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PRTD Application stuck at "Submitted" for almost three months

axolotl

Star Member
Apr 17, 2017
186
249
We travelled to Europe on March 15. While already in Europe, my partner noticed that her PR card had expired on March 17.

She applied for a PRTD immediately. (It's our first trip outside Canada so Residency Obligations should not be a problem.) But since then, its status is stuck at "submitted".

Does anyone know how long it takes nowadays?

The whole thing is so stupid. She has a Dutch passport. It would actually be much easier if she were not a PR. But because she is a PR, she cannot apply for an ETA.
 

Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
40,501
8,351
We travelled to Europe on March 15. While already in Europe, my partner noticed that her PR card had expired on March 17.

She applied for a PRTD immediately. (It's our first trip outside Canada so Residency Obligations should not be a problem.) But since then, its status is stuck at "submitted".

Does anyone know how long it takes nowadays?

The whole thing is so stupid. She has a Dutch passport. It would actually be much easier if she were not a PR. But because she is a PR, she cannot apply for an ETA.
Why don’t you travel through the US and go through a land border? You can do that.

Timelines varies depending on backlog, where applied, verification of documentation etc. Yes, it would be easier if not PR but she should have looked at the expiry date on her PR card before leaving Canada. IRCC suggests applying for new PR card 3 months prior to travelling.
 

bas12

Hero Member
Apr 20, 2018
369
121
Why don’t you travel through the US and go through a land border? You can do that.

Timelines varies depending on backlog, where applied, verification of documentation etc. Yes, it would be easier if not PR but she should have looked at the expiry date on her PR card before leaving Canada. IRCC suggests applying for new PR card 3 months prior to travelling.
Standard processing for PR renewals is 91 days now, and I suspect it will continue going up in the next weeks. It has gone from about 60 to 91 in the course of a month.

I applied 3 months in advance, but here I am, 96 days later, with an expired card, and no way to know when the new one is coming. All they say when you call is you can apply for a PRTD from the country where you travel (not allowed to apply from Canada). How we're supposed to travel for business this way is very unclear to me.
I need a US visa to travel to the US, and getting one takes even longer, so this is not an option.

I really don't think it is fair to blame the victim here, this treatment is quite appalling. They are keeping PRs out of the country where they have the right to be, or keeping others locked inside for fear of not being able to return. At least PRTDs should be fast.
 
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Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
40,501
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Standard processing for PR renewals is 91 days now, and I suspect it will continue going up in the next weeks. It has gone from about 60 to 91 in the course of a month.

I applied 3 months in advance, but here I am, 95 days later, with an expired card, and no way to know when the new one is coming. All they say when you call is you can apply for a PRTD from the country where you travel (not allowed to apply from Canada). How we're supposed to travel for business this way is very unclear to me.
I need a US visa to travel to the US, and getting one takes even longer, so this is not an option.

I really don't think it is fair to blame the victim here, this treatment is quite appalling. They are keeping PRs out of the country where they have the right to be, or keeping others locked inside for fear of not being able to return. At least PRTDs should be fast.
Situation is different from yours. OP has been free to enter at anytime as OP can enter through a US on European passport. OP doesn’t need a US travel visa.

The OP left Canada with an expired PR card and not even applying to renew before leaving. It was a mistake. A PRTD is to return to the country so of course you cannot apply from within Canada. The issue with PRTDs is that many people apply for them when they don’t meet RO and have been out of the country for many years. This creates a backlog as those take many months to process and review to ensure the application is legitimate.
 

bas12

Hero Member
Apr 20, 2018
369
121
Situation is different from yours. OP has been free to enter at anytime as OP can enter through a US on European passport. OP doesn’t need a US travel visa.

The OP left Canada with an expired PR card and not even applying to renew before leaving. It was a mistake. A PRTD is to return to the country so of course you cannot apply from within Canada. The issue with PRTDs is that many people apply for them when they don’t meet RO and have been out of the country for many years. This creates a backlog as those take many months to process and review to ensure the application is legitimate.
I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to apply from Canada if I have travel planned, and then get the document when I get there.
Getting stuck somewhere where you are on a visitor visa for multiple months and not being able to go home is really not a great situation.
 
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Naturgrl

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2020
40,501
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I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to apply from Canada if I have travel planned, and then get the document when I get there.
Getting stuck somewhere where you are on a visitor visa for multiple months and not being able to go home is really not a great situation.
You apply to renew PR card within Canada. You don’t need a PRTD. You apply for a PRTD if you left Canada and your PR card expired.
 

bas12

Hero Member
Apr 20, 2018
369
121
You apply to renew PR card within Canada. You don’t need a PRTD. You apply for a PRTD if you left Canada and your PR card expired.
My PR card has already expired, apparently they are not in a hurry to work on getting me the new one, even though I applied for renewal well in advance.
I may need to travel before they finally decide to do it. When I call to ask them about my application, all they have to offer is information about PRTD. So, according to them I do need PRTD, but I cannot get it.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,667
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I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to apply from Canada if I have travel planned, and then get the document when I get there.
Getting stuck somewhere where you are on a visitor visa for multiple months and not being able to go home is really not a great situation.
Apparently some are applying for PRTD from within Canada without problem - at least when they have impeccable files (i.e. are in compliance and no other issues).
 
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bas12

Hero Member
Apr 20, 2018
369
121
Apparently some are applying for PRTD from within Canada without problem - at least when they have impeccable files (i.e. are in compliance and no other issues).
I thought I had impeccable files, but both my citizenship application and PR renewal are delayed. I guess I probably won't chance it unless I have to travel for an emergency...
 
Jun 20, 2023
17
3
I thought I had impeccable files, but both my citizenship application and PR renewal are delayed. I guess I probably won't chance it unless I have to travel for an emergency...
Any updates? I am also stuck in a similar situation. I have my citizenship oath scheduled but stuck with a expired PR card outside Canada. Now everything will get delayed as this PRTD is taking so long under non-urgent category.
 

bas12

Hero Member
Apr 20, 2018
369
121
Any updates? I am also stuck in a similar situation. I have my citizenship oath scheduled but stuck with a expired PR card outside Canada. Now everything will get delayed as this PRTD is taking so long under non-urgent category.
Not with PR renewal, you can rely on them not to do any work unless you sue them...
Thankfully I am in Canada.
I since filed mandamus, and there was some movement on my citizenship application, so I stopped calling them for a bit. For me calling didn't seem to do anything anyway.

How long have you been waiting for PRTD? Can you ask for urgent processing to travel for the oath?
 
Jun 20, 2023
17
3
Not with PR renewal, you can rely on them not to do any work unless you sue them...
Thankfully I am in Canada.
I since filed mandamus, and there was some movement on my citizenship application, so I stopped calling them for a bit. For me calling didn't seem to do anything anyway.

How long have you been waiting for PRTD? Can you ask for urgent processing to travel for the oath?
Been almost a month now. I am not sure if travel for oath is urgent enough for them. I did't ask though. Can I apply another urgent application on top of my regular application?
 

ioreka

Newbie
Aug 24, 2023
3
0
Hello everyone, about this PRTD subject, I just started my application online, directly on the PR platform (from France). It's still very fresh but based on some of your feedback, I'm already concerned and wondering about the current delays to go through a regular PRTD application ?
@Registereduser and @axolotl have you finally received your PRTD? How long did it take for you ?

My application is complete, and also displaying the "submitted" status (I didn't get any other information, email or whatever, just this status on the platform).
Thanks and have a great day !
 

axolotl

Star Member
Apr 17, 2017
186
249
Eventually we flew to the US and entered Canada in an Uber. By the time when we withdrew the application, since we were already in Canada, its status was still "submitted".
 

ioreka

Newbie
Aug 24, 2023
3
0
@axolotl Okay thanks for your answer. Wow thats a lot... But what document did you use for the land border since you didn't get a PRTD ? Did you managed to get a new PR card while being abroad (like a PR card being sent to you from Canada by a friend/family) ? I'm not sure to understand the process to get to Canada through the US boarder if you don't have neither PRTD nor valid PR card (when you're a PR).

Otherwise another option for me if I end up in a similar situation (the application being stuck at "submitted") would be to use my PR card if I get it before my PRTD (my card is currently in production and should be mailed at my canadian adress, maybe a friend could sent it to me as I'm not in Canada right now); but then I'm not sure how I would be able to withdraw my PRTD application. Damn. I'm still hoping that I will get this PRTD !!