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If you are a resident of Canada, but not a Canadian
citizen and you plan to be outside the country for frequent or extended
visits, you should apply for a returning resident permit. It will
help you when returning to Canada.
What is the
benefit of a returning resident permit?
Canadian residents who are not citizens may lose their permanent resident
(landed immigrant) status when they leave Canada to engage in activities
that indicate their intention to make a permanent home elsewhere.
An example of such an activity would be working in another country
for a foreign employer. Permanent residents who have been outside
Canada for six months or more (in law, 183 days) in any 12-month period
must prove to an immigration officer at a port of entry that they
have not given up residence in Canada. This is necessary whether the
absence has been a series of short trips or one long one.
When you return to Canada, even if you have a returning resident permit,
you will be interviewed by an examining officer at the port of entry.
The permit will help identify you as a permanent resident who travelled
abroad with the intention of maintaining permanent resident status
in Canada. Although any permanent resident may apply for a returning
resident permit, if you are travelling abroad on vacation, to visit
relatives, or for other short-term purposes, you generally will not
need one.
How do I get a permit?
You can obtain a returning resident permit by applying at any Citizenship
and Immigration Centre before you leave Canada. If you are already
abroad, you can apply at the nearest Canadian embassy, high commission
or consulate, where you will have to satisfy the visa officer that
you have not ceased to be a permanent resident of Canada. Permits
are valid for the period of time stated on the form, usually no longer
than 12 months. The period may, in certain cases, extend up to 24
months.
What happens if I come back
without a permit?
If you have been outside Canada for extended periods, and you arrive
at a port of entry without a returning resident permit, you must satisfy
immigration officers that your absence from Canada was temporary.
The examining officer will consider other documents as evidence that
the absence was temporary. Such documents include school certificates
for studies abroad, or medical certificates indicating extended treatment
or hospitalization outside Canada. It is preferable to produce original
documents, especially your record of landing.
What if I'm not allowed entry
into Canada?
If you cannot satisfy an immigration officer at a port of entry that
your absence from Canada was temporary, you may not be allowed back
into the country. Your case would then be reviewed according to guidelines
set out in Canada's Immigration Act. If, after this review, it is
determined that you are not a resident returning to Canada, you will
be required to leave. If you wish to regain permanent resident status,
you must apply at a Canadian immigration office outside Canada. Remember,
a returning resident permit is the best way to indicate that you do
not intend to abandon residence in Canada.
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Tel.:
604-617-1261 | Fax: 604-251-1386 | email: visa@cansine.com.cn