Criminal Record Pardons Information

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1A. What is a Standard or Basic Canada Pardon?

A Standard or Basic Canada pardon is an order by the National Parole Board of Canada that removes your criminal record from CPIC (the Canadian Police Information Center's computer system), which makes it unavailable to all other Canadian police detachments. As well, your record can no longer be accessed by APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) a computer system used by U.S. Customs airport officials. To get a Pardon you must prove to the National Parole Board that you have maintained a record of good conduct since you were charged with your last offense. Once pardoned your criminal record information may still be seen by the arresting police detachment on their PIRS system or their PROS system, however such information is usually not accessed if nothing comes up on CPIC. A copy of your Pardoned Record can only be obtained with written permission from you or the Solicitor General of Canada.

1B. What is a Alberta Pardons Customized Canada Pardon?

For qualified applicants, our Customized Canada pardon not only removes your criminal record from CPIC and APIS, but it also includes a File Destruction service which seals or permanently destroys all trace evidence showing that you were ever arrested, charged, fingerprinted, photographed, went to court, etc. Doing this assures that no existing or future government agency will be able to access any information regarding your offense(s), which could then be used against you. Note: for some sexual convictions your record cannot be permanently destroyed by any means. Note: File Destructions for convictions are usually only granted after 10 years or more have passed without any further charges, investigations or convictions, and if you have multiple convictions the police like to see at least 15 years of crime-free activity.

2. Do you process out-of-province and out-of-country Canadian Pardon applications?

Yes, we can process applications for Canadians living anywhere in the world, as long as the area receives courier deliveries.

3A. How much does a Standard or Basic Canada Pardon cost?

Our standard fee for processing a Canada Pardon application is: $479.00, plus 5% GST ($23.95) = $502.95. Price includes a $319.00 administration fee (also includes application tracking, email updates and express courier fees), the $50 National Parole Board filing fee, $50.00 for Document Certification fees, and $60.00 to cover Court and Local Police Record Search fees. Note: There will be a $65.00 biometric fingerprinting fee charged by Alberta Fingerprinting Services located on the second floor (which will dramatically speed up the processing of your Certified Record). If you live outside the Edmonton area we will arrange for you to be fingerprinted at the nearest biometric fingerprinting office or your local police station. There you will have to pay between $55 and $65, including the $25.00 mail-in or $30.00 electronic submission fee. Of course ink fingerprints can still be taken by our staff or your local police detachment, however, processing times for ink fingerprints are currently 6 to 8 months. Note: Additional court record search charges may be incurred if you have multiple offenses where fines were imposed within 15-years of your application date, or if you have served in the Canadian Military, or if you have lived in more than 1 city within the last 5 years. Additional court record, local police record and military record searches are $60.00 each plus GST.

3B. How much does a Customized Canada Pardon cost?

Our standard fee for a customized Canada Pardon is: $899.00, plus 5% GST ($44.95) = $943.95. Price includes our administration fee (also includes application tracking, email updates and express courier fees), the $50 National Parole Board filing fee, $100.00 for Document Certification fees, and $60.00 to cover Court and Local Police Record Search fees, and $240.00 to cover file destruction fees. Note: There will be a $65.00 biometric fingerprinting fee charged by Alberta Fingerprinting Services located on the second floor (which will dramatically speed up the processing of your Certified Record). If you live outside the Edmonton area we will arrange for you to be fingerprinted at the nearest biometric fingerprinting office or your local police station. There you will have to pay between $55 and $65, including the $25.00 mail-in or $30.00 electronic submission fee. Of course ink fingerprints can still be taken by our staff or your local police detachment, however, processing times for ink fingerprints are currently 6 to 8 months. Note: Additional fees may be incurred if you have multiple offenses where fines were imposed within 15-years of your application date, or if you have served in the Canadian Military, or if you have lived in more than 1 city within the last 5 years. Additional court record, local police record and military record searches are $60.00 each plus GST.

4. How long does it take to process a Pardon application?

For 1 to 3 Summary offenses, it is currently taking about 5 months to assemble a Pardon application and then it takes the National Parole Board about 2 months to process the application and grant a Pardon. If you have 4 or more offenses and/or have committed an Indictable offense(s) or you have recent charges on your Local Police Record Check, it may take up to 15 months to process your application, after it is received by the Board. For more information see Current Processing Times.

5. Can you rush my Pardon application, and if so how much more will I have to pay?

Yes, we can and there is an additional $120.00 fee plus GST to do this. If your application qualifies for priority status, we will do everything possible to see that your application is processed as quickly as possible. Note: In order to get the National Parole Board to prioritize a Pardon application, extreme hardship must be shown pending a Pardon, i.e. the person is unemployable due to having a record. For more information, contact us. Of course being biometrically fingerprinted by an approved facility such as Alberta Fingerprinting Services also speeds up application processing times by the RCMP Civil Fingerprint Screening Services in Ottawa, as it currently takes 6 to 7 months off the current 10 month ink-on-paper fingerprint processing time.

6. Am I guaranteed that I will get a Pardon?

We guarantee that you will get a Canada Pardon as long as you are eligible to receive one. This means the RCMP have not stated that a criminal record does not exist, you have not recently committed any offense(s) that would void your eligibility or indicate that you are still deemed to be a high risk to re-offend, and all fines have been paid and all penalties and/or dispositions have been served.

7. Can you help me if I received a Pardon on my own and now wish to enter the U.S.?

Unfortunately, due to the many complications that often arise, we can only provide US Waiver application assistance to you, if required.

8. Does a Standard or Basic Pardon allow me to enter the U.S.?

Unfortunately, US Customs does not recognize a Canada Pardon if they become aware of it. If you have never been denied entry, deported or interviewed by US Customs, and US Customs has never accessed your criminal record via CPIC or APIS prior to you being granted a Canada Pardon, and your criminal record was properly sealed, then US Customs will no longer be able to access it on CPIC or APIS. However, US Customs officials have several ways of finding out if you have ever committed a criminal offense. If you are not properly prepared to answer their wide assortment of questions you could be denied entry, face property seizures, short-term imprisonment, and be permanently banned from entering in the future. Our Customized Canada Pardon removes your criminal record from CPIC and APIS, as well as all trace evidence that you were ever arrested, charged, fingerprinted, photographed, went to court, etc., and it includes all the information you need to know to navigate US Customs. Note: If you were at one time involved or suspected of international gang related activities, or you have multiple sexual assault charges, a copy of your record could have been sent to the FBI and/or placed on Interpol. Such records cannot be destroyed through either Pardon process.

9. When can I apply for a Pardon?

According to the Criminal Records Act you are eligible to apply for a Pardon 3 years after completion of a summary offense, and 5 years after completion of an indictable offense.

10. Can my Pardon application be denied, and if so would I get a refund?

If you are found to be not of good conduct your application can be denied.There are no refunds once an application has been completed and submitted to the NBP.

11. How do I apply for a Pardon?

You can call our office and apply over the telephone or fill out our secure online application form and submit it to us along with your online payment.

12. Can my employer find out I have received a Pardon?

No, unless you tell them there is no way for anyone to determine that you have received a Pardon. Note: Persons who have been convicted of crimes of a sexual nature are flagged as being a risk when working in the vulnerable sector, such as working with children or disabled adults.

13. Do you provide free information to people who are applying for a Pardon on their own?

No. This is due to the many time consuming complications that arise which take our staff away from the duties and responsibilities of serving our clients.

14. Does a Pardon have limitations?

Yes. If you have been pardoned for a sexual offense under the Criminal Records Act your record will be kept closed and separate, but your name will be flagged in the Canada National Repository. This means that if you are going to work around vulnerable people such as children, seniors or disabled individuals, you will be required to disclose this information to the employer before doing so.

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