Prepare Your Permanent Resident Card

Applying for Your Canada PR Card

Your Permanent Resident Card is one of your most important documents. It is your proof that you hold status as a permanent resident, and is essential if you plan to take any trips outside of Canada. Each time you re-enter Canada after a trip outside the country, you must present your valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card.

The Permanent Resident Card expires every five years. Check the expiry date and apply for a new one well before you plan to travel.

Who Can Apply for a Canadian PR Card?

Applying for a Permanent Resident Card is not the same as applying for permanent resident status. Only individuals who have already been granted permanent resident status are eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Card.

Typical applicants include individuals seeking to replace their expired Permanent Resident Card and individuals seeking to replace a lost or stolen card. In addition, certain individuals who were granted permanent resident status prior to June 28, 2002 never received a Permanent Resident Card, and may apply for a new card using this application.

Under normal circumstances, permanent residents who obtained status after June 28, 2002 received a Permanent Resident Card as part of the application process. However, applicants who did not receive a card due to CIC error may also be eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Card on this form.

What Are the Steps in the Canada PR Process?

1. Complete your application quickly and accurately, with our easy-to-use Form Navigator^TM technology.
2. Pay the government filing fee online.
3. Gather your supporting documents and submit them with your application to CIC.
4. Upon approval of your application, report to the local CIC office to collect your card.