Hello everyone! I applied to renew my PR card last month (I have mostly lived in Canada for the past five years, with only a few short trips abroad), and today I received an email from IRCC asking me to pick up my PR card in person at their local office. They also mentioned that I might be asked questions about residency and that I should bring the original documents submitted for the application.
My questions are:
- Why am I being asked to pick up the PR card in person? Is this normal? I have definitely met the residency obligation in the past five years.
- When I applied to renew my PR card, I only submitted the five years' NOA as supporting documentation. Do I only need to bring the printed five years' NOA?
- The email also mentioned that I might receive either a one-year or five-year PR card. What is the one-year card about?
- Can I pick up my card on the same day I go to the IRCC office?
I do not disagree with what others have responded.
Further observations about "why" the in-person pick-up:
As others have noted, this is possibly due to a quality-control or program integrity check, whether random or pursuant to a particular check (possibly temporary).
And as
@scylla noted, it is possible that IRCC is doing this now in response to the postal strike . . . if this is the reason, the forum should soon see additional reports of this from others.
Other reasons for which an in-person pick-up might be required, but which do not appear to be a likely reason why YOU are scheduled for an in-person pick-up:
-- concern the PR was not physically located IN Canada when the PR card application was made
-- concern the PR has left Canada and remains outside Canada
-- concern the PR has not complied with the PR Residency Obligation or currently is not in compliance
For PRs who are IN Canada and there is no reason for IRCC to have concerns otherwise, or concerns about the PR's compliance with the RO, generally it is an issue with the PR's residential address that is a more likely reason for the in-person card pick-up. For example, if the PR's current residential address as declared in the application is a P.O. Box, or not an address IRCC recognizes as a residential address, or IRCC has concerns is not the particular residential address for the PR (noting, for example, generally IRCC will not mail a PR card to a consultant's address or an office address).
What to Bring to In-person card Pick-up:
If there is no reason why IRCC should have concerns about your RO compliance, which it appears it should not have any such concerns, it is likely that the local office will focus on verifying your identity and little more. So, bring passport plus Canadian identification and old PR card. Otherwise you should follow the instructions in the communication you received, including bringing the originals of those documents you submitted with the application. Should be easy to also bring a few other items that show your residency in Canada, things showing your address for example. Probably no need to bring a lot.
One-year or five-year card:
The information in the communication about this is probably just boiler-plate and not relevant to you. As
@scylla noted the one-year card is typically for cases where IRCC has not verified the PR is complying with the RO.
Odds are high (based on what you report about your presence in Canada) that this will be quick and easy, your identify verified and a new five year PR card delivered.
