Bellissimo Immigration Law Group PC
2 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 425 handling Immigration Law.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Bellissimo Immigration Law Group PC
One of the highest-rated law firms in Toronto, going by its Google reviews.
Bellissimo Immigration Law Group PC is a Toronto firm that focuses exclusively on Canadian citizenship, immigration, and refugee law, describing itself as one of the few remaining firms in the country to practice in nothing else. The firm is headquartered in the Yonge Eglinton Centre at 20 Eglinton Avenue West in midtown Toronto. Founder Mario D. Bellissimo, who has achieved the highest possible designation as a Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law and Refugee Protection and is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, is a past chair of the Canadian Bar Association's National Immigration Law Section and a member of the Federal Court Rules Committee, and has authored several practical guides on Canadian citizenship and inadmissibility law along with a book on immigration history and policy published by Irwin Law and the University of Toronto Press.
The team's combined experience in immigration law dates back more than forty five years, and the firm's practice centres on complex litigation: appeals, medical and criminal inadmissibility, removal and deportation defence, and Federal Court applications, alongside permanent and temporary residence applications. Cecil L. Rotenberg, Q.C., called to the Ontario bar in 1959 and founder of the Immigration Law Reporter in 1985, served as counsel to the firm for many years and co-counseled cases with Bellissimo. The firm received the Canadian National Pro Bono Law Firm Award for its access-to-justice work and says it limits the number of cases it takes on to maintain its service standards.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Cecil L. Rotenberg, Q.C. was called to the Ontario bar in 1959, was later appointed Queen's Counsel, and founded the Immigration Law Reporter in 1985, a scholarly professional law journal that deals exclusively with matters of immigration, citizenship, and refugee law.
- Mario D. Bellissimo, the firm's founder, has achieved the highest possible designation as a Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law and Refugee Protection.
- The firm received the Canadian National Pro Bono Law Firm Award for its access-to-justice work.
- Bellissimo has testified before Parliamentary and Senate Committees on several proposed amendments to immigration law and is past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association's National Immigration Law Section.
In the community
- Mario D. Bellissimo has done pro bono work with Toronto's SickKids Hospital and with Pro Bono Law Ontario.
- Bellissimo serves as National Immigration Law and Policy Advisor for COSTI Immigration Resettlement Services, a Toronto settlement agency.
- The firm says it treats low-bono and pro bono matters on a case by case basis for clients who cannot afford full fees, even though it does not currently accept legal aid certificates.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
LGBTQ+ friendly
Virtual appointments
By appointment
In-person servicesWho handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office sits inside the Yonge Eglinton Centre, the mixed-use office and retail tower at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue in midtown Toronto. It's a short walk from Eglinton subway station on Line 1, which matters for a practice like this one: the firm's contact page lists dedicated service pages for clients reaching it from cities as far off as Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Halifax, so easy transit access to a central Toronto address serves people who may be travelling in for a single consultation rather than dropping by a neighbourhood storefront.
Because the practice is federal rather than local, its regular forums are the Federal Court, the Immigration and Refugee Board, and IRCC and CBSA offices rather than the local Ontario court system, which is part of why the firm keeps a single, centrally located Toronto office instead of spreading into satellite branches.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Bellissimo Immigration Law Group handle refugee protection claims?
- Yes. The firm's practice includes refugee protection matters, including hearings before the Refugee Protection Division and appeals to the Refugee Appeal Division, alongside its work in citizenship and general immigration law.
- My permanent residence application was refused. Can Bellissimo help with a Federal Court appeal?
- The firm's stated focus is complex immigration litigation, including Federal Court applications and appeals, admissibility hearings, and detention reviews, so a refusal or an urgent Federal Court matter fits within its regular practice.
- What areas of law does the firm practice?
- The firm describes itself as one of the few remaining Canadian law firms that focuses exclusively on citizenship, immigration, and refugee law, rather than offering it alongside other areas of practice.
- I might be inadmissible to Canada for a past criminal or medical issue. Does the firm handle that?
- Yes. Medical and criminal inadmissibility, including rehabilitation applications and authorization to return to Canada, are named among the firm's core practice areas on its website.
- How much does an immigration case with Bellissimo cost, and does the firm take legal aid?
- The firm says fees depend on the complexity of the case and the number of applications involved, offers payment plans where IRCC deadlines allow, and credits the consultation fee toward legal fees if a client retains the firm within 7 days. It is not currently accepting legal aid certificates but encourages clients with limited income to contact the office to discuss their situation.
- How do I book a consultation and what should I bring?
- The firm's FAQ page describes an initial consultation as a team based case evaluation, capped at 45 minutes, for which clients are asked to bring photo identification as required under Law Society of Ontario rules; consultations are confidential.
Where to find them
Yonge Eglinton Centre, 20 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 1402, Toronto, ON M4R 1K8 · 416-787-6505
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Legal AidListing compiled from the firm’s public website in July 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗