Permanent Residency (PR) Card Renewals
When can I renew my PR Card?
The answer: If your PR card is within 9 months of expiration, you may apply for a PR Card Renewal.
As a permanent resident, your Permanent Residency (PR) card is an extremely important identification document to hold onto, whether working, studying in Canada, or when traveling abroad. Since you gain it after an often lengthy application process, PR cards usually last five years, far longer than a visa, study, or work permit. Nevertheless, if you have less than half a year of validity remaining, you should strongly consider applying for a renewal, so that you can receive a replacement card before the old one expires, as an expired card will not allow you back into Canada if you are abroad (apart from a private vehicle).
Note: The majority of PR card renewals must be done while in side Canada. Outside Canada, PR Card renewals are a more difficult and complex process that involves humanitarian and compassionate considerations.
Am I Eligible to Renew my PR Card?
The primary requirement to satisfy is proof that you have or will meet your residency obligations within the last 5 years of being a permanent
resident.
Residency obligation requires you to be physically present in Canada for a minimum of 2 years within the 5 years of being a permanent resident.
If you have been a permanent resident in Canada for less than five years, you must show that you will be able to meet the minimum of 730 days of physical presence in Canada within five (5) years of the date you became a permanent resident.
Exceptions to the Physical Presence rule
- If you accompanied a Canadian citizen, who is your spouse, common law partner, or parent.
- If you worked outside Canada for a provincial government, the federal government, or a Canadian business
- If you accompanied another Canadian permanent who worked outside Canada for a provincial government, the federal government, or a Canadian business, and the resident is your spouse, common law partner, or parent.
You must provide evidence of any of the above exceptions, such as proof of the relationship, the person’s PR/citizenship status, employment, a company’s existence in Canada, etc. If you do not provide sufficient evidence, it will not be counted towards your residency requirement.
Application Process
If you have sufficient proof of residency, the application process is similar to the requirements for your initial PR application.
Just as in an initial PR application, it is important that the form be fully complete with accurate and truthful information.
Urgent Processing
In certain emergency situations, such as a serious illness of a family members which requires you to travel urgently and thus cannot afford to wait for the ordinary processing time, you may qualify for urgent processing.
Urgent processing cuts your PR Renewal application processdown to 3 months. You must include proof of the urgency to be granted an expedited procedure.
After Submitting
card.
If an in-person appointment at an IRCC office occurs, you will need to show the originals of any photocopied documents you included in your application, such as your expiring original PR card.
Have a Question?
How VisaPath Can Help
At Visapath, our representatives have done countless PR card renewal applications, both for routine and urgent situations. We understand all the ins and outs and can guide you through each step of the process.
We have success with both inland PR renewal applications and more complex PR Renewal which include humanitarian and compassionate consideration.
To get started,contact VisaPath at 416-477-2570 to book a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is permanent resident card renewal?
This is a valid government issued card used as a form of ID for individuals who are permanent residents in Canada. All permanent residents of Canada are encouraged to have a valid permanent resident card. PR card are usually issued for a maximum of five years. There are cases in which PR card are valid up to one year only.
You need to have a valid PR card in order to re-enter Canada by plane, train, bus or boat. If you do not have a valid PR card while outside of Canada you will have trouble getting inside of Canada. The discretion is up to the immigration officer whether he let you in or not.
I just landed into Canada, I have my confirmation of permanent residency, do I need to apply for a PR card?
For those individuals who are new permanent residents in Canada. You do not need to apply for a permanent resident card. Immigration Canada will send one to your Canadian mailing address. It could take a few weeks or months to receive your PR card, so you must be patient. Make sure to write correctly and indicate the right mailing address on your application.
What happens if my PR card expires?
If your PR card has expired and you are looking to travel outside of Canada and have not yet submitted your citizenship application, then you will need to apply for a permanent resident card renewal. Or if your PR card is going to expire within nine months and you wish to renew it, then you have to apply for a permanent resident card renewal.
If your PR card has expired, it does not signify you losing your Permanent resident status, it simply means the card is not valid anymore, so you have to get a new one.