Sending PR card outside canada via courier ?

[DansonBarnes]

It can be done. I got my card couriered to Dubai and it reached in 2 days without any issues. It’s only a plastic card which does not have chip or anything

 

[Bs65]

It can be done. I got my card couriered to Dubai and it reached in 2 days without any issues. It’s only a plastic card which does not have chip or anything

Has an RFID chip in it but that wont affect the card being sent, couried out anywhere

 

[muzmil]

No point of taking such a big risk , if courier loose it or customs there stop it ... then getting it renewed is a big hassle , the timelines are already worse due to covid and to fill forms etc is a pain itself ... Best way is to send it with someone who is flying back to your country . Cards can be kept with documents and you can sign an authorization letter stating that you have authorized that person to carry those cards for you . You can pay someone if no one in immediate circle is flying back ..

 

[Bloodrose]

No point of taking such a big risk , if courier loose it or customs there stop it ... then getting it renewed is a big hassle , the timelines are already worse due to covid and to fill forms etc is a pain itself ... Best way is to send it with someone who is flying back to your country . Cards can be kept with documents and you can sign an authorization letter stating that you have authorized that person to carry those cards for you . You can pay someone if no one in immediate circle is flying back ..

The card gets sent from the IRCC to the recipient's Canadian address by standard Canada Post in the first place. One would think that if anything was likely to go awry then it would be during that stage of transit rather than under an insured and secured international express courier service like UPS or FedEx.

 

[muzmil]

The card gets sent from the IRCC to the recipient's Canadian address by standard Canada Post in the first place. One would think that if anything was likely to go awry then it would be during that stage of transit rather than under an insured and secured international express courier service like UPS or FedEx.

Custom officials back home don't act same way as here in Canada .. there is a high chance they will stop the package ...

 

[dpenabill]

It can be done. I got my card couriered to Dubai and it reached in 2 days without any issues. It’s only a plastic card which does not have chip or anything

Not sure why this older topic has been revived.

Be aware, individual experiences, or what can be done, are NOT a reliable indicator of what it is OK to do and NOT at all a reliable indicator of what can go wrong.

On occasion (with excuses, albeit not sufficient to constitute justification) I have driven 30 to 40k over the speed limit. No ticket, not even stopped. No one should suggest that my experience means it is OK to drive 30k over the limit, let alone 40k. Even though it is likely scores and scores of people can report doing similarly with no problem.

When it comes to the export and import of items across international borders, the extent to which people get-away-with-it is huge. Every day. Much is done outside the rules deliberately. But much is also done outside the rules accidentally, unknowingly.

For sending a PR card abroad, the main risk has to do with the importation laws of particular countries, which vary from country to country. And, importantly, the nature and extent of enforcement varies widely from country to country.

Thus, the risk involved in sending a PR card abroad DEPENDS a lot on which country the card is being sent into.

Which leads to the following exchange:

No point of taking such a big risk , if courier loose it or customs there stop it ... then getting it renewed is a big hassle , the timelines are already worse due to covid and to fill forms etc is a pain itself ... Best way is to send it with someone who is flying back to your country . Cards can be kept with documents and you can sign an authorization letter stating that you have authorized that person to carry those cards for you . You can pay someone if no one in immediate circle is flying back ..

The card gets sent from the IRCC to the recipient's Canadian address by standard Canada Post in the first place. One would think that if anything was likely to go awry then it would be during that stage of transit rather than under an insured and secured international express courier service like UPS or FedEx.

Custom officials back home don't act same way as here in Canada .. there is a high chance they will stop the package ...

Anecdotal reports of things going OK when sending a PR card by courier are sufficient to challenge the assertion that "there is a high chance [customs] will stop the package" in the "home" country. But, again, depending on which country it is in particular, there is a risk this will happen.

I have addressed these matters at-length in a previous post:

In general I concur in much of what is posted above. In particular, sending a Canadian PR card by courier is OK for probably a large majority of countries. And it is clear many do this without problem.

And, to be clear, so far as I am aware Canada does NOT prohibit doing this.

BUT IT WARRANTS A CAUTION THAT THE DESTINATION COUNTRY CAN MATTER

Some countries have more strict IMPORTATION rules, including as to official documents, and particularly so as to official Travel Documents. Technically the PR card is a status document, NOT a Travel Document (even though many refer to it as a travel document in general usage, given its primary use is to facilitate travel back to Canada), so whether it might run afoul of this or that country's rules, even if it is illegal to import Travel Documents this way, is very country specific.

Reminder: sending anything internationally is subject to the laws of BOTH the country from which it is sent (in this situation, that is Canadian law), and importation laws in the destination country. And, the importation laws for some countries are significantly more narrow and strict than Canadian law. There is a reason why IRCC utilizes the diplomatic process to send documents abroad beyond it merely being more secure and private.

I do not know which specific countries might be problematic. For example, I do not know that Russia, China, or ME countries impose any risk for this but they are among the countries I'd be cautious about and regarding which I suspect are worth doing some relevant homework about before sending a PR card there.

Edit to Add: the extent to which this is done successfully may also be more about a lack of enforcing rules than what the rules are. This is very common in this forum, reports about what is OK based not on what the rule is but on general experience.

For example, there are some strict rules governing sending currency or negotiable instruments (like checks) to the U.S., including when using couriers. I'd guess these rules are not complied with many, many thousands of times every month. Largely because the circumstances or quantities involved are not the real target. And because strict enforcement is very difficult. It appears that the rules are actually overly-broad and NOT applied or enforced UNLESS certain other criteria trigger application and enforcement. I've included cash or a check in birthday cards sent to the U.S. on more than a few occasions over the last two decades, including in courier packets for which the instructions remind one that they are not to be used for cash or negotiable instruments. No problem. None anticipated.

Without researching U.S. importation law, I'd guess that sending a Travel Document by courier to the U.S. is prohibited or subject to special declaration requirements. But again, the PR card is NOT officially a "Travel Document." Moreover, if someone left behind their passport, and had it sent by courier to them in the U.S., it is NOT likely there would be a problem. BUT my guess is that technically that is not OK, at least not without following particular procedures for importing such official documents by courier.

And it warrants remembering that there are more than a few other countries in the world which quite likely have far more strict importation laws and rules than the U.S. And, again, sending anything abroad is subject to the DESTINATION country's laws and rules, totally apart from what Canada's laws and rules are.

 

[NL1000]

For the people who have actually sent your PR cards outside of Canada, to the receptive countries that allow you too, did you have an issues entering Canada with the PR card afterwards? Did the immigration officer ask any questions to do with timelines of receiving it and leaving and entering the the country?

Any info on peoples experiences would be appreciated

 

[ashwin.metpalli]

Dear All

Need fresh update on this topic.

Our relatives in canada have received our PR cards, we are currently out of canada on a business trip in our native country. Is it ok and legal for our relatives to courier the PR cards to us.

Could there be some problems in customs ?

There is some new chip in the card etc -- is that a problem ?

Do we need to enclose the cards in carbon paper -- please let me know

Thanks

HI,
Can you please confirm whether mailing PR cards outside Canada worked for you and you're able to travel back to Canada using those cards
Appreciate your feedback in advance. Thank you

 

[ashwin.metpalli]

There are no published restrictions on courier carriage of PR cards. Carbon Paper is an urban myth and does absolutely nothing.

I had my PR card transferred to the UK via FedEx and it was opened by USA Customs while in transit. Absolutely no problems and they resealed it for onward travel.

Were you able to travel back to Canada using those mailed PR cards without any issues? Please confirm. Appreciate your help in advance.

 

[ashwin.metpalli]

Thanks. Will wait another week or so and bring my family back otherwise. Will either DHL or Fedex a pickup service from my registered mailing address.

Hi, Did you have PR cards mailed outside Canada and were able to travel back to Canada without any issues using those PR cards? Please confirm, Appreciate your help in advance. Thank you

 

[techie12]

Hi what should we select the document type for PR cards while creating the label?

 

[DansonBarnes]

Pl do not mention as PR card. Pl have it placed in-between a magazine for the safety reasons. As you are not allowed to courier your PR card outside the country

 

[Nel1989]

What is very telling is this: I have not seen one single instance of someone’s card being lost or seized via mail. Just A bunch of people warning that it could happen. What I have seen are many success stories of hand carrying and mail forwarding PR cards to another country

 

[ashwin.metpalli]

What is very telling is this: I have not seen one single instance of someone’s card being lost or seized via mail. Just A bunch of people warning that it could happen. What I have seen are many success stories of hand carrying and mail forwarding PR cards to another country

I agree, i got mine couriered from Canada to Usa and received them.
Also, i got responses from people who did the same that they could travel back without any issues

 

[darshuvisa]

I agree, i got mine couriered from Canada to Usa and received them.
Also, i got responses from people who did the same that they could travel back without any issues

hi @ashwin.metpalli, which courier did u use? And what did u mention about the package contents to the courier company