A past conviction — even a minor one — can make you criminally inadmissible to Canada. Our immigration lawyers find the strongest path to approval so you can cross the Canadian border with confidence, not anxiety.
HOW IT WORKS
We review every charge on your record — the offence, the date, the sentence completion — and analyse how each translates under Canadian law. From there, we confirm whether you're inadmissible and which solution fits your timeline and travel needs.
Our lawyers assist with the preparation of your application — Criminal Rehabilitation, TRP, or Legal Opinion Letter — which includes collection of all required documents and a tailored legal submission designed to maximize your chances of approval and avoid costly delays or refusals.
Once approved, you can travel to Canada — for work, family, or pleasure — without the anxiety of being turned away at the border. No more explaining your record to officers at the port of entry.
YOUR OPTIONS
The right solution depends on the nature of your offence, when your sentence was completed, and how often you plan to travel. Our lawyers identify the best option for your specific circumstances.
Best if you travel often — permanent fix
Criminal Rehabilitation permanently clears your inadmissibility. Once approved, you can cross the Canadian border for life without needing a permit for every trip.
Best if you need to travel soon
A TRP is the fastest path into Canada. It authorizes entry for a specific purpose and period, even if you remain criminally inadmissible.
Best for pending charges or equivalency disputes
A Legal Opinion Letter is a lawyer-prepared document that explains your situation to border officers, reducing the risk of refusal without requiring a formal application.
Canada does not use the terms "felony" and "misdemeanour." Under Canadian law, offences are classified as summary (minor), indictable (serious), or hybrid (prosecutor's discretion). For immigration purposes, a hybrid offence is always treated as indictable — which means even a minor U.S. charge can trigger inadmissibility.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has direct access to FBI records and international law enforcement databases. When you present your passport, officers can review your criminal history in real time. Expungements, pardons, dismissals, and sealed records may still appear — and may still trigger questioning or refusal.
The good news: nearly every criminal record case has a legal path forward. The key is identifying the correct Canadian equivalent of your offence and preparing a submission strong enough to win approval the first time.
With over 23 years of experience, Canadim is one of Canada's leading immigration law firms. Our dedicated legal team has helped thousands of individuals with criminal records overcome inadmissibility and cross the Canadian border — including complex cases involving DUIs, drug charges, assault, fraud, theft, and serious criminality.
We prepare every case with the rigour it deserves. After a thorough review of your record and travel goals, we build a strategic, personalized submission designed to maximize your chances of approval and avoid the delays, refusals, or border embarrassment that come with a weak or incomplete application.
"Canadim is a great law firm consisting of an organized, helpful and professional team. They take their time to check all details of your case with you and will give you the best options to achieve your objectives. You will have constant communications with them, while reviewing your documents, which helps creating a flawless application. I had the opportunity to work with Jasmine, a very nice and professional member of the team, who was always available to answer my questions during the process. I would recommend this firm to anyone, without a doubt. I would like to thank Canadim, and specifically Jasmine, for all their support."
"First of all, I want to thank Canadim for all the help you have done to me. All their staff are very accommodating and approachable. They are patient and always answer all my questions and guided me step by step whenever I have problems or don't know what to do. They are always there to help throughout the processing. Thank you all for your tremendous help. I'm so grateful and thankful! I highly recommend Canadim. You're the best! God bless you always and may you continue helping people."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, in most cases — but you'll almost always need formal authorization first. A criminal record makes you criminally inadmissible to Canada under Canadian immigration law, so attempting to cross without a Temporary Resident Permit, Criminal Rehabilitation, or a Legal Opinion Letter is very likely to result in refusal at the border.
Any offence with an equivalent under Canadian law can trigger inadmissibility — including DUI, assault, theft, fraud, drug possession, weapons charges, and reckless driving. Canada classifies offences as summary (minor), indictable (serious), or hybrid. For immigration purposes, hybrid offences are always treated as indictable, which is why even a U.S. misdemeanour can make you inadmissible.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has direct access to FBI records and other international law enforcement databases. When you present your passport at the border, officers can review your criminal history in real time. Even arrests without a conviction, sealed records, and juvenile records may appear in the system.
Likely not, unless you have pre-approval. If you arrive at a land border with a criminal record and no supporting documentation, CBSA officers will assess your admissibility and most often refuse entry. For urgent trips, a Temporary Resident Permit can sometimes be obtained at the port of entry — but approval is discretionary and not guaranteed for discretionary travel like vacation or sightseeing.
Not without proper documentation. Most Alaska cruises from the U.S. dock in British Columbia, and even a brief stop requires clearing Canadian admissibility. The same applies to driving through Canada to Alaska, or a flight layover. If you're found inadmissible, you may be refused boarding, removed from the ship, or sent back at your own expense — with no refund from the cruise line.
It's unwise to try without documentation. Transit passengers must still be admissible to Canada. You may be denied boarding at your departure airport, questioned during arrival screening, or removed at your own expense. A Legal Opinion Letter or TRP can prevent these problems.
If you have a single non-serious offence and more than 10 years have passed since you completed your entire sentence, you may be deemed rehabilitated by the passage of time. However, this is discretionary — CBSA officers hold the final decision. We recommend carrying a Legal Opinion Letter to support your admissibility at the border. Serious offences — including DUIs after December 18, 2018 — are never eligible for deemed rehabilitation.
A pending charge without a conviction technically doesn't make you inadmissible — but the CBSA officer has full discretion and can still refuse you. A well-prepared Legal Opinion Letter explaining the status of your case and the low risk of conviction can make a meaningful difference at the border.
No — an expungement or pardon in the U.S. does not automatically clear your Canadian inadmissibility. CBSA officers can still see sealed or pardoned records in their databases. Carry all supporting court documents, and for important travel, obtain a Legal Opinion Letter to explain your situation and avoid delays or refusal.
It's not legally required, but criminal record applications involve complex legal analysis — identifying the equivalent Canadian offence, documenting rehabilitation, and assembling a complete evidentiary package. Small errors or missing documents commonly cause delays or refusals. An experienced immigration lawyer improves the quality of your application and your chances of approval — and protects you from the embarrassment and cost of being turned away at the border.
Have a criminal record and need to enter Canada? Our legal team will carefully assess your situation and recommend the strongest path to approval — whether that's Criminal Rehabilitation, a TRP, or a Legal Opinion Letter.
Schedule a free confidential consultation — same business day response.