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PR Card Renewal & New - 2022 Processing Timeline

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
10,389
1,451
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Hi folks, hopefully someone can give me some pointers here - my wife is a permanent resident whose card is expiring early next year. She's currently in another country on a work assignment, but we would obviously prefer to renew her PR card before it expires. What's the best way to get this done? I guess we could do the renewal application online, but the website says you must be present in Canada to apply to renew... So one way is she comes back for a few weeks to Canada to apply for the card renewal. Will it be mailed after it's processed or will she have to go pick it up? Anyone have similar situation and how was it handled?
How many days has she spent in Canada since becoming a PR (NOT how many days since her current card was issued)?

Will this be her first renewal since becoming a PR?

As long as she has met the Residency Obligation of 730 days or more for each rolling 5 year period, she would be eligible to renew her card. She will need to provide accurate travel history of any and all absences from Canada since becoming a PR...even a short drive across the border and back to get gas, needs to be listed in the renewal application. This is where many PRs start to panic, because they may not have kept accurate records. If she is one of those, don't panic but be prepared to add a bunch of time and effort (on her part) to sort this out.

As you have mentioned, she can only apply to renew if she is in Canada. The card will be mailed to her Canadian address, but could then be couriered abroad, so long as the courier company is aware that it is a card with a RFID chip inside, sinc esome countries may not allow those to be imported. Most people don't seem to have any problems, but the courier can tell her if it's a problem.
 

joeschmoe

Member
Apr 17, 2018
10
0
She does meet the PR requirements for purposes of the renewal (i.e. she's been in Canada for 3+ of the past 5 years, but not for most of last year. The card can be mailed to our family's address (they're trustworthy) but it'll be a problem if she has to go and pick it up on her own. Any way to tell if this will be mailed or if they'll request her to come in and pick it up? It's her first PR card renewal.
 

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
10,389
1,451
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
She does meet the PR requirements for purposes of the renewal (i.e. she's been in Canada for 3+ of the past 5 years, but not for most of last year. The card can be mailed to our family's address (they're trustworthy) but it'll be a problem if she has to go and pick it up on her own. Any way to tell if this will be mailed or if they'll request her to come in and pick it up? It's her first PR card renewal.
No way to tell, but most cards seem to be mailed. She can apply 9 months before it expires, but she needs to count back 5 years from the day that the application is ready to submit and make sure she has at least 730 days spent in Canada!
 

joeschmoe

Member
Apr 17, 2018
10
0
No way to tell, but most cards seem to be mailed. She can apply 9 months before it expires, but she needs to count back 5 years from the day that the application is ready to submit and make sure she has at least 730 days spent in Canada!
Yes, I understand that part. Basically, my thinking is best we can do is have her fly back to Canada around 6 months or so before the PR card is due to expire, take the photo and submit the application and that should (hopefully) be it. She doesn't have to stick around for 60 days or whatever it takes to process these renewals now. If it gets mailed, I can bring it for her (I go back and forth much more frequently). I guess what I'm saying is the government website only says you have to be in Canada *to apply*
 

Ponga

VIP Member
Oct 22, 2013
10,389
1,451
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Yes, I understand that part. Basically, my thinking is best we can do is have her fly back to Canada around 6 months or so before the PR card is due to expire, take the photo and submit the application and that should (hopefully) be it. She doesn't have to stick around for 60 days or whatever it takes to process these renewals now. If it gets mailed, I can bring it for her (I go back and forth much more frequently). I guess what I'm saying is the government website only says you have to be in Canada *to apply*
Correct. She HAS to be in Canada to apply. She can leave the same day if she chooses to do so.

But...if the application is returned (for reasons not limited to IRCC glitches or errors on their end) and she has to re-apply, she would still need to be in Canada, right? MANY people are reporting problems with the online portal for PR Cards, but hopefully things will stabilize before she has to apply.
 

sv-canadatoindia

Full Member
May 10, 2023
27
0
A question about linking GC key to PR card renewal application - do we have to use the same GCkey account that was created to get the PR and first PR card?
 

Marpat

Newbie
Feb 27, 2018
8
1
An applicant who received AOR 3-4 days before the strike started, has anyone received any further updates?
received AOR April 11th 2023 for an application submitted online Feb 20th 2023 they say they only received it April 11th, to date no updates, called my MPP sent proof application was submitted Feb 20th it seems I will be waiting another 70 dyas again
 

Anand2021

Star Member
Feb 26, 2021
114
15
received AOR April 11th 2023 for an application submitted online Feb 20th 2023 they say they only received it April 11th, to date no updates, called my MPP sent proof application was submitted Feb 20th it seems I will be waiting another 70 dyas again

Not sure how they process the applications... I am thinking of some technical issues with the application that received AOR a few days before the strike.
I checked my GC key account, and there are two different dates, on the home page, I see the Date Submitted as Apr 18. When I go inside the application, it shows the Date Received as Feb 09...

@rishabh4000 , any updates on your application? Since you see the status as Decision Made In ECAS, could you please let me know what dates(Date Submitted, Date Received) you see in the GC key account?
 

bricksonly

Hero Member
Mar 18, 2018
434
54
No way to tell, but most cards seem to be mailed. She can apply 9 months before it expires, but she needs to count back 5 years from the day that the application is ready to submit and make sure she has at least 730 days spent in Canada!
She has to count from the landing date, not 5 years necessary for her first renewal, if her application date is less than 5 years from her landing date
 

bricksonly

Hero Member
Mar 18, 2018
434
54
She does meet the PR requirements for purposes of the renewal (i.e. she's been in Canada for 3+ of the past 5 years, but not for most of last year. The card can be mailed to our family's address (they're trustworthy) but it'll be a problem if she has to go and pick it up on her own. Any way to tell if this will be mailed or if they'll request her to come in and pick it up? It's her first PR card renewal.
As her RO OK, the best way for her is to come to Canada, make an emergency application attaching her leaving tickets, addressing that she need to go back to work. Wait for up to 30 days for renewal. If not receive in time, just leave. The card will be there, mail to address (cost very small $ by mail again) or pick up in person (cost more $)
How ever, as her days in Canada mostly at the beginning of 5 years roll, she could lose her RO very soon now if she continue works aboard.
 

jackdawn

Champion Member
Dec 24, 2016
1,295
920
received AOR April 11th 2023 for an application submitted online Feb 20th 2023 they say they only received it April 11th, to date no updates, called my MPP sent proof application was submitted Feb 20th it seems I will be waiting another 70 dyas again
Hi @Marpat did you link your application to gc key before you received AOR? i submitted online on the same date as you but i have no update so far in the online login nor im able to link the application
 

Michael W

Newbie
Mar 6, 2020
7
6
pr renewal name change for my son

Canada Post mail 5 Feb
Sydney received 9 Feb
AOR 28 April
gckey account profile updated 11 May (changed to new namw)
Ecas still showing in progress
 
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jackdawn

Champion Member
Dec 24, 2016
1,295
920
Hi, we got an update (email) on my spouse application today stating "-Your photos were damaged/ink on photos. " i don't see any ink on them though. But the link to view is no more greyed in the portal and i can view the application. Do i just need to resubmit with new pictures? It says reapply with your complete application in the PR portal