Waiting for PR Renewal but....

[curiouskb]

Hello,

I have applied to renew my PR card but I have not heard anything back, and I can’t see any progress in online tracking.

It has been about 5 months.

I need to travel abroad and my PR card is expiring very soon.

I have read some of the discussions here and what documents I found, but I don’t quite understand some of the legal language.

Can I use my expired PR card to re-enter the country, or do I need some kind of entry visa?

It seems just the timing is unfortunate.

I do meet the residency obligations, been here more than 2yrs in the last 5

I do have my family here in Canada who are citizens too.

Thank you,

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be concerned about this. It is great that you are looking into this before travelling.

You can find some information on the CIC website in the I am outside of Canada and do not have a PR card. How can I return to Canada? section. Although this talks about not having a PR card, it applies to having an expired PR card as well.

Here is an excerpt,

I am outside of Canada and do not have a PR card. How can I return to Canada?

Canada’s entry requirements are changing

Starting March 15, 2016, if you are a permanent resident of Canada and a citizen of a visa-exempt country, you will need to travel with your Canadian permanent resident (PR) card or PR travel document when flying to Canada. Otherwise, you may not be able to board your flight to Canada. PRs who are citizens of visa-required countries will continue to need to show their PR card when boarding a flight to Canada.

If you are in Canada and do not have a permanent resident, find out how to apply for a permanent resident card.

If you are outside Canada and do not have a PR card or your card is expired, find out how to apply for a permanent resident travel document.

If you are outside Canada and plan to return to Canada by:

Private vehicle

There are other documents you can use to re-enter the country.

By bus or train

You must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document. Otherwise you may not be able to travel to Canada.

You can apply to replace your PR card when you return to Canada.

By air

Starting March 15, 2016, if you are a permanent resident of Canada and a citizen of a visa-exempt country, you will need to travel with you Canadian permanent resident (PR) card or PR travel document when flying to Canada. Otherwise, you may not be able to board your flight to Canada. PRs who are citizens of visa-required countries will continue to need to show their PR card when boarding a flight to Canada.

If you are outside Canada and do not have a PR card or your card is expired, find out how to apply for a permanent resident travel document.

It states,

If you are outside Canada and do not have a PR card or your card is expired, find out how to apply for a permanent resident travel document.

You can find some information on how to apply here:

Application for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad)

You may also want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

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Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org