Case Results | Marin Immigration Law

Citizenship by descent

As of June 2, 2026, Marin Immigration Law has been retained by more than 100 individuals to prepare, research, complete, and submit Canadian citizenship applications following the recent changes to the Citizenship Act, also known as Bill C-3. Learn more about how we can help here.

Our team includes a professional genealogist and two research assistants dedicated to citizenship by descent work. When a file calls for it, we consult the archives (e.g. BAnQ) in person to obtain vital records that are not available through other channels. We also help clients obtain certified copies of key documents and new or replacement Canadian birth certificates to support their applications.

Our experience includes complex files built on historic records and older ancestry, including claims that trace back to ancestors born before the 1900s. We have also handled cases involving adopted applicants, families of ten or more applying together, and matters where DNA testing helps establish the lineage.

A sample of our recent work:

Prepared and submitted a citizenship by descent application for a single applicant tracing a four-generation maternal chain to a great-grandfather born in Londonderry, Nova Scotia, in 1885, including an urgent processing request.
Prepared and submitted applications for two brothers tracing a four-generation paternal chain to a great-grandfather born in Oxford County, Ontario, in 1871.
Prepared and submitted applications for six applicants across two related family branches, tracing their common ancestry to a great-grandmother born in Ontario in 1882.
Secured approval in under four weeks on an urgent processing request for an applicant purchasing residential property in Nova Scotia, on the basis that delay would wrongly expose them to foreign buyer taxes that do not apply to Canadian citizens.
Secured approval in approximately ten days on an urgent processing request for an applicant whose adult children were being charged international tuition at a Quebec university despite their entitlement to citizen rates.
Prepared and submitted an application tracing a five-generation maternal chain to an anchor born in Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec, in 1861, which required historical parish records and careful handling of multiple name variations across the generations.
Preparing an application for three adult children tracing a six-generation paternal chain to a great-great-grandfather born in Quebec, in 1864, with the line documented from the Quebec parish of origin through later generations born in Massachusetts.
Preparing an application for seven-generation maternal chain to a Canadian-born ancestor born in L'Assomption, Quebec, in 1828, supported by a Catholic parish baptismal record and requiring the reconstruction of multiple maiden-to-married name changes across six successive generations.
Preparing an application tracing a five-generation chain to a great-great-grandfather born in Bagot County, Quebec, in 1862, where the Canadian-born ancestor later emigrated to the United States and the family surname shifted between its French and anglicized spellings across the generations.

Federal Court (judicial reviews)

We have successfully represented numerous clients in judicial reviews before the Federal Court. Most cases in Federal Court are either resolved through settlement or dismissed at the leave stage; meaning there are no published reasons. You can read recent Federal Court decisions involving Cédric Marin here: CanLII.org

Our experience includes challenging refusals and delays involving permanent residence, temporary visas, and citizenship applications:

Settled and overturned a refused visitor visa application for a father seeking to visit his family in Canada, including his spouse who is working in Canada and his children who are studying here.
Settled and overturned a refused permanent residence application in which the sponsor was alleged not to have the intent to reside outside the province of Quebec.
Settled and expedited a mandamus (delayed) filed, expediting a long-delayed work permit application for an applicant who applied under the Global Talent Stream.
Settled and expedited a mandamus (delayed) file for a self-employed permanent residence file that was pending for more than 4 years.
Settled and overturned a refused study permit application for someone that had a fully paid scholarship from their country of origin and over $50,000 in additional funds.
Successfully argued and received an order to overturn a refusal where there was no evidence to doubt the applicant’s family relationship and that the officer lost jurisdiction by providing career counselling (source).
Settled and expedited a mandamus (delayed) file for an Express Entry applicant after IRCC took more than 18 months to add a new born child to a permanent residence application (Express Entry).
Successfully settled and overturned a refusal where the applicant was granted 7 days to respond to an Additional Document Request, but the application was refused on day 6.
Filed and pursued a mandamus to expedite a delayed permanent residency case that had been marked “approved” in the GCKEY account but remained pending for more than eight months.
Achieved over 25 positive outcomes through the Federal Court’s simplified judicial review pilot for study permit refusals, for example.

Filed for mandamus for security screening for both permanent residence and citizenship cases involving delays related to security screening, including "non-routine" cases.

Express Entry

Cédric has guided individuals, couples, and families through the full range of Express Entry processes, including initial applications, reapplying and procedural fairness responses:

Obtained permanent residence for a client previously refused due to incomplete documentation (e.g. reference letter did not have duties, intent to reside in Quebec).
Successfully obtained permanent residence for a skilled worker employed by the same multinational company worldwide in various roles and levels, including the USA and Canada.
Obtained permanent residence of a semi-professional athelth that worked in numerous locations in Canada.
Successfully guided an applicant and spouse working in Toronto after graduation to permanent residency.
Secured permanent residence for a French-speaking individual applying from abroad in a high-skilled position with many years of work and specialized post-doctoral education.

Employer-based immigration

Cédric has worked and collaborated with employers of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses, to facilitate employee immigration and transitions to permanent residence:

Successfully expedited immigration for international talent via judicial review of delayed applications.
Secured a quick, LMIA-exempt work permit at the airport for a senior executive to allow them to do work for a charity over the next three years.
Secured a three year work permit under the International Mobility Program at a Port of Entry, enabling an individual in Canada without work authorization to lawfully begin work for a business.
Successfully obtained a work permit based on an Intra-Company Transfer for an Executive Director from the United States to establish a branch/affiliate in Canada. The Executive Director was issued a three-year work permit, allowing them to open operations in Montreal.
Helped a business obtain a work permit and later permanent residency for a European national who worked for a small, local business.
Provided high-level legal advice and training to companies to support preparation of work permits, LMIAs, and related immigration applications.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Cédric represented applicants under OINP streams such as the Human Capital Stream and International Graduates Stream, such as:

Secured provincial nomination for a nurse, leading to successful permanent residence.
Provide legal advice to employers on the job offer streams, including creating profiles and salaries.
Obtained a nomination for a bilingual expert in a specialized field, resulting in permanent residence.
Retained by an employer to assist with the International Student Stream; prepare job offer and applicant's profile.

Spousal Sponsorship

Cédric handled in-Canada and overseas sponsorships, including complex situations with limited proof of cohabitation or frequent travel:

Approved despite limited evidence of cohabitation, no lease and living with the sponsors parents.
Helped a family move from the USA to Canada and obtain work permits will sponsorship pending.
Successfully obtained permanent residence for a recently married couple with a short relationship history and limited supporting evidence, while they were expecting their first child.
Obtained permanent residence for a family returning to settle in Canada after living abroad.
Provided legal advice to married and common-law couples, including hourly reviews of applications, forms, and supporting documents to identify common mistakes and potential issues prior to submission.
Provided legal advice on spousal applications for individuals with more than one significant other, such as in cases involving polygamy or open relationships.
Secured sponsorship and a work permit for a married couple when the sponsor was a student with limited income and despite limited proof of cohabitation.

Work Permits

From initial applications or renewals, Cédric has guided many through open and employer-specific work permit applications (see also above, "Employer-based immigration"):

Obtained a Spousal Open Work Permit for an applicant who had been out of status in the United States for approximately ten years.
Prepared Port of Entry applications for senior management applicants and those supported by their employers under the International Mobility Program.
Obtained a work permit under the International Experience Canada (IEC) (also known as Work Holiday) program while residing outside both Canada and the applicant’s country of citizenship.

Successful in applying for reconsideration after refusals for initial applications were refused.
Approvals under temporary policies, including after an initial refusal.
Obtained permits for spouses living abroad while the principal applicant lived in Canada.

Study Permits

Cédric assists applicants and educational institutions with initial study permit applications, family-inclusive filings, and refusals:

Secured study permits and visas for students and their accompanying family to colleagues, universities and other schools.
Successfully applied for study permits for individuals funded by family members.
Secured a study permit for an individual holding a government-funded scholarship from their home country.

Visitor Visas and Records

Cédric assists individuals and families in applying for visitor visas, including Super Visas for parents and grandparents. He has successfully represented clients with prior refusals and complex travel histories:

Secured a visitor visa for an individual without valid legal status and pending asylum case in the U.S. to attend an interview at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal, Canada to finalize their green card application.
Secured visas for parents visiting children in Canada after numerous refusals.
Successfully advocated for the reinstatement of a visitor visa that had been inactivated without notice while the applicant was abroad, enabling their return to Canada to reunite with family.
Extended stays by visitor record for grandparents visiting grandchildren in Canada who did not have an avenue to permanent residence.
After five refusals, an applicant’s parent (who was terminally ill) was finally granted a visitor visa, allowing the applicant’s spouse to visit their parent.

Other Immigration Cases

Cédric also assisted clients with complex or exceptional cases, including applications for Temporary Resident Permits (TRPs), addressing inadmissibility, and submitting reconsideration requests after refusals or withdrawn applications:

Approved applications for individuals with prior criminal records following expungement or vacation of records in the United States.
Successfully responded to IRCC requests concerning potential inadmissibility due to past government or military affiliations.
Provided legal opinions on cases involving both criminality and serious criminality (e.g. assault, assault causing bodily harm, drunk driving offences, operation while under the influence, etc) both inside Canada and outside Canada.
Achieved a positive outcome in response to a Procedural Fairness Letter regarding lump-sum deposits and funds held for “immigration purposes” under the Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Successfully responded to a Procedural Fairness Letter issued nearly two years after the initial positive eligibility decision, which requested a DNA test to confirm the relationship based on mere suspicious and unproven allegations.
Provide consultations and strategic immigration advice to individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, including support with work permit applications, study permits, visitor records and permanent residence.

Provided advice on eligibility of sponsors for spousal sponsorships involving Humanitarian and Compassionate considerations and/or permanent residence applications involving Temporary Public Policies (e.g. Iran, Ukraine).

These cases provide a snapshot of Cédric Marin’s immigration law experience. They are not exhaustive, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.