(Below is a transcription of this video)
Hi. This is Michael Niren. I’m an immigration lawyer and founder of visaplace.com. Today I’m going to talk to you about PR card renewals. We handle a lot of PR card renewal applications and, generally speaking, in order to qualify for a PR card renewal, you have to remain in Canada for two years in the last five years of obtaining a PR card.
Understanding the PR Card
When permanent residents come to Canada they are typically issued a PR card, which is valid for five years. In order to renew it, you have to show physical residency in Canada for two out of those five years. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule. For example, if you are married to a Canadian citizen and you are traveling abroad, those days could count toward your residency if you are accompanying your spouse, but these are for permanent residents.
The other thing you should know is that PR cards are for travel. So, technically speaking, you could be a permanent resident and remain in Canada indefinitely without a PR card. But for those who need to travel, and most of us do, you need a permanent resident card to return to Canada as a permanent resident.
Applying for an Expedited PR card
Now, there are situations where you may need an urgent PR card. For example, if you have an emergency, a family emergency, or you have to leave right away and you don’t have a PR card, there are situations where you could be outside of Canada and then apply for a travel document from your local embassy in order to get back to Canada, even if you don’t have a PR card.
Another situation is that even if you don’t meet the residency requirements or the exceptions, you still could potentially get a PR card if you can show that your absence beyond those two years is justified or there is special circumstances. We call those humanitarian PR card applications or PR card renewals. We do a lot of those. So, if you are abroad for a lengthy period of time and you don’t meet the exceptions, you still could potentially get a PR card, but it is more difficult, of course, and it’s lengthy in terms of the process.
Are You Interested in Obtaining a PR Card?
So, if you have any other questions about PR cards, feel free to go to our website at www.visaplace.com or give us a call and we’ll be happy to help. Thank you and have a great day.
Contact our experienced team today, and let us help you with your PR Card application.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
