PR card renewal, living abroad with a Canadian wife

[userpg]

Hi.
I arrived to Canada Dec 2015, stayed for 300 days and moved back to my country with my Canadian wife. I occasionally come to Canada (family visits), so far I collected around 430 days of physical presence.
My card will expire in February 2021, so I will not meet the PR obligations of 730 days, however I live abroad with my wife for the whole time.
I think it's an exception of the 730 days of physical presence in Canada.
Do I meet the 730 days required, because I live with a Canadian citizen who is my spouse?

Also, I am here, in Canada for another 2 days before leaving for Europe. I just realized, that the waiting period for a new card is 160 days. I would like to send the application ASAP.
I red that I have to be in Canada when I apply for the card renewal, but do I have to be here for the whole time of 160 days?

 

[canuck78]

Hi.
I arrived to Canada Dec 2015, stayed for 300 days and moved back to my country with my Canadian wife. I occasionally come to Canada (family visits), so far I collected around 430 days of physical presence.
My card will expire in February 2021, so I will not meet the PR obligations of 730 days, however I live abroad with my wife for the whole time.
I think it's an exception of the 730 days of physical presence in Canada.
Do I meet the 730 days required, because I live with a Canadian citizen who is my spouse?

Also, I am here, in Canada for another 2 days before leaving for Europe. I just realized, that the waiting period for a new card is 160 days. I would like to send the application ASAP.
I red that I have to be in Canada when I apply for the card renewal, but do I have to be here for the whole time of 160 days?

Yes you can usually use the time living with your Canadian spouse towards your RO although there can sometimes be an issue with who followed whom. The rule is really in place to allow the Canadian to move abroad. No you don’t have to remain in Canada throughout the whole processing period. You will likely be required to come to Canada to pick up your PR card in person.

 

[userpg]

canuck78, thank you fr your answer.
Due to my wife's personal/family tragedy, she wasn't mentally able to continue working in Toronto and support me financially (she was my sponsor, cost of living was very high; I was working full-time but couldn't pay for everything). That's the reason why we hd to move back. We didn't want to end up in a big debt.
So technically she followed me back to my country, but in real life I was helping her and wanted to give her time to recover and heal.
Do you think it's worth mentioning in the application and should we describe it In details? (She hasn't worked in my country ever since, so I have no proof to show that I followed her career/education etc).
Or do you guys think I should make the story short and say I got an offer abroad and she came with me?

Now we are back on our feet. We just bought a house in Canada (New Brunswick), however we will spend the next few months in Europe. I also wonder if I should mention purchase of the house in my application?

 

[canuck78]

canuck78, thank you fr your answer.
Due to my wife's personal/family tragedy, she wasn't mentally able to continue working in Toronto and support me financially (she was my sponsor, cost of living was very high; I was working full-time but couldn't pay for everything). That's the reason why we hd to move back. We didn't want to end up in a big debt.
So technically she followed me back to my country, but in real life I was helping her and wanted to give her time to recover and heal.
Do you think it's worth mentioning in the application and should we describe it In details? (She hasn't worked in my country ever since, so I have no proof to show that I followed her career/education etc).
Or do you guys think I should make the story short and say I got an offer abroad and she came with me?

Now we are back on our feet. We just bought a house in Canada (New Brunswick), however we will spend the next few months in Europe. I also wonder if I should mention purchase of the house in my application?

Would keep it simple. Still would be considered a move based on you versus the Canadian. Would include information about the recent purchase of a home in NB.

 

[k.h.p.]

canuck78, thank you fr your answer.
Due to my wife's personal/family tragedy, she wasn't mentally able to continue working in Toronto and support me financially (she was my sponsor, cost of living was very high; I was working full-time but couldn't pay for everything). That's the reason why we hd to move back. We didn't want to end up in a big debt.
So technically she followed me back to my country, but in real life I was helping her and wanted to give her time to recover and heal.
Do you think it's worth mentioning in the application and should we describe it In details? (She hasn't worked in my country ever since, so I have no proof to show that I followed her career/education etc).
Or do you guys think I should make the story short and say I got an offer abroad and she came with me?

Now we are back on our feet. We just bought a house in Canada (New Brunswick), however we will spend the next few months in Europe. I also wonder if I should mention purchase of the house in my application?

This may be a problem if IRCC investigates who followed whom. As @canuck78 says, keep it simple and don't try to use that rationalization in your applications.

 

[armoured]

If you will return to Canada before the expiration, I think you should consider returning to Canada first and then applying for the new PR card.

I don't say this with certainty though, perhaps others with more experience can comment. But it seems to me less questions likely to arise if you have factually returned to Canada.

 

[userpg]

Do I have to pay the Biometrics fee?
All I know is that it says that right now all offices for Biometrics are close due to Covid.

 

[k.h.p.]

Do I have to pay the Biometrics fee?
All I know is that it says that right now all offices for Biometrics are close due to Covid.

Check this link to see if you need to give biometrics: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/biometrics.asp

 

[userpg]

Check this link to see if you need to give biometrics: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/biometrics.asp

Wow, thank you. You guys are such a good help!