Authority to Return to Canada
If you have been the subject of a removal order from Canada, you will probably need an Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) if you want to return. Whether you need one depends on the type of removal order that was issued.
Types of removal orders:
1. Departure Order
a) If you received a Departure Order, left Canada within the required 30 days, and verified your departure with a Canadian immigration officer at the port of exit you do not need an ARC. You may return to Canada subject to normal examination at the port of entry.
b) If you left the country without verifying your departure or more than 30 days after the Departure Order was issued, the Departure Order automatically becomes a Deportation Order and you need to apply for an ARC.
2. Exclusion Order
a) If you were issued an Exclusion Order, 12 months have passed since you left Canada, and you have a Certificate of Departure (IMM 0056B) showing the date upon which you left Canada you do not need an ARC. You may return to Canada subject to normal examination at the port of entry.
b) If you were issued an Exclusion Order based on a finding of misrepresentation and less than 2 years have passed since the Exclusion Order was enforced, then you need to apply for an ARC.b) If you wish to return to Canada less than 12 months after the Exclusion Order was enforced or do not have a Certificate of Departure, you need to apply for an ARC.
3. Deportation Order
If you have been the subject of a Deportation Order you will need to apply for an ARC.
When an officer assesses your application, they will consider, among other things:
- the reasons for the removal order,
- the possibility that you will repeat the behaviour that caused the order to be issued,
- the length of time since the order was enforced,
- your current situation, and,
- the reason you want to enter Canada.
Be mindful that an incomplete or illegible application will be returned without being processed. There is no guarantee that you will be issued an Authorization to Return to Canada.
Important Immigration Court Decisions
