PR-card expiry is not the same as losing PR status.
A PR card is proof of permanent-resident status for travel and other purposes. Its expiry does not automatically cancel your PR status. However, if you travel outside Canada without a valid PR card, you can face problems returning by commercial transportation.
730-day residency obligation
To comply with the general permanent-resident residency obligation, you need at least 730 days of qualifying time in Canada during the applicable five-year period. The days do not need to be continuous.
Do not treat 730 days as “physical presence only” in every case.Some time outside Canada can count toward the residency obligation under specific rules.
- Physically present in Canada.
- Accompanying outside Canada a Canadian citizen who is your spouse, common-law partner or, in the case of a child, your parent.
- Working outside Canada full-time for a Canadian business or the federal, provincial or territorial public service.
- Accompanying a permanent-resident spouse, common-law partner or parent who is working full-time for a Canadian business or the federal, provincial or territorial public service.
- Other situations recognized by the applicable immigration regulations.
If the ordinary residency calculation appears not to be met, IMM 5444 provides a humanitarian-and-compassionate section. The existence of that section does not guarantee that an H&C explanation will be accepted.
When can you apply?
| Situation | Current IRCC guidance |
|---|---|
| PR card expires in less than 9 months | You can apply for renewal under the current eligibility guidance. |
| PR card still valid for more than 9 months | Do not apply for renewal unless the legal-name-change exception applies; the application may be returned. |
| Legal name changed | You can apply to update the PR card even when the normal expiry-based timing would not otherwise apply. |
| Outside Canada | You do not renew the PR card from abroad. Review the PRTD process if you need to return to Canada by commercial transportation. |
PR-card renewal — step by step
- Start in the Permanent Residence Portal. Current IRCC guidance directs PR-card applicants to begin the application in the portal.
- Complete IMM 5444. When applying online, use the digital version in the portal rather than filling out the downloadable PDF.
- Follow the personalized checklist. IRCC generates the required supporting-document list for the application.
- Provide identity and travel-history evidence. Follow the current checklist and instruction guide for the exact documents and copies required.
- Provide compliant photographs. Use the current PR-card photograph specifications and the upload or paper requirements applicable to your submission method.
- Pay the $50 CAD fee. Keep the official payment receipt.
- Submit and monitor the application. If IRCC returns the application because it is incomplete, correct the missing information and follow the portal instructions.
Renewal documents: practical checklist
- Complete the digital IMM 5444 in the Permanent Residence Portal when applying online, or use the paper version when an approved paper application route applies.
- Follow the personalized document checklist generated for your application. IMM 5644 is the current document checklist for the relevant PR-card application process.
- Provide the required identity document and travel-history documentation requested by the checklist.
- Provide a current copy or photograph of the existing PR card as required by the application type.
- Provide photographs meeting the current PR-card photo specifications and the online or paper submission requirements.
- Pay the current $50 CAD PR-card fee and retain the payment receipt.
Requirements can differ depending on whether you are renewing, replacing a lost/damaged card, updating information or applying for the first card after the initial automatic-card process.
PR-card photograph requirements
| Requirement | Current IRCC specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 50 mm × 70 mm |
| Face height | 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown |
| Background | Plain, untextured white background with clear contrast |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and looking directly at the camera |
| Photo age | Generally taken no more than 12 months before application |
Online and paper applications have different ways of supplying the photographs. Follow the current IRCC photo instructions and personalized checklist for your application.
If your PR card expires while you are outside Canada
You cannot apply for a PR card while outside Canada. If you do not have a valid PR card and need to return to Canada by commercial transportation, you generally need a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).
| PRTD item | Current guidance |
|---|---|
| Application | Use IMM 5444 for a PRTD through the Permanent Residence Portal; paper options exist when online filing is not possible and an approved paper route applies. |
| Fee | $50 CAD |
| Residency evidence | Provide the documents required by the PRTD checklist and instruction guide. Where relevant, evidence can establish compliance with the residency obligation or explain applicable circumstances. |
| Urgency | IRCC provides an urgent PRTD process for qualifying urgent situations, including certain return travel within the next 5 days. |
| Commercial travel | A valid PR card or PRTD is generally needed to board commercial transportation to Canada. |
Private vehicle exception: A permanent resident returning to Canada in a private vehicle can use other accepted documents to reach the Canadian border even without a valid PR card or PRTD.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should check the current IRCC rules before applying. IRCC currently says you should apply when your PR card expires in less than 9 months, or when you need to update a legally changed name. The current IMM 5444 instructions also warn against applying for a renewal while the existing card is still valid for more than 270 days unless the legal-name exception applies.
The general residency obligation is 730 days in Canada during the applicable five-year period, and some time outside Canada can count in specified circumstances. However, expiry of the PR card does not itself end PR status, and the PR-card application provides space for humanitarian and compassionate considerations if the ordinary residency-obligation calculation is not met. Immigration officers assess the facts; this page is not an individual residency-status determination.
The application form is IMM 5444, Application for a Permanent Resident Card or Permanent Resident Travel Document. When applying online, you complete the digital version inside the Permanent Residence Portal rather than filling out the downloadable PDF. The current process also uses a personalized document checklist.
The current PR-card fee is $50 CAD per person. The fee applies to a new PR card, renewal or replacement. The exact payment method and receipt requirements should be followed in the current IRCC application process.
You cannot renew a PR card while outside Canada because PR cards are mailed only to addresses in Canada. If you are outside Canada without a valid PR card and need to return by commercial transportation, you generally need a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD). A PRTD application is also made using IMM 5444, with the applicable supporting documents and a $50 fee. A permanent resident returning in a private vehicle can use other accepted documents to reach the Canadian border.
Current IRCC PR-card photo specifications call for photographs that are 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the face measuring 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown. Photos must meet IRCC quality, lighting, background and appearance requirements. The exact number and method of supplying the photo depend on whether you apply online or on paper.
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⚠️ Travelling without a valid PR card
A permanent resident generally needs a valid PR card or PRTD to board commercial transportation to Canada. If you are returning in a private vehicle, different document rules apply at the border.
2026 key figures
PR-card application fee$50 CAD
PRTD fee$50 CAD
General residency obligation730 days / 5 years
Early renewal threshold< 9 months
Urgent PR-card minimum timeframe3 weeks
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Check your residency history
Use the linked calculator as a planning aid, then compare the result with the current IRCC residency-obligation rules and your supporting documents.
Open Presence Calculator