Inadmissible Canada

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), you are criminally inadmissible if you have committed an offense abroad that equates to a violation of the Criminal Code of Canada. This applies to both minor and major offenses.

IRCC uses a process called legal equivalency. Instead of focusing on how the crime is classified in your home country, they map the specific actions of the offense directly to the Canadian Criminal Code to determine the equivalent penalty.

In December 2018, Canada increased the maximum penalty for impaired driving to 10 years, classifying it as "Serious Criminality". Consequently, a single DUI conviction from abroad makes an applicant permanently inadmissible to Canada.

A TRP is a temporary document that overrides your inadmissibility for a specific timeframe. It is only granted if an immigration officer agrees that your reasons for entering Canada outweigh the potential health or safety risks to Canadian society.

A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is a standard entry visa for travelers in good standing. A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) is a special legal exception document issued exclusively to someone who is legally inadmissible, allowing them to enter despite their ban.

Criminal Rehabilitation is a permanent application submitted to IRCC. If approved, the government permanently removes the criminal inadmissibility flag from your record for immigration purposes, allowing you to travel without needing a TRP.

You become eligible to apply exactly 5 years after the complete completion of all elements of your sentence. This timeline includes paying court fines, completing probation periods, and serving any mandatory jail or community service time.

Deemed Rehabilitation is an automatic pardon based on the passage of time. It applies if you have only one minor conviction on your record, the equivalent crime in Canada carries a maximum prison sentence of under 10 years, and at least 10 full years have passed since your sentence ended.

No, because impaired driving and serious offenses carry potential 10-year sentences in Canada, they are excluded from automatic Deemed Rehabilitation. If your offense occurred after December 2018, you must file a formal Rehabilitation application regardless of how much time has passed.

A PFL is an official warning sent by an IRCC officer when they suspect fraud, unvouched data, or misrepresentation in your application. It gives you a final opportunity to explain the discrepancies before a decision is made.

If IRCC finds you guilty of misrepresentation, you face a mandatory 5-year ban from entering Canada. Your profile is flagged in global networks, your active applications are cancelled, and you cannot apply for permanent residency during this timeframe.

An applicant can be found medically inadmissible if their health condition poses a risk to public health or safety, or if treating the condition is projected to place an excessive demand on Canada's publicly funded health and social services.

The cost threshold is updated annually and is set at three times the average Canadian per capita health and social services cost. If an applicant's projected medical needs exceed this annual limit over a continuous 5-year period, a refusal is triggered.

Yes, sponsored spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children are fully exempt from medical inadmissibility rules based on excessive demand. However, they must still pass public health and safety screenings.

You must submit a detailed response that includes an alternative medical plan. This package should demonstrate that your specific medication costs are lower than estimated or provide proof of private funding to offset the strain on public resources.

An ARC is a formal authorization required to re-enter Canada after being removed. The type of removal order you received dictates whether you need an ARC to return: a Deportation Order requires a permanent ARC, while an Exclusion Order requires one if you return within 12 months.

No, Canadian border rules apply equally to all travelers regardless of their professional status. Corporate executives and high-net-worth individuals must complete the same formal TRP or Rehabilitation processes to address any flags on their records.

Visa-exempt travelers can apply for a TRP directly at a port of entry. However, travelers from visa-required nations, including Nigeria, must submit their TRP application to a visa processing center in advance of their trip.

A TRP is issued for a specific timeframe tailored to the purpose of your trip, up to a maximum validity period of 3 years. It can be issued for a single entry or look ahead to permit multiple entries over its lifespan.

Applications require comprehensive documentation, including official police certificates from every country you have lived in for more than 6 months, copies of court judgments, relevant foreign law texts, and proof of your personal rehabilitation.

Yes, under Canadian law, if a principal applicant's dependent family member is found inadmissible, it can make the entire family group inadmissible. This can cause the principal applicant's visa request to be refused as well.

Under Section 37 of the IRPA, entry is barred if an individual is suspected of being a member of an organized network or engaging in activities like transnational people smuggling or money laundering. These cases require extensive legal review to resolve.

Processing timelines are extensive and vary by visa office. Standard applications take between 6 and 18 months. Because these files require review by senior immigration officials, early preparation is highly recommended.

A foreign pardon does not automatically clear your record for Canadian immigration. IRCC will assess the foreign pardon to ensure it aligns with Canadian legal standards before deciding whether to recognize it.

If your application is refused due to an inadmissibility ruling, you can challenge the decision by filing an application for Judicial Review with the Federal Court of Canada within 60 days for out-of-country decisions.

Yes, certain individuals who hold a valid Temporary Resident Permit and remain continuously in Canada for 3 to 5 years can apply for permanent residency under the Permit Holder Class, provided they satisfy all other program criteria.