Sponsor for my wife with criminal record

[petersum]

I am a Canadian citizen. I want to sponsor my wife who is currently living in the Thailand. my wife has a criminal conviction in Hong Kong. in 2006 she had travelled to Hong Kong using another person passport. she had to leave Thailand urgently at that time because she was having a thread from her previous live in partner. after 1 month she returned to Thailand with no problem. In 2008 she travel to Hong Kong again this time she used her own true passport. however the immigration officer knew that previously she came to Hong Kong in 2006 using a forged passport. she was sentenced to 10 months is prison under summary conviction. this is the only offense she have. she had a stable life since the conviction.she have no other offense in Thailand.Five years have passed now since her sentence, I will like to apply for rehabilitation for her so that she can come to stay with me in Canada.

I understand this is a serious offense in Canada with maximum penalty of 14 years.
what are the chances they will grant rehabilitation to her? and her long is the process?

 

[zardoz]

I'm guessing that you already know this but for those that don't, the CIC web pages that deal with this start at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/inadmissibility/conviction.asp and specific instructions are at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5312ETOC.asp

She will just have to apply because nobody here will be able to guess what her chances are. If she makes a very strong application citing personal safety etc, it will be better than if, for example. she just wanted a "better life".

It's at times like this that a skilled immigration lawyer may be helpful to help put together a convincing application.
However, as you are already aware, the law on false passports is particularly tough, both in the Criminal Code of Canada (S. 56 and/or S. 57) and IRPA (S. 122).

The process is documented on the CIC web site as taking up to one year.

Good luck.

 

[petersum]

thanks. Can you recommend a good immigration lawyer in the Toronto area that have good experience on these case.

 

[zardoz]

I'm sorry but I really don't know one that has done that sort of work before. I only know one immigration lawyer in Toronto, but as he is a friend of the family, I am not comfortable recommending him. No doubt there are others on here who can make suggestions.