My now-deceased Dad was a Permanent Resident in Canada. Can I get proof of this?

[OptGril24]

My dad was a German citizen, and moved to Canada when he was 21. He lived in Canada from then, up until his death in February of this year. He never naturalized.

Is there any way I can get proof that he was a Permanent Resident? He never had a PR card at all, since he first become a Permanent Resident before they started issue cards for it. And of course, since it's a form of ID, he can't apply for it posthumously.

Is there come kind of paperwork I can apply for that will confirm he was a Permanent Resident?

(I'm his daughter, a Canadian citizen born in Canada if that makes any difference at all.)

 

[scylla]

You would have to apply for verification of status:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/certcopy.asp

However it doesn't look like you'll be able to use this process:

Verification of Status of a deceased person

If you are requesting a Verification of Status document for a deceased person, there are specific criteria that must be met. Please note that replacement of a valid temporary resident document will not be issued for a deceased person.

Personal information can be released, without consent, if an individual has been deceased for more than 20 years. If you are requesting a VOS document for someone who has been deceased for more than 20 years, you must include a death certificate or a copy of the vital statistics record from the province/territory where the person lived.

We cannot disclose personal information about an individual who has been dead for less than 20 years. In some cases, an exception will be made if the executor or the estate or on having Power of Attorney requires the deceased’s personal information to administer his/her estate. In these cases, you must provide proof of death, which may include a copy of an obituary notice, a death certificate or photograph of the person’s tombstone, as well as proof of executorship or Power of Attorney.

 

[Leon]

Did he ever travel? Did he have a passport? PR's of old used to travel with their IMM1000 (record of landing) folded up inside their passports. That document would prove that he was a PR, if you can find it.

 

[OptGril24]

@Leon, unfortunately no. His last two passports were effectively stolen.

About 10 years ago there was a big problem for him with the PR card and his passport.

My dad's German passport was about to expire, so he went and renewed it. He handed in his old passport to do this. A few weeks later the consulate called him and said "your new passport is here, come pick it up."

So he went, and he was asked to show his PR card. They wouldn't take any other ID before giving him his passport.

He'd never had a PR card before, so he went and applied for one. A few weeks later they called him and said "your new PR card is here, come pick it up."

So he went, and he was asked to show his passport. Which he didn't have, of course.

Both offices absolutely refused to budge. In the end my dad got an immigration lawyer involved, but sadly around this time my dad's health started failing. The passport/PR card issue was put on the back burner, and it never got resolved before he died.

The especially irritating part is that he had applied for both his passport and his PR card, and both applications were accepted, and both documents were printed for him, and both documents were sent to government offices to be picked up. It wasn't a case of denying his application or anything, they denied him his documents AFTER they had printed them.

The German consulate wouldn't even give him his old, expired passport back by itself, without the new one. I talked with the same office this year, in fact, and they still freaking have his passports their Vancouver office. They won't give it to me either (after his death.)

(I know I sound bitter, but I can't help it, I am really bitter. It's all so stupid, and I'm so mad they did that to him.)

 

[scylla]

Sorry if this is a stupid question - but why is it even important to obtain paperwork to prove he was a PR given you already have citizenship? Is this required for something you're applying for?

From a privacy perspective it actually does make sense that the consulate won't release his documents to you. Unfortunately I don't believe they can do so without violating privacy laws.

 

[maged_mmh]

@Leon, unfortunately no. His last two passports were effectively stolen.

About 10 years ago there was a big problem for him with the PR card and his passport.

My dad's German passport was about to expire, so he went and renewed it. He handed in his old passport to do this. A few weeks later the consulate called him and said "your new passport is here, come pick it up."

So he went, and he was asked to show his PR card. They wouldn't take any other ID before giving him his passport.

He'd never had a PR card before, so he went and applied for one. A few weeks later they called him and said "your new PR card is here, come pick it up."

So he went, and he was asked to show his passport. Which he didn't have, of course.

Both offices absolutely refused to budge. In the end my dad got an immigration lawyer involved, but sadly around this time my dad's health started failing. The passport/PR card issue was put on the back burner, and it never got resolved before he died.

The especially irritating part is that he had applied for both his passport and his PR card, and both applications were accepted, and both documents were printed for him, and both documents were sent to government offices to be picked up. It wasn't a case of denying his application or anything, they denied him his documents AFTER they had printed them.

The German consulate wouldn't even give him his old, expired passport back by itself, without the new one. I talked with the same office this year, in fact, and they still freaking have his passports their Vancouver office. They won't give it to me either (after his death.)

(I know I sound bitter, but I can't help it, I am really bitter. It's all so stupid, and I'm so mad they did that to him.)

if you or your late dad's (RIP) lawyer has a power of attorney, you definitely can collect either/all those documents

 

[maged_mmh]

One more thought: where was the death certificate issued? Canada or EU?

legally, heirs can collect documents and articles of the deceased