kleinluka

Hi all,

so I left Canada in 2013, my PR card expired but I still meet residency obligation.

I would like to visit a friend of mine in Montreal next month, so obviously I need a travel document to re-enter Canada. I have a few questions about the application, and I couldn't find the answers anywhere else. Hope somebody can help.

1) I plan on re-applying for jobs in Canada by the end of the year. This might require me to travel to Canada for job interviews. Does it make sense to apply for a multiple-entry Travel Doc in this case or are these very rarely issued for reasons like that? I would like to save both CIC and me time if I need to re-enter again soon but I also don't want to risk having the multiple-entry TD refused. If that is something that is likely to happen I'll just apply for single-entry and if needed re-apply for an other single-entry when I need to make an other trip.

2) On the application form, section 15 "residency obligation" I am supposed to list the periods where I was physically present in Canada. I did A LOT of small trips to the US and other vacations, so I can't fit everything into the small table on the form. Would it be ok to write "see appendix A" and then print a separate sheet with a full table including all departures and re-entries?

Also, since I need to list an address for each entry...if I lived on i.e. 15 Main Street for lets say 80 days and then went on vacation for 2 weeks, returning to the same address 15 Main Street, before going on vacation again for a couple days....do I need to put 15 Main Street each time and the period between each exit from Canada? I am just not quite sure how to format it for it to be clear and make sense. Sorry if this is a stupid question.

3) I have been living with my girlfriend in Germany for 2 years. So, we would be officially considered "common-law partners". On the application form under "Marital Status" do I then check "single" or "common-law partner". Isn't 'common law partner' only to be used by somebody being sponsored for a PR visa? I am not sure if I should just put single. Again, advice on this would be much appreciated, I don't want to make a mistake.

4) Final question... I need to send my PR card or Record of Landing with the application. If I want to use the record of landing, do I mail the original? A certified copy? Or does a simple non-certified copy suffice?

Sorry for the long questions, I hope somebody can help me out. I am supposed to fly out on June 11th, so not sure if I have enough time with the processing and all. Thank you all!

Former Lancastrian

Apply for the travel document to travel to Canada. When you arrive in Canada apply for the PR card and give a Canadian address for it to be sent to (friend relative) and then they can send it to you in the UK.

You are considered common law even if not sponsoring your g/f because I can bet if you did you would want to be considered common law

Personally Id send a copy of your landing document. Normally CIC specify originals or notarized etc.

Im assuming you have read the guide and not just the forms
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...s/5529ETOC.asp

Shirtback

Do you hold a British passport? Or a visa-exempt one?

kleinluka

Great idea! But, I thought I had to actually have a permanent address/*live* in Canada to apply for a new PR card? Is it legal to do this?

BTW, I did read the guide, yes but since I am paranoid about completeing everything correctly it left me with the questions I asked in this thread.

Thank you for your answers!

@Shirtback: German passport.

In regards to my question 2, does anyone have experience on how to fill out the "Residency Obligation" part? (Section 15) - I am still not sure about that. Thanks!

Shirtback

Question 2: yes.

I asked about your passport because if visa-exempt, you don't actually need a valid PR card to travel to Canada.

(I know that's an unpopular opinion, just saying ...)

kleinluka

But if my PR card is not valid I do need the travel document to enter, don't I? I was under the impression the only way that I don't need it is if I gave up my PR status and enter as 'visitor'.

Shirtback

Nope. Not with a visa-exempt passport. You say you still meet the residency requirements? And can prove it?

kleinluka

Well, I have a letter from my last employer in Canada stating the duration of my employment. I have a list of all my departures from Canada in the last 5 years plus passport stamps to back it up. Those 2 things combined should prove that I exceed the 730 days RO. for the last 5-year period. Would this be sufficient? What more could I provide as proof?

Are there any official guidelines for this? To be honest it is the first time I hear this. But if true this would definitely save me a lot of time and stress

To clarify: I worked at my last Canadian employer from April 2008 - November 2012. So, since it's the last 5 years that count, that would be May 2010 - November 2012 where I was living and employed in Canada. Would a letter from my Canadian employer stating duration of employent suffice in this case?

Shirtback

There's this, from Air Canada:

aircanada.com - Travel documents
That's valid for other airlines too (Air Transat & KLM IME)


Personal/family experience:
I've travelled back to Canada without a PR card
- once having applied for and obtained a PRTD where the kind employee at the consulate informed me that "you do know you didn't need this?" ... After taking my money.

- once having left in an emergency with expired card where I got sent to secondary & scolded by CBSA; I had the documentation you mention with me.

- son travelled back with expired card & was admitted no questions asked, while I stood & sweated in Arrivals with copious paperwork

Shirtback

Oops! Just read your clarification: you need to count backwards from your date of application to renew your PR card/PRTD/return to Canada.

Do you have the 730 days counting backwards?

Former Lancastrian

Slow down and breathe.
The PR card be mailed to an address in Canada and then forwarded on by a friend that is not illegal.
As for having a travel document to return and travelling on a visa exempt passport that is your call as any problems you will have will be with the airline and trying to get on the aircraft. Once you get to Canada then CBSA might give you a lecture but if you meet or can meet the 730 day residency obligation then they have to let you in.
You have seen what the CIC website says about not having a valid PR card when travelling back to Canada and many PRs who haven't had one travelling back on a non visa requiring passport so the decision is yours.
Again any problems with not having one is between you and the airline NOT CIC/CBSA.

Shirtback

I'll second the "breathe" advice .

And the getting on the aircraft comment.

However, I'm sincerely curious: I've never been questioned by an airline about my Cdn status when checking in to fly back to Canada. Have I just been lucky? Or is this the norm when travelling on a visa exempt passport?

kleinluka

I haven't yet sent my PRTD application, but if I sent it today (May 5th), 2015 then I would meet the requirement of having been physically present in Canada for 730 days since May 5th, 2010 (5 years counting backwards from today). I left Canada in January 2013, and in the time leading up to that the only times I ever left Canada was for my vacations (15 days per year) or some long weekends in Boston here and there. So I should be fine right?

Thank you very much Shirtback and Former Lancastrian for your helpful responses. You saved me a lot of stress.

Just, uh, one final question. On the customs declaration card...if I enter without valid PR card, would I then have to tick the box that I am entering as vistior or as resident? Thank you again!

I actually work for an airline so maybe I can answer this one. I don't work at the check-in desk but from my experience in dealing with people who do, as long as your passport allows you to enter the country (i.e. visa exempt passport trying to enter Canada) they will not ask further questions i.e. what type of visa you have. Airlines simply deal with too many passengers from too many nationalities travelling to too many countries with too many different sets of rules to know all the details for each. As long as your passport is visa exempt they will let you board.

Shirtback

Re your final question: Resident.

Shirtback

[Thread tangent]:
Much as I hate to do so, I'm going to take issue with this statement, especially as it seems the following does not apply to the OP (he meets the RO, apparently).

"They" would let you in anyway, as a PR. *If* one does not meet the residency obligation, one would still be admitted to Canada, albeit at the risk of being reported for failure to satisfy the RO.

As I said, not apparently relevant to the OP, but PR doesn't automatically expire. Needs to be revoked (by a judge) or voluntarily renounced. I think.