Canadian Permanent Residence travel document expiration

[shs2]

My Canadian Permanent Residence travel document is getting expired in Dec of 2009.

It was approved last yr but was only given the extension until end of this yr since my old passport is getting expired.

I got the new Indian passport (since I am the citizen of India) now & need to extend my Canadian Permanent Residence again before it gets expired this yr end.

I am currently working in US, so I am wondering if:

I can extend it at any Canadian Consulate in US (say Buffalo) or do I need to cross the border from US into Canada (say Toronto) in order to renew it?

Also, how soon should I extend/renew it if it's getting expired in this Dec.?


Thanks in advance for all your help,

[Leon]

Generally you get a PR travel document so you can travel to Canada to apply for your PR card.  Have you been using it to go back and forth?  Are you planning on getting a new PR card at any point?

I don't see why you can't apply for a new PR travel document as long as you still meet the PR residency requirements but they don't issue them in Canada so you would have to apply in the US.  The reason they don't issue them in Canada is because they are issued to PR's who are trying to go back to Canada because they don't have a PR card (expired or lost).  If you were already in Canada, then you could just apply for a PR card.

[shs2]

Thanks for the reply.

I am currently working in US right now.
I haven't applied for a Canada PR card until now.
The only reason why I wanted to go to Canada is to extend/renew the Travel document before it gets expired in Dec of this yr.
So, are you suggesting me to:
1. Get the extended/renewal of Travel document here in US at a Canadian consulate (maybe in Buffalo) without crossing the border (into Toronto) ?
or
2. Do u want me to cross the border & apply for a PR card in Toronto?

Thnx again for all ur help!

[Leon]

I am not sure I understand your situation.  You haven't applied for a PR card until now?  You mean you have never had a PR card?

When did you land as a PR?

If you need a PR card, you need to cross the border to apply for it but you may need a PR travel document to get in.  If you drive, it's not supposed to be a big deal to just use your landing papers. 

[shs2]

I haven't applied for a PR card, so never had it until now.

I landed as a PR in May of last yr & returned back to US (Detroit) by car.

So, i m planning to cross the border from Buffalo (NY) to Toronto by car since they issued the travel document until Dec of this yr based on my old passport's expiration.

I got my new passport now & so have to extend/renewal travel document & maybe apply for PR card this time when I drive into Toronto?

[Leon]

A travel document is normally given for you to get to Canada to apply for your PR card.  It's not meant to be used to travel back and forth.  Of course it's up to you what you do.  If you can't stay in Canada long enough to apply for your PR card, then there is no point in applying for it now.  Finish your business in the US and when you are ready to move to Canada, go and apply for your PR card then.