Checking PR Status

[hjula1985]

Hello,

I applied for citizenship in the beginning of 2007 but I had to leave Canada by the end of 2008 as I had not received a reply from immigration and I had to leave for work and other personal purposes. Currently after leaving Canada for nearly 5 years, I know that I have not met my PR obligations, but up until my permanent resident card was valid, I could still check my citizenship application status online and it never changed saying that my file was transferred to the Montreal office for review. Ever since my card expired, there is not record of my citizenship application when I enter my PR number... does this mean that I have lost my Permanent Residence Status.

Is there a way to check if I have lost my PR Status? I want to re-apply with my wife and daughter as a family and I actually want to lose my previous PR. I don't want any previous baggage, i want to start a new application as a family, i read on this forum that I can apply for a travel document and mention that I do not meet the obligations to lose the PR Status but is it possible that this is already done? and how can I check it?

I also have a funny question, if it happens that i did not lose my PR status yet, is there a 1 in a thousand possibility that an officer might allow me to keep my PR status because I fell in love with my current wife and I wanted to stay next to her till she finished college to move back together, and this is why I left Canada?

 

[Leon]

There is zero chance that immigration cancelled your PR status just because your PR card expired. Your citizenship application was probably considered abandoned. I assume they tried to send you a letter to interview at the local office which you probably didn't get so you did not react and they decided you were no longer interested. It is probably a coincidence that the status of your citizenship application disappeared around the same time your PR card expired.

There is a 0.001% chance that an immigration officer will let you keep your PR status based on your situation but in any case, as I think we had gone through already on your other thread, even if they did, this would not help you because you would have to be in Canada to sponsor your family and you are not ready to be apart from your family for the 18 months or however long it will take from your home country. Therefore, it would be better for you if you apply for a travel document to verify that your PR is lost and then apply with your family together for a new PR.

 

[hjula1985]

Thank you Leon,

I have a different type of question this time... assuming the region goes into war, which Mr. Obama is promising us very very soon,do you have an idea if am I allowed to evacuate to Canada as a PR, and in case of the unusual situation of an ongoing war, would they allow me to take my wife and child?

Thank you very much

 

[Leon]

Thank you Leon,

I have a different type of question this time... assuming the region goes into war, which Mr. Obama is promising us very very soon,do you have an idea if am I allowed to evacuate to Canada as a PR, and in case of the unusual situation of an ongoing war, would they allow me to take my wife and child?

Thank you very much

Unless Canada offers to take refugees from your country and you apply that way, I think you have very little chance of that. You still have your PR status but it is hanging by a thread because your PR card is expired and you do not meet the residency requirements. As soon as you apply for a travel document, your PR is gone. If you had met the residency requirements and your PR status was in good standing, I would say you might have had a chance to get a TRP for your wife and child to accompany you to Canada but like this, I doubt it.

 

[Msafiri]

Thank you Leon,

I have a different type of question this time... assuming the region goes into war, which Mr. Obama is promising us very very soon,do you have an idea if am I allowed to evacuate to Canada as a PR, and in case of the unusual situation of an ongoing war, would they allow me to take my wife and child?

Thank you very much

Citizens get evactuated but PR's don't. Did you look into the US visa option to allow a land border crossing? To check your immigration files go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/requests-atip.asp - does your father still reside in Canada?

 

[hjula1985]

Citizens get evactuated but PR's don't. Did you look into the US visa option to allow a land border crossing? does your father still reside in Canada?

Regarding the land border crossing, is there any solution to do that with my wife and daughter who are not permanent residents? I cannot leave them alone for any period of time given the current unstable situation.

My dad no longer resides in Canada.

 

[hjula1985]

Therefore, it would be better for you if you apply for a travel document to verify that your PR is lost and then apply with your family together for a new PR.

Hi Leon,

If I apply for a travel document, mentioning that I have not met the residency requirements, would I lose my status right away? Can I apply straight after I receive their refusal to grant my travel document? is the appeal time 60 days? would I have to wait for the 60 days before re-applying as a family? When would I officially become a foreign national? Can I speed up the process by accepting their decision and refusing to appeal right away before the 60 days are over?

 

[Leon]

Hi Leon,

If I apply for a travel document, mentioning that I have not met the residency requirements, would I lose my status right away? Can I apply straight after I receive their refusal to grant my travel document? is the appeal time 60 days? would I have to wait for the 60 days before re-applying as a family? When would I officially become a foreign national? Can I speed up the process by accepting their decision and refusing to appeal right away before the 60 days are over?

If you specify that you do not actually want a travel document, that you just want to get it verified that your PR is lost because you do not meet the RO, then I assume they will cancel your PR right away. If you do not mention it, I assume they will wait 60 days to see if you appeal.

 

[Msafiri]

Hi Leon,

If I apply for a travel document, mentioning that I have not met the residency requirements, would I lose my status right away? Can I apply straight after I receive their refusal to grant my travel document? is the appeal time 60 days? would I have to wait for the 60 days before re-applying as a family? When would I officially become a foreign national? Can I speed up the process by accepting their decision and refusing to appeal right away before the 60 days are over?

Even if you waive your appeal rights they still wait for 60 days in case you cnage your mind...add say 15-20 days for mailing and admin type tasks where someone has to update CIC databases. If you go with this option you are best to apply for a say a visitor visa at the same time. With the situation in the ME your chances of getting a visitor visa are not so good. You should try rescue your PR then see if you can sponsor your spouse and child on a compassionate basis where CIC disregard your residence breach.

 

[hjula1985]

I just realized an issue that I had totally forgotten about... Before I left Canada and during my Masters, I was granted a student loan from the "Aide financière aux études - Gouvernement du Québec". I just logged in and the amount is close to $10,000.00 that I had to repay in installments once I graduate. The file was transferred to the loan management service at the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

Well there is an interest amount accumulated on the loan now, but the question is, will it create problems for me when re-applying? Should I contact them before I re-apply to settle the matter. Do I contact them to re-schedule the payments once I'm back in Canada? It is difficult from here as I have no access to Canadian Banks and I cannot pay the whole amount in cash...

 

[Leon]

I just realized an issue that I had totally forgotten about... Before I left Canada and during my Masters, I was granted a student loan from the "Aide financière aux études - Gouvernement du Québec". I just logged in and the amount is close to $10,000.00 that I had to repay in installments once I graduate. The file was transferred to the loan management service at the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

Well there is an interest amount accumulated on the loan now, but the question is, will it create problems for me when re-applying? Should I contact them before I re-apply to settle the matter. Do I contact them to re-schedule the payments once I'm back in Canada? It is difficult from here as I have no access to Canadian Banks and I cannot pay the whole amount in cash...

Debts usually do not affect immigration but if you are planning on applying for Quebec immigration and this was a Quebec government loan, it may affect your application.