The Canadian border officers may ask about your criminal record and you need to show them the truth.
And any misinformation given to border officers may restrain you from entering the country. Possessing a criminal record may make a Canadian immigrant inadmissible to the country, but with the help of certain options available, the label of inadmissibility can be overcome.
But the candidate needs to be well aware of the different options available which can help him to overcome Canadian inadmissibility and enter the country.
Temporary Resident Permit
This permit is available for visitors on a temporary basis and the duration of this permit coincides with the duration of the migrant’s visit to Canada.
The application must have a supporting document that should contain all the relevant information stating why permission to enter the country should be granted to the applicant. On this basis, the Government of Canada will analyze the application to find out the benefits and risks attached to the applicants.
In order to get approval, the applicant must offer more benefits than risks to Canadian society.
The Government of Canada analyses applications through factors like the number of crimes committed by the applicant, time duration after the crime committed, the severity of the crime, etc.
The Canadian Government has facilitated the citizens and permanent residents of the US to process their TRP applications directly at the Canadian port.
Their TRP applications are processed and the decision to allow or deny the US applicant is taken by the officers on the spot.
Criminal Rehabilitation
Applicants who have committed crimes/convictions before 5 years of entering Canada can apply for the category of Criminal Rehabilitation.
Criminal Rehabilitation is an abiding solution for criminal applicants. Once the applicant has submitted their application under this category, he/she won’t be considered an inadmissible person.
Provided with, the person must not commit any other crime.
The application fees for this category will vary according to the severity of the crime committed by the applicant. The Government of Canada converts the crime according to the Canadian crime laws and charges the fees accordingly.
$200CAD is charged to applicants who had committed a non-heinous crime whereas $1,000CAD is charged to applicants who had committed a heinous crime.
Applicants who had committed a non-heinous crime and have passed a decade after the conviction are considered to be deemed rehabilitated. Also, this is applicable to visitors with a criminal record of a single crime that is non-heinous.
Applicants who have a criminal record of multiple convictions should apply for Criminal Rehabilitation.
Otherwise, the applicant can be automatically considered Deemed Rehabilitated and does not need to further apply for this category.
A legal opinion letter written by a lawyer can save you from facing any inadmissibility issues in your journey to Canada.
Legal Opinion Letter
A legal opinion letter is a complementary document that can be attached to any of the above categories.
A legal Opinion Letter must contain detailed information about why to allow you to enter Canada.
Conclusion
An applicant needs to be well prepared with all the documentation and credentials before initiating the journey to Canada. Hiring a legal consultant or Canadian lawyer can assist you with overcoming the slightest problem in your journey to Canada.
