Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) for Canadian PR

What is a PRTD for Canada

PRTD stands for permanent resident travel document. It is issued to Canadian permanent residents when they are outside of Canada and do not have a valid PR card.

When is a PRTD required

Canadian permanent residents are issued PR card by government of Canada. When boarding a flight for Canada they present PR card to airline staff in order to prove their immigration status. If Canadian PR is outside of Canada and does not have PR card with him or the one he has is expired, then the airline staff will not allow him to board the flight for Canada. In such a situation PRTD will be required for travelling back to Canada.

PRTD is required for the purpose of travel back to Canada in the case of non-availability of a valid PR card.

Eligibility for PRTD

To be eligible for PRTD one must fulfill certain conditions. These are

Permanent Resident of Canada

PRTD is only issued to people who have Canadian permanent resident status. If someone has yet not obtained this status or has already lost the PR status, then he is not eligible to apply for PRTD. If a former Canadian PR has gone on to become a Canadian citizen then he or she cannot apply for PRTD.

PRTD cannot be issued for those who have yet not activated their PR status in Canada, even if they have already got their Confirmation of PR (COPR).

No Valid PR Card

PRTD is issued if the Canadian permanent resident does not have a valid PR card available with him at that time. This could be that he travelled outside Canada and while being away his PR card got lost or stolen.

There could be a situation where the PR travelled outside Canada and while being away the PR card got expired. Or at the time that the PR travelled out of Canada the PR card that they had was expired.

If you are a new PR who recently did the first landing and then returned back to your current country of residence before your PR card was delivered to you, you will not have a PR card for you to travel back to Canada.

Outside of Canada

PRTD can only be applied, and is only issued if you are outside of Canada. The whole purpose of PRTD is that it will act as an alternative to PR card when the Canadian permanent resident is outside of Canada and wishes to return back. You cannot apply for PRTD if you are currently based inside Canada.

Intend to Return to Canada

PRTD is issued when the PR wants to travel back to Canada. If you are not planning to travel back to Canada then you don’t need PRTD.

If you wish to return back to Canada through a land border then you don’t need PRTD. You can use your landing paper/COPR to prove your PR status and enter back.

How to apply for PRTD

To apply for permanent resident travel document (PRTD) you can follow the below mentioned process if your are applying on your own.

Gather Required Documents

If you are looking at applying for PRTD you will need to check for the documents you need based on your country of residence, or the country from where you wish the PRTD to be issued. The online checklist for PRTD application can be found on the IRCC website. In general you need the following

• PRTD application form (IMM 5444)
• Documents showing proof of residency in Canada (CRA documents, lease agreements, pay stubs, etc)
• PRTD application fee
• Copy of PR holders current passport
• Copies of pages of any passport(s) used in last five years other than the current passport

For some countries the applicant may need to provide entry exit stamps so also check the country specific requirements for PRTD application.

If you are applying through a Canadian licensed immigration consultant you will be given the list of documents by him. See the video below by Hassan Shariq of Shariq Immigration about details on Canadian PRTD.

Complete the Online Application

For those applying on their own you will need to create an online account on the IRCC PR application portal. Once signed in, you will need to start an application for PRTD. Keep in mind the same portal is used to submit PR card application so make sure you pick the right application, which is PRTD application.

In the online application portal the applicant is required to fill some details manually and then upload filled in forms. In the same portal you will be required to upload the supporting documents.

The fee for PRTD application needs to be paid before the application can be submitted so at this stage it will be uploaded in the online portal.

If you are using the services of an an authorized representative( such as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) for your PRTD application, then the online application will be done by him through his representative portal.

Submit the Application

Once all the documents have been uploaded it is time to sign the application electronically and submit it for processing.

Where Can PRTD for Canada be applied

PRTD can only be applied while the applicant is outside of Canada. Previously PRTD applications were submitted through the Canadian Visa Application Center(CVAC) outside of Canada. Now the application for PRTD has to be made online. Once the processing is completed the applicant will be asked to send his passport to the local CVAC for stamping, of that is required.

Common Question about PRTD