PR Card renewal - Living outside Canada

[ChechuM]

Hi everyone,

Our PR card will be expired in less than 6 months and we are currently living abroad. We are in Canada for the vacations, so we want to renew our PR cards through the PR Portal.

When it comes to the address part, as I don't have a legal address in Canada, I was wondering if I could use a friend's house so they could get the cards for us while we are abroad.

The other option I read on the application is to get a PO Box, but I'm not sure if this is feasible.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us!

 

[Ponga]

You can only apply for (and receive) the renewed PR Card if you are in Canada.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=605&top=22
"You can only renew your card in Canada. We don’t send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses and we don’t allow third parties to get them for you."

Now, in theory, using a friend or family member's address (when you apply once you are in Canada) could be seen as using a third party, but...it is what it is and many people have done so without any issues. It is untruthful though, since the address is really supposed to be your address, in Canada, where the card is to be mailed.

 

[ChechuM]

You can only apply for (and receive) the renewed PR Card if you are in Canada.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=605&top=22
"You can only renew your card in Canada. We don’t send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses and we don’t allow third parties to get them for you."

Now, in theory, using a friend or family member's address (when you apply once you are in Canada) could be seen as using a third party, but...it is what it is and many people have done so without any issues. It is untruthful though, since the address is really supposed to be your address, in Canada, where the card is to be mailed.

Many thanks for your response! It is quite contradictory though, because on one hand I am not currently in Canada, but I have the 720-day requirement that allows me to get a renewal.

Right before the quote you sent, I can see this text on the PR Portal:
"Your PR Card will be sent to your residential address (the address where you live). PR Cards will only be mailed to post office (PO) boxes if this is your residential mailing address."

So, if I go with above info, that means I could use a PO Box as my residential address to get my card, but I cannot add a friend's address?

Thanks!

 

[canuck78]

Many thanks for your response! It is quite contradictory though, because on one hand I am not currently in Canada, but I have the 720-day requirement that allows me to get a renewal.

Right before the quote you sent, I can see this text on the PR Portal:
"Your PR Card will be sent to your residential address (the address where you live). PR Cards will only be mailed to post office (PO) boxes if this is your residential mailing address."

So, if I go with above info, that means I could use a PO Box as my residential address to get my card, but I cannot add a friend's address?

Thanks!

You could use a PO Box if it was actually associated with your residential address. In general those living abroad are required to pick up their new PR cards in person. Thos is partially to verify that they continue to meet their RO. It will be pretty clear that you are not living in Canada so why risk lying to IRCC about your residential address?

 

[ChechuM]

You could use a PO Box if it was actually associated with your residential address. In general those living abroad are required to pick up their new PR cards in person. Thos is partially to verify that they continue to meet their RO. It will be pretty clear that you are not living in Canada so why risk lying to IRCC about your residential address?

Hi, thanks for your reply! I am living outside Canada because of a job opportunity. Every vacation since then, I've come back here (I'm actually in Canada right now). The idea is not to lie to IRCC, but the opposite. I want to be as transparent as possible, but I don't see how I could fill in my application on the residential address.

When I was researching on this forum, I noticed that some people were asking if they could have their friend's address (though it was not the best option for me) as residential address. Then I read about a PO Box and it was more confusing, so right now I'm completely lost on how to apply for the renewal.

Have a good one!

 

[scylla]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I am living outside Canada because of a job opportunity. Every vacation since then, I've come back here (I'm actually in Canada right now). The idea is not to lie to IRCC, but the opposite. I want to be as transparent as possible, but I don't see how I could fill in my application on the residential address.

When I was researching on this forum, I noticed that some people were asking if they could have their friend's address (though it was not the best option for me) as residential address. Then I read about a PO Box and it was more confusing, so right now I'm completely lost on how to apply for the renewal.

Have a good one!

Your friend's address would be the best option. You can use a PO box as far as I'm aware.

Note that there's a chance IRCC may require you to pick up the card in person.

 

[scylla]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I am living outside Canada because of a job opportunity. Every vacation since then, I've come back here (I'm actually in Canada right now). The idea is not to lie to IRCC, but the opposite. I want to be as transparent as possible, but I don't see how I could fill in my application on the residential address.

When I was researching on this forum, I noticed that some people were asking if they could have their friend's address (though it was not the best option for me) as residential address. Then I read about a PO Box and it was more confusing, so right now I'm completely lost on how to apply for the renewal.

Have a good one!

One other comment... Assuming you are outside of Canada when your PR card expires then you would need a PRTD to return to Canada if you are asked to pick up the card in person or have the card sent to a PO box - and assuming you are not entering Canada through a US/Canada land border.

 

[ChechuM]

Your friend's address would be the best option. You can use a PO box as far as I'm aware.

Note that there's a chance IRCC may require you to pick up the card in person.

Thanks! I'll try to gather as much information as possible and see what we will do.

 

[ChechuM]

One other comment... Assuming you are outside of Canada when your PR card expires then you would need a PRTD to return to Canada if you are asked to pick up the card in person or have the card sent to a PO box - and assuming you are not entering Canada through a US/Canada land border.

Thank you! I'll keep it in mind. I should be back in October, before my PR expires.

Have a good weekend!

 

[armoured]

When I was researching on this forum, I noticed that some people were asking if they could have their friend's address (though it was not the best option for me) as residential address. Then I read about a PO Box and it was more confusing, so right now I'm completely lost on how to apply for the renewal.

Warning that I am not certain about what I am about to write, but pulling together some info/hints from various sources and contacts.

I believe that IRCC makes a distinction between a PO Box that is just used for those that don't have or want to use physical addresses (i.e. 'rent-a-post-box' at various third party companies etc) VERSUS post boxes provided by and managed by Canada Post for physical locations that don't have or use street/home delivery. (Also note, I obviously don't mean post boxes inside apartment buildings etc)

My reasoning is a friend in a rural environment/small village made a comment recently that they have a formal street postal address (with the formal name of their municipality, one of those agglomerated 'towns' that just gives a new overarching name to a bunch of villages), BUT they actually get all their mail at post boxes/post office. For him the context was that the town name in the postal address is one absolutely no-one uses day to day, but they have a 'real' address to get mail at - and I think for a while they had a 'post box' address that caused problems (some businesses etc would not take addresses that formally say post boxes). IRCC might be okay with one tyep of post box and not the other. Not sure though.

FWIW.

In context of your app: I think providing a 'post box' address will cause problems, better to provide an address of a friend / family member that you can plausibly claim is where you stay when in Canada.

 

[canuck78]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I am living outside Canada because of a job opportunity. Every vacation since then, I've come back here (I'm actually in Canada right now). The idea is not to lie to IRCC, but the opposite. I want to be as transparent as possible, but I don't see how I could fill in my application on the residential address.

When I was researching on this forum, I noticed that some people were asking if they could have their friend's address (though it was not the best option for me) as residential address. Then I read about a PO Box and it was more confusing, so right now I'm completely lost on how to apply for the renewal.

Have a good one!

Would list your residential address as your true address outside of Canada. You can list a mailing address in Canada but many are asked to pick up their card in person. Those listing their friend’s or family’s address is usually for their first PR card.

 

[Ponga]

Would list your residential address as your true address outside of Canada. You can list a mailing address in Canada but many are asked to pick up their card in person. Those listing their friend’s or family’s address is usually for their first PR card.

Listing a foreign address could be an issue and may trigger the `pick up in person' notification.

 

[canuck78]

Listing a foreign address could be an issue and may trigger the `pick up in person' notification.

Yes listing a foreign address or living abroad and listing a Canadian address may lead to having to pick up your PR card in person. Many people living abroad end up being required to pick up their card in person for various reasons including making sure they still meet their RO when picking up their new card. Lying about your residential address would be misrepresentation which I would not recommend. Best to stick with the truth and list your true residential address and if OP wants they can include a mailing address in Canada. Listing a mailing address is Canada doesn’t guarantee that they won’t need to pick up their card in person.

 

[PianoTiger]

Hi everyone,

Our PR card will be expired in less than 6 months and we are currently living abroad. We are in Canada for the vacations, so we want to renew our PR cards through the PR Portal.

When it comes to the address part, as I don't have a legal address in Canada, I was wondering if I could use a friend's house so they could get the cards for us while we are abroad.

The other option I read on the application is to get a PO Box, but I'm not sure if this is feasible.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us!

Hello! What did you end up doing? An update will be helpful

 

[ChechuM]

Hello! What did you end up doing? An update will be helpful

Hi!

While we were hesitating, we ended up thinking that coming back in October before our PR cards expired and wait for the card in Canada would be the best option, we got our Notice to Appear to our Canadian Citizenship ceremony.

So, in the end, we didn't need to request the card renewal at all.


Have a good one!