Renewing expired PR card

Permanent Resident Card
1

Hi there,

I have been a permanent resident since May 1982 and married to my Canadian citizen wife for the last 38 years. We moved to Curacao just about 2 years ago and have PR status here. My pr card expired in August 2025. To get a PRTD I have to send my passport to Mexico City for the attaching of the PRTD. That is not an option, I am not willing to mail my passport. So with that option gone I am considering to denounce my status in Canada. For the above reasons I wont be able to apply for an entry visa since it will come up that I am a permanent resident since my status is still good.

If I ever wanted to regain status being married to a Canadian citizen will give me my time in Canada, correct?

I have to be in Canada for a celebration of life in April 2026.

If I denounce will my pasport be cleared in time from status for my travel date so that I can get a visa.

Thanks for any help, suggestions you can give.

2

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

According to IRCC’s guide on Applying for the Permanent Resident Travel Document, you would need to send a photocopy of identity documents (like your passport) and not the original copy of your passport for this application. Here is an excerpt:

Send photocopies of all identity and immigration documents, including your valid passport or travel document. Do not send originals, as they will not be returned to you. See the document checklist for more details.

When it comes to losing or renouncing permanent residency, it’s important to note that PR status is not lost until a final decision has been issued. This means that your PR status is not automatically lost, it would need to be formally removed and IRCC will always inform you of that change.

Here is an excerpt in IRCC’s Understand Permanent Resident Status guide:

Losing your permanent resident status

You won’t lose your PR status when your PR card expires.

You will only lose your PR status if

  • an officer determines you are no longer a PR after an inquiry or PRTD appeal following a refusal

  • you voluntarily renounce your PR status

  • a removal order made against you comes into force

  • you become a Canadian citizen

Even if you don’t meet the residency obligation, you will stay a PR until an official decision is made on your status.

Learn how to avoid travel delays if you are not sure of your status.

Voluntarily giving up (renouncing) permanent resident status

We won’t change your PR status automatically and we’ll always inform you of the change.

In some cases, you may decide you don’t want to be a PR of Canada anymore. For example, you may want to renounce your PR status in the following situations:

  • You have not met your residency obligations by being outside of Canada for a long period of time.

  • You plan to visit Canada and want to avoid the processing delays from a formal assessment of your PR status when you arrive.

In these cases, you may not be able to enter Canada until your PR status is resolved either by applying for a PRTD or by voluntarily giving up (renouncing) your PR status.

Find out how to voluntarily renounce your permanent resident status.

As a permanent resident, you will need a travel document in the form of a valid PR card or a PRTD to re-enter Canada. If you choose to voluntarily renounce your permanent resident status, you may need to apply the appropriate visa for your stay.

You may want to contact the IRCC Client Support Centre directly for information specific to your situation. You may also want to contact a Lawyer or a reputable, registered Immigration Consultant who is familiar with Canadian immigration issues for some advice and assistance with this process.

We hope this information is helpful, please follow up with us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team

3

Hello, thank you for your reply.
All the information you mentioned was already known to me.
I was asking about the pasport since this section https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/permanent-residents/travel-document/after-next-steps.html
tells me to send in my pasport after the application is approved which is understandable since THEY have to attach the PRTD to my (dutch) passport.

Your suggestion to request more info from the IRCC I already did months ago and I get an email back with “ Oh you want to become a resident please follow this link” so that was completely useless ingormation.

Any more info on the passport appreciated,

Remko

Regards,

Remko Yntema

4

Hi Remko,

Thank you for your follow-up and for clarifying your concern about the passport step in the PRTD process. Unfortunately, IRCC does require this step and it generally must be done through the visa office that is responsible for your region (in your case, Mexico City).

If mailing your passport is not an option, you may want to ask IRCC directly whether there are alternatives, such as submitting it in person at a Visa Application Centre, if available in your area. Sometimes VACs act as intermediaries for document collection and return, which may feel more secure than sending a passport by courier. According to this article, “Visa Application Centres in Guadalajara and Monterrey are now offering full services, including passport submission and collection, as well as biometric collection.” It’s best to contact the VAC directly to confirm.

Because the procedures can vary, and your situation is time sensitive, it may be helpful to:

  • Contact the nearest Visa Application Centre to ask if they can facilitate passport submission in-person.

  • Consider consulting with a licensed immigration lawyer or consultant who can help explore your options, including timelines for renouncing PR if you decide to go that route.

We recognize that you did not receive a tailored response from IRCC previously. Still, it may be worthwhile to try the IRCC web form again, emphasizing that you need information about where and how to submit your passport once the PRTD is approved, without mailing it.

We hope this additional information helps you identify a safe way forward, and wish you all the best in this process.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team