Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

Hi! I'm tagging on and I hope you can help: I am trying to renew a PR but we do not live in Canada permanently.

My existing PR expires in March 2022. I am in Canada now until October and would like to reapply while I am here.

My PR won't be processed before I return to the UK in October.

If my PR renewal is processed while I am out of Canada, how long do I have to collect it? Are there any rules around this?

Thank you!

Re: Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

HI

1. First of all, do you meet the residency obligation of residing in Canada for 2 of the past 5 years? If you aren't meeting your RO you will have a problem if you apply for renewal.
2. The card would be sent to a Canadian address, only if CIC had doubts about your RO would have to pick it up in person.
3. Present posting processing time is 119 days, but you probably can take that with a pound of salt.

Re: Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

It's your PR card that you will be renewing, not your PR status :) There is no requirement to hold a PR card unless you wish to fly to Canada; if you are outside Canada and need to fly to Canada without having a PR card you can apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpce...num=064&top=10

You may be able to apply for PR card renewal with urgent processing once you have flights booked, if need to return for work reasons or similar - see: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ce/urgent.html

Currently normal processing is taking 119 days, so unlikely to be here before you leave. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...w-replace.html If you are required to collect the card you will be given 180 days to collect it - but will need to apply for a PRTD if your current PR card has expired. See: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...r-19-2016.html - ensure you have proof of residing with your Canadian citizen partner when you make your applications..

:)

Re: Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

That's great, thank you so much for you replies!

So in theory, do you think that I can?

- Return to the UK
- Apply for my permanent resident card extension approximately 150 days before I intend to return (can I have a friend or relative submit the form?)
- Return with the temporary card
- Collect new card

I have been out of Canada for most of the last 5 years but I have been with my partner who is a Canadian citizen. We want to maintain my permanent residence in case we move back to Canada in the future.

Re: Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

You're not supposed to apply for a PR card unless you are in the country (and they will see that you aren't when you give your history for a PRTD). I would suggest you mail off the application for PR Card Renewal before you leave (you can apply up to 9 months before it expires) - you could request urgent processing if you have to be back in the UK etc., for work purposes - and you have a flight booked - but no guarantees. To return to Canada you would have to apply for a PRTD if your current PR card had expired. You can give them a relative's address for postal delivery - but be aware they may want you to attend the office to collect, if they do you will have a limited time to do so. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...w-replace.html

If you don't want to send it before you leave you will need to apply for a PRTD to return to Canada then mail it off - and again, theoretically request urgent processing.

Do ensure you have strong documentary evidence that you have been residing with your Canadian Citizen spouse for at least the last 2+ years... you will need this to apply for a PRTD as well.

Re: Applying for PR renewal but then leaving Canada during process
 

Apologies for dredging up this slightly old thread, and thanks to all who've offered advice. The OP is in a similar situation to myself -- my common law partner sponsored me for PR, but I only lived in Canada for around a year or so and we've been living mostly together in Europe since.

We are likely to be moving back to Canada by mid 2023 and I'm wondering what kind of documentary evidence is required to prove the relationship. Is it essentially the same as when PR was applied for in the first place, or is it a little less stringent as you've already 'proved' your relationship the first time around? I haven't been as diligent as I could have been in keeping tabs on proof-of-relationship evidence, but we do have shared leases, photographs, emails, bills in our names etc. The PR renewal and PRTD forms seem less clear-cut about what is considered acceptable.

Also, we haven't lived together for the entire time – there was a six month period in 2018 when I was back in Europe for work and she remained in Canada, before she was able to come over. We were still a couple during that time, and we visited eachother, but we weren't technically residing together. In the three years since then we have lived together.

Does anybody have any experience of what kind of evidence is usually accepted, and if a short non-cohabiting spell would be a problem? My thinking on the latter would be 'no' as we've clearly been living together enough to make up the residency requirements, but would be grateful for any insight on this.

Thanks all.