PR Renewal - What to do

[mathlete]

I applied to renew my PR card that expires in February 2014 in August 2013. After seeing no status update in September I called the CIC and was told that was not unusual and I should only call again in 2 months. I just called and was told that the application had been lost (FedEx confirms delivery) and that I would have to start all over again. Now I travel at least twice a month, every month for work purposes. I've been told the only way to get back into the country is to get a single entry visa. This can take weeks to process and not every international city has an embassy or consulate. Furthermore by the time the visa get processed I may very well have to travel somewhere else making coming back to Canada impractical. I'd be better off with a work visa or even a student as at least that allows multiple entry so it appears residency is worse than simply being a visa holder. Also who's to say the CIC won't lose my application again? Being faced with months of being unable to return to Canada next year and the added expense of both mortgage in Canada plus accommodation fees overseas I may just end up being forced to immigrate.

Anyone else in this position? Any advise?

 

[scylla]

Since you are a PR, you don't qualify to apply for a temporary resident permit, work permit or student permit. You would have to give up your PR status in order to be able to qualify for one of these.

You can use your PR card to re-enter Canada until it expires in Feb 2014. If you re-apply for PR now and request expedite processing, you should have your new PR card well before February.

If for some reason you don't have a new PR card by the end of February AND if you hold a non visa exempt passport - then you will need to apply for a travel document to return to Canada. TDs can only be applied for outside of Canada and they are good for one re-entry. If you hold a visa exempt passport, then you should have no trouble re-entering Canada, even with an expired PR card.

 

[mathlete]

So the Visa is not an option since by the time one is issued I'll have to travel again (my passport is not visa exempt). I can't afford to live out of Canada indefinitely and pay the mortgage here nor can I be out the country for months on end hoping the CIC issues me a new card. Thus if I don't have a card by February I'll immigrate.

 

[scylla]

If you apply for the new PR card using the expedite process, you should have the new card within a few weeks (not a few months). Follow the instructions for the expedite process on the CIC web site and include all of the additional documentation requested (to expedite the application) and you shouldn't have a problem.