can understand you, your past and your present circumstances much better. If not, there may be a chance that the application may be refused.
Contact Akrami & Associates
It is essential that you have taken all of the aforementioned information and documentation into consideration before you apply for a Temporary Resident Permit. It is essential for you to determine whether you, in fact, need a Temporary Resident Permit in order to gain entry into Canada. Applications for Temporary Resident Permits are difficult applications to pursue on your own and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients gain entry into Canada temporarily even though they have inadmissibility issues. If you believe that you may be eligible to apply for a Temporary Resident Permit, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advice.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!