Authorization to Return to Canada After Exclusion or Deportation
· Harjeet Arora, RCIC-IRB
An Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) may be required before a person who was removed can return. Whether it is needed depends on the type of removal order, whether it was enforced and whether the person complied with it.
Departure orders
A properly complied-with departure order generally does not require an ARC. If the person does not leave within the required period or does not properly confirm departure, the order can become a deportation order.
Exclusion orders
An exclusion order generally bars return for a defined period after enforcement. Misrepresentation-related exclusion orders can carry a longer period. An ARC may be required for an earlier return or where the enforcement record does not establish compliance.
Deportation orders
A person subject to an enforced deportation order generally requires an ARC to return to Canada.
ARC does not erase inadmissibility
If the underlying inadmissibility remains unresolved, an ARC alone may not make the person admissible. The underlying issue must also be assessed.
See FDI’s Authorization to Return to Canada service and Removal Orders. Our overview of departure, exclusion and deportation orders explains how the type of order affects return.
Documents for an ARC assessment
Collect the actual removal order, certificate of departure or enforcement record, travel history and details of the intended return. A visa or permit application and any unresolved inadmissibility concerns must be considered alongside ARC requirements.
General information only. ARC requirements depend on the actual order and enforcement history.