Permanent Resident Card
From Immipedia
Contents |
Introduction
In 2002, the Government of Canada passed the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as its new immigration law. The new Act included the creation of the Canadian “Permanent Resident Card (also known as PR Card). This card replaced the old document known as “Record of Landing”. The new card is a wallet-sized with security features that are difficult to forge.
The Permanent Resident (PR) Card is a proof of status document for permanent residents. For example, the card can be presented at provincial offices to sign up for government programs such as healthcare. Once the Permanent Residence process has been completed with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Permanent Residents are mailed a wallet sized plastic card as proof of their status in Canada.
PR Cards are required travel documents for Permanent Residents traveling outside of Canada. Outside Canada, if a Permanent Resident does not have a valid Permanent Resident Card to return to Canada, he/she will need to obtain a travel document from a Canadian visa office.
Please Note: The PR Card is not a valid travel document. It cannot be used to enter another country. It can be used as a valid identity document to foreign authorities but it will not allow entry to a country. The Permanent Resident Card is useful only for re-entering Canada and as Government identification within Canada.
Tracking a PR card application can be done via the CIC call centre.
History
The Canadian Permanent Resident Card became the legal proof of status document required for Canadian Permanents Residents to re-enter Canada on any commercial carrier (i.e. airplanes, boats, trains or buses) on December 31, 2003. The PR Card was created as a replacement for the IMM 1000 Record of Landing Document previously issued to new permanent residents of Canada upon arrival. The Canadian Permanent Resident card was introduced in an effort to increase Canadian border security. The card has many added security features and is designed to provide Permanent Residents of Canada with a more secure, convenient means of proving their status.
The PR Card is designed to protect the privacy of the cardholder as well as being more difficult to tamper and duplicate illegally. Security features include:
- Only non-secure personal information is printed on the card. Personal information that was previously included on the IMM 1000 Record of Landing document, or the Confirmation of Permanent Residence document, is encoded on the card and available only to authorized officials.
- The photograph and signature of the PR Card’s holder is laser engraved in the card.
- Security features aimed at preventing duplication and tampering include ultra-violet images, tactile lettering and micro-text printing.
Eligibility
- be a permanent resident of Canada
- be physically present in Canada
- not be under an effective removal order
- not be a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian under the Indian Act.
