How to get your PR Card after landing in Canada?
Do you need help with your immigration application or want to consult with a lawyer about your immigration file?
Congratulations – after what seems like a never-ending process, you have finally been granted permanent residency and have landed in Canada! But what do you need to do now to get your long awaited Permanent Resident card (PR card)?
The PR card is an essential document for you to have as a Canadian permanent resident, for identification purposes and so you can travel outside of Canada and return again in the future. Therefore, it is important for you to receive it as soon as possible after being granted permanent residency.
The most important thing you need to do is provide IRCC with your Canadian mailing address within 180 days of being admitted to Canada, so they can send you your PR card. The same applies for applicants who became permanent residents while in Canada, but who have not yet provided IRCC with their most up-to-date mailing address. If IRCC do not receive your address within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident, then you will need to apply for your PR card and pay the $50 PR card fee.
Please note, IRCC will only send PR cards to a Canadian address, so if you do not yet have a permanent address in Canada, ensure you provide a Canadian address where you know you will be able to receive mail for the foreseeable future, such as the address of a close friend or family member with whom you will be staying upon arrival in Canada. IRCC recommends using an address that you will have access to for at least 30 days, however we would recommend longer, since processing times for PR cards are constantly changing, but are usually closer to 6 to 8 weeks.
So, how do you notify IRCC of your Canadian address? You should use IRCC’s online address notification tool which will update your address held on file by IRCC within 5 business. When using the online tool, you will need to have a at least one official letter or document issued to you by IRCC, or a copy of your PR application or official IRCC receipts. These documents will contain the required identification information for you to provide in order to update your address in the online tool.
Once you have updated your address, you will just need to wait for your PR card to arrive. If you still haven’t received your PR card once normal processing times have been exceeded, you should notify IRCC by submitting a Solemn declaration concerning a lost, stolen, destroyed or never received permanent resident card (PR card). Once you receive your PR card, we recommend you make a note of the expiry date and diarize to renew it between 9 to 6 months before its expiry.
To discuss any questions or issues you have with regard to your PR card, feel free to book a consultation with one of our lawyers and we will be happy to assist.