Canada PR visa becoming invalid on passport renewal

[newbeeToronto]

Dear Seniors,

I had searched the internet high and low for an answer to the question whether the Canadian single entry PR visa stamped on my passport would become invalid if I renewed the passport before landing, but unfortunately i couldn't find a definitive answer. I wrote a mail to CIC to enquire about this and it seems that the visa would indeed become invalid if I renew the passport before landing.

My passport expires in June 2015 and I am planning to land by May 2015. So now that I cannot renew my passport before landing- 2 additional questions come to my mind.
1. Can I travel with only 1 month left for expiry on my passport?
2. How much time would it take to renew my Indian passport after I land, since I will have hardly 1 month left before passport expiry? (kind of a sticky situation :/)

 

[Suryak86]

How can a visa become invalid just because your passport is expiring. As far as I know, that is not the case. For example, my H1b is on my passport that has expired, I renewed my passport and I use my old passport for my visa and my new passport for the stamp. And also, yes you can travel on a passport which expires in 1 month. Infact, canada and usa do not have any legal requirement of having a passport valid for any amount of time to enter or exit. You just cannot travel on an expired passport. And you can always travel back to your home country on an expired passport. So enter canada, finish your formalities, if you want to stay in canada, extend it at the nearest Indian mission and you should be good.

 

[newbeeToronto]

I am giving the reply from CIC here

--------------------------------------------

"Yes. Renewing the passport will invalidate the visa."





Immigration and Medical Services Division

High Commission of Canada

38 Grosvenor Street

London W1K 4AA, United Kingdom



Government of Canada
-------------------------------------------

I agree with your argument but then this mail from the CIC cannot be refuted. Maybe there is another option of getting a new passport and stamping the visa again, I do not know for sure. However I will go with the option of renewing after landing.

Thanks for your reply. Maybe this thread will help people faced with the same dilemma.

 

[Suryak86]

I am sure there is a way for this situation. May be you should call CIC and tell them your situation and ask them what the solution is.

 

[zardoz]

I am sure there is a way for this situation. May be you should call CIC and tell them your situation and ask them what the solution is.

The answer is simple. Come to Canada and "land". Return to your home country and renew your passport. You don't need the visa after you have landed. Get someone you trust in Canada to courier your PR card to you. Then, when you are ready, return to Canada to settle. Ok, it's more expensive as you have to make an extra journey, but it solves the problem.

 

[newbeeToronto]

Thanks for that. I have been away from the forum for sometime. But that is a really workable solution.

 

[newbeeToronto]

Thanks Surya. I will try that option of calling the CIC as well. Better to be informed than take wrong decisions.

 

[Appapy]

Why don't you renew your Indian ppt from Canada after UR landing? Check below site
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/new_ppt.php

 

[Indian applicant]

How can a visa become invalid just because your passport is expiring. As far as I know, that is not the case. For example, my H1b is on my passport that has expired, I renewed my passport and I use my old passport for my visa and my new passport for the stamp. And also, yes you can travel on a passport which expires in 1 month. Infact, canada and usa do not have any legal requirement of having a passport valid for any amount of time to enter or exit. You just cannot travel on an expired passport. And you can always travel back to your home country on an expired passport. So enter canada, finish your formalities, if you want to stay in canada, extend it at the nearest Indian mission and you should be good.

@Suryak86, what you say about H1B is correct but NOT APPLICABLE for any visa such as Study Permit; Work Permit; PR etc in Canada.
The Canadian Immigration itself does not issue a blanket no of years but clearly indicates that the visa expires with the passport unless you renew the passport and the necessary visa again. Luckily in the case of PR, if you land before expiry, you do not have to re-validate the status/visa. Ofcourse you will be returned back if you try to land after PR validity or perhaps not even allowed to board the flight if the passport is expired.

 

[newbeeToronto]

Thanks Appapy and IndianApplicant,

Renewing after landing is the option that I am considering now. This will add a few more hurdles to my settling down but with the other option of landing early, being expensive, this seems to be the only practical alternative for me.

The only other worry I have is that I will be travelling in May with a passport expiring the next month. Hope the airline or border control will not have a problem with that. I am also going to call CIC office to find out. I will update the forum once I have a conclusive answer.

 

[namaste]

Thanks Appapy and IndianApplicant,

Renewing after landing is the option that I am considering now. This will add a few more hurdles to my settling down but with the other option of landing early, being expensive, this seems to be the only practical alternative for me.

The only other worry I have is that I will be travelling in May with a passport expiring the next month. Hope the airline or border control will not have a problem with that. I am also going to call CIC office to find out. I will update the forum once I have a conclusive answer.

The email you received has misinformation, which is not uncommon since they don't all know all the complicated rules. Canada's official policy regarding valid visas in expired passport DOES allow one to use valid visas in expired passports. Here's the link:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf04-eng.pdf

Find a direct quote in page 56 about expired passports.
Also, page42 about required verifications during landing. Note that only the PR visa (no mention of the passport holding the visa) needs to be valid at the time. In any case, your passport will not have expired, only invalidated due to a renewal.

If you are still worried, you can print this document out and quote it when you correspond with the CIC people or even print it out and take it with you when landing.

Also, Canada does not have the 6 month validity rule for the passport expiry. But the problem would be finding an airline that will allow you to board the plane. So if you decide to not renew your passport, may be you can talk to the airline in advance and make sure that you will be allowed in based on Canada's policies.

 

[newbeeToronto]

Great! Thanks for that Namaste.

I did a little bit of research based on your post and yes you are right, I wont have a problem at immigration but I might have a problem with the airlines. Time to do a little research on finding an airline that would allow me to board.

Clearly a few more mails to CIC required at this point. Thanks all! You guys have been wonderful.

 

[newbeeToronto]

Yes, called up KLM they wont allow me to board if passport expiry is less than 6 months, no matter what the immigration rules are in that country. I guess I am destined to land in winter. .

 

[newbeeToronto]

Dear All,

I have decided to go in Dec before the 6 months validity thing kicks in. I will be left with 6 months and 11 days to spare. I was trying to book a flight to Toronto and would have accidentally booked one via US which would require a transit visa. Anyway now I will book via Amsterdam so a transit visa will not be needed.

So that's an additional point people have to take care of especially the ones holding Asian passports. Anyway I hope I will be able to reach Toronto and complete the landing formalities without much ado.

Do let me know if you have any further advice for me. Thanks to all.

 

[namaste]

Dear All,

I have decided to go in Dec before the 6 months validity thing kicks in. I will be left with 6 months and 11 days to spare. I was trying to book a flight to Toronto and would have accidentally booked one via US which would require a transit visa. Anyway now I will book via Amsterdam so a transit visa will not be needed.

So that's an additional point people have to take care of especially the ones holding Asian passports. Anyway I hope I will be able to reach Toronto and complete the landing formalities without much ado.

Do let me know if you have any further advice for me. Thanks to all.

Thanks for the update! You grabbed the best option for you. Good luck with everything.