Talk to an immigration lawyer
Important: Immigration law in Canada is complicated. It is easy to make a serious mistake. It is important that you get legal advice from an immigration lawyer. If you are worried about your immigration status, are at risk of losing your status, or are unsure what your status is, you need to get legal advice.
Your lawyer can do things like:
- help you apply to stay in Canada
- help you understand how your immigration status might affect any family law or criminal law issues
- explain the differences between making an H&C application and a refugee claim
- help you decide if you should apply to separate your refugee claim from your partner’s refugee claim
You might be able to get a Legal Aid certificate to help you with an H&C application in certain situations, such as if you have experienced family violence and there are children involved. To apply, call Legal Aid Ontario toll-free at 1-800-668-8258.
Legal terms in blue are explained in the Glossary at the end of the handbook.
Legal Aid Ontario’s Refugee Law Office offers free help to people leaving an abusive relationship with their:
- refugee claims
- H&C applications
- other immigration questions
You can call them toll free at 1-855-854-8111 or at 416-977-8111 in Toronto. Your local community legal clinic might also be able to help you. See Legal services for victims of violence.
If you have experienced family violence and need immediate legal help, you might be able to get a certificate for 2 hours of free advice from a lawyer. If you need advice from a family lawyer and an immigration lawyer, you can ask to get advice for both.
This service is offered through some women’s shelters, the Family Court Support Worker Program, community legal clinics, and Family Law Service Centres. Or you can call Legal Aid Ontario toll-free at 1-800-668-8258 to find out more. See General legal services.
Previous page Next page