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Ontario|Immigration LawApplicants with Criminal Records 679 Visitors with a foreign criminal record In addition to other immigration requirements such as visas, people who have or had a foreign criminal record and who want to visit Canada must obtain special permission. This permission can be given through either a Minister's Permit or an Approval of Rehabilitation.
A Minister's Permit is a document that will give you temporary permission to enter Canada. It is good for one year, and it will take approximately three to ten months for your application to be processed.
An Approval of Rehabilitation is more difficult to get than a Minister's Permit, but it does not expire. You can apply for an Approval of Rehabilitation if you have been convicted of an offence outside Canada and five years have passed since the completion of the sentence, or if you have committed a criminal act outside Canada and five years have passed since you committed the act. To be eligible for an Approval of Rehabilitation you must not currently be charged with any crime. It takes approximately one year for an Approval of Rehabilitation application to be processed.
As part of your application for either a Minister's Permit or an Approval of Rehabilitation, you will need to provide copies of all the police documents, court transcripts, and other documents that relate to your conviction.
You can obtain more information about visiters, Minister's Permits and Approvals of Rehabilitation on Legal Line .
If you enter or attempt to enter Canada without proper authorization, it is an offence under the Canadian Immigration Act for which you can and will be sent to jail.
You should contact an immigration lawyer to help properly prepare your application for a Minister's Permit or an Approval of Rehabilitation.
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