Expired PR Card

SRGRuns

New Member
Hi

I've done a quick search but couldn't find an answer and am hoping someone can help me :)

My husband and I landed with PR status Oct 2010 and moved to Canada then. We spent 5 years living in Canada while running our own business and had some trips to the US (some were a few months long) and one to the UK in that time. We met the minimum amount of days required within that first 5 years. Although it was never our intention to leave, we returned to our home country at the end of May 2015. This was because by brother in law was diagnosed terminally ill and we wanted to see him as much as we could. He passed away a couple of years ago. While back and towards the end of his illness it was clear my elderly mum in law was becoming increasingly frail so we wanted to stick around for a bit. Sadly she passed August 2020. COVID and all the uncertainty around that has of course played a role in us doing anything for the past 15 months too. All the while back in our home country for income we have been running our own business but are now looking to sell that, and when COVID allows we want to return to Canada. All through this our PR cards expired (Nov 2015) and we have not had a trip back to Canada all this time. What are our chances and options for getting back to Canada after all this time and how should we apply? PRTD/ PR Card renewal? On a visitor visa and then apply in person on arrival? Or something else? Would be super grateful for any insights (I'm a details person, so hit me with everything you've got!)
 

Riley Haas

Administrator
Staff member
Location
Toronto
Hi,
In normal times, you would have a few options:
  • Apply for PRTDs, see if they are approved or your status is revoked, and figure out how to go from there. (In your case they would very likely be rejected.)
  • Fly to the US and drive to Canada with your COPRs/Records of Landing and attempt to enter - if you're allowed to enter you would then apply for PR Cards through Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds citing those family illnesses.
  • Renounce your PR statuses and immigrate again.
5+ years is a long time. I can't imagine you'll get PRTDs if you apply. (And if those applications are rejected, your statuses will likely be revoked.) But you might want to see if you can find a consultant or lawyer who does these types of PRTDs to see what your chances might be. (I've asked our consultants to tell me what kind of odds they think you might have and I'll let you know. Please follow up with me at [email protected] if you don't hear back from me by tomorrow.)

The middle option is the option which would most likely see you keep your status in normal times. But the thing is, during the pandemic Canada's border is closed. Now it's not entirely closed, and returning citizens and permanent residents are allowed in - as are some with temporary status who can meet certain requirements - but you need valid proof. And that's a PRTD or PR Card. I have yet to hear if anyone has successfully entered Canada by car during the border closures with just a COPR/Record of Landing. It's quite possible they have, but I just don't know.

So if those two options are out it leaves only the last one. (There is one other long shot during normal times but I don't think it would fly, pardon the pun, during the pandemic. And that is attempting to apply for eTAs and hoping they don't realize your permanent residents. It might work during normal times. I'm not sure they're granting many eTAs right now, though.)
 

SRGRuns

New Member
Thank you Riley, I really appreciate your thoughts.

It's not looking as good as I'd hoped which is a bit of a worry. Hopefully your consultants may have an idea or two. I'll follow up as offered if I don't see something here as mentioned.

Thanks again
 

Riley Haas

Administrator
Staff member
Location
Toronto
So they haven't done very many during the pandemic and none similar to your situation so I'm sorry to say they can't give you odds. Though they can of course help with the application if that's the route you want to go.
 

SRGRuns

New Member
So they haven't done very many during the pandemic and none similar to your situation so I'm sorry to say they can't give you odds. Though they can of course help with the application if that's the route you want to go.
Hello again Riley. Thank you for following up as promised. We'll give this some thought and decide next steps. Fingers crossed.....
 

Riley Haas

Administrator
Staff member
Location
Toronto
So the consultants got back to me and said they just had a PRTD approved in 5 business days. I don't know the details about the applicant's situation except that it involve H&C like yours.

If you want to speak to them, please email [email protected].

Keep in mind, due to how long you've been outside of Canada there's risk here. But they will be able to give you a professional assessment of that.
 
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