i received a response from CIC, New Delhi.
their letter follows :
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to your recent email enquiry to the Immigration Section of the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi.
If you are outside Canada and have no Permanent Resident Card, your Permanent Resident Card has expired, you have lost your Card, or you are not sure that you meet the Residency Obligations and wish to return to Canada, you may apply for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad).
An application form to apply for a Travel Document to re-enter Canada from abroad can be downloaded from the Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) Website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/travel.asp. The application and kit guide will provide you with more information. For a checklist of required documents and forms to apply for a Travel Document while in India or Nepal, visit this link: http://www.vfs-canada.co.in/visaapplication.html#4.
Please note that you must submit the completed application form and personal information form, as well as two (2) photographs, the fee payment in the form of a bank draft (cash payments are not accepted), your original passport (including previous, expired passports), and all the supporting documents listed on the application checklist. Please ensure that you provide a contact telephone number and email address so that our office can contact you if any additional information is required.
The completed application and supporting documents may be submitted at any VFS Canada Visa Application Centre in India or Nepal. The processing time is currently 5 working days (1 week) for applicants in India, and 8 working days for applicants in Nepal. Please note that if your application is complex (e.g. if you have not met the residency obligations) or if you have not provided all the requested information and documents, it may take longer to process.
Applications for Travel Documents cannot be expedited. Please plan ahead and apply well in advance of your anticipated travel date. Please note that you will not receive faster service by applying directly to the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi or the Canadian Consulate General in Chandigarh. If you apply through a VFS Visa Application Centre, you can take advantage of convenient office hours and a service which notifies you as soon as your passport is ready to pick up.
Upon receipt of an application for a Travel Document, a visa officer will determine if you meet the Canadian residency obligations required to maintain your status as a permanent resident. If you meet the requirements, a Travel Document that will allow you to re-enter Canada from abroad will be issued into your passport.
Information on Residency Obligations is available at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/about-pr.asp
Please see our website for more details on returning to Canada as a permanent resident: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/india-inde/visas/travel-documents-perm-titres-voyage.aspx?view=d
We trust that this information will be of assistance.
Immigration Section / Section de l’immigration 6
Canadian High Commission / Haut-Commissariat du Canada
7/8 Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi
India / Inde
Websites/ Sites web: www.india.gc.ca
www.cic.gc.ca
www.vfs-canada.co.in
www.goingtocanada.gc.ca
For all e-mail correspondence with our office, we request you to use the enquiries form at:
https://dmp-portal.cic.gc.ca/cicemail/intro-eng.aspx?mission=new%20delhi
Always include the applicant's full name, date of birth, and file number in your message.
