Residency requirement for passport - 4 out of 6 years (PR card is for 5 years)

[adey786]

All

Looking for your guidance on residency requirement. My medical is expiring in Dec so I am planning a soft landing in August and then making a final move in July next year as my kids academic year will end by then.

For passport purposes, one of the requirement is to be resident in Canada for 4 years out of 6 years. The PR Card is valid for 5 years. So one has to be in Canada for 4 years out of 5 years. If someone does not complete 4 years on the existing PR Card (say did soft landing and moved in later, just like above), so does the balance period is required to be completed under new PR card (say 6 months or 1 year) or the 4 years count start again after renewal of PR Card?

Second question: Can I use UPS Mailbox to receive PR card and other documents while I would be out of Canada after soft landing in August. Kindly suggest other options if you are aware of?

Regards

 

[Bs65]

All

Looking for your guidance on residency requirement. My medical is expiring in Dec so I am planning a soft landing in August and then making a final move in July next year as my kids academic year will end by then.

For passport purposes, one of the requirement is to be resident in Canada for 4 years out of 6 years. The PR Card is valid for 5 years. So one has to be in Canada for 4 years out of 5 years. If someone does not complete 4 years on the existing PR Card (say did soft landing and moved in later, just like above), so does the balance period is required to be completed under new PR card (say 6 months or 1 year) or the 4 years count start again after renewal of PR Card?

Second question: Can I use UPS Mailbox to receive PR card and other documents while I would be out of Canada after soft landing in August. Kindly suggest other options if you are aware of?

Regards

Where did you see this 4 years out of 6 years , think you are confusing residency with citizenship. For residency it is 2 years out of 5 years http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5445ETOC.asp#appendixA so you need to be resident in Canada for 730 days in a 5 year period from landing. To become a citizen you need to be in Canada for 4 years out of 6 years http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/adults.asp Renewing a PR card could become a problem if you do not meet the residency requirements

Not sure you can use a UPS mailbox think it needs to be a Canadian address but others can comment. Although see this post http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/address-for-pr-card-t412395.0.html

 

[jc94]

Yeah, if you are talking about passport that implies you want to get citizenship (might be best in that forum )
That is 4/6 years at the moment; but there is much talk about it being changed to a) be 3/4 or similar years and b) to count non-PR time at 50-100% towards it (ie: 2 years on work permit = 1 year towards citizenship obligations). C-51 bill and all that.

Remember that even if your PR card expires you are still a PR. You can't lose your PR unless, broadly speaking, you:

a) Break the law (I believe, exact nature of crime possibly relevant)
b) Formally request for it to be revoked
c) Spent < 730 days in country out of 5 years (several exceptions here for things like living abroad with citizens)

And point (c) is only really valid if you return to the country. So if you land, leave, come back 3 years later you should be okay... if you then leave and return again in the middle for a few months you may be at risk of not hitting the requirement and could be reported (at which point it could be revoked).

The main issue with the PR card lasting 5 years is that it can be a pain to get it renewed (small cost, paperwork, long wait for a new one); and you need to do that if you want to use it to re-enter the country - generally speaking by air there are land options via the US that I don't believe need it.

So, your time as a PR is not relevant to which PR card it's on. You are a PR from landing, the card is just your proof to re-enter the country by commercial carrier.

Hope that helps.

 

[adey786]

Yeah, if you are talking about passport that implies you want to get citizenship (might be best in that forum )
That is 4/6 years at the moment; but there is much talk about it being changed to a) be 3/4 or similar years and b) to count non-PR time at 50-100% towards it (ie: 2 years on work permit = 1 year towards citizenship obligations). C-51 bill and all that.

Remember that even if your PR card expires you are still a PR. You can't lose your PR unless, broadly speaking, you:

a) Break the law (I believe, exact nature of crime possibly relevant)
b) Formally request for it to be revoked
c) Spent < 730 days in country out of 5 years (several exceptions here for things like living abroad with citizens)

And point (c) is only really valid if you return to the country. So if you land, leave, come back 3 years later you should be okay... if you then leave and return again in the middle for a few months you may be at risk of not hitting the requirement and could be reported (at which point it could be revoked).

The main issue with the PR card lasting 5 years is that it can be a pain to get it renewed (small cost, paperwork, long wait for a new one); and you need to do that if you want to use it to re-enter the country - generally speaking by air there are land options via the US that I don't believe need it.

So, your time as a PR is not relevant to which PR card it's on. You are a PR from landing, the card is just your proof to re-enter the country by commercial carrier.

Hope that helps.

@ Jc94 : Thanks. Clear to me. So PR card is an instrument to move in and out of the country. Now talking about citizenship, assuming I complete 3.5 years (0.5 year short to apply for citizenship) under current PR Card within 5 years, so with your explanation, I dont need to renew PR Card (unless I need to travel abroad) so I'd automatically eligible to apply for citizenship after completion of short 0.5 year?

@Bs65: Thank you. Again your explanation coincides with Jc94. So I understand once an individual stays in Canada for 2 out of 5 years, h/she is "permanent resident" permanently unless it is revoked by government?

regards

 

[adey786]

To update on mailbox i have received below reply..

we're independent owners across Canada.
yes, we do rent mailbox for public & service for your type case also
receive mails & such PR card & packages & forward any location in the world
our mailbox rental fees are $165.00 plus tax per year
and mail forward fees are extra & plus shipping cost extra also
if you would like open box we do need your credit card # first
process box rental fees & i'll send over to you our mailbox rental agreement
forms
thank you

>> so looks like i can buy mailbox a week before i go for soft landing and keep this active for 1 year....any comments?

 

[adey786]

To update on mailbox i have received below reply..

we're independent owners across Canada.
yes, we do rent mailbox for public & service for your type case also
receive mails & such PR card & packages & forward any location in the world
our mailbox rental fees are $165.00 plus tax per year
and mail forward fees are extra & plus shipping cost extra also
if you would like open box we do need your credit card # first
process box rental fees & i'll send over to you our mailbox rental agreement
forms
thank you

>> so looks like i can buy mailbox a week before i go for soft landing and keep this active for 1 year....any comments?

http://www.canadavisa.com/news/government-of-canada-moves-closer-to-major-changes-in-citizenship-law.html <<< Some hope about passing new law before 1 July. Not sure if it can really become law so soon..

 

[Leon]

Some people have used UPS mailboxes to receive their PR cards and it has worked for them so it should work for you.

As others have said, the citizenship requirement is unrelated to your PR card periods so when you apply for citizenship, they do not care if your PR card is expired or if you have renewed it during the past 3 or 4 years. They are just looking at if you meet the 4/6 years requirement or if the law has changed then 3/4.

You should apply for a SIN when you land and there is a good reason for that. Service Canada has decided that you can not get a SIN using just your COPR unless your COPR is less than 1 years old. Hence, if something happens that causes you not to receive a PR card, you can apply for a PR travel document when you want to return next year but if a year has passed since your landing already by the time you make it to Canada, you would not be able to apply for a SIN until you have the PR card and if you were in the situation that you didn't get one after your landing and you are returning more than 6 months after your landing, CIC would treat your PR card like a renewal application and it could take 3 or more months to get it.. so long explanation for a short piece of advice.

Many people ask if they should apply for a health card and child tax benefits when they are doing a short landing. The answer to that is no because there are eligibility requirements such as that you must be residing in Canada.

 

[adey786]

Some people have used UPS mailboxes to receive their PR cards and it has worked for them so it should work for you.

As others have said, the citizenship requirement is unrelated to your PR card periods so when you apply for citizenship, they do not care if your PR card is expired or if you have renewed it during the past 3 or 4 years. They are just looking at if you meet the 4/6 years requirement or if the law has changed then 3/4.

You should apply for a SIN when you land and there is a good reason for that. Service Canada has decided that you can not get a SIN using just your COPR unless your COPR is less than 1 years old. Hence, if something happens that causes you not to receive a PR card, you can apply for a PR travel document when you want to return next year but if a year has passed since your landing already by the time you make it to Canada, you would not be able to apply for a SIN until you have the PR card and if you were in the situation that you didn't get one after your landing and you are returning more than 6 months after your landing, CIC would treat your PR card like a renewal application and it could take 3 or more months to get it.. so long explanation for a short piece of advice.

Many people ask if they should apply for a health card and child tax benefits when they are doing a short landing. The answer to that is no because there are eligibility requirements such as that you must be residing in Canada.

Thank you Leon. Clear. Thanks for guidance about SIN card. Re UPS, I have received quotes from stores and they confirmed they can collect and even courier the PR cards once received. I'd apply for health card and child tax benefit only once I move permanently.

Thank and regards