PR Card Renewal – Urgent Processing Submitted Sept 23, Travel Oct 20 — Advice & Reassurance Needed

[NaHo1988]

PR Card Renewal – Urgent Processing Submitted Sept 23, Travel Oct 20 — Advice & Reassurance Needed

Hi everyone,

I submitted my PR card renewal application today on September 23, 2025. My PR card expires September 26, and I have a work trip on October 20. I requested urgent processing with a letter from my employer and flight itinerary.

What I included:​

• 960 days physically present in Canada between Sept 22, 2020 – Sept 22, 2025 (well over the 730-day requirement)
• Detailed travel log
• Employer verification letter confirming the nature of my remote role (travel-heavy)
• CRA Notices of Assessment (last 4 years)
• Bank statements (RBC + BMO) showing salary deposits & transactions in Canada – about 200 pages total
• Rental lease agreement + letter from landlord
• Salary pay slips
• RRSP + TFSA investment accounts
• Ontario Health Card + Provincial ID
• Table of contents to help organize the ~250-page PDF

I know I went overboard but I wanted to make it as easy as possible to review.

Timeline:​

• Application submitted: Sept 23
• Email received from IRCC same day: “PR card application has been initiated”
• Travel date: Oct 20 (business travel)

My Questions:​

1. Has anyone received PR card renewal approval in 3 to 4 weeks recently? Especially after requesting urgent processing with supporting documentation?
2. I listed "Ottawa" as place of landing in the application form, but my place of landing in PR card was Etobicoke. I realized this after submitting. Is this a big deal or something IRCC might overlook?
3. Address history: I lived in Ottawa from 2020–2022 and moved to Toronto in Dec 2022.
   
   • Some older documents (e.g., early 2023 bank statements) still show Ottawa
   • Most recent ones (2024–2025) show my current Toronto address
   • I updated the address section in the form properly but didn’t explain this overlap in my cover letter. Should I be worried?

Any insight or reassurance would mean a lot. I know I’m likely overthinking it, but this is my first time renewing and the stakes feel high.

Thanks in advance

 

[armoured]

• Table of contents to help organize the ~250-page PDF

I know I went overboard but I wanted to make it as easy as possible to review.

The bolded bits above contradict each other. There is no-one for whom a 250-page PDF makes it 'easy to review.'

But what's done is done.

My Questions:

1. Has anyone received PR card renewal approval in 3 to 4 weeks recently? Especially after requesting urgent processing with supporting documentation?
2. I listed "Ottawa" as place of landing in the application form, but my place of landing in PR card was Etobicoke. I realized this after submitting. Is this a big deal or something IRCC might overlook?
3. Address history: I lived in Ottawa from 2020–2022 and moved to Toronto in Dec 2022.
   • Some older documents (e.g., early 2023 bank statements) still show Ottawa
   • Most recent ones (2024–2025) show my current Toronto address
   • I updated the address section in the form properly but didn’t explain this overlap in my cover letter. Should I be worried?

Any insight or reassurance would mean a lot. I know I’m likely overthinking it, but this is my first time renewing and the stakes feel high.

Thanks in advance

1. If you had checked the forum here entitled 'permanent residency obligations', you'd have seen that many have their applications go through quite quickly, although less than 30 days is cutting it very tight.

The commonality amongst those that get it done quickly is generally that they follow the instructions, don't massively overdo it ('several' i.e. less than ten pages of evidence would have been overdoing it within the normal range when only two pieces of evidence are requested), and don't mark it urgent.

Urgent by definition is special processing - and automatic processing for standard files (which yours otherwise seems to be) is more reliable. If you're (very)lucky, an officer reads it, checks the first few pages, and sends it on for immediate; what might be more common (pure speculation) is they determine the 'urgency' is not life-threatening and toss it in the pile with all the other urgent requests - where someone will get to it, eventually.

But again: what's done is done.

Personally I think all you can do now is prepare what to do if it doesn't come in time. For which there are basically two options: i) return via land border i.e. USA; ii) if you can't do that, apply for a PRTD as soon as you arrive in wherever. Delays are fairly common though for PRTDs.

Of course, if the card comes while you're away and there's someone to receive it, they can courier it to you.

2. Probably (high degree of confidence) irrelevant.
3. Same.

 

[Copingwithlife]

I used to work for the Government. Guaranteed most of what you included in your 250 page pdf will be ignored

People don’t have the time to go thru 250 pages

I ALWAYS told people writing into either the CRA or ESDC

Just the FACTS. No embellishing, no long winded stories . No one cares.

No one will read a long long story.

It’s akin to what some members compose here when responding to questions. Lots of words don’t equate intelligence

In a nut shell . Cut to the chase

 

[NaHo1988]

The bolded bits above contradict each other. There is no-one for whom a 250-page PDF makes it 'easy to review.'

But what's done is done.

1. If you had checked the forum here entitled 'permanent residency obligations', you'd have seen that many have their applications go through quite quickly, although less than 30 days is cutting it very tight.

The commonality amongst those that get it done quickly is generally that they follow the instructions, don't massively overdo it ('several' i.e. less than ten pages of evidence would have been overdoing it within the normal range when only two pieces of evidence are requested), and don't mark it urgent.

Urgent by definition is special processing - and automatic processing for standard files (which yours otherwise seems to be) is more reliable. If you're (very)lucky, an officer reads it, checks the first few pages, and sends it on for immediate; what might be more common (pure speculation) is they determine the 'urgency' is not life-threatening and toss it in the pile with all the other urgent requests - where someone will get to it, eventually.

But again: what's done is done.

Personally I think all you can do now is prepare what to do if it doesn't come in time. For which there are basically two options: i) return via land border i.e. USA; ii) if you can't do that, apply for a PRTD as soon as you arrive in wherever. Delays are fairly common though for PRTDs.

Of course, if the card comes while you're away and there's someone to receive it, they can courier it to you.

2. Probably (high degree of confidence) irrelevant.
3. Same.

Thanks so much for the detailed feedback and trying to make me feel better. I didn't realize that providing additional documentation will add processing time to my application. Although now I have less reassurance of me getting it by 20 Oct, which is making my heart sink reading your feedback…the reason I provided additional supporting documents is my travel history over the last 5 years is extensive, and stay out of country for longer periods - 3 months+, one time I stayed a year out during Covid 2021. So I figured they needed extra proof I was inside the country for the minimum requirement of 730 days, I actually stayed in Canada 950 days over the last 5…I didn’t realize me providing all these documents will mean additional processing time.

Question on option 1) re-entering through US borders with expired PR card - is that still acceptable or even guaranteed? What will i need to re-enter through US?

 

[armoured]

Question on option 1) re-entering through US borders with expired PR card - is that still acceptable or even guaranteed? What will i need to re-enter through US?

You asked same question elsewhere. Since you're in compliance with the RO, no issue.

Carry your expired PR card, usual ID, and copy of the main bits (the form) of your renewal application.

And for self-flagellation, a printed copy of your 250 page encyclopedia. No-one will look at it, but it will exert a moral - and literal - weight upon you.*








*And yes, I'm kidding. Won't hurt to have an electronic copy with you, but likely won't serve any purpose, either.

 

[NaHo1988]

You asked same question elsewhere. Since you're in compliance with the RO, no issue.

Carry your expired PR card, usual ID, and copy of the main bits (the form) of your renewal application.

And for self-flagellation, a printed copy of your 250 page encyclopedia. No-one will look at it, but it will exert a moral - and literal - weight upon you.*








*And yes, I'm kidding. Won't hurt to have an electronic copy with you, but likely won't serve any purpose, either.

250 page encyclopedia you're funny UGH - I am kicking myself for how much docs I uploaded!

I've been scouring forums onsite since I last posted this question, and also asked Chat! Found out as you said - I can re-enter with expired PR card, I have an Ontario Photo card - assume that's what you mean by ID card.

Thanks for the quick replies!

 

[Ponga]

250 page encyclopedia you're funny UGH - I am kicking myself for how much docs I uploaded!

I've been scouring forums onsite since I last posted this question, and also asked Chat! Found out as you said - I can re-enter with expired PR card, I have an Ontario Photo card - assume that's what you mean by ID card.

Thanks for the quick replies!

Technically, you don't even need the expired PR Card; The CBSA officer will be able to identify you as a PR without it, but will need to know that your status has not been revoked.

 

[armoured]

Found out as you said - I can re-enter with expired PR card, I have an Ontario Photo card - assume that's what you mean by ID card.

You'll be travelling with your foreign passport, of course - that's your main ID. The expired PR card gives them your 'was once a PR' status (and once a PR usually means probably still a PR) - and means they at any rate definitely have a file (database stuff) on you. (Which - as @Ponga points out - they would almost certainly find anyway).

Other things - ontario photo ID, other Canadian stuff - helps to have in that it shows the officer you are (probably) living in Canada full time, which sort-of bears on your RO compliance.