APPLYING FOR A TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMIT

For the most current general information about temporary resident visa applications, please first consult the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website at:

www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.html

TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMITS

The entry to Canada of non-Canadian citizens is regulated by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Visitors to Canada must be in good health, have no criminal convictions, and have sufficient funds to maintain themselves during their stay in Canada.

Normally, people who do not meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act are refused permanent resident or temporary resident visas abroad, denied entry at a port of entry, or refused processing within Canada. People who do not meet the requirements of the Act, but who otherwise have compelling reasons to travel to Canada, may be issued Temporary Resident Permits (TRPs). A TRP is a discretionary document that will be issued only where justified by exceptional circumstances and must not be confused with a Temporary Resident VISA (TRV).

INADMISSIBILITY

Those who fail to meet the requirements of the Act most often do so because they are described as being inadmissible to Canada. People may be inadmissible to Canada if they have ever committed or been convicted of a criminal offence. Some offences committed outside Canada may carry a more serious penalty if they had been committed in Canada. Criminal inadmissibility does not apply to people who:

• have been pardoned;

• have satisfied the Minister that they have been rehabilitated;

• are deemed to have been rehabilitated.

People may be found inadmissible to Canada on health grounds if their health condition is likely to be a danger to public health or safety, or might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services.

People may also be inadmissible to Canada for security reasons, misrepresentation, or for otherwise failing to comply with the Act.

Anyone in any doubt as to his/her admissibility to Canada, should consult our office well in advance of any intended travel to Canada. Click here for information on how to contact us.

WHO MAY BE ISSUED A TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMIT

An inadmissible person’s need to enter or remain in Canada must be compelling and sufficient enough to overcome the health or safety risks to Canadian society. Even if the inadmissibility or violation is relatively minor, a permit may be unwarranted in the absence of demonstrated compelling need. Temporary Resident Permits will be issued if officers are satisfied that the need to enter or remain in Canada is compelling and sufficient to overcome the risk; and that the risk to Canadians or Canadian society is minimal and the need for the presence in Canada outweighs the risk.

VALIDITY OF TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMITS

A permit may be valid for up to three years. It may be extended or cancelled by an officer. If the period of validity elapses, the person must apply for a new permit. The permit is no longer valid if the permit holder leaves Canada, unless re-entry has specifically been authorized. Permits valid for leaving and re-entering will not be issued, unless the applicants are a stable risk and need to travel often.

HOW TO APPLY

The Canadian visa office in London processes applications for temporary entry to Canada from people in the Channel Islands, Denmark, Faeroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Any resident of these territories who requires a permit may apply by mail.

There is not a separate application form for Temporary Resident Permits. People who are inadmissible to Canada but wish to travel to Canada should submit an application for a Temporary Resident Visa along with supporting documentation to explain the circumstances of their inadmissibility and why their entry to Canada may be justified.

INTERVIEWS

Applicants may be required to attend an interview in order for officers to assess whether or not the issuance of a Temporary Resident Permit is justified.

COST RECOVERY

A cost recovery fee must be collected for the processing of an application for a Temporary Resident Permit unless an exemption applies. The fee ($200 CAD) will not be refunded if a permit is refused. Applicants for temporary resident permits will be advised of the correct fee to pay for their application and in what format it must be provided.

PROCESSING TIMES

Anyone who may require a TRP should apply well in advance of the intended travel to Canada, i.e. at least one month before the planned date of departure. Only in the most compelling of emergency situations will it be possible to consider issuing a TRP for travel to Canada on short notice.