travel outside of canada without pr card

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I need to leave Canada but do not have my PR card yet. What should I do?

Ideally, you should wait until you have your Permanent Resident (PR) card. If you must leave Canada, you should apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document from a Canadian visa office abroad as soon as you reach your destination.

The only official documents that permanent residents of Canada can use to travel back to Canada on a commercial carrier (by air, land or sea) are the PR card or a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD), also known as a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) issued by a Canadian visa office abroad .

If you are entering Canada in a private vehicle, such as your own car, and you do not present your PR card, you may be able to show other immigration documents .

For more information, read Do I really need a PR card to travel back to Canada ?

It is important that you check the expiry date of your PR card before you travel. If you need to renew it, you should apply before you travel. Find more information about renewing a PR card .

If You Recently Arrived in Canada

If you gave Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) an address in Canada, but you left before the card was mailed to you, you can ask your family or friends who live at that address to send you the PR card. You can then re-enter Canada with your PR Card. However, if you do this, you are taking a risk .

If you have arrived and have not yet given IRCC a mailing address , and you left Canada, you should apply for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) before you try to re-enter Canada. This application must be submitted to a Canadian visa office abroad .

This Travel Document can only be used once . If you apply, you are not guaranteed to get the Travel Document. It is up to the officer at the visa office to decide if you will get it or not.

Some travel companies also require valid PR documents to be presented when you leave Canada with a return ticket already booked. You may wish to check the company's policy before making your travel plans.

For More Information

• Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) Guide and Application Form - This application is for permanent residents outside of Canada who need proof of their status so they can return to Canada.
• Canadian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate - A list of Canadian visa offices outside of Canada. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
• IRCC Help Centre - A tool that helps answer frequently asked questions on immigration matters. It offers several ways of searching through the information available, including search by keyword. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

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How to Travel Without a Valid PR Card

Need to leave Canada while waiting for your Permanent Resident card? You need the card as proof of your PR status to board a commercial airline, train or bus that is travelling to Canada. What do you do if you suddenly need to travel outside of Canada and you don’t have a valid PR card ?

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• Everything You Need to Know about Leaving Canada Without PR Card and PRTD Document
• Permanent Residency

• January 25, 2022

Team AbroadHero

Canadian PR holders who do not have PR Card in hand rely heavily on PRTD document to return back Canada after travelling. It’s such a dilemma deciding between waiting for PR Card before leaving Canada and just travelling back to your home country without PR Card and then apply for PRTD (Permanent Residency Travel Document). The main possible downfall of PRTD document is its processing time. It’s so slow. In some cases, slower than PR card itself.

There are some edge cases about PRTD document that people need to consider who are thinking about travelling without PR Card.

• What if PRTD document doesn’t arrive between the time window of your return ticket date?
• What if you leave and travel outside Canada hoping that you would return back on your work permit status, but you get your eCOPR approved right before your return date, or at worse, while you are on flight? Tough luck, eh?

Well, having a database of 1000+ different clients, we know what could happen. We have had instances where exactly what we described above has happened with few unlucky clients.

We know it’s a stressful situation but now, since you are on this article, just relax, drink coffee and read on!

In this post, you will learn everything about PRTD document and also some different ways by which you can be worry-free if travelling without PR Card.

Now, as far as we know, you can be falling in any of the three cases:

• You are reading this post while being in Canada, have your eCOPR ready but waiting for PR card to arrive at your place. You are done waiting, frustrated and now exploring options to travel without PR Card.
• You got your eCOPR and left Canada without PR Card. Reading this post from your home country or any other country you are visiting.
• Your whole PR application is in progress. You don’t have your eCOPR yet.

Out of all these three situations, #3 is the most trickiest one and we will explain why in later part of the article.

Just to let you know, we would have answers and solutions for all the three cases mentioned above.

The solutions we would be describing mainly depends on the urgency of your travelling needs and the total duration you are going for.

What is the best thing to do if I want to leave Canada for travel, given the fact that I have eCOPR but don’t have PR Card in hand yet?

The best thing to do is, WAIT.

However, we know if you are on this post, hearing that from us is meaningless to you.

Keeping that in mind, we would be giving you few other options.

Option #1: Take a Follow Up with IRCC to speed up your PR Card Delivery

This is exceptionally amazing option and works like a charm if your PR card delivery has passed normal processing time. Recently, we took a similar follow-up for many of our clients and they received their PR card in two weeks after the followup we took.

There are two ways to take this follow up. And, we would recommend doing both of them simultaneously.

First way is to use IRCC Webform .

Steps are simple. Just follow along and submit the form. You can use this format to submit the IRCC Webform for faster delivery of your PR Card.

Subject Line: In Urgent Need of PR Card

Hello Sir/Madam,

I am writing down this email after calling IRCC many times and having been waiting for more than 7 months now. I got my COPR on the 13th of May, 2021 and after that, I’ve finished the procedure of uploading my recent photo and inland confirmation. 

My name is Chirag Anushal . And, my passport number is A90000.

My application number is E000000001 My UCI number is 3000-0000

I got my eCOPR approved on 13th May, 2021.

After that I uploaded all the required information on the PR Confirmation portal.

My In-Canada declaration got approved. My Mailing address got approved.

However, my photo is “IN REVIEW” for what seems like forever. I got the photo from a standard location who specializes in PR Cards and passport photos for IRCC.

I need to get my PR Card as soon as possible and it is very important for me to visit my family back home. Please escalate my request and send my PR Card as soon as possible.

Regards, Chirag Anushal

Second way to take the follow up is send them an email. If you take a look at your eCOPR, you would be able to figure out at which office your PR card is being processed.

Depending on that, you should send an email at right location. Different PR Card processing offices have different email addresses.

For example, if your PR Card is being processed at Calgary office, use this email address: [email protected]

Also, there should be some sense of urgency and the desperate need of PR Card in this request as you might have sensed from the example above.

Option #2: You left Canada without PR Card and your PR Card got delivered few days after that

If this happens, maybe you can ask your friend or a trust-worthy contact to bring your PR Card. Remember, trust-worthy is the keyword here. It’s a risk you are taking. After all, you have worked so hard to get that PR Card and trusting some stranger to cross oceans with that card, multiple security checks and what not. It should be a “somewhat” big deal.

Is it illegal to carry someone’s PR Card?

That’s a rumor. It’s a biggest misconception. There’s no official mention by IRCC saying it’s illegal to carry someone’s PR Card. If you wanted someone to tell you, it’s completely ok to bring someone’s PR Card, there you go. We just said it. It’s OK.

If you are so concerned, just get the authorization letter from the person whose PR card you would be carrying. If by any chance you are being asked by Canadian authorities, you can show that authorization letter. However, that should just never happen.

Feel free to take your friend’s or relative’s PR Card if you are travelling to the same place. You would be doing your friend a huge favour and he would not forget you for life.

Option #3: Just leave Canada and right after landing in your travelling country apply for PRTD Document

This option is super conditional. It’s conditional on how long you are planning to stay in your visiting country. If you are planning to go there for 2 weeks, just don’t go. If that’s the case, you have no other option other than staying in Canada till you get your PR Card. Sorry. 🙁

Now, if you are travelling to your visiting country for at least 2 to 3 months, then PRTD document can be a sensible thing and you would be at less risk.

In that case, here’s everything you need to know about PRTD Document.

What is PRTD Document?

If your status is “PR Approved” and you have your eCOPR with you, you need a valid PR Card to return back to Canada. If you don’t have it, you would be denied entry to Canada and could be asked to leave Canada in the next available flight (at your own cost). If you don’t have PR Card, you need a document called Permanent Residence Travel Document (shortly known as PRTD document).

PRTD Document Cost

It costs CAD 50$.

PRTD Document Processing Time

IRCC doesn’t mention a proper processing time for PRTD document on their website. All it says is, “it varies”. Good job, IRCC. That’s really helpful. Sarcasm Intended!

PRTD Document Processing times will vary based on:

• Your application type submitted
• Current volume of PRTD applications received by IRCC
• How easy you are making it for IRCC to verify your information
• Your quickness to respond to questions, requests and concerns by IRCC
• Your application is proper and fully complete or not

PRTD Document Checklist

Here’s the PRTD checklist of documents that you will be needing to apply for PRTD Document. The PRTD Checklist that you will be opening from IRCC website wouldn’t let you open the document without certain version of Adobe Reader. So, we got you covered.

Your are supposed to send the following items in your PRTD document application.

The above document can be downloaded from here: PRTD Document Checklist Form (IMM 5627)

Now, the PRTD checklist is huge and it can be intimidating at first.

Once you have all the documents and things requested in checklist are ready. You start preparing an application package for your PRTD document.

Here’s how you do that.

• You keep arranging all the documents requested in PRTD checklist form: one by one. And, keep checking boxes.
• You fill out this application form: Application for PRTD Document Form (IMM 5524)
• If you are using a consultant, fill out this form: Use of a Representative Form (IMM 5476)
• Take a look at this application guide too: Information Guide (IMM 5529)

Now, once you make your PRTD (Permanent Residency Travel Document) application ready, you are supposed to MAIL it to the right VAC location.

Please note that, IRCC accepts the PRTD application by mail only. If your lucky stars are aligned and your VAC is closed, then only you can submit the application by EMAIL.

How to check if VAC is open and accepting an application for PRTD Document or not?

You can use this link: Check if VAC is Open or Not

Once you submit the application, the VAC will review it and they would send you a Passport Request Letter if they find everything perfect in your PRTD document application.

Once you get the passport submit request and submit it, they will send the PRTD document to your house address in the country you are travelling.

Order Our PRTD Document Service 🚀

Applying for PRTD document is such a hassle and harder than applying for PR Card itself.

Gladly, we have applied and gotten plethora of PRTD documents for hundreds of clients. It’s a second nature for us.

We have mastered the process of applying for PRTD document and getting it well under normal processing time.

If you want, get in touch with us and let us handle the PRTD request for you at nominal fees.

Email us at [email protected]

If you manage to get PRTD document, what a relief! Right? We know.

That’s end of it. You can use that PRTD document to travel back to Canada and you will be granted entry without any issues.

If you experience any trouble with your PRTD document application, feel free to reach our team at (copy the whole email address): [email protected]

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What if someone has US B1/B2 visa and don’t want to wait for PRTD. Can they travel to Canada via land border with ecopr ?

Only if you cross US-Canada border by road (bus or car).

Sidharth Koundal

Hi there, We have co-pr and US visa.. can we travel to canada via US from india ?

I have seen people going but not sure

Yes. You can do that.

But, you will have to cross the order by car only in that case. If you cross by flight, it’s same as going directly from India. Or from India to any country (for example in Europe) and then Canada.

I have US Visa and got eCOPR but waiting for PR card and I have to travel to India by next month and I don’t think by that I will have PR card with me, my return flight is like via JFK(New York) in this case will I able to board flight with same ticket and from New York I’m planing to travel by car. Here question is I can travel with same ticket with last leg of ticket is YYZ Toronto? or I need to get new ticket with final destination USA only?

Hello Akash,

Glad that you asked the travel question in “immigration” forum but hey nothing wrong with that. After all, they are related right. But, as per our knowledge, you can skip the last leg of the flight as long as you have valid visitor visa for the country you are planning to exit the gates from the airport. But, USA border officers might ask you questions about why you are doing that and you should have valid response to that and be prepared for that because no one wants to get USA visitor visit denied as it stings forever and causes all sorts of problems when you are trying to visit again. I saw this is an old comment. Would you please let us and other users of the forum know how did it go for you?

Hi there, in the article above, it says –

“3. Your whole PR application is in progress. You don’t have your eCOPR yet. Out of all these three situations, #3 is the most trickiest one and we will explain why in later part of the article.”

I’m in this situation. I’m about to get the Portal request where I’ll acknowledge that I’m in Canada. I need to travel right after that an I won’t be back in Canada for at least 3-4 months.

So my question is, can I travel before eCOPR is issued (without any complications or delay in further process)?

I understand that I’ll have to apply for PRTD if I don’t have PR Card before returning. I just need to know that travelling before receiving eCOPR is not against any rules is IRCC’s book.

Hello Sunny, you have an interesting situation for the PRTD document and eCOPR. We don’t think it should be a problem to leave Canada at all. It’s just returning back to Canada, that can be a problem if your PR is approved and you don’t have PR Card and neither the PRTD docuemnt. In that case, you will be denied entry if you are travelling without any of these two. As for leaving the Canada is concerned, you can leave any time.

Ramandeep kaur

I’m in same situation. I got portal 2 credentials and i declared that i am in canada and I confirmed the address and uploaded my photo now my application in review but i need to travel in first week of January just waiting for ecopr. My question is that if i got ecopr while i am outside canada and after am i eligible to apply for prtd while staying there. Is there any issue that they will not allow me to apply prtd that i already declare that i am in canada in portal second or they can cancel my pr if i break my declaration. There are so much confusion in this thing nobody is explaining it. Everybody have different perspectives on it. So my question is, can I travel before eCOPR is issued (without any complications or delay in further process)?

I understand that I’ll have to apply for PRTD if I don’t have PR Card before returning. I just need to know that travelling before receiving eCOPR is not against any rules is IRCC’s book.

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As A Canadian Permanent Resident, Can I Travel Outside Canada Without The Permanent Residence Card During Covid-19?

Contributor

Since March 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ('IRCC') have being abstaining from the traditional in-person permanent residence landing appointments to validate Confirmation of Permanent Residence ('CoPR'). Instead, the IRCC have been completing virtual landing and issuing electronic CoPRs.

To facilitate the virtual landing , the IRCC use the Online Permanent Residence Confirmation Portal. The Portal has been implemented by the government to provide a better experience for permanent residence applicants at the end of their PR application process during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Portal was launched, it was anticipated that it would expedite the issuance of Permanent Residence ('PR') Cards. However, many approved Permanent Residents report that the issuance of the PR Card has been taking 2-3 months and, in some cases, even longer.

As an immigration lawyer, I am often asked whether the travel without a PR Card is permitted when someone has virtually landed in Canada. The answer is - if a permanent resident who holds an electronic CoPR plans to travel outside Canada before receiving the original PR Card, that individual will not be able to re-enter Canada by air , unless that permanent resident obtains a Travel Document issued outside of Canada.

Although a Canadian Border Services Agency officer may consider the request for entry to Canada without the original PR Card made by the permanent resident who had to travel outside Canada for compassionate reasons, most airline companies will refuse flight boarding to a permanent resident who cannot present a valid PR Card or a Travel Document. With proper border-crossing assistance, you may be eligible to travel back to Canada through the United States by land .

If you have recently become a Canadian permanent resident through the virtual landing process and you urgently need to travel outside Canada, contact our Immigration Law Group to discuss your border-crossing options.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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Travel Options for New Permanent Permanent Residents Without Permanent Resident Cards

Updated: Dec 12, 2023

Recently there has been huge backlog from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in delivering initial Permanent Resident (PR) cards to new Permanent Residents.

The current processing time for initial PR cards is 66 days, according to IRCC’s website .

However, IRCC has advised that if processing time goes beyond 68 weeks, clients should contact IRCC. (Find out how our firm can help if you’ve been waiting a unreasonable amount of time for your initial PR card here .)

A common misconception is that without your PR card, your Permanent Resident status is limited. This is not true. PR cards do not jeopardize your PR status. PR cards are merely travel documents and identity documents used to show airlines that you have the right to enter Canada. PR cards are not required by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

After landing as a Permanent Resident, you will retain that status whether or not you are in possession of a PR card. It is possible, however, to lose your PR status by other means, such as by committing a serious crime or failing to maintain the residency requirement. Our blog available here has more information on the residency requirement.

The currents delays in receiving your Permanent Resident card should not affect your ability to travel outside Canada. There are three options for travelling outside Canada without a PR card.

1. Return across the land border with the United States in a private vehicle

You may book your return flight to the United States near the Canadian border and return to Canada from a land port of entry in a private vehicle without a PR card.

Private vehicles are vehicles not available for public use. Examples include a car, truck, motorcycle or recreational vehicle that you own, borrow, or rent. Examples of a private vehicle would NOT include a coach bus with other passengers.

You will need to prove your identity to Canada Border Services Agency by using other identification documents such as your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) document, provincial drivers licence, provincial health card, social insurance number card or letter, vehicle registration, etc. We recommend having more than one identification document ready to prove your identity at the border.

2. United States citizens can return to Canada using their United States passports

If you are a citizen of the United States and a Permanent Resident of Canada, you can freely enter and exit Canada using your valid United States passport. We still recommend having your CoPR document on hand just in case.

3. Apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document from outside Canada

If the first two options don’t apply to you, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD). A Permanent Resident Travel Document is a document inserted into your passport at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) or an Embassy to prove your Permanent Resident status and allow you to travel back to Canada without a PR card.

PRTD applications must be made from outside Canada, meaning that you cannot apply for a PRTD before leaving Canada. Applications are either made in person to a Visa Application Centre or online, depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

To be eligible for a PRTD, you must show in the application that you meet or will meet the residency obligation.

If you have been a permanent resident for five (5) years or more, you must have been physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within the five (5) years immediately before you apply for a PRTD.

If you have been a permanent resident for less than five (5) 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.

If you do not or cannot meet the residency obligation, you may still be granted a PRTD on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Humanitarian and compassionate grounds are exceptional circumstances or hardship beyond your control that have kept you living outside Canada, such as caring for a loved one who has fallen ill outside Canada.

The IRCC application fee for a PRTD is $50. If applying in person to a VAC, your local VAC may charge additional fees. There is no average processing time for PRTDs on the IRCC website, but we estimate they are usually processed within 2 weeks, depending on the country and volume of applications.

We encourage you to contact us by phone at (416) 203-2899 ext. 30 or by email at [email protected] if you have questions about travelling outside Canada without a Permanent Resident card or if you are interested in applying for a Permanent Resident Travel Document.

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Travelling with a permanent resident card

The Permanent Resident Card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada .

This wallet-sized plastic card is used by all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus). If you leave the country, you are expected to have this card when you return to Canada.

Check the expiry date of your Permanent Resident Card before you plan to travel outside Canada.

Most Permanent Resident Cards expire every five years, while some expire after one year. Check the expiry date and apply for a new one well before you plan to travel outside Canada.

Who can apply

You can apply for a Permanent Resident Card if you:

• Have permanent resident status
• Are physically present in Canada
• Are not a Canadian citizen  
• Are not under an effective removal order
•  Have not been convicted of an offense related to the misuse of a Permanent Resident Card

If you become a Canadian citizen, you do not need a Permanent Resident Card.

How to apply

The information on this page is for you if:

• You need to apply for your first Permanent Resident Card  (see “Arriving” section below)
• You need to replace an expired (or due to expire), lost, stolen, or damaged Permanent Resident Card
• You require urgent processing of your Permanent Resident Card application

You will need to gather certain documents in order to apply for a Permanent Resident Card. Collect these documents as early as possible, especially if you plan to travel soon.

If you are outside of Canada without a valid Permanent Resident Card, you will need a Travel document to return to Canada.

If you are a new permanent resident, you will automatically receive your Permanent Resident Card by mail after you arrive in Canada as part of the immigration process. You do not need to apply for a Permanent Resident Card.

If you did not provide a mailing address when you were granted permanent resident status , or you have since moved, please update your mailing address .

You have 180 days to provide your new mailing address from the date you were granted permanent resident status.

If you do not provide a mailing address within the 180 days, you will not receive your Permanent Resident Card. You will then need to send Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) an application for a Permanent Resident Card and pay a fee of Can$50.

• Contact us , Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Current processing times for a PR Card . Check the expiry date of your Permanent Resident Card before you plan to travel outside Canada. (IRCC)
• Application for a travel document (Permanent Resident Abroad) (IRCC)
• Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) (IRCC)

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Residency Determination
• Travel Document
• Urgent Permanent Resident Card
• Urgent PR Card

I am outside of Canada, do I need a Travel Document?

If you are a Canadian Permanent Resident currently outside of Canada without a PR Card or with an expired PR Card you need to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to return to Canada if you are travelling by airline, cruise-ship, train or bus. You can normally  only apply for a PRTD at a Visa Application Centre and the processing time is solely determined by the local visa office. There is no way to speed up this application .

• Come to Canada without a PRTD
• Getting a PRTD

How to Avoid Applying for a PRTD

Here are the exceptions:

Living Outside of Canada while Maintaining Your PR Status

If you meet one of the exemptions to the Residency Obligation , you should travel back to Canada to renew your PR Card before it expires. To not have your days outside of Canada counted against the Residency Obligation, the time you’ve spent outside of Canada as a permanent resident must have been:

• while accompanying your spouse or parent, who is a Canadian citizen; OR
• while accompanying your spouse or parent, who is a Canadian Permanent Resident and is working for a Canadian employer, the federal government of Canada or a government of a Canadian province or territory; OR
• you must be working for a Canadian employer, the federal government of Canada or a government of a Canadian province or territory.

Even if you meet one of these exceptions, you’ll still need to apply for a PR Card from within Canada . So if your card has expired and you have not applied for a new one, you will still need to get a Permanent Resident Travel Document .

Travelling to Canada by Private Vehicle with a PR Card

• If you are currently in the United States and can drive to Canada (or, if you can travel to the United States and then drive to Canada), then you do not need a PR Card to travel to Canada. You will, however, need a copy of your Record of Landing or Confirmation of Permanent Residence  or some other proof of your status in Canada (such as your expired PR Card plus a copy of your current PR Card application which is in processing). And you can expect to be questioned at length and possibly lectured. (You can also travel to Canada in a private boat or plane without a PR Card if you have that luxury.)

What to bring to the Canadian Border When You Don’t Have a PR Card

In order to successfully travel to and re-enter Canada you will need to bring proof of your status as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Here’s what to bring in addition to your passport:

• a copy of your IMM 100 Record of Landing OR your Confirmation of Permanent Residence OR your Verification of Status
• your expired PR Card
• a copy of your application you submitted to renew your PR Card (if applicable) OR a printout from cic.gc.ca showing your PR Card application in process (if applicable)
• a valid ESTA, US visa or Green Card for entry into the United States prior to entry into Canada (if you are not a citizen of the US and are not currently in the US), provided you are driving to Canada, rather than flying by private plane.

If you do not have any of the above Canadian documents, you will have to hope the CBSA officer decides to let you in. Without these documents, it is very likely you will be sent to a Canadian consulate in the US to apply for a PRTD.

Visa-Free Travel To Canada without a Valid PR Card

You can no longer travel to Canada without your PR Card if nationals from your country do not need visas.

That’s because Canada introduced something called an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in 2016. Anyone from a country that does not require a visa to come to Canada must now apply for an eTA in order to come to Canada.

If you are a Permanent Resident and apply for a eTA, your eTA application should be rejected.

Instead, apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document:

How to Apply for a PRTD

--> Apply for a Travel Document Now

In order to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD), you will have to complete the application and submit it to the relevant Visa Application Centre (or, where applicable, Canadian diplomatic mission).

To see a complete guide on completing the IMM 5524 Application for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) , click here .

Once you have completed the application, you will have to pay the fee, either online at cic.gc.ca or by the method of the office you are applying through.

Then you will have to submit the application according to the rules for the particular country you are currently in. Learn more .

How to Complete the PRTD Application Form

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Can I travel outside Canada after submitting my citizenship application? 

All Canadian permanent residents (PRs) may leave the country, and return, after mailing their citizenship application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

However, IRCC clarifies that there are certain steps PRs must take to ensure they remain eligible for citizenship while outside Canada.

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Specifically, to ensure that they remain eligible for Canadian citizenship , IRCC indicates that PRs must:

Be a Canadian PR at the time they apply for citizenship

Only Canadian PRs can apply for citizenship . In other words, temporary residents of Canada, including foreign workers and international students , are not eligible to become Canadian citizens.

Continue to meet the residency requirement to maintain PR status

As part of being a Canadian PR, foreign nationals must reside in Canada for a minimum of 730 days over the past five years to maintain their status.

This is what IRCC refers to as the residency requirement for Canadian PRs. Note that the 730 days needed to meet this requirement do not need to be continuous and some time spent outside of Canada may count towards this total.

Maintain PR status until they take the Oath of Citizenship

Further to the residency requirement described above, to remain eligible for Canadian citizenship, Canadian PRs must “not lose PR status before [taking] the Oath of Citizenship.”

Click here to learn about your obligations as a Canadian permanent resident, including additional information about what PRs can and cannot do while residing in Canada.

Travel outside of Canada with their PR card for simple re-entry

Travelling outside of Canada with your PR card will make it much easier to re-enter the country. This is because IRCC requires that Canadian PRs have a valid PR card when returning to Canada by plane, train, bus or boat.

Therefore, Canada’s immigration department advises all PRs to renew their card before leaving Canada if they know it will expire during their travels.

IRCC notes that PR cards can only be renewed in Canada and that the department will not “send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses [or] allow third parties to retrieve them” for an applicant.

Travellers without a valid PR card must apply for and obtain a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to re-enter Canada. Unlike PR cards, IRCC only allows PRTDs to be applied for from outside of Canada.

IRCC also indicates that Canadian PRs who attempt to return without either of these documents may be denied entry onto their flight, train, bus or boat travelling to Canada.

Important notes from IRCC regarding the citizenship process for Canadian PRs

IRCC notes that there are certain things Canadian PRs should keep in mind about how the department handles communication with applicants and organizing appointments/events.

For instance, IRCC notes that they “usually only [mail] letters, notices and other documents to addresses in Canada.”

IRCC may also email Canadian immigration applicants. The department emphasizes that recipients of any IRCC “letters or emails [must reply to these communications] within a specified amount of time.”

Failure to do so without providing “an acceptable reason for not being able to keep your appointment [with us] or providing requested information” may result in IRCC deciding to “stop processing [an individual’s] application.”

IRCC also notes that immigration applicants must attend their appointments and events – including their citizenship test, ceremony , interview or hearing – at IRCC offices across Canada.

Applicants who are unable to attend such appointments or events are required to “either email or write to the local office that sent [them] the event notice” and IRCC indicates that applicants can contact the immigration department using this online web form .

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International Travel as a Permanent Resident

In general, you will need to present a passport from your country of citizenship or your refugee travel document to travel to a foreign country. In addition, the foreign country may have additional entry/exit requirements (such as a visa). For information on foreign entry and exit requirements, see the Department of State’s website .

If seeking to enter the United States after temporary travel abroad, you will need to present a valid, unexpired “Green Card” (Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card). When arriving at a port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will review your permanent resident card and any other identity documents you present, such as a passport, foreign national I.D. card or U.S. Driver’s License, and determine if you can enter the United States. For information pertaining to entry into the United States, see U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s webpage .

Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States, and temporary or brief travel usually does not affect your permanent resident status. If it is determined, however, that you did not intend to make the United States your permanent home, you will be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status. A general guide used is whether you have been absent from the United States for more than a year. Abandonment may be found to occur in trips of less than a year where it is believed you did not intend to make the United States your permanent residence. While brief trips abroad generally are not problematic, the officer may consider criteria such as whether your intention was to visit abroad only temporarily, whether you maintained U.S. family and community ties, maintained U.S employment, filed U.S. income taxes as a resident, or otherwise established your intention to return to the United States as your permanent home. Other factors that may be considered include whether you maintained a U.S. mailing address, kept U.S. bank accounts and a valid U.S. driver’s license, own property or run a business in the United States, or any other evidence that supports the temporary nature of your absence.

If you plan on being absent from the United States for longer than a year, it is advisable to first apply for a reentry permit on Form I-131 . Obtaining a reentry permit prior to leaving the United States allows a permanent or conditional permanent resident to apply for admission into the United States during the permit’s validity without the need to obtain a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Please note that it does not guarantee entry into the United States upon your return as you must first be determined to be admissible; however, it will assist you in establishing your intention to permanently reside in the United States. For more information, see the Travel Documents page.

If you remain outside of the United States for more than 2 years, any reentry permit granted before your departure from the United States will have expired. In this case, it is advisable to consider applying for a returning resident visa (SB-1) at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. An SB-1 applicant will be required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and will need a medical exam. There is an exception to this process for the spouse or child of either a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or civilian employee of the U.S. Government stationed abroad on official orders. For more information on obtaining a returning resident visa, see the Department of State’s webpage on returning resident visas .

Additionally, absences from the United States of six months or more may disrupt the continuous residency required for naturalization. If your absence is one year or longer and you wish to preserve your continuous residency in the United States for naturalization purposes, you may file an Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes on Form N-470. For more information, please see the Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements page.

If you lose your Green Card or reentry permit or it is stolen or destroyed while you are abroad, you may need to file a Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) . This carrier documentation will allow an airline or other transportation carrier to board a lawful permanent resident bound for the United States without the carrier being penalized. For more information, please see the Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) page.

More Information

• Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants (PDF, 3.57 MB)
• How Do I Get a Reentry Permit? (PDF, 667.32 KB)
• I-131, Application for Travel Document
• I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card

Other USCIS Links

• Green Card Resources
• How Do I Help My Relative Become a Lawful Permanent Resident? (PDF, 577.38 KB)
• How Do I Renew or Replace My Permanent Resident Card? (PDF, 550.19 KB)
• "How Do I" Guides for Permanent Residents

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What happens if my permanent resident card expires while I am outside Canada?

You need a valid permanent resident (PR) card to return to Canada by plane, train, bus or boat. If you know your card will expire when you’re travelling, renew it before you leave. You can only renew your card in Canada. We don’t send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses and we don’t allow third parties to get them for you.

If you’re outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada. If you try to return to Canada without a PR card or PRTD, you may not be able to take your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.

If your card expires when you’re outside Canada, you still have your permanent resident (PR) status . To keep your PR status, you need to stay in Canada for a certain amount of time .

What happens if your PR card expires when you’re outside Canada depends on how you plan to return to Canada.

If you leave Canada without a valid PR card, you must apply for a PRTD to re-enter Canada.

It might take longer than normal to process your PRTD application. This could delay your return to Canada.

Private vehicle

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

When you return to Canada, apply for a PR card if you plan to travel outside Canada again.

Some examples of private vehicles include, but are not limited to: a car, truck, motorcycle, or recreational vehicle that you own, borrow, or rent. It is a vehicle not available for public use.

Commercial vehicle: airplane, bus, train, or boat

You must apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD). Otherwise you may not be able to travel to Canada.

You can  apply to replace your permanent resident (PR) card when you return to Canada or if you haven’t left yet. You may eligible for urgent processing .

Most PR cards are valid for five years, but some are only valid for one year. The expiry date is printed on the card. When your PR card expires, you can’t use it as a travel document. If your PR card will expire within six months, you should apply to renew your card . You need to be in Canada. If you’re re-entering Canada by commercial vehicle and have an expired PR card, get your PRTD to re-enter Canada.

Check our processing times to see how long you will have to wait to get your new card.

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