Citizenship vs Renew PR Card - Questions on citizenship form

[sodapop123]

My PR Card has expired a few years ago and i never bothered to renew it. I meet the residency period in the last 5 years for Citizenship and no intention to travel abroad. Considering this, i have gone through the application packages/forms for both 'renewal of PR card' and 'Citizenship application'.

Here's the circumstance :
I have been unemployed during my time in Canada, but met all my residency obligations (1,500 + days in the last 5 years).
I have filed taxes every year with zero income.
So to me personally, the citizenship application seems more straightforward and easy to apply for, since i don't have to actually upload/provide bank statements & other stuff, i.e. two pieces of proof of physical presence as requested in the PR renewal.

Some details, per my research so far and specific to my situation :
For Citizenship application online, all i need to do is, fill out the application form details in my online account - stating i was unemployed and the addresses of present and past residence in Canada (Section 11 of the form) and say 'yes i filed my taxes for the previous 5 years' (which i did, but with zero income - hoping this won't impact the application - section 12 of the form ?).
The only stuff to upload documentation-wise per the checklist is :
1. The online physical presence calculator (printed form the calculator website in pdf form) - 1500 + days so i'm good here
2. Scanned photocopies of my passport and/or travel documents - here's where i'm not sure if my expired PR card is considered a travel document and will this be an issue that it has expired ? ,
Additionally, does this expired card need to be included as a line item as a travel document in Section 14 of the application form or is the travel document only my passport(s)?)
3. Language proof i.e. Scanned copy of my IELTS result report (the one i used for my PR application)
4. Scanned photocopies of two piece of ID : - passport and canadian driver's license (i have and old expired one and the renewed one with a new photo - will upload both)
5. Two latest digital versions of Citizenship photos
6. Additional/Optional - would i need to draft and upload a letter of explanation as a supporting document, explaining different photographs (long vs short hair and beard styles) in old and renewed drivers license and also old and renewed passports / photo on old ielts results not matching my digital citizenship photos etc. ? OR is this understood and not necessary at all ? - i remember providing CIC with LoEs for these short of things when i applied for my PR a long time ago.

My Main question here is : Am i missing something in my research, where i should apply for the PR card Renewal first and only after receiving that proceed with my citizenship application ? or can i go ahead and directly apply for citizenship expecting it to go smoothly enough ?

Lastly,
Assuming i go ahead with the citizenship application directly and create my online account and submit in the next 60 days, i have a few questions regarding how to fill out certain sections of the application form, marked in BOLD and BLACK font above (Related to the important Section 11 through 14 of the application forms)

Appreciate the help on this.

 

[armoured]

2. Basically travel document is just passports for most applicants. (Some other docs like refugee travel docs but not your case, as I understand)

6. No need for explanations generally - if you didn't have a current passport may wish to explain that ("I haven't renewed it because not travelling" is a normal explanation).

 

[sodapop123]

2. Basically travel document is just passports for most applicants. (Some other docs like refugee travel docs but not your case, as I understand)

6. No need for explanations generally - if you didn't have a current passport may wish to explain that ("I haven't renewed it because not travelling" is a normal explanation).

Thanks ! really appreciate the help.

Just for my clarity....

in your reply to #6 -
You mean if my current passport has an older photograph, correct ? because i do have a current valid passport - just the photo is a different hairstyle and beard compared to my more recent drivers license photo.
When you say 'you may wish to explain' - Where would this explanation be needed to be made/uploaded (in an additional document like an Letter of explanation) ?

in your response to # 2 -
You're right, i don't have anything other than my current passport and a canadian (expired) PR card. So, I take it you're saying the PR card details do not need to be mentioned anywhere in the application form - section #14 ("Tell us about all of your travel documents and/or passports covering your five (5) year eligibility period. If there are any gaps between passports please provide explanation") at all ?

And diving a bit deeper into this, i.e. in relation to the PR card and my main question in BLUE, having an expired PR card will not impact my citizenship application, since it doesn't need to be mentioned or uploaded anywhere in the online application ?