Which route applies to you
| What happened | What to do | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Card lost or stolen, you are in Canada | Apply for a new PR card through the Permanent Residence Portal (form IMM 5444). Include a police report or incident number if you have one. | $50 |
| Card lost or stolen, you only want to report it | Submit a solemn declaration (form IMM 5451) to report the loss or theft | None stated |
| Card split, bent, worn or otherwise physically damaged | Destroy the card, take a photo of the destroyed card, and upload it with a new PR card application | $50 |
| Only the chip is damaged | Send the IRCC web form with clear photos of the front and back of the card, describe the damage, how it happened and how you usually store the card, and end the description with the keyword "PRCard-triage". IRCC may issue a free replacement with the same expiry date. | None if approved |
| Error on a card received within the last 60 days | Request a reissue on paper form IMM 5531 within 60 days of receiving the card, by mail | None |
| Card lost or stolen while you are outside Canada | Apply for a PRTD to return; urgent processing may be possible | $50 |
Eligibility for a replacement card
- Be in Canada with PR statusYou must be a permanent resident, be physically in Canada, and not have lost PR status. Cards are not mailed abroad.
- Same residency questionsA replacement uses the same PR card application as a renewal. It asks for 5 years of addresses and absences, and an officer may review your 730-day residency obligation.
- New card validityA new card is usually valid for 5 years, sometimes 1 year. The free chip-damage replacement keeps the same expiry date.
Preparing the application
- FormsForm IMM 5444 in the Permanent Residence Portal, with guide IMM 5445 and checklist IMM 5644. Paper is possible only if you cannot apply online and need an accommodation.
- Explain what happenedDescribe when, where and how the card was lost, stolen or damaged. Attach a police report or incident number for a theft, if you have one.
- Damaged cardDestroy it immediately and upload a photo of the destroyed card. Do not keep using a damaged card.
- Fee and photosPay the $50 fee online with IRCC, upload the receipt, and upload photos that meet IRCC specifications.
- Correction reissue (IMM 5531)For an IRCC error on a card received within 60 days, include a photo of the card with the error, a copy of your Confirmation of PR or Record of Landing (IMM 1000), and a copy of your passport identity page. If the photo is the problem, two new photos may be needed. Mail the request to the PR Card Processing Centre in Sydney, NS (regular mail) or the IRCC Digitization Centre in New Waterford, NS (courier), and write "Urgent – Request to Reissue PR Card" on the envelope. If more than 60 days have passed, apply for a new card through the portal and pay the fee. A shortened name is not an error: the card holds 28 letters or fewer for each of the first and last names.
Travel while you wait
Commercial carriers
To board a plane, train, bus or boat to Canada you need a valid PR card or a PRTD, plus your passport or refugee travel document.
Leaving soon
A PR card cannot be processed in less than 3 weeks. If you must travel sooner, you will need a PRTD from abroad to return by commercial carrier.
Card lost abroad
Loss or theft of the card while temporarily outside Canada is a recognized reason for urgent PRTD processing, once your return trip is within 5 days. After you return, if the card is still missing, apply for a replacement and explain in section 6 of the application what happened; if you do not want a new card, report the loss with solemn declaration IMM 5451.
Private vehicle
IRCC notes that a different rule applies at a land border when you arrive by private vehicle; your status can still be examined there.
Urgent replacement
- Qualifying reasonA job opportunity, work for your current job, your own serious illness, serious illness or death of a family member, or a crisis, emergency or vulnerable situation.
- TimingUrgent PR card processing applies only if you leave Canada in more than 3 weeks.
- ProofItinerary or ticket, trip receipt, a letter explaining the urgency, and supporting proof such as a doctor's note, death certificate or employer letter.
- No guaranteeIRCC cannot guarantee that the card will arrive in time. Do not finalize travel on an assumed date.
Official sources
- IRCC: Get, renew or replace a PR card
- IRCC: PR card eligibility
- IRCC: Guide 5445, applying for a PR card
- IRCC: Apply urgently for a PR card or PRTD
- IRCC: PR card renewal and replacement (program delivery instructions)
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.