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Criminal rehabilitation - my experience

soliloquy

Full Member
Nov 3, 2016
35
55
Hi all,

I thought it was worth posting my experience with criminal rehabilitation because when I was going through the process, I found little to no information from people who had successfully come through the process - most people post at the start of the process but then no follow up is given. So I hope this helps someone.

My situation:

I live in Australia. Approx 6 years ago I was caught drink driving, very stupid, I am very ashamed and have not ever done that since. I had some confusion around the charge, as at the time I was given a fine and licence suspension in line with an 0.05-0.079% reading, whereas I have since found out I was over 0.08%. Last year, before the 5 year mark, I travelled to Canada on a visitor visa for 3 months. On my ETA, which was applied for in a panic the night before I left due to some bad advice from a fellow backpacker, I said I had no criminal conviction (which I thought was the truth). In gathering documents for a potential work permit I had since found out that I did in fact have a criminal conviction listed on my police certificate.

Thinking it was going to take up to a year to process, and knowing that I have a job starting in Canada in a few months, I decided to apply for criminal rehabilitation. It has been longer than 5 years since I paid the fine, so I was eligible, but I thought I'd be in trouble for travelling to Canada whilst I was inadmissible. I wrote all this in the letter to immigration, I was honest and upfront about the whole thing.

The documents I included:
- a cover letter explaining my situation, my ties to the community, my family ties in australia, my job offer in canada
- the application form, completed in full
- three character reference letters from a) a sub-lieutenant in the Australian Navy, known for 7 years, b) an academic professor, known for 3 years, c) a senior academic professor, known for 6 years, all stating it was a once off, that I have never been known to do that since
- photocopy of my info page of my passport
- my police certificate showing the excess 0.08% as the only charge
- a print out from the fines enforcement registry stating the fine was paid in full
- a copy of the Western Australian law I broke (also stating the penalties)
- a copy of the corresponding Canadian law
- receipt for the $200CAD fee

This was sent via express post to the Sydney immigration office. It arrived on the 2nd December 2016.

I emailed the office the next week asking for my application ID (for future reference if needed), got a response within 2 days.

I received an email on the 28th December 2016 with my approval letter. So it took approximately 20 business days.

There is hope, all.

Thanks for reading. I hope this helps someone in the future.
 

alexspetz

Newbie
Feb 6, 2017
1
0
Hey buddy, thanks for the post, that also gives me hope too. Alot of it. Just one thing... the travelling to Canada before with an ETA... i have recently just done this to visit my girlfriend, and also stated that "No criminal Conviction" seeing as i thought all of mine were spent. When i was in Canada amazingly i got an invite on the IEC.. so i got all my required docs including police reports, and found that yes, my DUI is still on my record (i believe in the UK it is 'pardonned' after 5 or 7 years.... anyway. My question is, did you explain that you'd already been to Canada? Because my worry is that they could see this on their system, that i'd been there before, and kill me for it...

anymore advice would be excellent. really good post thank you.
 

soliloquy

Full Member
Nov 3, 2016
35
55
Well, I applied for a new eTA, stating that I needed to have one that accurately reflected my situation (disclosure of criminal record etc).

So I applied, after just over a week, my old eTA was cancelled and my new eTA was approved.
 

Bigal653

Full Member
Jan 13, 2015
29
2
WOW :eek:, that was quick, happy for you.

i am in a simillar situation, but a little bit more complicated, before the ETA started, i traveled a couple of times to canada, and even had a work permit, now i am back in my home country, and a canadian company wants to hire me through the PNP process, but i have a DUI from 2010, i was sentenced on Aug 2011, (5 years past) payd the fines, and served the license ban.
i just woundering, how they look at my application for rehab after my previus travels to canada? :eek:.
and a small request, i want to send a rehab request fro them, but i having trouble in what to write on the reference letter.
is it posible that you can post a copy of your latter, so i can have an idea what to write there? thants.
 

seekingCR2

Star Member
May 10, 2017
188
44
Well, I applied for a new eTA, stating that I needed to have one that accurately reflected my situation (disclosure of criminal record etc).

So I applied, after just over a week, my old eTA was cancelled and my new eTA was approved.
You are lucky man. I submitted my application to Los Angeles, USA consulate. It's been over 5 months and I haven't heard any single word on my application. I wish I could have sent it to India since my nationality is India and I live in USA and incident occurred in USA>
 

APD

Full Member
Jun 28, 2017
40
3
Torontro
Category........
PNP
Job Offer........
Yes
Hi all,

I thought it was worth posting my experience with criminal rehabilitation because when I was going through the process, I found little to no information from people who had successfully come through the process - most people post at the start of the process but then no follow up is given. So I hope this helps someone.

My situation:

I live in Australia. Approx 6 years ago I was caught drink driving, very stupid, I am very ashamed and have not ever done that since. I had some confusion around the charge, as at the time I was given a fine and licence suspension in line with an 0.05-0.079% reading, whereas I have since found out I was over 0.08%. Last year, before the 5 year mark, I travelled to Canada on a visitor visa for 3 months. On my ETA, which was applied for in a panic the night before I left due to some bad advice from a fellow backpacker, I said I had no criminal conviction (which I thought was the truth). In gathering documents for a potential work permit I had since found out that I did in fact have a criminal conviction listed on my police certificate.

Thinking it was going to take up to a year to process, and knowing that I have a job starting in Canada in a few months, I decided to apply for criminal rehabilitation. It has been longer than 5 years since I paid the fine, so I was eligible, but I thought I'd be in trouble for travelling to Canada whilst I was inadmissible. I wrote all this in the letter to immigration, I was honest and upfront about the whole thing.

The documents I included:
- a cover letter explaining my situation, my ties to the community, my family ties in australia, my job offer in canada
- the application form, completed in full
- three character reference letters from a) a sub-lieutenant in the Australian Navy, known for 7 years, b) an academic professor, known for 3 years, c) a senior academic professor, known for 6 years, all stating it was a once off, that I have never been known to do that since
- photocopy of my info page of my passport
- my police certificate showing the excess 0.08% as the only charge
- a print out from the fines enforcement registry stating the fine was paid in full
- a copy of the Western Australian law I broke (also stating the penalties)
- a copy of the corresponding Canadian law
- receipt for the $200CAD fee

This was sent via express post to the Sydney immigration office. It arrived on the 2nd December 2016.

I emailed the office the next week asking for (for future reference if needed), got a response within 2 days.

I received an email on the 28th December 2016 with my approval letter. So it took approximately 20 business days.

There is hope, all.

Thanks for reading. I hope this helps someone in the future.
Which email address did you send to ask your application ID?
Please advise.
Thanks.
 

laura7856

Newbie
Feb 16, 2018
4
2
Which email address did you send to ask your application ID?
Please advise.
Thanks.
Hi APD, I don't know where soliloquy sent his email and it looks like he has not been active in this forum for a while. I am currently also waiting for information on my application and I found this email address in another forum:
sydny-immigration@international.gc.ca
I have now sent an email to them, asking if they recieved my application and if there is anything else they need as I have not recieved any kind of confirmation that my application has even arrived.
I will let you know if I recieve a response but I thought maybe this would help you out too.
Cheers
 

APD

Full Member
Jun 28, 2017
40
3
Torontro
Category........
PNP
Job Offer........
Yes
Hi APD, I don't know where soliloquy sent his email and it looks like he has not been active in this forum for a while. I am currently also waiting for information on my application and I found this email address in another forum:
sydny-immigration@international.gc.ca
I have now sent an email to them, asking if they recieved my application and if there is anything else they need as I have not recieved any kind of confirmation that my application has even arrived.
I will let you know if I recieve a response but I thought maybe this would help you out too.
Cheers
Did you ger respond from CIC?
Please advise.
 

Raoul1865

Member
May 13, 2018
14
0
Any one any updates? Timeline................

23rd April 18- Applied @ the Canadian High Commission in Sydney Australia

I have been given a file number and told 2-8 months processing times already going to be 5 months. I thought the process was much faster in Australia.

Would appreciate if any one will share their recent experience please.
 

laura7856

Newbie
Feb 16, 2018
4
2
Did you ger respond from CIC?
Please advise.
Hi, yes I did get a response saying it would take some time and they couldn't say how long. They did say however they try to move up applications that are time sensitive so it helped that I wrote the email because then they knew that I was hoping to go soon.
 

laura7856

Newbie
Feb 16, 2018
4
2
Any one any updates? Timeline................

23rd April 18- Applied @ the Canadian High Commission in Sydney Australia

I have been given a file number and told 2-8 months processing times already going to be 5 months. I thought the process was much faster in Australia.

Would appreciate if any one will share their recent experience please.
Hi, I was told the same thing BUT it took about 3.5 months for processing for me through the sydney office. The best thing was after I had my rehabilitation paper, the visa process (for working holiday at least) went super fast. Everything worked out for me, it just takes a little patience and the odd polite email. It's worth the process too as until 10 years have passed, you are always going to have this issue when wanting to go to Canada and this solves it for good.


Good luck!
 
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hamilton88

Newbie
Aug 20, 2018
2
0
Hi, I was told the same thing BUT it took about 3.5 months for processing for me through the sydney office. The best thing was after I had my rehabilitation paper, the visa process (for working holiday at least) went super fast. Everything worked out for me, it just takes a little patience and the odd polite email. It's worth the process too as until 10 years have passed, you are always going to have this issue when wanting to go to Canada and this solves it for good.


Good luck!
Hi, When did you submit your application to the Sydney office? And did you express urgency in your email? Reading these threads seems like the processing time varies!
 

laura7856

Newbie
Feb 16, 2018
4
2
Yes, I absolutely think processing times vary and there isn't much you can do about that as it will depend on how many applications they have at the time etc. etc. I submitted my application at the end of January 2018 and recieved my answer on May 3rd, just in time for me to get my work visa and start my job on June 1st.
I didn't express urgency per se, I just explained that I had a job offer starting in June and that I would really appreciate anything they can do to get me approved in time to start working. I think you are bascially at their mercy and definitely shouldn't demand anything, I also think they have heard every excuse in the book so it pays to be honest and genuine ;)
They did tell me that they prioitise applications according to travel time of applicants but because they never ask you that on the application form (at least not that I remember), it's good to send an email to let them know when you need to travel. Good luck!
 
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