My TRP experience

[keller2019]

I just wanted to take a minute and post my first hand experience as I searched and searched and found little about obtaining a TRP to overcome criminal inadmissibility. My parents recently had a 50th anniversary and wanted to go on an Alaskan Cruise. I booked the cruise in January 2019 and then found out that due to a DUI and shoplifting convictions in 1989 I may be inadmissible. This caused me a lot of grief as I found conflicting information about what would happen. On February 13th (our travel date was May 29th) I sent a TRP application to the office in Los Angeles. I did not hear anything until I emailed a month later in March. The following day I received a canned email stating that they had received my application on February 15th and that it was in the que to be evaluated. As the cruise was 5/29 I became increasingly nervous as the weeks ticked by but I was encouraged by the few instances where I had found people who received an answer the day or two before travel. I sent inquiry emails several times but received no answers. Finally on the day before we flew out, at 4:30 in the afternoon, I got the email stating that my application was approved and provided me a letter to take with me. Whew! That was cutting it close! I took the letter the following day and at Vancouver Airport it was very confusing. I presented the letter to the first officer after the kiosks. He didn't really know what to do so he sent me to another area where they told me to collect my bags and go to the exit. At this point the officer told me to leave the line and go to the secondary inspection area. Here I again presented the letter and my passport was taken and I was told to sit down. They didn't tell me anything about what would happen. I waited for an hour for them to finally call me up and provide me with an official looking document (they didn't even use the pictures I provided them). They then said I was eligible for rehabilitation if I would like to later apply, and have a nice day. We hurried fast to get to the cruise and made with only 1 hr to spare. (Our day began with cancelled flights due to a system malfunction at Air Canada and no help getting rebooked in time). Overall a very stressful experience but it did work out and seems that others are correct when they say that applications are sorted by your date of travel and they do get back to you only a day or two before that. Good luck to others in a similar situation!