Passport Validity | PPR | 6 or 12 months expiry?

[RookieMistake]

Hi,

Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed on this forum.

My case:
1) Passport expiry - 07/2018 (less than 12 months from today)
2) FSW-O from India and should receive PPR in a few days/weeks (RPRF request received and paid, currently in BG2 state).

Questions:
1) Those who have received PPR (esp FSW-O India) recently - does it require (in the PPR letter) a passport with 6 expiry or 12 months? I know most 'regular' visas require 6 months expiry but have read about 12 months expiry too stated in a PPR (online in a blog post somewhere).
2) Should I get my passport renewed (tatkal) just to be on the safer side or will it be an overkill (for now)?

Best regards,

Rookiemistake

P.S. Kindly direct me to the apt forum/thread if this is not the one for such questions.

 

[StonicStone]

Hi,

Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed on this forum.

My case:
1) Passport expiry - 07/2018 (less than 12 months from today)
2) FSW-O from India and should receive PPR in a few days/weeks (RPRF request received and paid, currently in BG2 state).

Questions:
1) Those who have received PPR (esp FSW-O India) recently - does it require (in the PPR letter) a passport with 6 expiry or 12 months? I know most 'regular' visas require 6 months expiry but have read about 12 months expiry too stated in a PPR (online in a blog post somewhere).
12 months. The PPR letter comes with a clear instruction regarding this matter.

2) Should I get my passport renewed (tatkal) just to be on the safer side or will it be an overkill (for now)?
You should renew your passport to meet the 30-day deadline submission upon request, in anticipation of your PPR in the next few days/weeks.

Best regards,

Rookiemistake

P.S. Kindly direct me to the apt forum/thread if this is not the one for such questions.

 

[RookieMistake]

Just recvd the PPR - My PPR letter has the following: "We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months."

 

[Maverick28]

Just recvd the PPR - My PPR letter has the following: "We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months."

Better to get it renewed because at the time of travel, some airlines ask that you have at least 6 months validity left. So renew it asap and send the new passport.

 

[fromind83]

Just recvd the PPR - My PPR letter has the following: "We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months."

Hello friend,

How are you managing the issue? I have a similar issue with my passport. Less than 12 months now. Expecting PPR request anytime. Could you guide me?

I am FSW outland too.

Thank you

 

[RookieMistake]

Hello friend,

How are you managing the issue? I have a similar issue with my passport. Less than 12 months now. Expecting PPR request anytime. Could you guide me?

I am FSW outland too.

Thank you

Hi,

I'm flying in a few weeks (in sept) so I will be well above the 6 months expiry window. Once I land and complete the formalities (and have the PR card at hand) I will apply for a passport renewal from BLS Canada. I'm not going in for a "short landing". I'll be staying there (for a while).

You may have a look here - http://www.blsindia-canada.com/new_ppt.php

P.S. AFAIK The only ID, while in Canada, you need is a PR Card. Your passport will be only required when you travel out of the country.

 

[RookieMistake]

Hi again,

IF you plan to do a short landing do it as soon as you can (while staying above the 6 month window) and once you're back you can apply for a passport via the tatkal scheme (if you can) or just a regular application.

You will need to plan your trip so that both your onward and return flights are well above the 6 months window.

Alternatively, if you can apply for a tatkal passport (know a class 1 officer and have other docs ready) do it asap and send in both your passports when asked by CIC along with a letter explaining why you're sending the two passports. This way your new passport will be stamped and the COPR will be tagged to the new passport (COPR mentions the travel document number). Don't renew your passport AFTER getting the COPR and before landing. That will be a blunder AFAIK!

P.S. I'm assuming you're from India "fromind83" .

 

[abhishek_89]

Excerpt from Ready for Visa mail or PPR mail:

• We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months.

 

[RookieMistake]

Excerpt from Ready for Visa mail or PPR mail:

• We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months.

Right, I assume in fromind83's post that he will be able to satisfy these conditions.

P.S. I'd mentioned this in Post #3 of this thread. Hoping he took the time to read the entire thread before posting

 

[fromind83]

Dear RookieMistake,

Many thanks for the insight. As you guessed, I am from India. It was really helpful.

From scanned copies of other PPR requests (a fellow traveller with the name of 'Gray Ninja' was kind enought to post it) I thought the passport must be valid for 12 months and not just 6 months. From your post, I do understand it is enough if it is valid for 6 months.

Just a few more doubts.

As I understand, COPR happens when you send your passport to Canada for stamping after PPR, and it is returned to you with the stamp. Am I correct? So after COPR, I must rush to Canada before the current passport expires. I get done with the formalities and get a PR card from within Canada.

And then if I stay in Canada beyond my passport expiry, I apply for Re-Issue (Not renewal) of my passport from within Canada. If I am not wrong, I think this is what you plan to do.

The one thing I did not understand is the 'short-landing' you had mentioned. Any clues on that?

Many thanks for your reply.

Wishing you the best in Canada.
Fromind83.

 

[RookieMistake]

Hey,

Please find my replies inline.

Dear RookieMistake,

Many thanks for the insight. As you guessed, I am from India. It was really helpful.

From scanned copies of other PPR requests (a fellow traveller with the name of 'Gray Ninja' was kind enought to post it) I thought the passport must be valid for 12 months and not just 6 months. From your post, I do understand it is enough if it is valid for 6 months.

The PPR email I received had the wordings "We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months." There are def some who get a PPR email with "12 months validity" requirement. I don't know if its country or stream specific.

Just a few more doubts.

As I understand, COPR happens when you send your passport to Canada for stamping after PPR, and it is returned to you with the stamp. Am I correct? So after COPR, I must rush to Canada before the current passport expires. I get done with the formalities and get a PR card from within Canada.

The COPR is actually an official document (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) which you are supposed to carry with your self when you land in Canada. This along with your passport, with a visa label (unless one is from a visa exempt country - in which case an eTA is required). Indians do require a visa hence the Canadian High Commission puts a visa sticker on your passport with a "single entry" "immigrant" visa.

Secondly, before submitting your passport to VFS please make sure that you're well above the 6 month validity period. Reason being, you never know how much time the Canadian High Commission will take to return the passports and COPR. We got it 6 days flat (recvd courier) but there is no guarantee on the time lines.

For e.g. if your passport is expiring on say 1st March 2018 and you send in your passport today thinking that you're above the 6 month validity cut off (which btw is 1st Sep, 2017) - you may def run into trouble. For starters, the High commission may choose to delay returning passports (for whatever reason) and even if they do on say 28th Aug - it would be cutting it very close. Hence - Please account for all delays, transit times, flight booking, flight times, landing dates etc.

Thirdly, you must rush to Canada NOT ONLY before your passport expires but also on a date which is beyond the 06 month validity cut off. So taking the prev example - if its expiring on March 1, 2018 - and you had the passport, visa and COPR in your hand - you should've left yesterday!

Fourthly, please bear in mind that a PR card on an average takes about 90-120 days to be delivered. IF, however, you must return from Canada without receiving your PR Card (which you can) you must make sure to either apply for a PRTD (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/travel-document/) or have your PR Card couriered to you by your family/friends in Canada. Without a PR Card or a PRTD you will find it difficult to make your way on a flight/ship to Canada. They used to allow reentry using a COPR but have stopped now. Road border crossings are still valid - BUT a) you'll need a US Visa and b) I assume there will be a lot of questioning.

And then if I stay in Canada beyond my passport expiry, I apply for Re-Issue (Not renewal) of my passport from within Canada. If I am not wrong, I think this is what you plan to do.

No, my friend, What I meant was as soon as I have hands on my PR Card (90-120 days) I will apply for a renewal of my passport which considering I will be leaving in a few weeks from now should be anywhere around the end of this year or start of the next. This will still be well within (by ~6 months) my passport's expiry date. No one would recommend anyone to stay anywhere (other than their country of citizenship) beyond their passport's expiry.

The one thing I did not understand is the 'short-landing' you had mentioned. Any clues on that?

Short landing is a term used colloquially - I don't know if its used in official lingo or not.

You see everyone has a last entry date mentioned on their visa and COPR. This is the date by which you SHOULD land in Canada (for the first time) and complete the required formalities at the airport/border control. Only then you're considered a PR.
So people who do not wish to move permanently (for the time being) fly out to Canada, complete these formalities and go back. The stay in Canada can be anything of your liking - few hours to days to weeks or months. Thus the name 'short landing'.

Again, I'd urge to get all your dates and details sorted out - if, by any chance, you think you'll be cutting it very close to the expiry dates - try to get a tatkal passport if not you can go ahead and land, get a PR card and renew your passport using BLS Canada's services.

Tk cr,
hope you have a great time in Canada.

 

[fromind83]

Hey,

Please find my replies inline.


The PPR email I received had the wordings "We are unable to issue a visa beyond the expiry date in your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months." There are def some who get a PPR email with "12 months validity" requirement. I don't know if its country or stream specific.



The COPR is actually an official document (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) which you are supposed to carry with your self when you land in Canada. This along with your passport, with a visa label (unless one is from a visa exempt country - in which case an eTA is required). Indians do require a visa hence the Canadian High Commission puts a visa sticker on your passport with a "single entry" "immigrant" visa.

Secondly, before submitting your passport to VFS please make sure that you're well above the 6 month validity period. Reason being, you never know how much time the Canadian High Commission will take to return the passports and COPR. We got it 6 days flat (recvd courier) but there is no guarantee on the time lines.

For e.g. if your passport is expiring on say 1st March 2018 and you send in your passport today thinking that you're above the 6 month validity cut off (which btw is 1st Sep, 2017) - you may def run into trouble. For starters, the High commission may choose to delay returning passports (for whatever reason) and even if they do on say 28th Aug - it would be cutting it very close. Hence - Please account for all delays, transit times, flight booking, flight times, landing dates etc.

Thirdly, you must rush to Canada NOT ONLY before your passport expires but also on a date which is beyond the 06 month validity cut off. So taking the prev example - if its expiring on March 1, 2018 - and you had the passport, visa and COPR in your hand - you should've left yesterday!

Fourthly, please bear in mind that a PR card on an average takes about 90-120 days to be delivered. IF, however, you must return from Canada without receiving your PR Card (which you can) you must make sure to either apply for a PRTD (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/travel-document/) or have your PR Card couriered to you by your family/friends in Canada. Without a PR Card or a PRTD you will find it difficult to make your way on a flight/ship to Canada. They used to allow reentry using a COPR but have stopped now. Road border crossings are still valid - BUT a) you'll need a US Visa and b) I assume there will be a lot of questioning.




No, my friend, What I meant was as soon as I have hands on my PR Card (90-120 days) I will apply for a renewal of my passport which considering I will be leaving in a few weeks from now should be anywhere around the end of this year or start of the next. This will still be well within (by ~6 months) my passport's expiry date. No one would recommend anyone to stay anywhere (other than their country of citizenship) beyond their passport's expiry.




Short landing is a term used colloquially - I don't know if its used in official lingo or not.

You see everyone has a last entry date mentioned on their visa and COPR. This is the date by which you SHOULD land in Canada (for the first time) and complete the required formalities at the airport/border control. Only then you're considered a PR.
So people who do not wish to move permanently (for the time being) fly out to Canada, complete these formalities and go back. The stay in Canada can be anything of your liking - few hours to days to weeks or months. Thus the name 'short landing'.

Again, I'd urge to get all your dates and details sorted out - if, by any chance, you think you'll be cutting it very close to the expiry dates - try to get a tatkal passport if not you can go ahead and land, get a PR card and renew your passport using BLS Canada's services.

Tk cr,
hope you have a great time in Canada.

 

[fromind83]

Hello Rookie,

Thanks for the really detailed message. Your research will serve a lot of people in my situation. I have to read your explanation a few more times to digest all the info.

My passport expires in 7/2018. Just wanted to be prepared for any kind of delay.

I will see what I should do and will seek out help in the thread as I move forward.

All the best.
Fromind83

 

[Lovecanada13]

Hello Rookie,

Thanks for the really detailed message. Your research will serve a lot of people in my situation. I have to read your explanation a few more times to digest all the info.

My passport expires in 7/2018. Just wanted to be prepared for any kind of delay.

I will see what I should do and will seek out help in the thread as I move forward.

All the best.
Fromind83

I received my PPR today for pretoria Office
They are asking for 12 months validity

 

[fromind83]

I received my PPR today for pretoria Office
They are asking for 12 months validity

Thanks for the info. I will contact the cic if i have to know what i have to do in case they ask me for 12 months validity. BTW, how long did it take for you to get the ppr after IP2?

it has been nearly two weeks for me and I m still waiting for ppr.

many thanks,
fromind83