Can I apply for PRTD (Permanent Resident Travel Document) before first landing?

[yodheydhara]

Hi Friends,
I applied for Express Entry for Permanent Residence in Canada and my application has been approved. I have sent the passports for the visa stamping to Ottawa processing center and am awaiting to receive my passport back.

I know I will have to come back to the US for some time after I do my first landing in Canada. Can I apply for the PRTD (the travel document) before my first landing in Canada? i.e. can I apply for PRTD today? Or do I need to wait till I get my passport (with visa stamped) and a letter from CIC? Or do I need to travel to Canada at least once before I can apply for a PRTD?

This is because I understand from other posts on PRTD that I cannot apply for PRTD while I am in Canada. I can only apply when I am outside Canada which sounds a bit risky to me as the processing time for PRTD might vary.

Thanks in advance!

 

[scylla]

No - you can't apply for a PRTD before landing. You can only apply once you are officially a PR.

You need to travel to Canada at least once before you can apply for a PRTD.

 

[Leon]

Agree with scylla. You are not a PR yet and therefore immigration will not consider your application for a PR travel document.

 

[yodheydhara]

No - you can't apply for a PRTD before landing. You can only apply once you are officially a PR.

You need to travel to Canada at least once before you can apply for a PRTD.

Thank you scylla!!! I have a follow-up question on this. After landing, if I leave Canada and apply for PRTD from that country, are there any chances for the application for PRTD getting rejected? I am trying to understand if there is a risk involved in stepping outside Canada after landing, but before you get your PR card.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you scylla!!! I have a follow-up question on this. After landing, if I leave Canada and apply for PRTD from that country, are there any chances for the application for PRTD getting rejected? I am trying to understand if there is a risk involved in stepping outside Canada after landing, but before you get your PR card.

No, there is no risk; the PRTD would be approved.

 

[Leon]

Thank you scylla!!! I have a follow-up question on this. After landing, if I leave Canada and apply for PRTD from that country, are there any chances for the application for PRTD getting rejected? I am trying to understand if there is a risk involved in stepping outside Canada after landing, but before you get your PR card.

The PRTD can't be denied for you because you obviously still meet the RO. The RO for your first 5 years as a PR is that you have spent 730 days (2 years) in Canada or you still can. For the first 3 years of your PR, you may stay outside Canada and return for the last 2 so until those first 3 years have passed, it is impossible for you to be in breach of the RO.

 

[yodheydhara]

Thank you guys, this is really helpful!
Two more questions - 1) What is RO? and 2) What is the approx time it takes for the PRTD to be processed (in India and in US)?

This is great information!

 

[Leon]

Thank you guys, this is really helpful!
Two more questions - 1) What is RO? and 2) What is the approx time it takes for the PRTD to be processed (in India and in US)?

This is great information!

RO = Residency obligation.

I don't know how long the processing time is but they are usually valid for 6 months so you can apply 6 months before you need one.

 

[bellaluna]

Thank you guys, this is really helpful!
Two more questions - 1) What is RO? and 2) What is the approx time it takes for the PRTD to be processed (in India and in US)?

This is great information!

Average time is usually 2 weeks, but over on the Permanent Residency Obligation section on this forum, someone recently got theirs from India in 4 days.

 

[yodheydhara]

Average time is usually 2 weeks, but over on the Permanent Residency Obligation section on this forum, someone recently got theirs from India in 4 days.

Thank you bellaluna, this helps!