- 1Count your days730 days in the last 5 years
- 2Apply from abroadPermanent Residence Portal, $50
- 3Officer assessmentResidency and status checked
- 4Document in passportUsually one entry
- 5Or appeal refusal60 days to the IAD
Overview
Under section 31(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), a person outside Canada who does not present a status document showing permanent resident status is presumed not to be a permanent resident, unless an officer decides otherwise. Airlines and other commercial carriers therefore ask for a valid PR card or a PRTD before you board. The PRTD is a temporary document, placed in your passport as a counterfoil, that proves your status for the trip back.
Section 31(3) of IRPA says an officer must issue a travel document after an examination if you comply with the residency obligation, if an officer finds humanitarian and compassionate grounds to keep your status, or if you were in Canada at least once in the last 365 days and an appeal on your residency is pending or still possible.
- In Canada in the 5 years before you apply
- 730 days
- Fee per person
- $50
- To appeal a refusal to the IAD
- 60 days
- Travel window for an urgent request
- 5 days
The one thing most people get wrong
A PRTD application is a full assessment of your residency obligation, not a travel formality. If you are short of 730 days, a refusal is a decision that you failed the obligation, and if you do not appeal within 60 days you lose permanent resident status. Count your days and prepare your evidence before you apply.
You cannot apply for a PR card from outside Canada, and IRCC does not mail cards abroad. The Record of Landing (IMM 1000) and the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) are not valid travel documents. IRCC does not post processing times for PRTDs. It says it processes them on a priority basis and that times vary depending on the country you apply from.
Who it fits
A good fit if
- You are a permanent resident outside Canada and returning on a plane, boat, train or bus.
- Your PR card expired, was lost, stolen or damaged, or you left before it arrived.
- You have 730 qualifying days in the last 5 years, or can still reach 730 in your first 5 years.
- You are short of 730 days but have strong humanitarian and compassionate reasons, such as illness, caring for a family member or a child's best interests.
Look elsewhere if
- You are in Canada. Apply for a PR card instead. PR card renewal
- You still have a valid PR card with you.
- You no longer want permanent resident status. IRCC says to apply to renounce it, then apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa. Visiting Canada
- You have already lost status, for example through a final decision or a removal order.
- You are a Canadian citizen. Use a Canadian passport. Citizenship
Eligibility
IRCC's instruction guide (IMM 5529) lists these requirements. Each family member who needs a PRTD must submit a separate, complete application showing that they meet them.
- You are a permanent resident outside CanadaYou must apply from abroad.
- You confirm your status and identityWith your current passport and your permanent residence documents
- You do not have a valid PR card with youExpired, lost, stolen, damaged or never received
- You meet the residency obligationOr you ask for humanitarian and compassionate consideration of a shortfall
- You have not lost your statusFor example, you are not under a removal order in force
- You are not a citizen and do not want to renounceCitizens and people renouncing status should not apply.
How the residency obligation is assessed
Section 28 of IRPA counts a day toward the 730 if, on that day, you were in one of the situations below. If you have been a permanent resident for 5 years or more, the officer looks at the 5 years immediately before you apply. If less than 5 years, you must show that you can still reach 730 days within 5 years of becoming a permanent resident.
| Key condition | Main proof | |
|---|---|---|
| In Canada | Physically present | Copies of all passport pages from the last 5 years and 2 pieces of residency evidence |
| With a Canadian citizen | Spouse, common-law partner or parent (if you are a child under 22) you ordinarily live with | Their citizenship, passports for 5 years, addresses for 5 years, and proof of the relationship |
| Working abroad for a Canadian business or public service | Assigned full time outside Canada as a term of the job or contract | Employer letter on the business, the assignment and your return to work in Canada |
| With a permanent resident who works abroad for a Canadian business | Spouse, partner or parent who is employed that way and meets their own obligation | Proof of their status, employment and residency, and of the relationship |
For the 2 pieces of residency evidence, IRCC gives examples such as employment records or pay stubs, bank statements, Canada Revenue Agency notices of assessment, records of government benefits and rental agreements. If you apply from China with a Chinese passport, you must also include an Inquiry of Exit and Entry Record covering 5 years, translated into English or French.
Free toolPR residency obligation calculatorCount your days for the 5 years before the date you plan to apply, including qualifying days abroad.OpenHumanitarian and compassionate considerations
Under section 28(2)(c) of IRPA, a finding that humanitarian and compassionate considerations justify keeping your status overcomes any breach of the residency obligation before that finding. The officer must take into account the best interests of a child directly affected.
- Answer question 5.7 of the applicationThis is where you ask for humanitarian and compassionate consideration.
- Explain why you could not meet the obligationIRCC looks for exceptional circumstances or factors beyond your control that kept you outside Canada.
- Describe the hardship of losing statusFor you, for family members directly affected and for any child directly affected
- Prove every point with documentsIRCC sets no fixed list. The officer decides on what you submit.
Factors that often matter include how far short you are, why you left and stayed away, whether you tried to return as soon as you could, your ties to Canada such as family, property or work, and the effect on children. Put your full case in the application; an officer usually decides without an interview.
Step by step
- 1
Gather your documents
Use the document checklist (IMM 5644). Include a copy of your valid passport, copies of all pages of every passport you used in the last 5 years, 2 pieces of residency evidence, and the proof for any qualifying days abroad or humanitarian factors. Send copies, not originals.
- 2
Fill out the form in the Permanent Residence Portal
Complete the application (IMM 5444) online. Paper is possible only if you need an accommodation, or through a visa application centre that accepts paper applications.
- 3
Pay the $50 fee and include the receipt
IRCC does not refund the fee once processing starts or if the application is refused.
- 4
IRCC assesses your file
It checks that the application is complete, that you are still a permanent resident and that you meet the residency obligation. An incomplete application is returned. IRCC may ask for more documents through its web form or call you to an interview.
- 5
Send your passport if approved
IRCC emails instructions on where to send your passport. The PRTD counterfoil is placed in it and the passport is returned to you.
- 6
Return and apply for a PR card
A PRTD is normally valid for one entry. Apply for a new PR card as soon as you are back in Canada.
Single or multiple entry: IRCC's PRTD page lists a PRTD as valid for a single (one-time) entry and says it is normally only valid for one entry. Guide 5529 adds that a PRTD can be issued for a single entry or multiple entries. If you meet the residency obligation and want a multiple entry PRTD, you may include a cover letter explaining your circumstances, and the officer considers it. A multiple entry PRTD cannot be valid beyond your passport's expiry date.
Urgent requests
You can ask for urgent processing if your flight to Canada leaves within the next 5 days. IRCC's urgent processing page lists these reasons: a job opportunity, work related to your current job, your own serious illness, the serious illness or death of a family member, the loss or theft of your PR card while you were temporarily outside Canada, a crisis, emergency or vulnerable situation, or another reason an officer accepts as legitimate. Check "Yes, my request is urgent" in the portal and include proof of travel, a letter explaining the urgency and proof such as a doctor's note. IRCC says it cannot promise the document on time.
If your PRTD is refused: the IAD appeal
A refusal letter explains the reasons and your appeal rights. Under section 63(4) of IRPA, a permanent resident can appeal a residency obligation decision made outside Canada to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). IRCC states that you keep your status while the appeal is decided, but you cannot apply for another travel document while you wait. If you do not appeal, you lose status when the 60-day appeal period ends.
Within 60 days
File your notice of appeal
The IAD must receive the residency obligation notice of appeal and a copy of the decision letter within 60 days after you receive the decision.
60 days
The Minister sends the appeal record
The record is IRCC's file on your application, including the reasons for refusal.
60 days after the record
Your disclosure is due
Send the documents you will rely on, or tell the IAD in writing that you will not send any. Missing this can lead to the appeal being dismissed or declared abandoned.
Before the hearing
Early resolution
An Early Resolution Officer may contact you, and some appeals go to an alternative dispute resolution conference instead of a hearing.
Hearing and decision
The IAD decides
A reserved decision usually takes no more than 60 days. If you win, IRCC issues a travel document. If you lose, you lose permanent resident status.
What the IAD can do: under section 67 of IRPA it can allow the appeal if the decision was wrong in law or fact, if natural justice was not respected, or if humanitarian and compassionate considerations, including the best interests of a child, justify special relief. It weighs the circumstances at the time it decides the appeal, so new evidence can matter.
Getting back to Canada during the appeal: section 31(3)(c) of IRPA requires an officer to issue a travel document if you were in Canada at least once in the 365 days before the examination and your appeal is pending or the appeal period has not ended. The IAD can also order you to appear at the hearing in person, and an officer then issues a travel document for that purpose (IRPA s. 175(2)).
After the IAD, the only option is judicial review in the Federal Court, which the IRB says should be sought within 15 days of being notified of the decision. Under the Federal Courts Rules you act for yourself or are represented by a lawyer; licensed immigration consultants cannot represent you there.
The alternative: returning by private vehicle
The PRTD is needed for commercial carriers. IRCC says that if you travel in a private vehicle, such as a car, truck, motorcycle or recreational vehicle that you own, borrow or rent, you can use your PR card, a PRTD or other documents to return, and that without a PR card or a PRTD you can travel to Canada only by land in a private vehicle. Under section 27(1) of IRPA, a permanent resident has the right to enter and remain in Canada, subject to the Act, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) states that permanent residents enter Canada by right.
| PRTD, then a commercial carrier | Private vehicle at a land borderNo PRTD needed | |
|---|---|---|
| Who examines your residency | An IRCC officer abroad, before you travel | A CBSA officer when you arrive |
| If the officer finds a shortfall | Refusal, appealable to the IAD within 60 days | A possible inadmissibility report and removal order, appealable to the IAD within 30 days |
| Status while you challenge it | You keep status until the appeal is decided | You keep status until the removal order comes into force |
| Cost | $50 fee | No IRCC fee |
The land border does not avoid the residency obligation. Failing it is a ground of inadmissibility (IRPA s. 41(b)), and an officer can write a report. When the report concerns only the residency obligation, the Minister's delegate can make a removal order without a hearing (IRPA s. 44(2)), which you can appeal under section 63(3). Bring your residency evidence with you. Before you travel, check the entry and transit rules of every country you will pass through on the way to the border: IRCC notes that you might need a visa to enter or transit through another country even with a valid PR card.
Costs and processing times
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Permanent resident travel document (per person) | $50 |
| PR card, once you are back in Canada | $50 |
The fee is not refunded once processing starts or if the application is refused. IRCC does not publish PRTD processing times; it says they vary by country and that you should not plan your trip until you have the document.
Common refusal reasons
| Reason | What it means | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 730 qualifying days | Time abroad for reasons outside the qualifying situations does not count. | IRPA s. 28(2)(a) |
| Weak humanitarian case | No explanation of why you stayed away, or no documents to back it up | IRPA s. 28(2)(c) |
| Employment abroad does not qualify | The work was not a full-time assignment by a Canadian business, or the business mainly served to keep your status. | IRPR s. 61(1) to (3) |
| Accompanying days not proven | No proof of the relationship, the other person's citizenship or status, or that you lived together | IRPR s. 61(4) and (5) |
| Incomplete passport history | Missing or unclear copies of passport pages for the 5-year period. IRCC returns an application with missing documents or unclear copies. | IRCC Guide 5529 |
| Status already lost | A removal order in force or a final decision means there is no status to document. | IRPA s. 46 |
After approval
Travel before the PRTD expires and keep it with your passport. When you arrive, a border officer still examines you. Once in Canada, apply for a new PR card right away through the Permanent Residence Portal, and keep a travel journal so your next application can list every trip.
Frequently asked questions
It is a temporary document placed in your passport that proves your permanent resident status to an airline or other commercial carrier. You need it if you are outside Canada without a valid PR card and returning by plane, boat, train or bus. It is usually valid for one entry.
Yes, by private vehicle at a land border. IRCC says you can then use other documents, and the CBSA states that permanent residents enter Canada by right. A border officer can still examine your residency and write a report if you are short of 730 days.
You need 730 days in the 5 years before you apply, or, if you have been a permanent resident for less than 5 years, you must still be able to reach 730 days. Some days abroad count, such as days living with a Canadian citizen spouse or working full time abroad for a Canadian business. A shortfall can be overcome on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
You can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. It must receive your notice of appeal and the decision letter within 60 days after you receive the decision. You keep your status while the appeal is decided, but if you do not appeal, you lose status when the 60 days end.
IRCC does not publish PRTD processing times. It says all PRTD applications are processed on a priority basis and that times vary by country. Urgent processing is possible if you must travel within 5 days for a reason such as serious illness or a death in the family.
Guide 5529 says a PRTD can be issued for a single or multiple entries. If you meet the residency obligation, you may include a cover letter asking for multiple entries and explaining why. It cannot be valid beyond your passport's expiry date.
IRCC says you may want to renounce if you no longer meet the residency obligation, do not plan to live in Canada, or plan to visit and want to avoid the delays of a formal assessment of your status when you arrive. After renouncing, you apply for an eTA or a visitor visa. Renouncing is voluntary, and you lose permanent resident status when IRCC approves it.
Yes. The government fee is $50 per person, paid online when you apply. It is not refunded once processing starts or if the application is refused.
Related programs
Official sources
We checked this page against these official sources on the review date above. Rules change often, so confirm with the official source before you apply.
- IRCC: Apply for a permanent resident travel document
- IRCC: Guide 5529, Applying for a Permanent Resident Travel Document
- IRCC: Apply urgently for a PR card or PR travel document
- IRCC: Travel to Canada, you may still be a permanent resident
- IRCC: Travelling outside Canada as a permanent resident
- IRCC: Understand permanent resident status
- Justice Laws: Federal Courts Rules, rule 119 (representation)
- CBSA: Travel documents, residents returning to Canada
- IRB: Make a residency obligation appeal, file your notice of appeal
- IRB: Residency obligation appeal, prepare your case
- IRB: Residency obligation appeal, prepare for an informal resolution
- IRB: Residency obligation appeal, receive the decision
- IRCC: Fee list
- Justice Laws: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (sections 27, 28, 31, 41, 44, 46, 63, 67, 175)
This page is general information, not legal advice. No immigration outcome can be guaranteed. For advice on your situation, book a consultation with a licensed consultant.
