? PR Card renewal via Portal versus Paper application

[Ponga]

Has anyone else noticed that when looking at renewal online, the PR must destroy their current card, take a photo and upload...even if it is still valid?
Even if expired, why is this necessary?

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...es/immigrate-canada/apply-online-pr-card.html
"If you’re applying to renew your PR card, provide a photo of your destroyed PR card."

But, if applying on paper:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...acement-renewal-change-gender-identifier.html

Your PR card
If you are applying to renew your present card, you should keep it until you get your new card and include a copy of it with your application.

If you are applying to replace a damaged card, send the damaged card with your application.


So, why do the two options to renew have different instructions regarding the current card?

 

[steaky]

Has anyone else noticed that when looking at renewal online, the PR must destroy their current card, take a photo and upload...even if it is still valid?
Even if expired, why is this necessary?

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...es/immigrate-canada/apply-online-pr-card.html
"If you’re applying to renew your PR card, provide a photo of your destroyed PR card."

But, if applying on paper:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...acement-renewal-change-gender-identifier.html

Your PR card
If you are applying to renew your present card, you should keep it until you get your new card and include a copy of it with your application.

If you are applying to replace a damaged card, send the damaged card with your application.


So, why do the two options to renew have different instructions regarding the current card?

Not sure about the sentence: "If you’re applying to renew your PR card, provide a photo of your destroyed PR card."

However, under "If you plan to travel", it does say the following:

If you apply for a new PR card, your current one will stop being valid 60 days after the date we issue your new card. If you leave Canada with your existing card, you won’t be able to return to Canada with it if the new one has been issued and you don’t have it.

 

[Ponga]

Not sure about the sentence: "If you’re applying to renew your PR card, provide a photo of your destroyed PR card."

However, under "If you plan to travel", it does say the following:

If you apply for a new PR card, your current one will stop being valid 60 days after the date we issue your new card. If you leave Canada with your existing card, you won’t be able to return to Canada with it if the new one has been issued and you don’t have it.

Yeah, but the destroying of the valid card makes no sense.

 

[canuck78]

Yeah, but the destroying of the valid card makes no sense.

Likely error while transitioning to online applications. Assume the government doesn’t want any PR cards that aren’t destroyed because that presents opportunity for tampering, immigration fraud, etc. Also the issue that many will want to use the valid PR card while waiting for the new one but IRCC doesn’t want people to end up with 2 cards without proof that one has been destroyed. Doesn’t sound like someone has come up with a good solution.

 

[SecularFirst]

Likely error while transitioning to online applications. Assume the government doesn’t want any PR cards that aren’t destroyed because that presents opportunity for tampering, immigration fraud, etc. Also the issue that many will want to use the valid PR card while waiting for the new one but IRCC doesn’t want people to end up with 2 cards without proof that one has been destroyed. Doesn’t sound like someone has come up with a good solution.

How illogical that is. They never ask to destroy expired Canadian passports while renewing. All of the above things you mentioned can happen with it as well.
They never tell to destroy expired drivers license. Abuse can happen there as well.

Lot of the rules for PR card are just absurd. There are so many people including me whose card are approved, confirmed on phone but stuck in printing for 5+ weeks. If cards dont come out of the printing for few more days, crossing 60 days after approval, will that mean the old unexpired are also useless after that? This is really bad and wasteful and just making peoples lives hard. PR card should be valid for 10 years, just like passport or better, indefinitely. Keep the RO rule, just simplify the workload and use the resources spent in PR cards somewhere else. RO doesnt depend on PR card anyways. This is just so dumb.

 

[krishere1982]

How illogical that is. They never ask to destroy expired Canadian passports while renewing. All of the above things you mentioned can happen with it as well.
They never tell to destroy expired drivers license. Abuse can happen there as well.

Lot of the rules for PR card are just absurd. There are so many people including me whose card are approved, confirmed on phone but stuck in printing for 5+ weeks. If cards dont come out of the printing for few more days, crossing 60 days after approval, will that mean the old unexpired are also useless after that? This is really bad and wasteful and just making peoples lives hard. PR card should be valid for 10 years, just like passport or better, indefinitely. Keep the RO rule, just simplify the workload and use the resources spent in PR cards somewhere else. RO doesnt depend on PR card anyways. This is just so dumb.

I agree renewing of the PR card is totally unnecessary. They just should remove the expiry date from it/or make it valid for 10 years like the passport. It just increases stress for people when they have to travel in an emergency.

 

[Ponga]

How illogical that is. They never ask to destroy expired Canadian passports while renewing. All of the above things you mentioned can happen with it as well.
They never tell to destroy expired drivers license. Abuse can happen there as well.

Lot of the rules for PR card are just absurd. There are so many people including me whose card are approved, confirmed on phone but stuck in printing for 5+ weeks. If cards dont come out of the printing for few more days, crossing 60 days after approval, will that mean the old unexpired are also useless after that? This is really bad and wasteful and just making peoples lives hard. PR card should be valid for 10 years, just like passport or better, indefinitely. Keep the RO rule, just simplify the workload and use the resources spent in PR cards somewhere else. RO doesnt depend on PR card anyways. This is just so dumb.

The current valid PR card expires 60 days after the new card is ISSUED, not 60 days after it is approved...to eventually be printed and issued.

 

[canuck78]

I agree renewing of the PR card is totally unnecessary. They just should remove the expiry date from it/or make it valid for 10 years like the passport. It just increases stress for people when they have to travel in an emergency.

It’s the only thing somewhat Incentivizes PR to meet their RO. Most have no problem always having a valid PR card. You can apply up to 9 months before the expiry date. If you remained out of Canada for close to 3 years then you will likely end up with a period where you may not have a valid PR card.

 

[Ponga]

I agree renewing of the PR card is totally unnecessary. They just should remove the expiry date from it/or make it valid for 10 years like the passport. It just increases stress for people when they have to travel in an emergency.

That would never happen unless/until the R.O. is calculated for each rolling 10 year period, versus the current rolling 5 year period.

 

[krishere1982]

That would never happen unless/until the R.O. is calculated for each rolling 10 year period, versus the current rolling 5 year period.

I came to know that Canada doesn't record our exits. If they recorded our exits too, they can check the RO themselves, right?

 

[Ponga]

I came to know that Canada doesn't record our exits. If they recorded our exits too, they can check the RO themselves, right?

It is the PR's responsibility to disclose absences from Canada regarding meeting the R.O., so why would you expect IRCC to `do the work' for you?

What makes you think that Canada (CBSA) does not track exits from Canada?

Hint: They do.

Google- Beyond the Border Canada and read all about it.

Only recently (~2019) did CBSA have exit records for Canadian citizens and U.S. citizens, but all other travelers have been tracked for years.

CBSA obtains passenger manifest data for those leaving Canada, which, in essence, is an exit record. At land borders (POE) your passport creates an exit record. Even if the officer never `swipes' your passport, it's recorded because of the RFID chip inside the passport; only needs to be in proximity to the reader, which usually happens before you even get to the officer. Pretty cool, eh?!

 

[krishere1982]

It is the PR's responsibility to disclose absences from Canada regarding meeting the R.O., so why would you expect IRCC to `do the work' for you?

What makes you think that Canada (CBSA) does not track exits from Canada?

Hint: They do.

Google- Beyond the Border Canada and read all about it.

Only recently (~2019) did CBSA have exit records for Canadian citizens and U.S. citizens, but all other travelers have been tracked for years.

CBSA obtains passenger manifest data for those leaving Canada, which, in essence, is an exit record. At land borders (POE) your passport creates an exit record. Even if the officer never `swipes' your passport, it's recorded because of the RFID chip inside the passport; only needs to be in proximity to the reader, which usually happens before you even get to the officer. Pretty cool, eh?!

Ok good to know. Then what would be the purpose of the PR card renewal? I thought the PR card renewal will give them the chance to verify the RO as they aren't aware of our exits. If they have our entry and exits, they can calculate the RO themselves. I don't understand why we need to renew the PR card then.

 

[krishere1982]

It is the PR's responsibility to disclose absences from Canada regarding meeting the R.O., so why would you expect IRCC to `do the work' for you?

What makes you think that Canada (CBSA) does not track exits from Canada?

Hint: They do.

Google- Beyond the Border Canada and read all about it.

Only recently (~2019) did CBSA have exit records for Canadian citizens and U.S. citizens, but all other travelers have been tracked for years.

CBSA obtains passenger manifest data for those leaving Canada, which, in essence, is an exit record. At land borders (POE) your passport creates an exit record. Even if the officer never `swipes' your passport, it's recorded because of the RFID chip inside the passport; only needs to be in proximity to the reader, which usually happens before you even get to the officer. Pretty cool, eh?!

Sorry missed the first line - I am totally fine with telling them my absences. But if they already have that information, why should we tell them the information that they already know? If that is the sole purpose of renewing the PR card, isn't it just a waste of IRCC resources? I am just trying to understand here.

 

[Ponga]

Sorry missed the first line - I am totally fine with telling them my absences. But if they already have that information, why should we tell them the information that they already know? If that is the sole purpose of renewing the PR card, isn't it just a waste of IRCC resources? I am just trying to understand here.

Because that's NOT how it works.

You have to provide the details of any and all absences from Canada when you complete the PR Card renewal application. IRCC may or may not seek CBSA records to corroborate that information, but it is NOT their job to figure out if you have or have not met the Residency Obligation to maintain PR status.

Does that make sense now?

 

[canuck78]

Sorry missed the first line - I am totally fine with telling them my absences. But if they already have that information, why should we tell them the information that they already know? If that is the sole purpose of renewing the PR card, isn't it just a waste of IRCC resources? I am just trying to understand here.

Easier for you to keep track so you know if you meet your RO.