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Refugee Travel Document - Questions and Answers

ALAZ9750

Full Member
Jan 4, 2021
31
10
Hi guys,
Any advice?
My application was received on March12, 2022. I got this respond from IRCC today.
"Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

We verified the information you provided and your application is not available in our system at this time. It will be processed according to the date it was received.

If further information is needed, the responsible office may contact you.


What should I do? I have sent it 4 months ago. Is it possible to not in the system yet? or they lost my application?
In most cases that isn't what happened, sometimes when you submit a webform they simply can't find it based off the information you submitted, it has happened to me before to get that automated response on not finding my application. I'd suggest resubmitting the web form and putting a bit more detail.
 

Ghess23

Hero Member
Apr 11, 2014
233
160
@Ghess23

IRCC Just viewed my documents that i submitted via e-post on the 29, so let's pray the processing is as fast as yours! Hoping to receive my RTD with in the next two weeks if possible.

Did you wait between may 12 and may 28 to submit documents as i see there's a gap, what's the reason to that?
I had to fill out my application, print it and send it by mail to my lawyer to sign and Canada post took its time mailing it back that's why.
 

ALAZ9750

Full Member
Jan 4, 2021
31
10
I had to fill out my application, print it and send it by mail to my lawyer to sign and Canada post took its time mailing it back that's why.
Ah i see i see, then from the day they opened your message afterwards, did they sent you anything or message you between the date they opened it, or was it radio silence until the RTD showed up?
 

Nouzan

Member
May 15, 2017
19
1
36
Mississauga
Category........
FAM
My PR is in-processing and i applied for RTD in August 2021. If i need to request an urgent processing, what proof i require to show the urgent travel. Do i need any proof of medical if i kention that my family member is sick or only a written statement is enough. Thanks in advance.
 

Ghess23

Hero Member
Apr 11, 2014
233
160
Ah i see i see, then from the day they opened your message afterwards, did they sent you anything or message you between the date they opened it, or was it radio silence until the RTD showed up?
Radio silence till the post lady knocked my door lol
 

Goodiegiddy

Member
Jul 9, 2022
10
3
Hello guys,
So, I applied for urgent refugee travel document since April 2022 and ircc and I had been exchanging emails via webform. I have sent all the required documents and then, I got an email on 17th June 2022 saying that my application had been fawarded to the appropriate department. They also said that I'll recieve an email from Canada post connect within 5 business days. It's been three weeks and I haven't recieved any email from canada post. I sent two webforms as a follow up and I keep getting a response saying that they can confirm that my application had been fawarded to the right department for processing. Has anyone had a similar experience, what else can I do as i need to travel urgently.
 

abyurla

Star Member
Apr 27, 2015
85
13
Has anyone been told their passport photos were too dark over and over with different photos taken at commercial photographer outlets
It finally got delivered today.
I applied Sept 2021 and received passport too dark 2 or 3 times i can't remember. Someone once shared a link showing where one can travel to without visa and which ones one needs visa for. I need that page. Can i go to the USA?
 

Moon Walker

Newbie
Jul 18, 2022
5
0
hey guys!
I'm new to this forum but I;d appreciate advice.
Can I come back to Canada with RTD without PR? I'm already a grad student here in Canada with a convention refugee status. I've applied for PR back in May and received an email telling me that they have received my application. but can I travel back to Canada with only my RTD?
Thanks in advance.
 

Goodiegiddy

Member
Jul 9, 2022
10
3
Hey Mr walker,
Yes you can travel out and come back to Canada with your Refugee Travel Document and without your PR card. You might however need two other ids to accompany your travel document. It is also wise that you have a copy of your decision from RPD with you when you travel.
 
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Soheilnazari

Full Member
Nov 17, 2021
37
16
I created this topic to share my knowledge and experience with all of you. I will try to answer some important questions and concerns regarding travel as a Convention Refugee or a Protected Person living in Canada.

I’m not a lawyer, just a person who likes clarity. I am very proud to call Canada my new home. I want continue traveling and explore the world, but at the same time stay I want to stay mindful, and avoid doing anything wrong that would compromise my PR or Refugee status here. Some terms are below being simplified.

As most of you know, when you make your refugee claim, your passport is being seized by CIC or CBSA.

When my refugee claim was accepted I discovered that there are certain things we are not advised to do:

• Do not travel back to your home country
• Do not renew your home country’s passport.
• Do not travel on your home country’s passport, even to a third country, such as USA for example
• Just simply don’t have any contact with embassy of your home country.

All those things could put you at risk of losing your refugee status, because CBSA may interpret those actions as you no longer fear your home country, so you no longer need Canada’s protection.

I am not able to specify which law applies here and so on, but I know for sure that there are legal cases in which government took action and stripped or tried to strip person’s protection because they did one of above mentioned things.

Also it’s a matter of interpreting the law, so I think we should take those warnings seriously, it’s our lives and protection we are talking about.

If you want to get more information, I would suggest checking out Canadian Council for Refugees and other websites.

After I received a positive decision on my refugee claim, soon I applied for RTD and was able to get it. It says that the RTD validity period is determined by the issuing office. In my case it was issued for 2 years. I personally know at least four other cases, where people applied for RTD before becoming PRs and received it also for 2 years. So I guess it’s safe to assume that majority of people, before PR will get it for 2 years.

When I was applied for it, I noticed that on application form it says: “I understand that if I am issued a Canadian travel document and later obtain a passport issued by my country of citizenship, I am obliged to return the Canadian travel document to Passport Program, Citizenship and Immigration Canada.”

Obviously I started to get worried, because once I become a PR, CIC will return my national passport and in theory I must return RTD. I will have no choice, but to use my national passport to travel, but I don’t want to do that! What should I do?!

After more than two years, I got my PR interview, I got my passport back, at the end of my interview I decided to ask officer in person about my RTD dilemma.


So I did, I called them and I talked with call center agent at first, and explained my situation:



So finally after several minutes of back and forth, agent agreed to put a special call back request directly from “Certificate of Identity Section - Passport Program” located in Gatineau, QC.

Next day I received a call and talked with a senior officer from that department, I explained my situation to him and finally I got the missing peace of a puzzle.


Some important points and additional information:

• As a Convention Refugee or a Protected Person in Canada we do have a right to travel.

• In order to be able to travel internationally, we must have a valid Travel Document.

• The only Travel Document we entitled to is a Refugee Travel Document, forget about Certificate of Identity

• In order to apply for RTD you need to use an application form “[PPTC 190] Adult travel document application form”, form is universal and is used to apply for both – RTD and COI.

• After becoming a Permanent Resident, you are still considered to have a refugee status in Canada

• RTD issued for 2 years before PR and after becoming PR for 5 years

• If you got your national passport back when you became PR, do not use it, instead send it to “Certificate of Identity Section - Passport Program” along with your explanation letter

Travel Document - is an identity document issued by a government and allowing us to travel internationally. Generally, Travel Documents look like a passport-like booklets. The most common Travel Document is a Passport.

Government of Canada has a special department responsible for issuing Travel Documents for Refugees and Stateless Persons, and it’s called: “Certificate of Identity Section - Passport Program”, located in Gatineau, QC

That department is issuing two types of a Travel Documents:

1. Refugee Travel Document (light blue) (United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951 and its Protocol of 1967): issued to persons in Canada with protected person status, including Convention refugees and persons in need of protection

2. Certificate of identity (grey or formerly brown): issued to permanent residents of Canada who are not yet Canadian citizens, who are stateless or who are unable to obtain a national passport.

Personally I would advise everyone including myself, travel only using RTD, we shouldn’t put ourselves at risk. Getting RTD for 5 years is a great solution and hopefully by the time we need to renew it, we will have our Canadian Citizenship :)

I will mention it again, I am not a lawyer, just sharing summary of my findings with you. If you have additional questions or information, you are welcome to ask and contribute.
Hey bro, when can you apply for RTD, is it after the eligibility interview or after the hearing ?
 

ALAZ9750

Full Member
Jan 4, 2021
31
10
I just got my RTD. I submitted a webform for urgent processing and provided them with information on when I'm travelling, and why and the next day i phone call from immigration saying i would get an email and to upload my documents via e-post. i submitted my documents and my plane ticket and 3 weeks later i got my RTD. I didn't submit any proof of why i need to travel urgently, just submitted a plane ticket.

Webform sent: June 22, 2022
Received Email / Call: June 23, 2022
Received RTD: July 18, 2022
 
Last edited:

tekinova

Full Member
Sep 30, 2021
23
2
I am still waiting for my RTD since October 2021. I cannot believe how slow this system.

My mother is sick, and I am away from my son. It is unbearable.
 

hope319

Star Member
Nov 24, 2015
57
15
I just got my RTD. I submitted a webform for urgent processing and provided them with information on when I'm travelling, and why and the next day i phone call from immigration saying i would get an email and to upload my documents via e-post. i submitted my documents and my plane ticket and 3 weeks later i got my RTD. I didn't submit any proof of why i need to travel urgently, just submitted a plane ticket.

Webform sent: June 22, 2022
Received Email / Call: June 23, 2022
Received RTD: July 18, 2022
When did you apply?