PR card photo request

[ch671]

Hi guys,

I landed in Canada couple of months ago as PR and I also gave the address for the first PR card on the day of the landing. I thought that was everything necessary to get the card but today I got an email asking for two new photos! This is weird because I had already submitted two photos with the PPR (I assumed they'll also be used for the initial PR card application). I did not know two new photos are required.

Is it OK if I take new photos or do they require a copy of the old photo? Do they care if it's different from what's on the CoPR?

Assuming they get my new pictures the next day, will they immediately process my application or will it be put at the back of the queue? Anyone with similar experience please share them.

Thanks

 

[grapehair]

Did the new request contain any specific instructions?

P.S. the photos needs to be retaken as the old ones surely didn't satisfy the requirements

 

[adrlim]

Yes it means you need to retake them. This has been quite a common issue. Were your photos taken overseas?
If you are here in Canada go to a Costco and they know the correct specs to take them and are one of the if not the cheapest. Good luck.

 

[Mumbai_Indians]

Hi guys,

I landed in Canada couple of months ago as PR and I also gave the address for the first PR card on the day of the landing. I thought that was everything necessary to get the card but today I got an email asking for two new photos! This is weird because I had already submitted two photos with the PPR (I assumed they'll also be used for the initial PR card application). I did not know two new photos are required.

Is it OK if I take new photos or do they require a copy of the old photo? Do they care if it's different from what's on the CoPR?

Assuming they get my new pictures the next day, will they immediately process my application or will it be put at the back of the queue? Anyone with similar experience please share them.

Thanks

Hi,


This is a very common issue and unfortunately you will have to get the new photos taken and send it to them for processing your PR card. Based on what I have read in various fora here, they put the application in the queue so unfortunately this delays the printing of PR cards.

Also a few questions to you (as I have just landed and want to be prepared for this eventuality!)
Had you linked your PR card application to your CIC account or did you get e-mail request for photos without linking it to CIC account? Also, how many days have they given you to resubmit the new photos?

Thanks,

 

[ch671]

Yes it means you need to retake them. This has been quite a common issue. Were your photos taken overseas?
If you are here in Canada go to a Costco and they know the correct specs to take them and are one of the if not the cheapest. Good luck.

Yes the photos were taken overseas (USA) but there is a shop here that can do those exact specifications. So I'm not sure why they weren't accepted.

I am currently back in the USA to wrap up the affairs here, and waiting for my PR card to make the final entry (will have it mailed it to me from my Canadian address, by a friend). I just sent two news photos taken at the same location in the USA. Will they accept photos taken overseas or do they need them taken in Canada?

I was also planning to apply for a PR travel document in case my PR card takes too long (planning to come there in December). In the PR travel document application they have asked for number of days stayed in Canada for residency requirement. I only stayed there for a few days before returning to the USA. Is it OK if I apply for the travel document or will they hold this against me?

 

[ch671]

Hi,


This is a very common issue and unfortunately you will have to get the new photos taken and send it to them for processing your PR card. Based on what I have read in various fora here, they put the application in the queue so unfortunately this delays the printing of PR cards.

Also a few questions to you (as I have just landed and want to be prepared for this eventuality!)
Had you linked your PR card application to your CIC account or did you get e-mail request for photos without linking it to CIC account? Also, how many days have they given you to resubmit the new photos?

Thanks,

Thanks for your answer. I just hope they do it within the next month since I was planning to come to Canada in December. This is going to push back my plans for how many ever days it takes for the PR card to arrive.

I hadn't linked it to PR card until you mentioned it! I just did that and it says "application in process". I got the photo request through email. They have given me 30 days but I already sent them the pictures. Hopefully they will process my card quickly.

 

[ch671]

Did the new request contain any specific instructions?

P.S. the photos needs to be retaken as the old ones surely didn't satisfy the requirements

It contains the same instructions as before but if I remember correctly I had followed them. I have taken two new photos and mailed it to them.

 

[Mumbai_Indians]

Thanks for your answer. I just hope they do it within the next month since I was planning to come to Canada in December. This is going to push back my plans for how many ever days it takes for the PR card to arrive.

I hadn't linked it to PR card until you mentioned it! I just did that and it says "application in process". I got the photo request through email. They have given me 30 days but I already sent them the pictures. Hopefully they will process my card quickly.

Hi,

If you are in US, you can possibly enter Canada via land border with the copy of your COPR (which immigration officer would have returned to you at the time of first entry) along with your passport. PR card apart from being an identity proof is also a travel document to satisfy airlines or travel bus operators that you are a Canadian PR. With PRTD, and walking through land border, you need not satisfy a commercial travel company about that. You need to just identify yourself as a Canadian PR which you can do via COPR, SIN paper and Passport. You may expect some lecturing at the border by IO but they can't deny a Canadian PR his absolute right to enter Canada which you got when the IO at the first landing processed your immigration.

This is of course based on what I have read in forums but be doubly sure about this. In my opinion, you should be ok entering Canada via land border on your own with COPR, passport. All the best!

 

[Mumbai_Indians]

Hi,

If you are in US, you can possibly enter Canada via land border with the copy of your COPR (which immigration officer would have returned to you at the time of first entry) along with your passport. PR card apart from being an identity proof is also a travel document to satisfy airlines or travel bus operators that you are a Canadian PR. With PRTD, and walking through land border, you need not satisfy a commercial travel company about that. You need to just identify yourself as a Canadian PR which you can do via COPR, SIN paper and Passport. You may expect some lecturing at the border by IO but they can't deny a Canadian PR his absolute right to enter Canada which you got when the IO at the first landing processed your immigration.

This is of course based on what I have read in forums but be doubly sure about this. In my opinion, you should be ok entering Canada via land border on your own with COPR, passport. All the best!

Sorry made one correction below to replace PRTD with COPR....


Hi,

If you are in US, you can possibly enter Canada via land border with the copy of your COPR (which immigration officer would have returned to you at the time of first entry) along with your passport. PR card apart from being an identity proof is also a travel document to satisfy airlines or travel bus operators that you are a Canadian PR. With *COPR* (didn't mean PRTD), and walking through land border, you need not satisfy a commercial travel company about that. You need to just identify yourself as a Canadian PR which you can do via COPR, SIN paper and Passport. You may expect some lecturing at the border by IO but they can't deny a Canadian PR his absolute right to enter Canada which you got when the IO at the first landing processed your immigration.

This is of course based on what I have read in forums but be doubly sure about this. In my opinion, you should be ok entering Canada via land border on your own with COPR, passport. All the best!

 

[Mthornt]

You can certainly enter via land border, in a personal vehicle with COPR and Passport. I've been doing this a couple times a week for the last 3 weeks at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. No one has lectured me, they just waive me through. My wife also crossed with me doing the same thing about 10 days ago.

 

[adrlim]

Yes the photos were taken overseas (USA) but there is a shop here that can do those exact specifications. So I'm not sure why they weren't accepted.

I am currently back in the USA to wrap up the affairs here, and waiting for my PR card to make the final entry (will have it mailed it to me from my Canadian address, by a friend). I just sent two news photos taken at the same location in the USA. Will they accept photos taken overseas or do they need them taken in Canada?

I was also planning to apply for a PR travel document in case my PR card takes too long (planning to come there in December). In the PR travel document application they have asked for number of days stayed in Canada for residency requirement. I only stayed there for a few days before returning to the USA. Is it OK if I apply for the travel document or will they hold this against me?

They will accept photos from overseas....just that for some reason which no one really knows why (at least not me) many of those rejected are photos taken overseas. The only reason I know is it doesn't meet the specifications but why I dont really know. Usually those taken here in Canada are OK. That's what I have seen when asking most of those who have the photo resubmission request.

You should be able to apply for a PRTD, they should not hold you against it. You are officially a PR once you do your landing. Another method which I'm sure you are aware off is to use your COPR and come in via the US/Canada border by land transport. COPR's are accepted there but not when you fly as the airlines does not have access to the immigration system while at the border they have it. Hope that helps

 

[ch671]

They will accept photos from overseas....just that for some reason which no one really knows why (at least not me) many of those rejected are photos taken overseas. The only reason I know is it doesn't meet the specifications but why I dont really know. Usually those taken here in Canada are OK. That's what I have seen when asking most of those who have the photo resubmission request.

You should be able to apply for a PRTD, they should not hold you against it. You are officially a PR once you do your landing. Another method which I'm sure you are aware off is to use your COPR and come in via the US/Canada border by land transport. COPR's are accepted there but not when you fly as the airlines does not have access to the immigration system while at the border they have it. Hope that helps

Thanks for your reply it's really helpful. I will apply for PRTD asap!

 

[Mumbai_Indians]

Hi,

Do we get a new photo request for PR cards only via paper letter or e-mail?

Thanks.

 

[ch671]

Hi,

Do we get a new photo request for PR cards only via paper letter or e-mail?

Thanks.

I got it via email

 

[tripone]

I got it via email

You never know. I got mine in an email. For my daughter, it was a letter. For my wife, it was nothing. I had to call IRCC to check the status and that's when i got to know that her photos are required.