HOW TO RENEW CANADIAN PR CARD

[kurus]

Hi,

I landed in August 2004 as Canadian PR obtained as a skilled migrant from USA, applied for my PR and SIN and Medical cards and and returned to USA where I was working on H1B. My wife was living in Canada as a PR at that time obtained through family sponsorship and in October 2004 she completed her three years as a PR, she applied for Canadian Citizenship and joined me in USA. We have been living in USA since then and I have proof for that like joint bank accounts, rental agreements, house etc. Some time in 2005 she applied for her Canadian passport and got one.
She visited Canada many times thereafter.
I went back to Canada in Oct 2008 for a visit and the Immigration officer asked me the purpose of the visit and I said it is for pleasure(If I remember correct the options I had are either Business or Pleasure) and she let me in but she said my PR card is expiring in Aug 2009, which fact I knew.

I have these questions.
1. Will the time I spent in USA be considered towards fulfilling my PR residency requirements?
2. Since my PR card is expiring can I apply for extension and if so how and where? I mean can I apply from US or should I go to Canada?
3. Can I apply for Canadian Citizenship since I have fulfilled my PR residency requirements?

Looking forward to answers from the experts.

Thanks

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi,

I landed in August 2004 as Canadian PR obtained as a skilled migrant from USA, applied for my PR and SIN and Medical cards and and returned to USA where I was working on H1B. My wife was living in Canada as a PR at that time obtained through family sponsorship and in October 2004 she completed her three years as a PR, she applied for Canadian Citizenship and joined me in USA. We have been living in USA since then and I have proof for that like joint bank accounts, rental agreements, house etc. Some time in 2005 she applied for her Canadian passport and got one.
She visited Canada many times thereafter.
I went back to Canada in Oct 2008 for a visit and the Immigration officer asked me the purpose of the visit and I said it is for pleasure(If I remember correct the options I had are either Business or Pleasure) and she let me in but she said my PR card is expiring in Aug 2009, which fact I knew.

I have these questions.
1. Will the time I spent in USA be considered towards fulfilling my PR residency requirements?
2. Since my PR card is expiring can I apply for extension and if so how and where? I mean can I apply from US or should I go to Canada?
3. Can I apply for Canadian Citizenship since I have fulfilled my PR residency requirements?

Looking forward to answers from the experts.

Thanks

1. No.
2. You have to reside in Canada to apply for a new PR card.
3. You haven't fulfilled 3 years physical residency in Canada and are not eligible for citizenship.

PMM

 

[kurus]

Hi,

Since I accompanied my Canadian Citizen Spouse abroad wouldn't that be considered towards maintaining my PR status.

Thanks

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi,

Since I accompanied my Canadian Citizen Spouse abroad wouldn't that be considered towards maintaining my PR status.

Thanks

Yes, that is what I said, but you need PHYSICAL presence for citizenship.

PMM

 

[Leon]

1. Yes, the time you spent in the US with your wife after she became a citizen counts as fulfilling PR residency requirements

2. You have to be living in Canada to renew your PR card. If you are outside Canada and your PR card expires, you can apply for a PR travel document to go back.

3. Like PMM said, you have to have been in Canada for 3 years to apply for citizenship.

PR residency requirements are different and separate from the requirements to be eligible to apply for citizenship. PR residency requirements are living in Canada at least 2 years out of every 5. You can also count as living in Canada if you are accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse, working for a Canadian company etc.

Citizenship requirements are having physically been in Canada yourself at least 3 out of the last 4 years before you applied.