Frequently Asked Questions about Canadian Permanent Resident Cards
Here are some common questions our office receives about Canadian Permanent Resident cards (also called PR cards). You may also read our website for more information about Permanent Residence Card rules and about the residency requirements for maintaining your card.
How long does it take to get a Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
If you are applying for a Permanent Residence Card at the border for the first time (that is, you are getting landing status) you will receive the card in the mail within 4-6 weeks. So the time to get your Permanent Resident card is about a month and a half. The time for everyone else to get their first PR card in Canada is approximately 6-8 weeks, give or take.
How long does it take renew a Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
If you meet the residency requirements, and there are no issues with your application, it takes approximately 6-8 weeks for the residence card to be processed. However, if Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) decides to investigate your matter or if they are concerned with your application, the processing time may take longer depending on the nature of the investigation they undertake. There may be up to several months delay.
Once my card is approved, where do I pick up my Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
If you are in Toronto, most likely you will be directed to the CIC office located at Yonge and St. Clair. The exact information will be provided to you in a letter sent by CIC.
When I pick up my Canadian Permanent Resident Card, what documents do I need to take with me?
CIC will send you a letter with a list of documents you will need to provide. But you should be prepared to bring all of the original documents you included in your application.
What do I do if I lost my Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
If you lose your Permanent Resident Card, you must contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada immediately (call 1-888-242-2100 or go to the nearest office) and also make an application for a new card.
How do I change my address on my Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
To change the address on your Permanent Residence Card, you may contact the CIC Call Center at 1-888-242-2100, or you may write to the office notifying them of change of address.
Can I travel or drive to the United States with a Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
It depends. You must meet the requirements to enter the US, including obtaining an entry visa from the US Consulate, as well, if it is suggested that you travel with a valid passport.
Can I travel to the US with an expired Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
This depends on various factors and we recommend that you do not travel with an expired PR card. Generally, if you have a valid US visa and a valid passport, you may be allowed entry into the US if the US immigration officer is satisfied that the purpose of your entry to the United States is only temporary. However, you will most likely encounter difficulty returning to Canada with an expired PR and you may be refused entry to Canada. Please contact one of our lawyers for further information.
Can I travel abroad with an expired Canadian Permanent Resident Card?
We recommend that you obtain a renewal of your card in advance. However, if the nature of your travel is urgent, you may ask for expedited processing of your PR card. You may leave Canada with an expired PR card, however to return you will need to obtain a Travel Permit from a Canadian immigration office abroad.
What do I do if my Canadian Permanent Resident Card expired while I am abroad?
If you are outside Canada and your Permanent Card has expired, you should go to the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate and apply for a Travel Document.
How do I expedite getting my Canadian Permanent Resident Card in case of emergency?
There are various factors that can be used to expedite the processing of the PR card. It is advisable that you contact one of our lawyers for further information.
Any information provided here does not constitute legal advice and is intended for general information only. Should you require legal advise, you are encouraged to contact a lawyer directly. All blog postings are public and are not subject to solicitor/client confidentially
Dear Robin,
You can get it replaced by completing an application and paying a fee. Contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Call Centre.
Dear Sir,
I am travelling to Canada for the first time after getting my PR visa from India. However, I have to return to India again just after 5 days. Please advise on how I can receive my PR card because the rules state that it may take up to 4 to 6 weeks. Is it possible for me to give my mailing address in India to receive my PR Card?
Please advice. I am travelling on Monday.
Best regards,
Dear Lucky,
Unfortunately, you cannot have your PR Card mailed to your address in India. You have to be personally present to pick up your PR Card.
Hope this helps.
I am a landed immigrant. My family and I have received our PR Cards except for my younger daughter. She was not able to recieve her PR Card because of some photo related issues. We recieved a letter from immigration that we have to be present in Canada before December 2, 2010. Does this mean my daughter will not be able to get her PR Card?
Dear Ramakrishna,
If you are asking whether your daughter should be present in Canada in order to pick up her card, the answer is yes. She needs to be able to personally pick up her PR Card when it is ready for pick up.
Hope this helps.
Dear Sir,
I left Canada in 2003 after becoming a PR. However, I wasn’t able to return to Canada for 7 years because of my mother’s illness. She passed away in 2007. Now, my PR Card has expired. I already know that I need to apply for a Travel Document to travel to Canada. What are my chances of getting approved?
Thank you.
Dear Evgueni R,
If you show that you have met the residency obligation, the Canadian office abroad will most likely issue you the Travel Document and allow you to return to Canada. Even if you have not met the residency requirement, you may make humanitarian and compassionate arguments as to why you have been outside of Canada. You may argue that you were not able to return to Canada because of your mother’s illness. It seems that you may also have to explain why you did not return to Canada after your mother passed away in 2007.
Other than this, it is hard to give you any accurate prediction because the decision whether to grant a Travel Document will depend on each case and the immigration officer reviewing your file.
Hope this helps.
Hello,
My PR Card renewal application has been approved and I recieved a letter stating that I have to pick up my new PR Card on March 22, 2011. Since I am leaving town, I wish to pick up my PR Card more quickly so that I will have my new PR card before I leave Canada. What should I do?
Thank you.
Dear Bruce,
When you first submitted your application for a renewal, you could have expedited your PR Card process by showing proof that you will be travelling out of the country or have a valid reason of urgency.
I recommend that you wait until you recieve your PR Card before leaving Canada. However, if circumstances do not allow you to wait, you can apply for a Travel Document at the Canadian visa office responsible for your area. If you have met the residency obligation, you will most likely be issued a Travel Document. Also, if you are from a visa-exempt country, you may be able to return without a PR card with minimal difficulty.
Hope this helps.
Hello,
I am a perminent resident, but my PR Card expired in September, 2010. Unfortunately, I could not renew it in time because of some trouble I had with Immigration. If I leave Canada and want to come back after two weeks, how can I return to Canada with my expired PR Card?
Thanks for your advice. I will look forward to your answer.
Dear Mohamad,
This is a very common situation for permanent residents. If your PR Card has expired and you are outside Canada, you must obtain a Travel Document which will allow you to travel back to Canada. You should make an application at the Canadian visa office responsible for your area. If you have resided in Canada for at least two years in the five year period, they will most likely issue you the Travel Document and allow you to return to Canada.
Hope this helps.
I am Kshama Jain. I have 2 questions:
1. My PR Card has expired on March 3, 2011. But, I am still outside Canada. Can I still renew my PR Card?
2. How can I visit my husband in Canada?
Dear Kshama,
If you have been physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within the past five years, you may renew your PR Card. Even if you did not meet this residency obligation, you may still renew based on Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) grounds. For this, you need to demonstrate strong ties to Canada along with strong reasons why you had to be absent from Canada. As H&C applications usually involve much discretion on the part of the visa officer reviewing your file, it may be necessary to hire an immigration lawyer to carefully prepare persuasive submissions in order to be successful the first time.
You may visit your husband by applying for a Temporary Resident Visa. However, depending on where you are coming from, you may be able to visit Canada without a visa.
Hope this helps.
1. My visa of Canadian PR (it is not Canadian PR, but the 1st step of obtaining PR) required me to cross the Canadian boarders by 3/3/2011. However, I failed to do so. Now what do I do?
2. I need to visit Canada for my husband’s work. Which visa should I apply for?
If you mean Canada Immigration Visa, as a general rule, the expiry date on your Canada Immigration Visa will not be extended or renewed. Failure to land in Canada before the expiry date may result in the necessity of re-application. I would suggest that you consult an immigration lawyer to see if there is anything that you may still be able to do.
It is not very clear from your question what the purpose of your visit is to Canada. If you simply want to visit Canada for a short period of time, you may apply for a TRV.
Hi,
I applied for my PR in December, 2009 and got a work permit in September, 2010.
In October, 2010, I sent the last piece of information they asked. When I check my status online, it says “A decision has been made”, but I haven’t heard from them.
How long it will take to get my PR Card? I really want to go to Mexico and visit my family there for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Is there a way that I can go to Mexico before I get my PR Card?
Thank You for your help.
Consuelo
Dear Consuelo,
The current processing time for PR Cards is 33 business days after your complete package is received. It might be a good idea for you to contact the Call Centre.
It is recommended that you wait until you have received your PR Card before leaving Canada. However, if you wish to leave before you get your PR Card, you can apply for a Travel Document.
Thank you.
Hi,
I am a PR in Canada. I am just wondering if I can go back to my home country for more than 6 months. For how long am I allowed to stay outside of Canada in order not to have any problems when renewing my PR?
Thank you.
Dear Jhorja,
To renew your PR, you must have been physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within the past five 5 years. As long as you meet this residency obligation, you should be able to renew your PR without any problem.
Thank you.
Hi
If I cannot complete my PR residency obligation, can I delay the renewal of PR card until I complete 730 days in Canada?
Thank you
Dear Reza,
If you have not met the residency requirements, you would have to renew it on the humanitarian and compassionate grounds. You should make the application before the expiry date of your PR Card.
Thank you.
Hi,
I became a Canadian PR in March, 2007. I stayed in Canada until May, 2008, but went to the U.S. to attend a school there. I have come back to Canada for vacations/breaks a few times.
My PR Card expries in August, 2012. Can I renew my PR without any problems?
Dear Kannan,
In order to renew your PR, you must meet your residency obligation (you have to be present in Canada for at least 2 years in a 5 year period). If you were outside of Canada and won’t be able to meet the residency obligation by August, 2012, you won’t be eligible to renew your PR Card.
However, you may apply for a renewal based on the Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. Just like your case, our office often has clients who were not able to meet their residency obligations due to their education outside of Canada. In our submission, we include a detailed explanation as to why you have failed to meet your residency obligation in Canada and why you should still be allowed to renew your PR Card. The reasons have to be presented in a compelling manner in order to persuade the immigration officer to allow you to maintain your PR status. Otherwise, you will lose your PR status.
Thank you.
Hi,
Can someone who has applied under the Provincial Nominee Program for one province later change his/her mind and settle in a different province? Or will this pose serious problems in the future when applying for Canadian citizenship?
Dear Pawan,
Individuals who never intended or no longer intend to reside in the nominating province may be denied permanent resident status at the Port of Entry and may have a report written against them.
You must be mindful of the requirement to be truthful in your application. You have declared, at the time of the application, that you intend to live and work in the nominee province. The intention to settle in a province under a Provincial Nominee Program must not be perceived to be untruthful as giving false statements is an offence under the Immigration Act. Should you move out of the nominee province, you must be able to prove that you have made efforts in good faith to settle in the nominee province before moving to a different province. Otherwise, you may face some consequences including your sponsor being prohibited from sponsoring other relatives or friends to the province in the future.
Hi, I landed in Ontario in June and was told I will receive my PR card by mail. I have to go to South Africa to carry on with my final year of school. I haven’t received my PR card even after 8 weeks. Am I able to leave Canada and obtain a travel document from the immigration office in South Africa travel to Canada?
Dear Sam,
Yes, you may apply for a Travel Document at the local visa office responsible for your area. Please ensure to bring all your landing documents with you when you travel outside of Canada.
Thank you.
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Hello,
Your blog has been very helpful before. My question is: I have just been granted renewal for my PR card (my old card has expired) and I need to pick it up in person. However, I am traveling outside Canada. what documentation would I need to re-enter Canada to collect my renewed PR card? will I need a travel document or just a visit visa?
Thanks a lot for your help,
Chetan
My Canadian PR card has expired. Can someone help me what I can do next.
Dear Afsheen,
If your PR Card has expired and you have not met the residency obligation, depending on the reason why you were unable to meet the residency obligation, you might be able to apply for a renewal. For example, you may count each day that you accompanied a Canadian citizen provided that the person you accompanied is your spouse or common law partner or parent, if you are less than 22 years of age. You may also count each day you worked outside Canada provided that you were employed by a Canadian employer.
If none of these applies to your case, you may still renew based on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds.
However, I would need more details about your situation in order to better assess your options.
Hope this helps.