Authorization To Return To Canada

What Is the Authorization to Return to Canada?

If you’ve been issued a removal order from Canada, you may need an Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) to re-enter the country. Whether you require an ARC depends on the type of removal order and if you complied with the terms of the order. It is crucial to understand the legal aspects involved, as some cases might involve legal issues that can affect your application.

A Canadian immigration officer will determine if you can enter when you apply for a visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA). Additionally, a border services officer will decide at the port of entry whether to allow your entry or transit.

To support your application, you might need to refer to documents like GCMS Notes, which provide detailed records of your immigration history.

There are three types of removal orders: Departure Order, Exclusion Order, and Deportation Order. The need for an ARC varies for each.

• Departure Order (IMM 5238)A departure order requires you to leave Canada within 30 days of the order becoming enforceable. When you leave, you must appear before a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the port of exit to confirm your departure and obtain a Certificate of Departure (IMM 0056B).You do not need an ARC if both of the following apply:You left Canada within the required 30 days, andYou have a Certificate of Departure confirming the date you left.You do need an ARC if either of the following applies:You did not leave Canada within the required 30 days, orYou left without notifying a CBSA officer of your departure.Important: If a departure order is not enforced within 30 days of becoming enforceable, it automatically becomes a deportation order. A deportation order permanently bars you from returning to Canada without an ARC.
• You left Canada within the required 30 days, and
• You have a Certificate of Departure confirming the date you left.
• You did not leave Canada within the required 30 days, or
• You left without notifying a CBSA officer of your departure.
• Exclusion Order (IMM 1214B)An exclusion order bars you from returning to Canada for one year after the order has been enforced by CBSA. If the exclusion order was issued because of misrepresentation, the bar is five years.You do not need an ARC if you have a Certificate of Departure AND one of the following applies:At least one year has passed since the exclusion order was enforced (standard exclusion), orAt least five years have passed since the exclusion order was enforced (misrepresentation-based exclusion).You do need an ARC if any of the following applies:You do not have a Certificate of Departure,You want to return to Canada less than one year after the exclusion order was enforced, orYou want to return to Canada less than five years after a misrepresentation-based exclusion order was enforced.
• At least one year has passed since the exclusion order was enforced (standard exclusion), or
• At least five years have passed since the exclusion order was enforced (misrepresentation-based exclusion).
• You do not have a Certificate of Departure,
• You want to return to Canada less than one year after the exclusion order was enforced, or
• You want to return to Canada less than five years after a misrepresentation-based exclusion order was enforced.
• Deportation Order: This is permanent, and you’ll always need an ARC to return.

ARC and Criminal Inadmissibility

If you were removed from Canada because of criminal inadmissibility, an approved ARC on its own may not be enough to re-enter. You must also resolve the underlying criminal inadmissibility before IRCC will issue the ARC.

There are two main paths to resolving criminal inadmissibility:

• Criminal Rehabilitation: A permanent solution available to people who have completed their sentence and have demonstrated rehabilitation. Eligibility depends on the nature of the offence and the time elapsed since completing the full sentence. A separate application and fee apply.
• Temporary Resident Permit (TRP): A TRP allows someone who is otherwise inadmissible to enter Canada temporarily for a compelling reason, even if the inadmissibility has not been permanently resolved. A TRP is discretionary and is issued only when an officer determines that your need to enter Canada outweighs any health or safety risk to Canadian society.

Criminally inadmissible applicants should address their inadmissibility before or alongside the ARC application. Submitting an ARC while criminal inadmissibility is unresolved will likely result in a refusal.

How to Apply for an ARC

How you apply for an ARC depends on your travel document status and whether you are seeking temporary or permanent residence.

Required documents for all ARC applications

Regardless of which path applies to your situation, every ARC submission must include:

• A detailed letter in English or French explaining why you should be allowed to return to Canada. The letter must be typed or printed in black ink. If your departure order converted to a deportation order because you did not leave within 30 days, your letter must explain why. Documents in any other language must include a certified translation.
• Proof of fee payment for the ARC processing fee. You can pay online through the IRCC payment portal. Confirm the current fee at the IRCC fee list before applying, as the amount is adjusted annually.

If you need a visa to enter Canada

You can submit your ARC application at the same time as your temporary resident application (visitor visa, study permit, or work permit). IRCC will first determine whether you are eligible for temporary residence, and then process the ARC. You must pay the fees for both the temporary residence document and the ARC.

If you need an eTA to enter Canada

Apply for the eTA, study permit, or work permit first. Once IRCC confirms your eligibility for temporary residence, they will request the ARC documents separately.

If you are visa and eTA-exempt

Contact the nearest Canadian visa office before travelling. Visa-exempt applicants are the only group that may submit a stand-alone ARC application without a concurrent residence application.

If you are applying for permanent residence

You can submit your ARC application alongside your permanent residence application. Include the ARC documents and fee receipts with your permanent residence package.

IRCC will notify you in writing if an interview is required or if additional documents are needed. Incomplete or illegible applications are returned without processing. There is no guarantee that an ARC will be issued.

How IRCC Assesses an Authorization to Return to Canada Application

Before applying, it helps to understand how a visa officer will review your file. If the circumstances that originally led to your removal have not changed, it is less likely your application will be approved.

When reviewing an ARC application, officers consider factors including:

• The reason for the original removal order: Why you were asked to leave and the seriousness of that reason.
• Your compliance with the removal order: Whether you left Canada on time, notified CBSA at departure, and obtained a Certificate of Departure.
• Time elapsed since the order: The longer the period since the removal and any related issues, the more favourably this may be viewed, though there is no fixed timeline that guarantees approval.
• Your current circumstances: Changes in your situation since the removal, such as resolved inadmissibility issues, evidence of rehabilitation, or strong ties to Canada.
• Your reason for wanting to return: Whether you have a compelling need to enter Canada, such as urgent family circumstances, a job offer, or a pending immigration application.
• The likelihood of similar behaviour: Officers will assess whether the conduct that led to your removal is likely to be repeated.

Your letter explaining why you should be allowed to return is one of the most important parts of your application. A strong letter addresses each of these factors directly and provides supporting evidence where possible.

What Happens When Filing for an Authorization to Return to Canada?

Once you file for an ARC, immigration officials will assess your compliance with the removal order. They’ll also consider any criminal inadmissibility issues. If you were deported due to criminal reasons, you must resolve this before your ARC application can proceed.

If all requirements are met, the visa officer will review the application and make a final decision. You’ll be notified in writing, and incomplete applications are returned without processing.

ARC Application Fee

The processing fee for an Authorization to Return to Canada is subject to annual adjustments by IRCC on December 1 each year under the Service Fees Act. As of December 2025, the fee is approximately $492.50 CAD. Before submitting your application, confirm the current amount directly on the IRCC fee list, as paying the wrong amount will result in your application being returned without processing.

This fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome. If your application is refused and you reapply, you will need to pay the full fee again.

If the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) paid for your removal from Canada, you must also repay those removal costs before IRCC will issue an ARC. IRCC will notify you of the exact amount once they begin processing your application. Applicants who were under 18 years old at the time the removal order was issued are exempt from repaying removal expenses.

ARC Processing Times

IRCC does not publish a fixed processing time for ARC applications. Processing times vary depending on the complexity of your case, the visa office responsible for your country of residence, and whether your application is submitted alongside a temporary or permanent residence application.

In general, ARC applications are processed as part of the broader residence application review. An application submitted with a visitor visa will follow visitor visa processing timelines at the relevant visa office, which may range from a few weeks to several months depending on the office.

Delays are more common when:

• Supporting documents are missing or unclear.
• An interview is required.
• Your case involves criminal inadmissibility that has not been fully resolved.
• Translation of documents is required and the certified translation is not included.

There is no expedited processing option for ARC applications. If your need to travel to Canada is urgent and you cannot wait for ARC processing, a Temporary Resident Permit may be considered.

You do not need an ARC in the following situations:

• Departure Order, fully complied with: You received a departure order, left Canada within 30 days, notified a CBSA officer at departure, and hold a Certificate of Departure.
• Exclusion Order, time elapsed: You received a standard exclusion order and at least one year has passed since it was enforced (or five years for misrepresentation-based exclusion), and you hold a Certificate of Departure.
• Removed while accompanying a removed family member: If you were removed from Canada solely because you were accompanying a family member who was being removed, you do not need an ARC to return.
• Direction to Leave Canada: A Direction to Leave Canada (form IMM 1217B) is not a removal order. It is issued when an officer cannot examine you at a port of entry. If you received a Direction to Leave Canada rather than a removal order, you do not need an ARC. You can return to Canada subject to normal examination.

In all other cases where a removal order was issued, you will need to determine whether an ARC is required based on the type of order and whether you complied with its terms.

ARC vs. Temporary Resident Permit

An ARC and a TRP are separate documents that serve different purposes and apply in different circumstances.

If you have a removal order and unresolved inadmissibility, a TRP may allow you to enter Canada temporarily while you work toward resolving the inadmissibility through criminal rehabilitation or another pathway.