Many travellers discover at the border that an old impaired-driving conviction makes them criminally inadmissible to Canada. Since 2018, impaired driving is treated as serious criminality, a single DUI can bar entry indefinitely. But inadmissibility is a legal problem with legal solutions.
Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
A TRP lets an inadmissible person enter Canada for a defined period when their reason for entry outweighs the risk. Business meetings, family events, and work obligations can all support a TRP. Strong applications document the offence, everything since, and the concrete need to enter Canada.
Criminal rehabilitation: the permanent fix
If at least five years have passed since you completed your full sentence (including probation and fines), you may apply for criminal rehabilitation, a one-time application that permanently resolves that inadmissibility. Approved once, you don’t need TRPs again for that offence.
Legal opinion letters
Charged but not convicted? Or the outcome doesn’t clearly translate into Canadian law? A legal opinion letter explains to border officers why your situation shouldn’t make you inadmissible, often preventing a problem before it happens.
Don’t improvise at the border
Arriving unprepared and hoping the officer will be generous is the worst strategy. These cases reward preparation.
More on inadmissibility and TRPs.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different: book a consultation to discuss your situation.
About the author
Miguel Martins Pereirinha is a Canadian immigration lawyer and partner at Slayen Immigration Law in Vancouver, British Columbia. He practises Canadian immigration law exclusively — work permits, permanent residence, family sponsorship, citizenship and inadmissibility — and works with clients in English and Portuguese.
