Your permanent resident card, which is an important legal document that is proof of your permanent resident status in Canada, expires every five years. It’s recommended that you submit an application to renew your card as soon as you realize it is going to expire, or about six months before it expires. 
But what happens if you don’t renew your permanent resident card and it ends up expiring? If you’re in Canada when your permanent resident card expires, you do not lose your permanent resident status or anything – nothing really happens. But this doesn’t mean it won’t become a very serious matter very quickly!
Don’t let your permanent resident card expire
Your permanent resident card needs to be valid in order for you to return to Canada after you have traveled abroad. Otherwise, they will be without a valid travel document and won’t be let into Canada. They will have to apply for a travel document, which can be quite inconvenient.
Even if you intend to renew your permanent resident card “sometime soon”, there is always the chance that you will have to leave Canada unexpectedly, like in the case of a family emergency abroad. In addition, the longer you put off renewing your permanent resident card, the more difficult it will be to amass your supporting documents needed for the application, which will need to demonstrate that you’ve met the residency requirement – and not meeting the residency requirement is something that can actually put your permanent resident status in jeopardy.
Do you need assistance with your permanent residence card application for a renewal? Are you worried about certain obstacles or difficulties you may be facing in your particular situation? Give us a call! We can help you.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
