Application for Authority to Return to Canada

[SallyC]

Hello all.

My name is Sally and I am a US citizen who married a Canadian citizen in late 2004.

We had a rocky experience with immigration due to extreme delays, inexperience and listening to bad advice. I ended up with an exclusion order sending me back to the US for a year (until Oct 29 2011).

I was told by the border officer, when my exclusion order was executed, that I could file an Application for Authority to Return to Canada if I wanted a chance to reenter Canada before my 1 year is up.

I've read various sources saying the success rate for this application is low. Still, I want to try it just in case.

So that said, I am wondering if there is anyone on this forum who has some experience filing this particular application. I would appreciate some help and advice.

Here is one question I have immediately:

The Application for Authority to Return to Canada requires both State and National police certificates for countries I have lived in for at least 6 months since turning 18. I'm already working on getting them from my home state (California) and the FBI.

However, do I also need to get the police certificates from Canada? I am 31 now and I was in Canada for a few years before the exclusion order. Some of those years are considered illegal, though I did not know that until later (again due to inexperience / bad advice, as well as lack of being informed by the immigration office). So I don't know if those years count as residing in Canada or not.

I appreciate any help those of you on this forum can offer.

Sally

 

[angelbrat]

If you lived in Canada for over 6 months, whether legal or illegally I am guessing you need to get one. Anyway, either way, it certainly will not harm your application in any way for sure.

The more information you send, the more likely you are to get the application through quicker. I am not an expert in this area at all but I think that applies to any category you are applying for with CIC and Canada.

 

[brisal13]

Hi SallyC:

I see you posted this in November 2010. I'm wondering if you did actually apply for ARC and if you received a positive response. I submitted my application in October 2010 and to date still waiting. I would appreciate hearing from you and others who applied for ARC and what the outcome was.

Thanks.
Brisal