Pardon

The entity that grants a pardon is the National Parole Board, pursuant to the Criminal Records Act. Rehabilitation or pardon does not erase criminal offences from your record but rather renders them confidential. Your record is then filed separate from those of delinquents.

When filing an application for pardon, it usually takes 4 to 10 months to receive an answer.

First of all, your conviction will be retrieved from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) and no information will be communicated unless the Minister of Public Safety authorizes it.

Furthermore, many employers review your criminal record and you risk losing a job opportunity if your record contains criminal offences.

Obtaining a pardon allows you to put the past behind you and to move forward.

However, take note that your pardon can be revoked if you are found guilty of another criminal offence. Incidentally, you need to have served the sentence and the probation period for the criminal offence for which you were found guilty before filing an application for pardon.

Waiver

Anyone who has a criminal record is strictly forbidden from travelling to the United States of America. In order to travel freely and without fear of being denied entry, you can apply for Canadian pardon or obtain a US Entry Waiver.

If you have already tried to enter the United States and were denied entry, Canadian pardon will not be sufficient and you will need to apply for the American waiver. The waiver is issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and allows you to travel despite your criminal record.

A waiver can be issued for one (1) year, two (2) years or five (5) years. The duration varies according to your criminal record and the quality of your application, hence the importance of requiring our services.

The delay to obtain and answer can go from 10 to 18 months depending on whether you chose the regular or expedited process.