Left Canada before PR renewal approved

[bluefalcon]

Hi there, I became a PR of Canada in 2007 and recently applied for my PR card renewal. Due to a sudden illness in the family I had to leave the country while my application was still in process. While outside my PR renewal was approved but I received a letter asking me to pick up my new PR card in person on a certain date which I was obviously unable to do. I know I have 180 days to collect it but I do not know if I will be back in that time.

My spouse (a Canadian citizen) is here with me and I am also from a visa exempt country but I was wondering what problems will I have when I try to return back to Canada?, especially if I go past the 180 days and only have my expired PR card to show?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[canuck_in_uk]

You'll be fine. As you are visa-exempt, you can board the plane just on the strength of your passport.

Once you get to the border officer in Canada, you don't actually need your card, as they can see everything on the computer. My partner didn't even get asked for his PR card last time he entered, the officer just swiped his passport, saw his PR status and said "Welcome home".

 

[bluefalcon]

You'll be fine. As you are visa-exempt, you can board the plane just on the strength of your passport.

Once you get to the border officer in Canada, you don't actually need your card, as they can see everything on the computer. My partner didn't even get asked for his PR card last time he entered, the officer just swiped his passport, saw his PR status and said "Welcome home".

Thank you for the quick response. Just so i'm clear (I can be a stress head at times lol) if I arrive after the 180 days without my renewed PR card, my PR status will still show up in the system as valid and I should be able to re-enter perfectly fine?.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Exactly, so don't stress .

The PR card is mostly for travel purposes, so that PRs (primarily non visa-exempt) can show the airline they are allowed into Canada so the airline will let them on the plane. The border officers don't need the card, they can just use your passport to see your status in the system.

They might ask why you haven't picked up your new card, to which you can just say you were out of the country for a family emergency, but it won't be a big deal.

 

[Msafiri]

1. The airline you intend to use to return to Canada could require you to hold a return ticket. They may assume you are a tourist at check in. If you are on a 1 way ticket but get bounced at the border (which you won't but they don't know that) then your return flight home is on them. In this case either buy a refundable ticket or take a hit on the return leg.

2. If you don't pick up the new PR card in 180 days it gets destroyed and you have to make another application. It appears that in such cases a second application can result in being issued a Residence Questionnaire as CIC may deem it worthy to check up on your declared days...most people make a major effort to pick their PR Card up.

3. Its useful to have a valid PR Card even if visitor visa exempt. Visa regimes can change overnight and your visitor visa exempt status today maybe gone tomorrow!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1. The airline won't ask. My British partner entered Canada as a visitor several times, from several countries, without return tickets and was never asked. He even flew on a one-way with Canadian Affair, which specifically states on their website that they require a return ticket for all non-Canadians without a work visa, and wasn't asked. Though airlines can ask, they never do with visa-exempt because the chances of refusal of entry are incredibly low. As well, the airline can recoup the flight costs in this situation from the refused passenger.

2. I have not seen this situation before. The only time I have heard of a PR renewal being given an RQ is when there are very clear doubts (usually justified) as to whether the applicant meets the residency requirement. Could you show me an example of an RQ being given to a person who was already approved but unable to pick up their card?

3. Political suicide for Jason Kenney . And he strikes me as a power-loving man who would never risk his job.

 

[bluefalcon]

Thank you canuck_in_uk & Msafiri for the help. My main concern was that if not being able to pick up my PR card would cause any issues when I try to re-enter Canada but you both have put my mind at ease. I will still stress though as that's what I do best

 

[Msafiri]

1. The airline won't ask. My British partner entered Canada as a visitor several times, from several countries, without return tickets and was never asked. He even flew on a one-way with Canadian Affair, which specifically states on their website that they require a return ticket for all non-Canadians without a work visa, and wasn't asked. Though airlines can ask, they never do with visa-exempt because the chances of refusal of entry are incredibly low. As well, the airline can recoup the flight costs in this situation from the refused passenger.

2. I have not seen this situation before. The only time I have heard of a PR renewal being given an RQ is when there are very clear doubts (usually justified) as to whether the applicant meets the residency requirement. Could you show me an example of an RQ being given to a person who was already approved but unable to pick up their card?

3. Political suicide for Jason Kenney . And he strikes me as a power-loving man who would never risk his job.

1. Depends on individual airlines..some such as Air Canada go as far as stating visitor visa exempt passengers can use a 1 way ticket. I used to do mileage runs and saw plenty of visitor visa exempt passengers asked to purchase return tickets. How will the airline recoup the fees from the passenger if they don't play ball...sue them? CBSA don't care the bounced passenger departs Canada on the airline coin.

2. Check Federal Court decisions page you'll come across some. Note my use of the caveat 'can' not 'will'.

3. Why should it be political suicide...if there is an apparent abuse of the visa free regime it simply gets abolished..this happened to Mexicans overnight when their asylum numbers rocketed. It depends on the country...not all visa free countries are equal in status..check the GDP of UK against say Botswana.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1. Depends on individual airlines..some such as Air Canada go as far as stating visitor visa exempt passengers can use a 1 way ticket. I used to do mileage runs and saw plenty of visitor visa exempt passengers asked to purchase return tickets. How will the airline recoup the fees from the passenger if they don't play ball...sue them? CBSA don't care the bounced passenger departs Canada on the airline coin.

2. Check Federal Court decisions page you'll come across some. Note my use of the caveat 'can' not 'will'.

3. Why should it be political suicide...if there is an apparent abuse of the visa free regime it simply gets abolished..this happened to Mexicans overnight when their asylum numbers rocketed. It depends on the country...not all visa free countries are equal in status..check the GDP of UK against say Botswana.

1. Well, on the flip-side, I have never seen a visa-exempt person being asked to purchase a return ticket. This includes my partner and many friends who have all traveled to Canada on several airlines from many different countries. And yes, the airline can and does sue passengers to recoup costs; I've seen cases where they simply charged the person's credit card for the cost of the return flight.

2. I did note that. I wasn't implying that I didn't believe you, I was simply asking for an example because it wasn't something I had seen before. Always interested in learning more about something I've not seen before

3. I agree with you that not all visa exempt countries are equal; this is why I said what I said. Given the OP's level of English, I assumed s/he is from a developed English speaking country, therefore at no risk of having visa-exempt status removed. Of course, s/he could be from a non-English speaking country and simply have fantastic English