Pr card and travel document...??

[Eddie S.A]

Hi guys

I need help please...I landed my PR on the 28th of February. I am living in Calgary Canada now I haven't received my PR card yet and don't know how long that will take. My problem is my wife and I want to go back home to South Africa at the end of April just for holiday but obviously no PR card yet...so how do I go about getting a travel document and is it a long process?

Thanks guys

 

[spyfy]

Current processing time for PR cards is 49 days, so if everything goes well, you will receive your cards before the end of April.

If you don't, you would have to apply for a travel document. You can't apply for a travel document from within Canada before leaving. You'd have to apply for one once you are in South Africa. Sometimes, applications are processed within a week, but that depends highly on the visa office, so it might be fast or it might take several weeks.

You can find all the information on what documents you need and how to apply on the CIC website. I would suggest that you prepare the whole application including all documents so that you just have to send it off once you are in South Africa.

 

[Eddie S.A]

Thank you very much for the help

 

[fernsie39]

Thank you very much for the help

Just as a heads up, processing time was updated today. Now 54 days.

 

[karenqian]

Current processing time for PR cards is 49 days, so if everything goes well, you will receive your cards before the end of April.

If you don't, you would have to apply for a travel document. You can't apply for a travel document from within Canada before leaving. You'd have to apply for one once you are in South Africa. Sometimes, applications are processed within a week, but that depends highly on the visa office, so it might be fast or it might take several weeks.

You can find all the information on what documents you need and how to apply on the CIC website. I would suggest that you prepare the whole application including all documents so that you just have to send it off once you are in South Africa.

Hi there, I just have a similar question and much appreciate it if you could help me. I plan to visit other country but haven't got pr card yet, but my friend will bring it to me the end of this year. So I'm wondering if it's OK to leave Canada without pr card and travel document. Cuz I saw people saying the PR card is needed when leaving Canada. Thank you so much!!

 

[Doda]

Hi there, I just have a similar question and much appreciate it if you could help me. I plan to visit other country but haven't got pr card yet, but my friend will bring it to me the end of this year. So I'm wondering if it's OK to leave Canada without pr card and travel document. Cuz I saw people saying the PR card is needed when leaving Canada. Thank you so much!!

Only needed to return to Canada. You can leave without it.

 

[jc94]

Remember another solution is to cross the border in a private vehicle as you don't need a PR card for that.

Calgary isn't the easiest place for doing this, but Kalispell in Montana is your best bet. Fly South Africa back to Kalispell and then drive up to the border.

I'm not saying this is a good solution, far from it especially if your tickets aren't flexible, but I've heard nightmares about getting the PRTD and if you are in South Africa for a short period of time or moving about and not able to stay in one place that might be a solution.

The other thing is a risk, which is that depending upon your passport it may not be obvious you are a PR. If the airline thinks you are going to Canada on holiday they won't demand proof of being a PR and CBSA doesn't tend to care. The issue you normally have, is airlines are not meant to let PR board without a PR card. This is a big risk (there are many threads on it) and not something I'd recommend personally - but I'm throwing it out there.

Me... I'm delaying my landing upon June so that I'm able to stay in the country (baring family deaths etc...) for 4 months. And my trip 4 months later... is to the US so I'm able to fairly easily change my flight to land in Detroit instead of Toronto. A pain yes, but less of one than trying to get a PRTD while on a 2000km road trip around Arizona for a week.

Hope this is some help.

 

[karenqian]

Only needed to return to Canada. You can leave without it.

Thanks a lot!