Sharing my experience:
PR Card expiry date: Nov 5 2024
Applied for renewal: Sep 1 2024
I have been living in US since March 2023 on work visa and PR card got expired.
On Nov 5 2024, since I did not get any updates on PR card, I applied for PRTD for me to enter Canada in case I have to pick up PR card in person.
On Nov 13 - I got email from IRCC to pick my PR card in person and gave a particular day and time (appointment in Vancouver for Nov 28 9:15am)
On Nov 14 - I got email from IRCC to send my passport and other documents to get the PRTD stamp.
I decided to just get the PR card and attend the Nov 28 appointment.
Since my PR card already expired, I flew to Seattle along with my wife (my wife is a naturlized Canadian last year), took a rental car and drove to Peace Arch land border crossing.
Note that without valid PR card, I could not take the flight but I can go via land border with a personal vehicle. It was mentioned on one of the official Canaa IRCC websites on how to enter Canada with expired PR cards and the option is via private vehicle.
Nov 27th - flew to Seattle and took rental car and drove to Peave Arch border. At the Peace Arch, officer checked my expired PR document and also looked at my appointment letter for PR card pickup. He asked a few questions on where I m currently living (I replied US), he asked when did you last leave Canada (I replied March 2023), asked when planning to return back to US (I replied Nov 30). I gave all true answers. I also mentioned I m coming to attend the appointment to pick PR card. Officer also asked and checked my wifes Canadian passport and inquired about where she is living, working (Texas).
So after 2-4 mins of talking, we are inside Canada.
Nov 28 - Appointment. Reached IRCC office in Vancouver downtown. Only I was allowed inside and wife has to wait outside. 9:15 am was appointment, do not go earlier than 8:45 am.
I went inside around 8:50 am and was seated in a room with other folks who have appointments.
After waiting for just under 30 mins, an officer called me into a individual room, closed the door. He asked for my expired PR card, passport and a third Canada issued government document such as Drivers license, or Health Card etc. I did not have the third proof (no DL because I surrendered BC DL to get Texas DL).
Note that the appointment letter only asks for: (1) appointment letter (2) expired PR card (3) any other documents that were submitted along with PR renewal application.
So at this point IRCC officer is trying to get more relevant information so as to give credit to my appointment and give my new PR card to me.
He asked when I moved into Canada first time (I replied Dec 2019) and he asked what work I have been doing since then (I replied I worked for US job which allowed for work from home all these years). He inquired whether I m married and I said yes and that my wife is Canadian and I have been living with her since March 2023 in US. He asked my wifes passport copy. I was carrying copy as well as original. Then he looked at my Indian passport that has several H1B stamps of US. He inquired about my US job and any documentation that he asked for my employment letter and any other official letter that states that I can be allowed to work remotely from Canada for US job. I had no such letter that shows my WFH but I just had my current employment letter.
To support my residency obligation, I I provided him my past 4 years rental agreements, tax filing documents for 3 years, my immunization records. Nothing was seeming for him to convince him. I gave him my Physical Presence Calculator document which I used to submit for Canadian citizenship as well. He has a record that I applied for Canadian Citizenship (AOR = Sep 10 2024). Finally I told I have my US I-94 (which is a arrival departure record that US maintains). He finally seemed to be OK with that I-94 and he also mentioned that US does not share such documentation with Canadian government and he was glad to see that I-94 travel history of mine for the past 5 years.
Basically I was working remote from Canada for a US job 2019-2023 and then moved to US for 2023, he asked what changed that you had to move to US instead of working from Canada. At that point I said my wife after becoming Canadian she got a job in US and had to move with her. That is the reason I had to move to US from Canada.
With all the documentation provided, he gave my PR card asked me to check the names etc. Once that is done, he activated it and handed all my documentation back to me, except my expired PR card (which he took and that IRCC will safely discard).
Then we had a small private chat on how high the rental rates back in 2019 2020 vs 2024 in Vancouver. He inquired about how rates are in TX etc. I also mentioned that I applied for PRTD and want to decline that application now that I have my PR card. He mentioned that IRCC will automatically take care of that my seeing the status that PR card has been picked up.
All and all it was a 25 mins one-to-one interview and each and every minute the officer was very calm and pleasant in asking me questions and documentation. He was only trying to gather relevant documents to support my case and successfully hand the PR card to me. It was a pleasant experience for me as well even though I felt a bit nervous since I did not have the necessary documentation to begin with.
Nov 29 - Status updated to Card picked up in person. I drove back to Seattle via Peace Arch. US officer asked me and my wife on my visas (both work visas) and we are into US.
Hope this helps to anyone who are on similar situations like me.
