Why might an officer issue a single-entry Temporary Resident Permit instead of a multiple-entry one?

Officers generally match the scope of a TRP to the specific, demonstrated need for travel, and a single-entry permit reflects a narrower, more contained justification — typically a one-time event or purpose, such as a specific court appearance, a single family occasion, or a discrete business matter, where there's no clear ongoing need for repeat travel.

A multiple-entry permit is a broader authorization, and officers tend to reserve it for situations where an ongoing, recurring, or longer-term need for travel is clearly established and where the risk associated with the underlying inadmissibility is assessed as manageable across repeated trips, not just a single occasion. Because a multiple-entry permit effectively extends more trust over a longer period, it generally requires a stronger overall justification than a single-entry permit for the same underlying inadmissibility.

The type requested in the application matters, but the type actually issued is ultimately the officer's call based on their assessment of the need and the risk. Anyone anticipating more than one trip should explain that ongoing need clearly and specifically in the original application, rather than assuming a single-entry permit can simply be used or extended informally for later, unrelated trips.