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Travel document

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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Hello,

I'm a new permanent resident of Canada. I landed on december the 24th, 2012. I stayed in Canada only weeks. I haven't had time to wait for my PR card, so do I qualify for a travel document?
Can I apply 6 months before my planned trip? I want to goack to Canada to settle on september the 30th, would I be allowed to apply on April?

Thank you
 

Leon

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Jun 13, 2008
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A travel document is usually valid for 6 months so just make sure you don't apply too early or it will have expired before you want to leave.
 

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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Thank you Leon,
Is it easy to get this travel document in my case because I stayed only 3 weeks and I'm gonna be outside of Canada almost 9 months? Wouldn't that be a problem?
 

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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Leon said:
A travel document is usually valid for 6 months so just make sure you don't apply too early or it will have expired before you want to leave.
Thank you Leon,
Is it easy to get this travel document in my case because I stayed only 3 weeks and I'm gonna be outside of Canada almost 9 months? Wouldn't that be a problem?
 

goodman36

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Jul 19, 2012
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peacefulove1 said:
Hello,

I'm a new permanent resident of Canada. I landed on december the 24th, 2012. I stayed in Canada only weeks. I haven't had time to wait for my PR card, so do I qualify for a travel document?
Can I apply 6 months before my planned trip? I want to goack to Canada to settle on september the 30th, would I be allowed to apply on April?

Thank you
Your question is not clear.

Where are you now?

If you landed in December 24th last year, you should receive your PR card by mail in the address that you provided when you landed by the end of February. Someone can mail it to you where you are now and you can use that to come back to Canada. You don't need a travel document to leave Canada.

Or I missed something?
 

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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0
goodman36 said:
Your question is not clear.

Where are you now?

If you landed in December 24th last year, you should receive your PR card by mail in the address that you provided when you landed by the end of February. Someone can mail it to you where you are now and you can use that to come back to Canada. You don't need a travel document to leave Canada.

Or I missed something?
I'm not looking for a travel docuement so I can leave Canada. I'm already outside of Canada. I am in France. My PR card will be sent to my friend's address in Montreal. However, I read somewhere online that mailing a PR card outside of Canada is illegal even though I've never come across anything on CIC website saying clearly it's forbidden to do so. so I decided to apply for a travel document. My question is whether it's easy to get it for a new permanent resident who lived only 3 weeks in Canada then leaves for 9 months?
 

goodman36

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peacefulove1 said:
I'm not looking for a travel docuement so I can leave Canada. I'm already outside of Canada. I am in France. My PR card will be sent to my friend's address in Montreal. However, I read somewhere online that mailing a PR card outside of Canada is illegal even though I've never come across anything on CIC website saying clearly it's forbidden to do so. so I decided to apply for a travel document. My question is whether it's easy to get it for a new permanent resident who lived only 3 weeks in Canada then leaves for 9 months?
That's what I thought that you are outside. I am not sure if you could apply for a travel document if you are already outside of Canada. Usually, someone who wants to leave Canada to travel before they have received the PR card apply for it.

Also, I haven't heard either that it is illegal to mail a PR card. But make sure that you get it. Once you have it, it's no problem coming back.
 

scylla

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goodman36 said:
That's what I thought that you are outside. I am not sure if you could apply for a travel document if you are already outside of Canada. Usually, someone who wants to leave Canada to travel before they have received the PR card apply for it.
You can only apply for a travel document from outside Canada. You cannot apply for a travel document from within Canada.
 

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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goodman36 said:
That's what I thought that you are outside. I am not sure if you could apply for a travel document if you are already outside of Canada. Usually, someone who wants to leave Canada to travel before they have received the PR card apply for it.

Also, I haven't heard either that it is illegal to mail a PR card. But make sure that you get it. Once you have it, it's no problem coming back.
What if the agents at the airport notice I couldn't have received my OR card inside Canada according to the stamps on my passport? What am I supposed to tell them?
 

Leon

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peacefulove1 said:
What if the agents at the airport notice I couldn't have received my OR card inside Canada according to the stamps on my passport? What am I supposed to tell them?
You are supposed to tell them the truth, that you were not in Canada and somebody mailed it to you. There is really no law about mailing PR cards. You say you read it somewhere. So did it have a link to the law on a Canadian government website? If it didn't then it is not a law, it is a rumour.

Or if you prefer a travel document, you can apply for one. As long as you are still able to meet the residency obligation of 730 days in Canada before the 5 year anniversary of your landing as a PR, you will get one.
 

peacefulove1

Member
Jan 20, 2013
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Leon said:
You are supposed to tell them the truth, that you were not in Canada and somebody mailed it to you. There is really no law about mailing PR cards. You say you read it somewhere. So did it have a link to the law on a Canadian government website? If it didn't then it is not a law, it is a rumour.

Or if you prefer a travel document, you can apply for one. As long as you are still able to meet the residency obligation of 730 days in Canada before the 5 year anniversary of your landing as a PR, you will get one.
Thank you very much. Well actually I read mailing a PR is forbidden in some french-speaking Forum. But I know many people have done it before. So I definitely think it's a rumour. People keep on saying it's fordbidden but nobody has an official to back up their saying. Anyways, what if someone brought my card, is that ok too?
 

wilbur71

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Dec 9, 2012
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There is no official CIC law against sending PR cards. Many courier companies, though, refuse to send any type of official identity document (passports, PR cards, etc.) as they don't want to accept the responsibility in case of loss. So it's best to confirm first with the courier company.

If you have a friend or family member you can trust, he/she can bring you the PR card directly if he/she visits you.
 

Msafiri

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Nov 18, 2012
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peacefulove1 said:
Hello,

I'm a new permanent resident of Canada. I landed on december the 24th, 2012. I stayed in Canada only weeks. I haven't had time to wait for my PR card, so do I qualify for a travel document?
Can I apply 6 months before my planned trip? I want to goack to Canada to settle on september the 30th, would I be allowed to apply on April?

Thank you
1. You qualify for a TD if you meet the Residency Obligation (RO) of being physically present in Canada for 730 days in the 5 years prior to the date you apply for the TD. As a new PR you have until Dec 2017 to mee tthe 730 days so getting a TD should be easy.

2. Local visa posts have their own practices on TD issuance (as long as they follow the Act and Regulations). Paris quotes TD processing of 2 days in person or 15 days by mail so no need to apply so far in advance. They may issue a TD valid for 1, 2 or 6 months...depends as they ask for your travel date back to Canada.

3. If you are a French or any other visa exempt national then IMHO no need to apply for a TD. You can return back to Canada as a regular visitor but the airline will want to see you have a return ticket so be prepared to purchase the return leg. In any case you intend to have your PR card mailed over so it should be with you by the time you need top get back which makes a TD application moot. If you go the visitor entrance route then be prepared to go to Secondary Inspection at the airport where CBSA will look into your records.

Bon chance
 

ch671

Star Member
Mar 22, 2017
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1. You qualify for a TD if you meet the Residency Obligation (RO) of being physically present in Canada for 730 days in the 5 years prior to the date you apply for the TD. As a new PR you have until Dec 2017 to mee tthe 730 days so getting a TD should be easy.

2. Local visa posts have their own practices on TD issuance (as long as they follow the Act and Regulations). Paris quotes TD processing of 2 days in person or 15 days by mail so no need to apply so far in advance. They may issue a TD valid for 1, 2 or 6 months...depends as they ask for your travel date back to Canada.

3. If you are a French or any other visa exempt national then IMHO no need to apply for a TD. You can return back to Canada as a regular visitor but the airline will want to see you have a return ticket so be prepared to purchase the return leg. In any case you intend to have your PR card mailed over so it should be with you by the time you need top get back which makes a TD application moot. If you go the visitor entrance route then be prepared to go to Secondary Inspection at the airport where CBSA will look into your records.

Bon chance
Hi,

I have a similar question; I believe you might have already answered it but just to be sure :):

I landed in Canada a couple of months ago, stayed for a few days, and gave friend's address where I was staying so he can mail the PR card to me in the USA. I am in the USA for a couple of months now and planning to travel to Canada in the next couple of months. Is it safe to apply for a TD since I have only stayed in Canada for a few days out of 2 months? Does the 730 day requirement only apply for people who may have received their PR more than 3 years ago?

Thanks in advance