What to Do If Your Permanent Resident Card Expires While in China?

    There is no need to panic if your Canadian Permanent Resident Card has expired while you are in China. Article 59 of the Canadian Immigration Act states that even if the Permanent Resident Card has expired, the cardholder still retains their status as a permanent resident of Canada and will not lose their status simply because the card has expired. Furthermore, even after the card has expired, you can still apply for a new card.

    According to the regulations of the Canadian Immigration Department, if you wish to return to Canada while your Permanent Resident Card has expired, you have two options:

    1. If you are returning to Canada by commercial transportation (such as bus, plane, train, or boat), you must apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) at a visa application center outside of Canada.

    2. However, if you are entering Canada by private vehicle, you can use your landing paper (IMM 1000) or Permanent Resident Confirmation Document (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) as a substitute for the Permanent Resident Card to enter the country.

    Recommendation:

    If you meet the residency requirements, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to return to Canada after your Permanent Resident Card has expired. If you have not resided in Canada for at least 2 years in the past 5 years, it is advisable to choose the second option mentioned above for entry, as explained below.

    Permanent residents in Canada may lose their status under two circumstances:

    1. The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) adjudicator determines after a hearing that the permanent resident has lost their status;

    2. An immigration officer finds that the applicant for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) no longer meets the qualifications for permanent residency, resulting in a refusal of the application. If the refusal is not appealed, the permanent resident status will be revoked, so applying for a "Permanent Resident Travel Document" to return to Canada carries certain risks.

    The above information is about what to do if your Canadian Permanent Resident Card has expired while you are in China. We hope it helps! If you have any questions during the process of applying to retain your Canadian Permanent Resident Card, please feel free to ask us, and we will respond to you as soon as possible.