Incorrect eCoPR answer on charged/convicted question due to Portal 1 confusion. Advice needed!

[bichijiaolin]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone who might have been in a similar situation or understands how IRCC generates the eCoPR document.

I received my eCoPR yesterday. Upon reviewing it, I noticed that the question "Charged/convicted of a crime or offence in any country, refused admission to Canada or required to leave Canada?" is answered with "NO."

Here is my background and why I am stressed about this:

• Back in 2018, I was charged with two offences outside Canada. Both charges were fully dismissed without conditions in 2019. I entered Canada after that and submitted my PR application in 2024.
• I truthfully declared these past charges in my PR application, as well as in all my previous immigration applications (work permit, TRV, etc.), and I provided all court records and proof of case dismissal to IRCC for every application from the very beginning.

The Portal 1 Confusion: When I received the Portal 1 email earlier this month, the template asked: "Have you or any of your family members been charged or convicted of a criminal offence (yes or no)".

• I answered "no" because the attached instruction pdf has a "Changes to your situation" section under the questions, which asks the applicant to inform any of the changes including "You, or any of your family members, are charged or convicted of a criminal offence." As it’s phrased in present tense, I interpreted this as them asking if there were any new or ongoing charges since I submitted my PR application (which there are not).

Now that my eCoPR says "NO," I am terrified that my literal interpretation of the Portal 1 email may have caused an inadvertent error on the final document, and I definitely don't want this to be seen as misrepresentation. I’ve already sent a reply to the portal 1 email to explain the confusion and ask for clarification. But in the meantime, I’d really appreciate any insights:

1. What should be the correct answer to the eCoPR question? Since my charges were dismissed and my admissibility was already assessed by IRCC during processing, do they default to "NO" on the final document, or should it definitely say "YES"?
2. Could this honest mistake cause any issues with my granted PR status? (My previous TRV and work permit are now invalid, so I'm very anxious). Was wondering if anyone has made a similar mistake in Portal 1 and what the experience was like.
3. What should I do about my SIN? I need to update my SIN for my employer and bank now that my Work Permit is technically invalid, but I am terrified to sign the eCoPR if that "NO" is legally considered a misrepresentation. Should I wait for IRCC to reply before signing it?

Any insights or similar experiences would be hugely appreciated. The wait and uncertainty are really nerve-wracking! Thank you!

 

[iSaidGoodDay]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone who might have been in a similar situation or understands how IRCC generates the eCoPR document.

I received my eCoPR yesterday. Upon reviewing it, I noticed that the question "Charged/convicted of a crime or offence in any country, refused admission to Canada or required to leave Canada?" is answered with "NO."

Here is my background and why I am stressed about this:

• Back in 2018, I was charged with two offences outside Canada. Both charges were fully dismissed without conditions in 2019. I entered Canada after that and submitted my PR application in 2024.
• I truthfully declared these past charges in my PR application, as well as in all my previous immigration applications (work permit, TRV, etc.), and I provided all court records and proof of case dismissal to IRCC for every application from the very beginning.

The Portal 1 Confusion: When I received the Portal 1 email earlier this month, the template asked: "Have you or any of your family members been charged or convicted of a criminal offence (yes or no)".

• I answered "no" because the attached instruction pdf has a "Changes to your situation" section under the questions, which asks the applicant to inform any of the changes including "You, or any of your family members, are charged or convicted of a criminal offence." As it’s phrased in present tense, I interpreted this as them asking if there were any new or ongoing charges since I submitted my PR application (which there are not).

Now that my eCoPR says "NO," I am terrified that my literal interpretation of the Portal 1 email may have caused an inadvertent error on the final document, and I definitely don't want this to be seen as misrepresentation. I’ve already sent a reply to the portal 1 email to explain the confusion and ask for clarification. But in the meantime, I’d really appreciate any insights:

1. What should be the correct answer to the eCoPR question? Since my charges were dismissed and my admissibility was already assessed by IRCC during processing, do they default to "NO" on the final document, or should it definitely say "YES"?
2. Could this honest mistake cause any issues with my granted PR status? (My previous TRV and work permit are now invalid, so I'm very anxious). Was wondering if anyone has made a similar mistake in Portal 1 and what the experience was like.
3. What should I do about my SIN? I need to update my SIN for my employer and bank now that my Work Permit is technically invalid, but I am terrified to sign the eCoPR if that "NO" is legally considered a misrepresentation. Should I wait for IRCC to reply before signing it?

Any insights or similar experiences would be hugely appreciated. The wait and uncertainty are really nerve-wracking! Thank you!

3. Just to go Service Canada. The changes in eCoPR details don't seem to materially change your SIN access, unless they invalidate your eCoPR. If there's anything wrong with your eCoPR (e.g. flagged on after review by IRCC), you'll be told to visit CBSA at the airport to get rectification/updating. At this point, my assumption is that you declared in your PR application initially about the charges and the confusion is only at the portal1 level - which you've informed IRCC of as well. So, go and update your SIN at Service Canada!

 

[caicaiwoshishui]

Hi, may I ask which PR pathway you applied under? Also, did the previous charge affect your application processing time or cause any delays? I’m currently going through a similar situation and would really appreciate it if you could share your experience. Thank you!