My Canadian PR is going to expire on 10th March 2024 & i never used it means i have always stayed in USA and never visited Canada since my PR arrived but now i want to visit Canada in July so i want to know if I have to surrender my PR status before applying Canadian visitor Visa or i can apply visitor visa directly. & in both the cases what is the process?
Never Used Canada PR (Expiring on March2024 ) and now wanted to Visit Canada on Tourist Visa in July
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Either renounce your PR status or travel to Canada in a private vehicle.
If you do the latter, it’s possible you may be questioned about your RO compliance and a report may be written about your non-compliance. Even if that happens, you will be allowed to enter Canada. But you may face delays because of it.
If you do the latter, it’s possible you may be questioned about your RO compliance and a report may be written about your non-compliance. Even if that happens, you will be allowed to enter Canada. But you may face delays because of it.
You cannot apply for a visitor visa because you are still a PR. As mentioned only the PR Card itself expires; status does not expire.
Your status can be revoked for not meeting the only real requirement to maintain your status, which is residing/living in Canada for a minimum of 730 days in each rolling 5 year window. Based on your information you are clearly got going to be able to meet that requirement. If you want to try to salvage your status you need to return to Canada and remain in Canada until you have accrued 730 days...which sounds like something that you are not prepared to do, or are interested in doing.
You will not be refused entry into Canada, but you could easily be questioned (perhaps at length) by a CBSA officer. That conversation could be followed by the issuance of a 44(1) report for failing to meet the R.O. to maintain status. This would be the first domino to fall regarding your eventual loss of PR status.
Best option seems to be relinquishing your PR, but I'll leave that to you to decide.
Good luck!
I don't disagree with what others have put above but the only serious problem is if you wish to keep your PR status and/or cannot travel by air:
-if you get to a port of entry (eg arrive by land) and show your expired PR card you will be admitted (as in they must admit you).
-at that point, the CBSA officer will either issue the report above or ... won't. It's possible they will just wave you through, and possibly suggest you renounce your PR status to be able to visit in future.
-Since the worst consequence is that you spend a bit longer at the border and - in due course - have your PR status revoked, it's basically not a problem IF you're okay with losing the pR status.
-If you do renounce before coming to Canada, you'll have to wait until that process is complete (a couple of months?) before applying for a visitor's visa (if you need one) or similar (ETA if you need one).
-if you get to a port of entry (eg arrive by land) and show your expired PR card you will be admitted (as in they must admit you).
-at that point, the CBSA officer will either issue the report above or ... won't. It's possible they will just wave you through, and possibly suggest you renounce your PR status to be able to visit in future.
-Since the worst consequence is that you spend a bit longer at the border and - in due course - have your PR status revoked, it's basically not a problem IF you're okay with losing the pR status.
-If you do renounce before coming to Canada, you'll have to wait until that process is complete (a couple of months?) before applying for a visitor's visa (if you need one) or similar (ETA if you need one).