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Permanent resident TRAVEL DOCUMENT PROCESSING TIMES

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
Hi everyone,

My husband and I have just recently got our PR status (in April). We will have to leave the country probably before our PR card arrives.
We learnt that in order to return to Canada without the PR card, once abroad we must obtain the travel document. We will most likely try to do it in the embassy in Rome or Italy.

Does anyone have any experience with processing times for the travel documents in these or any other embassy ?

Unfortunately we didn't know we'll need the travel document and we already have the return ticket. Now trying to arrange things the best possible

Any help greatly appreciated!
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,538
20,360
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
What passports do you hold? If you hold visa exempt passports, you can return without obtaining a Travel Document.
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
I hold a passport from visa exempt country (croatian), but my husband does not (argentinian).
I understood that all PR residents must have either PR card or the Travel document.
Thanks !
 

adacheung

Newbie
Jul 6, 2015
6
0
How is your holiday? Any problem with your return to Canada? When do your PR card arrived? I am the same case as you so I am very worried about that. Thanks to give advice and share your experience.
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
Hi,

we managed to obtain the travel document in the embassy in Vienna, Austria. It takes ONE DAY: you show up in the morning (8.00-10.30h) with the documents and return in the afternoon to pick it up.
Before that we tried to do it in the embassy in Rome, Italy. However, in Rome, the embassy does not deal directly with the travel documents. You need to submit the documents to the VAC center that is nearby the embassy. The whole process takes 3-4 WEEKS. It seems also that they have your passport the whole time, but I haven't checked cause we ran away when we heard it takes 3-4 weeks.

Hope it helps
Ana
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
Another thing
It doesn't matter if you are from visa exempt country or not, you need to do the travel document in order to keep the permanent residency.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,538
20,360
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
gibda said:
Another thing
It doesn't matter if you are from visa exempt country or not, you need to do the travel document in order to keep the permanent residency.
No - not true at all. We have many people on this forum who have re-entered Canada on a visa exempt passport without obtaining a TD. Even those without visa exempt passports can re-enter Canada without a TD if they travel to the US first and enter Canada via a land border. A travel document is by no means required to keep PR.
 

rekha raj

Newbie
Aug 3, 2015
3
0
Hi,
I will be travelling to India on 8th of this month aug. my PR has expired and i will be applying for travel documents from India. Can any one tell me if the processing time is really 10 days and i will be getting it within these days. Is it risky to travel with out PR. My old passport are lost, but the TD checklist ask for it as mandatory. will a police report number be enough or will they reject my TD due to absence of old passports. Kindly give me some information
 

Msafiri

Champion Member
Nov 18, 2012
2,667
103
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
rekha raj said:
Hi,
I will be travelling to India on 8th of this month aug. my PR has expired and i will be applying for travel documents from India. Can any one tell me if the processing time is really 10 days and i will be getting it within these days. Is it risky to travel with out PR. My old passport are lost, but the TD checklist ask for it as mandatory. will a police report number be enough or will they reject my TD due to absence of old passports. Kindly give me some information
The quoted processing times are typically those to resolve say 80 percent of routine/ straightforward applications. Some may be processed faster some may take a longer time. Assume its 10 days. Submit what is asked for and if its not possible then give a reasonable explanation with documentary proof e.g a police report of the lost passport. If the lost passport covers any of the 5 year period that will be reviewed for PRTD issuance in particular the relevant 730 days period proving you meet the RO then your application may get held up as this is investigated. You should have back up proof as evidence of your residence in Canada for these days and I mean something that is indisputable such as proof of employment - T4s, NOAs, pay stubs even a letter from the employer (on letterhead and from HR) confirming your duration of employment. If your earnings are on the low side it could lead to an inference of not working full time and in turn maybe not being in Canada!! Are you confident in your RO days?
 

rekha raj

Newbie
Aug 3, 2015
3
0
extremely thankful for the valuable information. I have police record as a proof of lost old passport. The current passport covers the mandatory 2 years period required for retaining PR. I have all my T4s, ROE, printed from my computer EI list, receipt of child care benefits, children attendance record , rental agreement and statements of two years completed in Canada. Will that be enough for me to Travel with out PR.
 

dazzlingstar

Newbie
Aug 13, 2015
2
0
Hi,

For the couple you were able to get PR Travel document in Vienna - Thanks for sharing your experience. i am in the same fix. We are traveling to Italy in September and are sure we will not get PR card till then. We are from non-visa exempt country, so definitely need a PR Travel document to re-enter Canada and would need it processed within a few days of reaching Italy.
Question - Do we have to book an appointment to go to embassy to get this document?
what all paper work is needed from our end for the application? If you can please point to the website, will be really helpful
Will it for sure get processed in a day or could it take longer?

Would really appreciate your help in this as we are in a fix and trying to find options so that we do not have to cancel this visit.

Regards.
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
In Vienna you don't need to book your appointment. You just show up with your application already prepared between 8.30-10 am.
In Rome, I don't know. We tried to reach someone from the embassy, but no luck. That was because Travel Doc is done through a VAC center that is nearby. So you may enter the embassy, but any question regarding the Travel document they direct you to go to the VAC center.
I would suggest trying to send an email to Rome embassy and explaining your situation. Just a suggestion.
I tried putting a link to where I got my information , but it seems I can't post a link in the message so just google pr travel document and open the first link
 

dazzlingstar

Newbie
Aug 13, 2015
2
0
thanks much Ana, for your response. Appreciate it.
I tried to email embassy in Rome and they pretty much said the same thing. Processing needs to go through VAC and they take close to 3-4 weeks in processing. Since we don't have that much time, I guess our best option is to try at Vienna. Is their normal processing time a day or was your considered as urgent case? We don't have passports from visa exempt country, could that cause any issues?.
Thanks much.
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
In Vienna it's a normal processing time. I also send them an email before going there. They said in the email it usually takes one day.
We arrived around 9 am. Did the application. They told us to come back at 3pm the same day and the passports were ready for us at that time.
Only check with the opening hours cause I think they are not open on Fridays.
 

gibda

Newbie
Jun 29, 2015
6
0
I have a passport from visa exempt country and my husband does not. Both mine and his application were done at the same time.