Wife PR expires in 2 months

[jayzone]

Hi,

I am Canadian citizen who is presently living in India with my wife.

She got her PR in 2007 and till date she has been in Canada only for 2 months but has stayed with me during all these years.

I believe all the time that she has been with me will count towards her PR requirement.

Her PR is expiring in May 2012 and she is in a dilemma whether to go to Canada and renew it or to let it expire.

• If she goes to Canada, she will not be able to stay there for 2-3 months which I believe is the normal PR processing times. She will have to come back to India and go back to Canada to collect her card in person? Am I correct?
  
• If her PR expires and we decide to go to Canada, she will need a travel document. But will she have to apply for PR renewal or start the PR application process from scratch?

Thanks for your suggestions and help.

 

[AllisonVSC]

She will only have to apply for renewal since she has satisfied the PR obligations, and I don't see any need to travel to Canada just for renewal purposes. When you are ready to return to Canada apply for the travel document and do the renewal once you've settled in Canada.

 

[Kkd]

ALTERNATIVELY, SHE CAN COME TO CANADA AND MAKE APPL ON URGENT BASIS. SHE HAS TO SUBMIT HER RETURN JOURNET TICKET.
THE URGENT APPLICATION IN ALL LIKELYHOOD WILL BE PROCESSED IN ONE MONTH's TIME.

 

[AllisonVSC]

Good point, Kkd. Though if they are planning to continue residing outside of Canada, there may not be a need for renewing. If she is not coming and going from Canada, having a valid card is not very important. The card is just proof of status and not her actual status. She will continue to maintain her PR if she is living outside Canada with her citizen husband whether she has a valid card or not.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Good point, Kkd. Though if they are planning to continue residing outside of Canada, there may not be a need for renewing. If she is not coming and going from Canada, having a valid card is not very important. The card is just proof of status and not her actual status. She will continue to maintain her PR if she is living outside Canada with her citizen husband whether she has a valid card or not.

One thing to keep in mind though, as she has been outside Canada, if she came back just to renew her card, not accompanied by her spouse, I think she will have difficulties at Port of Entry. or even prior to boarding the flight.

 

[afrq]

How long can one stay outside Canada in such a scenario. Like with an expired pr card and living with a canadian spouse. ...what if they go after say 4yrs.....she will still have her or status...

 

[Leon]

If she is living with a Canadian spouse, she can keep her PR forever pretty much. There is also a way to renew a PR card while being outside Canada. Do you have friends or relatives in Canada? Fill out the applications and give their address as a mailing address. Mail this application to your friends and have them mail it to immigration. The application must originate in Canada but immigration manuals state that the applicant being outside Canada is not enough grounds to refuse the application.

Write a cover letter stating that you do not live in Canada but they can contact you at that address. They are currently changing how they deliver renewed PR cards, they are attempting to mail most of them out so it is possible that her renewed card will be mailed to the address and the friends can then mail it to you. If she gets called for an interview, she can go attend it and pick up her PR card. She would have to get a travel document to be able to enter Canada as her PR card is expired though.