Temporary Resident Permit

What is a TRP?

A TRP is a physical document issued by a visa officer that allows person who is otherwise inadmissible or does not meet the requirements of the visa they are applying for to either enter or remain in Canada. During the validity period of the TRP, the foreign national has temporary resident status in Canada. A TRP is usually issued for the length of your visit to Canada, for example if you are attending a conference in Canada which lasts one week you will be issued a TRP with 7 days of validity. You must leave Canada by the expiry date of the permit, or get a new permit before your current one expires. A TRP is no longer valid if the holder exits Canada, unless re-entry had been authorized at the time of issuance.

Who can benefit from a TRP?

Persons who would otherwise be inadmissible to Canada for misrepresentation, criminal admissibility or medical inadmissibility are common examples of the types of individuals who can benefit from a TRP. Valid reasons for applying for a TRP include:

• Work related travel such as business meetings or conferences
• To visit an ill or hospitalized family member
• To attend the wedding or funereal of a family member

Criminal Rehabilitation vs TRP

If you are ineligible to apply for Criminal Rehabilitation or need to enter Canada within a year or less and only need to enter Canada one time for a specific purpose a TRP might be a better option. Depending on what country you are applying from the processing time could only be 4-6 months compared to 18 months or more processing time for criminal rehabilitation applications. Furthermore, unlike criminal rehabilitation there is no waiting period before you can apply for a TRP. However, the advantage of applying for criminal rehabilitation is that if you are successful in your application you will be allowed entry into Canada and your criminal inadmissibility will be permanently removed for future entry. Therefore, provided you meet all the other requirements for entry into Canada you will be allowed to enter again in the future.

How can a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) help?

RCIC’s that specialize in refusals and inadmissibility are experienced with dealing with criminal admissibility and can:

• Assess your case and help you decide which option is best for dealing with your inadmissibility (temporary resident permit or criminal rehabilitation)
• Professionally prepare and represent your application for criminal rehabilitation
• Review your supporting documents including court documents to make sure they are satisfactory
• Draft strong personal statements and reference letters that are an important component of your criminal rehabilitation application

If you are unable to enter Canada due to an inadmissibility issue we are here to help! We specialize in helping clients overcome refusals and inadmissibility issues and have assisted numerous clients in overcoming their inadmissibility issues and entering Canada. Please contact us and one of our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants will revert to you within 48 hours.