I messed up big time, PR card expired, live outside Canada for last 4 years, going to Canada to visit family for Christmas

[robjb]

Hey,
I messed up big time. My PR card is expired (Sept 2021). December 18th I was supposed to go home for Christmas to Toronto.

I have been on the phone with the embassy all morning and they have been helpless. My first thought was that I need to renounce my PR card status, right? I no longer have plans to live in Canada and have been outside Canada for a long time. When I called the Embassy, they said I should fill out a PRTD. The link doesn't even open in Adobe, so I can't even view the checklist, I have tried on three different computers. Does this link even work for anyone: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5627e.pdf

So then I had to send an email to info.canuk@vfshelpline.com to try and get the form, and on the phone he said I have to prove I live in Canada and provide Utility bills and so forth. I do not live in Canada. I am just visiting for Christmas.

I was going to fill in the form to renounce my PR card, but do you know how long that takes? To be honest, is it unlikely I will be going to Canada this December 18th for Christmas. What are my options, everyone on the phone says to do a PRTD but I don't think thats viable for me, is my option to cancel my PR status and how long does that take if I send that today?

Thanks

 

[steaky]

Hey,
I messed up big time. My PR card is expired (Sept 2021). December 18th I was supposed to go home for Christmas to Toronto.

I have been on the phone with the embassy all morning and they have been helpless. My first thought was that I need to renounce my PR card status, right? I no longer have plans to live in Canada and have been outside Canada for a long time. When I called the Embassy, they said I should fill out a PRTD. The link doesn't even open in Adobe, so I can't even view the checklist, I have tried on three different computers. Does this link even work for anyone: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/kits/forms/imm5627e.pdf

So then I had to send an email to info.canuk@vfshelpline.com to try and get the form, and on the phone he said I have to prove I live in Canada and provide Utility bills and so forth. I do not live in Canada. I am just visiting for Christmas.

I was going to fill in the form to renounce my PR card, but do you know how long that takes? To be honest, is it unlikely I will be going to Canada this December 18th for Christmas. What are my options, everyone on the phone says to do a PRTD but I don't think thats viable for me, is my option to cancel my PR status and how long does that take if I send that today?

Thanks

If you can travel to the US, you can return to Canada via a land border without PRTD. Just show your expired PR card. This would be the fastest option to come to Canada for Christmas.

You might be reported and lose your PR status. But you have prepared to renounce the status anyways.

 

[robjb]

If I submit a renounciation of my PR card status (https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5781ETOC.asp) - how long does this take?

What about applying for an ETA with my other passport, is this possible?

 

[scylla]

If I submit a renounciation of my PR card status (https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5781ETOC.asp) - how long does this take?

What about applying for an ETA with my other passport, is this possible?

The renouncement has to be processed first. Your PR status is tied to your identity, not your various passports.

 

[robjb]

The renouncement has to be processed first. Your PR status is tied to your identity, not your various passports.

Okay, thanks, again, how long does a renouncement take, I sent off the documents today to the London Office as it told me to. What time frame am I looking at?

 

[robjb]

Can I not apply for an ETA whilst this is taking place. Read the link I posted here, it mentions something about an online portal and doing the Renouncement online as well whilst getting an ETA, all of this is confusing?

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5781ETOC.asp

 

[scylla]

Okay, thanks, again, how long does a renouncement take, I sent off the documents today to the London Office as it told me to. What time frame am I looking at?

It's honestly super hard to say since stuff is delayed due to COVID. Could be a few weeks or could be a few months. I unfortunately don't know what to say about that.

 

[scylla]

Can I not apply for an ETA whilst this is taking place. Read the link I posted here, it mentions something about an online portal and doing the Renouncement online as well whilst getting an ETA, all of this is confusing?

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5781ETOC.asp

Hmmm... I wasn't aware of the eTA / online renouncement bit. I would give that a shot. No harm applying to renounce twice...

 

[armoured]

Okay, thanks, again, how long does a renouncement take, I sent off the documents today to the London Office as it told me to. What time frame am I looking at?

Don't know why you would do the renunciation route when you could have travelled on your ETA passport to USA and entered by land border to Canada...

 

[robjb]

Hmmm... I wasn't aware of the eTA / online renouncement bit. I would give that a shot. No harm applying to renounce twice...

So what do you understand by that bit too, because I am confused, I just apply for an ETA with my passport, then what? It's all so vague, I do not understand. What do you get by it?

 

[robjb]

Don't know why you would do the renunciation route when you could have travelled on your ETA passport to USA and entered by land border to Canada...

I saw this, but I already have my ticket, I purchased my ticket to Canada, I won't get the money back, I don't have the money to buy another ticket to America. I am in England....

 

[scylla]

So what do you understand by that bit too, because I am confused, I just apply for an ETA with my passport, then what? It's all so vague, I do not understand. What do you get by it?

It reads to me like applying for the eTA will automatically give you the option to renounce online. I've never done it so can't comment beyond what I'm interpreting there.

 

[robjb]

It reads to me like applying for the eTA will automatically give you the option to renounce online. I've never done it so can't comment beyond what I'm interpreting there.

Okay, do you think I should use my GB passport or the other one I have, GP one is the one I have always used for my PR card. Maybe my other one isnt linked to it?

 

[armoured]

Okay, do you think I should use my GB passport or the other one I have, GP one is the one I have always used for my PR card. Maybe my other one isnt linked to it?

I don't know about this specific process but you should assume they're going to figure out "you are you" from name, date of birth, and other details you'd provide. Name and dob probably enough to establish and/or will get a database 'hit' anyway.

So trying to pretend or avoid the issue almost certainly isn't going to work.

 

[robjb]

Hey, I got a message from them, I had to make an account on their website to view the message. Link my account. They said I need to submit the documents to voluntarily renounce my PR.
I am looking at it, I can do that, but I cannot upload anything, the website is awful. Everytime I click upload documents it says Badgateway Error 502. Its a joke, how is the website this bad? I dont know what to do, im stressing out, this is horrible and there is no one else I can talk to.

I also submitted these documents by mail 2 days ago to the London office. I am so confused on what to do. For real, please someone help me.

I am on a macbook.