Two years ago, I submitted our family’s application for Canadian Citizenship.  I purposely submitted our application as soon as we have met the eligibility requirements thinking that once we hit our fifth year in Canada, my family and I are already citizens of Canada and we won’t need to renew our Permanent Resident (PR)  card.  Well, I guess, I was wrong, as of this writing, we have not received anything from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) but a reviewer.

A PR card is issued to immigrants who landed to Canada with permanent resident status, it is the person’s official proof that he or she is a permanent resident of Canada. Newly arrived immigrants need not to apply for PR card since CIC will mail the card once the immigrant arrived to Canada.  PR card is required before an individual can enter and stay in Canada should he or she return from another country.

PR card is valid for five (5) years – a card holder should renew his or her card, within 6 months from the day of the card validity or expiration, I was just about to submit our application now, so I (kinda) didn’t follow this 6-month period.  It is just sad that PR card application is still done through paper application, it will be a lot easier if we can only submit the application, online.

Just like any other application processing, obtaining or renewing one’s PR card entails the applicant to submit documents to satisfy CIC that the applicant is eligible to renew his or her permanent residency.

An applicant can use the Document Checklist (IMM5444) as guide in  gathering the necessary documentation.  The checklist indicates that aside from Application for a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5444) and Supplementary Identification Form (IMM 5455), there are other documents that an applicant must include in his or her application, a clear and legible copy of the following documents:

1.  One (1) primary identity document – copy of any of these documents – (1) valid passport or travel document or  (2) the passport or travel document you held at the time you became a permanent resident or  (3) the certificate of identity or travel document issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada or a foreign country
2. One (1) secondary identity document –  copy of any of these document –  (1) your Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688), or (2) your valid provincial driver’s license, or your valid provincial photo-identity card, or (3) your valid student card issued from a provincially accredited college or university, or (4) your most recent Income Tax assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency within the past two (2) years.
3. Additional documents of proof of residence in Canada in the past five (5) years –  Photocopies of all pages of all passports you held in the past five (5) years (if your stamps are not in English or French, please have them translated, and   a copy of any of the following:
   • Other Income Tax assessments issued by Canada Revenue Agency within the past five (5) years, or
   • transcripts from a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada verifying attendance within the past five (5) years, or
   • for all school-aged children, written records verifying attendance within the past five (5) years.

Applicants who are under the age of 18 should include a clear photocopy of one of the following:

• applicant’s birth certificate (showing the applicant’s name, date of birth, place of birth and the names of the parents or adoptive parents), or
• legal documentation proving guardianship, if the applicant has a legal guardian.

Upon completion of these documentation, the applicant should pay $50 fee (for each applicant).  Payment  can be made online, or through a financial institution in Canada, however, payment of fees online is the preferred method of payment. The proof of payment should be included in the application package to be sent to CIC.   CIC will return the application if payment was insufficient or if an overpayment was made.

The complete application should be sent to the Case Processing Center with the following address:

Via Regular Mail:

Case Processing Centre — PR Card
P.O. Box 10020
SYDNEY, NS  B1P 7C1
CANADA

Via Courier:

Case Processing Centre – PR Card
49 Dorchester Street
Sydney, NS
B1P 5Z2

As indicated in the CIC website, the normal processing time of PR card renewal is 74 calendar days.  However, if  an application is urgent because of an imminent  travel, the applicant should include a copy of a plane ticket and proof of payment of the ticket and must write; “Urgent-Proof of Travel Included” on the envelope and the application may be sent to the same address where a normal application is sent.