permanent resident abroad with valid travel document

[conny]

Hi Everyone,
I lived in Canada for 12 years, and have now been living with my Canadian husband Abroad. I applied for a open ened multiple entry travel document valid for 5 years, like it stated online you could apply for. They processed it really fast but it came back being valid for only 6 months. And since I applied for a 5 year document Iam really not well prepared and the weeks seem to fly by. My question is the steps I need to take in order to legally be allowed to work? How to get Health coverage? I need to replace a lost Social Insurance Number? And lastly how to renew my drivers license?
But the biggest question is how to I prove that I am a permanent resident once I am in the country?
I worry I cant work or get health coverage until I have a valid PR card, which would be 6 months.
Any answers or experiences are greatly appreciated.

 

[Leon]

As far as I know there is no such thing as an open ended multiple entry travel document for PR's. A travel document is meant for a PR who is outside Canada to travel back, one time, and to apply to renew their PR card once they are inside. Your COPR/landing papers as well as your expired card can be used to prove your PR status until you get your renewed card.

 

[conny]

Thanks for your reply Leon but I just want to show you where I read that about the multiple entry travel document. Look under what happens next .cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5529ETOC .asp

 

[Leon]

Thanks for your reply Leon but I just want to show you where I read that about the multiple entry travel document. Look under what happens next .cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5529ETOC .asp

Indeed, they speak of it but I have still never heard of one being issued

 

[conny]

You know I worry using my expired PR card wil not work due to the fact that it expired back in 09 and then I worry that they will ask why I haven't renewed it and then I'll say I have lived out of the country for 8 years and then they will say I lost my status. So how do I prove it then?

 

[Leon]

You know I worry using my expired PR card wil not work due to the fact that it expired back in 09 and then I worry that they will ask why I haven't renewed it and then I'll say I have lived out of the country for 8 years and then they will say I lost my status. So how do I prove it then?

There is actually no law in Canada that says you need a PR card in order to live in Canada to apply for health insurance, drivers license or anything else. New PR's don't have PR cards yes and still get health insurance. It is not really up to anyone except immigration to determine your PR status and your landing papers should really be enough. However, if you run into problems, you can tell the person that they need to show you the law that states that you as a PR must provide a valid PR card inside Canada and they can't because there is no such law. Second, you can show them a copy of the travel document you were issued and explain to them that you have kept your status due to accompanying your Canadian spouse overseas and that you have not been able to renew your card because it is not possible to renew when you live overseas, however, you have no applied and are waiting for it.

 

[conny]

Thank you so much. That answer definitely helps me a lot.

 

[Msafiri]

Hi Everyone,
I lived in Canada for 12 years, and have now been living with my Canadian husband Abroad. I applied for a open ened multiple entry travel document valid for 5 years, like it stated online you could apply for. They processed it really fast but it came back being valid for only 6 months. And since I applied for a 5 year document Iam really not well prepared and the weeks seem to fly by. My question is the steps I need to take in order to legally be allowed to work? How to get Health coverage? I need to replace a lost Social Insurance Number? And lastly how to renew my drivers license?
But the biggest question is how to I prove that I am a permanent resident once I am in the country?
I worry I cant work or get health coverage until I have a valid PR card, which would be 6 months.
Any answers or experiences are greatly appreciated.

Depending on your 'physically in Canada' day count in the last 4 years you may seriously want to consider applying for Canadian Citizenship. Your continued absence is moving you away form meeting the current citizenship application requirements which are getting more onerous with the coming into force of Bill C-24. In the interim you should apply for a PR Card using a Canadian mailing address. You may have to show up in person in Canada to pick the PR Card up. This will give you another 5 years of PRTD application free travel (subject to the citizenship issue not being resolved in these 5 years).

 

[conny]

Hi and thank you for your reply. I cant apply for citizenship due to the fact that I have been living abroad for 8 years the only days I physically spent in Canada were holidays which will not add up to many days. I plan to return with my TD and renew my pr card as soon as I am in the country. Which if everything goes as planned should be in a month or so.