Are you eligible? Click here and Start your Citizenship Application today ! Secure Canadian citizenship for yourself or adopted child. You may be inside Canada or outside Canada, or need it urgently. If you have had any issues with your application, let us know.

Canada Citizenship Is Granted To Individuals If They Meet Certain Criteria:

• Be a permanent resident
• Have lived in Canada for 3 or the last 5 years or 1095 days
• Have filed your taxes for the required years preceding your application
• Provide language skills proof ( English or French)
• Pass a Citizenship test

Minors (under age 18) can also apply for Canadian citizenship if they have a Canadian parent or a parent who is applying for citizenship at the same time. Additional or different requirements may apply for minors.

You Cannot Start Your Canadian Citizenship Application If You:

•  Have never been in Canada in the five (5) years immediately before the date of your application, or since you became a permanent resident, or whichever is most recent
• Are you On probation in Canada
• Are you On parole in Canada
• An inmate of a penitentiary, jail, reformatory, or prison in Canada
• Are now serving a sentence outside Canada for an offence
• Are now charged with, on trial for, or subject to or a party to an appeal relating to an offence under the Citizenship Act or an Indictable offence in Canada;
• Are now charged with, on trial for, or subject to or a party to an appeal relating to an offence committed outside Canada
• Are now, or have ever been, under a removal order (have been asked by Canadian officials to leave Canada)
• Are  now under investigation for, charged with, on trial for, subject to or a party to an appeal relating to or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity
• Where in the past five (5) years,  prohibited from being granted citizenship or taking the oath of citizenship because of misrepresentation or withholding material circumstances
• In the past four (4) years, have you been convicted in Canada of an indictable offence under any Act of Parliament of an offence under the Citizenship Act;
• Where in the past four (4) years,  been convicted outside Canada of an offence, regardless of whether you were pardoned or otherwise granted amnesty for the offence.

While A Permanent Resident, Have You:

• Been convicted in Canada of terrorism, high treason, treason, or spying offences;
• Been convicted outside Canada of terrorism;
• Served as a member of an armed force of a country or organized armed group and that country or group engaged in armed conflict with Canada.

People with permanent resident status in Canada can apply to obtain their first PR Card, Renewal, and Replace a lost / stolen / destroyed / or never received PR Card.

To Be Eligible To Apply And Obtain A PR Card, You Must:

• Be a permanent resident of Canada;
• Be physically present in Canada (730 days in the preceding 5 years);
• Not be under an effective removal order;
• Not be a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian under the Indian Act; and
• Not be convicted of an offence related to the misuse of a PR card for those applicants under the age of 18.

The permanent residence card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident of Canada. This wallet-sized card is required by all permanent residents of Canada to re-enter Canada on any commercial transport carrier at the port of entry.

Services That We Provide:

• First Permanent residence card application
• Expired, lost or stolen PR card replacement
• Urgent processing of your PR card application

Temporary Resident (Visitor Visa, Study or Work Permit) or Permanent Resident applicants can benefit by avoiding past negligence mirrored in their GCMS (Global Case Management System) notes. It is a system used by Immigration departments of Canada to process and keep record of each application. It transpires to be a very resourceful piece of information when you have doubts about your reapplication. You can order your case notes from Canadian government by providing consent form to Bellwood. Call us on +1 (514) 519 0100 or email on [email protected] or book appointment to discuss your case or chat with us now.

What is a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)?

A TRP is a legal document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to people who are either ineligible for any immigration programs or inadmissible to Canada. 

For people outside Canada, a TRP may allow them to enter Canada. Whereas for those in Canada, it allows them to continue to stay. 

Note that a TRP does not solve your ineligible or inadmissible issues. It simply grants you the status to enter or stay in Canada. 

Inadmissible to Canada

If one person is inadmissible to Canada, it means either they can’t enter Canada, or their application will be rejected. If they are in Canada, they will be ordered to leave. 

Some common grounds of this include criminal records, medical issues, and misrepresentation. 

When should I consider a TRP?

Generally, you may consider a TRP when you have found that you are ineligible or inadmissible. 

However, depending on your inadmissible ground, you may have to first look for other solutions. For example, if you have a criminal record, then you need to see if you are eligible for either a record suspension or rehabilitation.

Am I eligible to apply for a TRP?

A TRP may be available for people who are ineligible or inadmissible, even for those who have the most serious inadmissible ground. 

However, there are limits on refugee claimants. Precisely, a refugee claimant whose claim is being processed can’t apply for a TRP. Further, there is a 12 months ban for those who failed their refugee claims. 

What to consider when applying for a TRP?

First of all, you must have a compelling reason to enter or stay in Canada. For example, if you need to continue your studies in Canada but you have a long expired study permit. Or, if you need to visit a family member in Canada urgently. 

Note that the law does not specify what a compelling reason is. You are responsible to prove it. 

Secondly, the reason why you are ineligible or inadmissible plays an important role. Generally speaking, the officer will evaluate between allowing you to enter or stay in Canada and your issues. 

Thirdly, the officer will also consider your other factors such as your history, credibility, previous removal, and so forth. 

Last but not least, you must understand that whether you may receive a TRP completely depends on the discretion of the officer. 

Further, a TRP may be cancelled at any time. 

Where can I apply for a TRP?

You may apply for a TRP either in or outside Canada. Note that in most cases you can only apply for a TRP in paper applications. 

However, If you can apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA), you may receive a TRP when your eTA is refused. Otherwise, you will need to apply for one by following your local visa instructions. 

How long is a TRP valid for?

A TRP may be valid for between 1 day and 3 years. Note that this also depends on the discretion of the officer. 

Am I eligible to work or study as a TRP holder?

If you receive a TRP that is valid for 6 months or longer, you may apply for a work or study permit. The work permit will be an open work permit. You may start working or studying when you receive the proper permit. 

Can I renew a TRP?

Generally, you may be eligible to renew your TRP before it expires. The renewal process is in fact similar to an initial TRP application. You may refer to the above sections to determine if you are eligible. 

Further, you must not have any new inadmissible issues, and your compelling reason still remains. You must live in Canada in order to receive a new TRP. 

Can I leave and re-enter Canada with a TRP?

Mostly, a TRP does not allow re-enter. This means if you leave Canada, you will not be able to come back. 

However, in rare cases, people may receive a TRP that allows multi-entries depending on their situations. 

Can I include my family members?

Note that a TRP is only for people who are ineligible or inadmissible. 

If your family members will go to Canada or stay in Canada with you, and they are also ineligible or inadmissible, they will need to submit their own TRP application. 

If they do not have these issues, they may choose the regular programs that they are eligible for. 

For your information, family members include your spouse or partner. They can be same sex as yours, another sex, or non-binary. If you have children, they must be less than 22 years of age, and do not have a spouse or common law partner of their own. 

Apply for permanent residence (PR) as a TRP holder?

A TRP holder may be eligible for PR. To be eligible, you must have lived in Canada for at least 3 years in a row. You must have always had a valid TRP. Further, your original inadmissible or ineligible ground remains, and you don’t have any new inadmissible or ineligible grounds. 

LGBTQ immigration

Many LGBTQ people wish to move to Canada either for work or study. They will want to become permanent residents. In fact, both work experience and education in Canada will be helpful for their PR applications. Further, some of the LGBTQ individuals may already be eligible for PR without having to work or study in Canada.

However, if you are ineligible or inadmissible but have a compelling reason to enter or stay in Canada, you may consider a TRP. 

Book a consultation today, we can help you with your questions.

What do we do?

We work with LGBTQ people and help with their journey to Canada. At Bellwood, client experience is what we care about. We also create a safe and friendly place for those who wish to discuss their matters with us freely. 

Book an initial assessment today or contact us directly.

There are 3 kinds of removal order which can be issued to non-citizens residing in Canada, and each type of removal order carries with it separate consequences:

1. Deportation Order
2. Exclusion Order
3. Departure Order

A deportation order deems an individual “permanently barred” from Canada; they will be arrested by Canada by the Canada Border Service Agency and removed from Canada.  An exclusion order prevents an individual from returning to Canada within a specified period of time (usually 1 or 2 years). A departure order allows an individual to voluntarily leave Canada within 30 days after which it becomes a deportation order.

An individual can receive a removal order in a variety of circumstances. These include: asylum seekers who have had their refugee claims rejected, visitors who breach the conditions of or overstay a visa, permanent residents convicted of criminal offences, and failed permanent resident applicants who applied from inside Canada.

Permanent residents who have been issued a removal order have the option of appealing this decision to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD). In some cases the order is neither allowed nor withdrawn, and instead is stayed. A stay suspends the enforcement of a removal order for a period of time and usually attaches case appropriate conditions. Typical conditions include:

• Regular reporting to the CBSA
• Keeping the peace and good behaviour, and
• Making reasonable efforts to seek and maintain full-time employment.

At the end of the court-specified period, the appeal of the removal order is re-evaluated at which point the appeal can be allowed, dismissed, or the stay can be extended.

A second way to obtain a stay of a removal order is through the Federal Court with the help of a lawyer. Here, a motion is submitted to the court requesting an individual’s removal be temporarily suspended on specific grounds including: the individual faces serious harm in the country of their citizenship, they are involved in an ongoing judicial process, or they have an application for permanent residence which has yet to be processed.

Don’t try to navigate this complicated process alone! Get help today.

Either it is a refused Family Sponsorship application, unmatched Permanent Residency obligation or a Removal order, if you are concern that a Canadian Visa Officer has made an improper or unwarranted decision in your Immigration or Refugee application, i.e. you received a refusal or unsupported determination, the matter may be submitted to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada. Bellwood will assess your case and represent you to the board in a proficient manner. Contact us now, if this is your situation.

Reasons for medical, criminal, or other inadmissibility to Canada can be quite complex. Ultimately, if you are found inadmissible, you will be unable to visit or stay in Canada (with a number of limited exceptions for short-term visits). However, a determination of inadmissibility is subject to review and appeal. In addition, if you are improperly found to be inadmissible, there are often ways to correct your inadmissibility. For example, if you are criminally inadmissible, you may be eligible to apply for “rehabilitation”, which will allow you to be admitted to Canada.

Refugee protection claim in Canada requires that you are unwilling or unable to return to your country because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on your race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group. A person who is need of protection is one whose removal to his or her home country would subject him or her to a danger of torture, a risk to life, or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. Call us now, if this is your situation.

Humanitarian and Compassionate case can increase the likelihood in many different types of immigration applications. Such cases require special, individualized attention to effectively present the prevailing and future circumstances of the applicant to the Visa Officer. In some rare cases, a Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) may also see a reason to become involved. A typical humanitarian and compassionate case requires that the applicant would experience unusual and undeserved or disproportionate hardship if he or she is not granted an exemption to one or more of the Canadian immigration requirements. Contact us now…

Temporary Residents in Canada are subject to many circumstances. A Visitor, Student or Work Permit holders in Canada requires clear direction during transition from one status to another as well as to encounter changing situations that are unique to their expectations. This type of applications needs corrective actions and timely measures, but has to be guided by an expert professional.

Customs violations, immigration violations, misrepresentation, credibility concerns etc. can result in your detention upon your entry to Canada. If the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) determines that you have not met the requirement for entry to Canada, you will be allowed to withdraw your application, accept your misdoing and leave Canada. However, in other cases, individuals can be deported from Canada, be ordered to leave, and even be removed from entry to Canada for a period of time. In cases where you have been subject to a removal order and you have reason to return to Canada, you must first apply for and obtain authority prior to entry. Bellwood can provide you with a range of services related to detention, deportation, exclusions, and removal orders. Let us know about your circumstances by contacting us directly.

Foreign nationals who are criminally inadmissible to Canada are not permitted to enter Canada for any reason, without first obtaining special authorization from Canadian immigration authorities. Authorization can come in the form of a Temporary Resident Permit application, or a Criminal Rehabilitation application. Criminal Rehabilitation is a process whereby a foreign national petitions the Canadian government for permanent relief/clemency/forgiveness, for a particular crime(s) committed in a foreign country. Once a foreign national successfully undergoes the Criminal Rehabilitation process, their prior offenses will no longer impede travel to Canada. Criminal rehabilitation is a process with results similar to a complete pardon or expungement. Do not hesitate to contact us now.

Book appointment and send your case documents to get a first or second opinion on complex issues of Canadian Immigration.