Applying for a travel document (permanent resident abroad) (IMM 5529)

Table of Contents

This is not a legal document. For legal information, refer to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations or the Citizenship Act and Regulations, as applicable.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

Overview

This application is for permanent residents who are outside Canada and who do not have a valid permanent resident card to return to Canada. Travel documents are issued to permanent residents abroad to provide proof to a transportation company that the holder is entitled to re-enter Canada as a permanent resident.

Note to holders of a:

  • Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
  • Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
  • Returning Resident Permit

These documents are not valid for travel back to Canada. You require a permanent resident card or a travel document to re-enter Canada by train, plane, boat or bus.

Who should not apply for a travel document?

  • Canadian citizens or registered Indians under the Indian Act
  • Permanent residents with a valid permanent resident card
  • Permanent residents in Canada

Note: Permanent residents inside Canada should apply for a permanent resident card using the application kit Applying for a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5445).

Application requirements

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To obtain a travel document you will need to prove your identity and your permanent resident status. You also need to meet the residency obligation of a permanent resident. Refer to the Document Checklist (IMM 5627) (PDF, 121 KB) for more information on the documents you will need to submit with your application.

Residency obligation

Calculating days present in Canada

To meet the residency obligation, you must have been physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within the past five years. If this is not the case, you may also count the days you spent outside of Canada in the following circumstances:

A. Accompanying a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident outside Canada

Accompanying a Canadian citizen

Each day that you are accompanying a Canadian citizen outside Canada is considered a day for which you satisfy the residency obligation provided that the person you are accompanying is your spouse, common-law partner or parent (if you are a child under 22 years of age).

The total number of days that you spend accompanying a Canadian citizen may be added to the total number of days for which you otherwise satisfy the residency obligation.

Accompanying a permanent resident

Each day that you are accompanying a permanent resident outside Canada is considered a day for which you satisfy the residency obligations provided that:

  • the person you are accompanying is your spouse, common-law partner or parent (if you are a child under 22 years of age); and
  • the person you are accompanying is in compliance with their own residency obligation.

The total number of days that you spend accompanying a permanent resident may be added to the total number of days for which you otherwise satisfy the residency obligations.

Evidence that you are accompanying a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

You must provide supporting documents to prove that:

  • the person you are accompanying is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
  • you are the spouse, common-law partner or child of that person; and
  • if applicable, the permanent resident you are accompanying meets his or her own residency obligation.

Refer to the Document Checklist (IMM 5627) (PDF, 121 KB) for a list of suggested supporting documents.

B. Employment outside Canada

Acceptable employment

Each day that you are working outside Canada is considered a day for which you satisfy the residency obligation provided that your employment meets the following criteria. You are an employee of, or under contract to, a Canadian business or the public service of Canada or of a province, and are assigned on a full-time basis to:

  • a position outside Canada;
  • an affiliated enterprise outside Canada; or
  • a client of the Canadian business or the public service outside Canada.

Canadian business

For the purposes of this application, a Canadian business is defined as:

  • a corporation that is incorporated under the laws of Canada or of a province and that has an ongoing operation in Canada; or
  • an enterprise that has an ongoing operation in Canada and is capable of generating revenue and is carried out in anticipation of profit, and in which a majority of voting or ownership interests is held by Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or Canadian businesses as defined above; or
  • an organization or enterprise created by the laws of Canada or a province.

Evidence of acceptable employment

You must provide supporting documents indicating that your employment outside of Canada meets the requirements of the residency obligation. Refer to the Document Checklist (IMM 5627) (PDF, 121 KB) for a list of supporting documents.

C. Humanitarian and compassionate grounds

If you or a family member is unable to meet the residency obligation, it may still be possible to retain your status as a permanent resident of Canada. You will need to present evidence that, due to circumstances beyond your control or due to factors that have kept you living outside Canada, you wish to have humanitarian and compassionate grounds considered in the assessment of your application for a travel document.

Factors that might justify such a consideration would be those resulting hardships you would face if you lost your permanent resident status, and that would be unusual and undeserved, or disproportionate. You must provide proof:

  • that there are compelling humanitarian and compassionate factors in your individual circumstances that merit the retention of your permanent resident status;
  • describing why you were not able to comply with the residency obligation; and
  • that the extent of any hardship that the loss of residency status may cause to one or more family members who would be directly affected by this decision, taking into account the best interests of a child directly affected by the determination.

To have your application considered on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, you must complete question 18 of the application form. There are no guidelines on what supporting documents you should submit for consideration on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. You are free to make submissions on any aspect of your personal circumstances that you feel would warrant retention of your permanent residence.

An officer will weigh the factors of your unique case against the extent to which you did not comply with your residency obligation and make a decision based on the evidence in your file.

Completing the forms

Each applicant in your family, regardless of age, must fill out a separate application form. Make sure you make enough photocopies before you start filling it out.

The following section does not contain instructions for all the questions on the form. Most questions are clear; instructions are provided only when necessary. You must answer all questions. If you leave any sections blank, your application will be returned to you and processing will be delayed. If any sections do not apply to you, complete the section by answering “N/A” or “Not Applicable”. If you need more space, attach a separate sheet of paper and indicate the number of the question you are answering. Print clearly with a black pen.

Warning: It is a serious offence to provide false or misleading information on these forms. We may check to verify your responses.

Application for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) (IMM 5524)

Preferred language

Decide which of English or French you are more comfortable with, and check the appropriate box.

1. Print your full family name, first name(s) and middle name(s) as they appear on your Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688). Do not use initials.

Other names: Print all of the names that have been associated with you (for example, maiden name, son/daughter of, other family name, other given name, nicknames, etc.).

5. If you are a citizen of more than one country, give details on a separate page.

8. Indicate the date, city and province where you became a permanent resident of Canada

12c. This is the address we will use to mail correspondence regarding your application. Print your address in English or French and, if required, in the applicable script.

13. If you answered “Yes” to any of the questions, provide details such as dates, document numbers, and other information as applicable.

16 and 17.

For information on acceptable proof of status and employment, refer to the Document Checklist (IMM 5627) (PDF, 121 KB).

18. For more information, consult Section C. Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds.

Declaration

Read over your answers carefully. Sign and date on the lines provided. By signing, you certify that you fully understand the questions asked, and that the information you have provided is complete, truthful, and correct. If you do not sign, the application will be returned to you.

Applicants who are less than 14 years of age:

The application must be signed by one of the applicant’s parents or legal guardian(s).

Applicants who are 14 years of age or more but less than 18 years of age:

The application must be signed by the applicant and one of the applicant’s parents or legal guardian.

Use of a Representative (IMM 5476)

Complete this form if you:

  • used the services of a representative to help you prepare or submit your application; or
  • are appointing a representative; or
  • are cancelling a representative’s appointment.

If you have dependent children aged 18 years or older, they are required to complete their own copy of this form if a representative is also conducting business on their behalf.

A representative is someone who has provided advice, consultation, or guidance to you at any stage of the immigration application process, or in an immigration proceeding. If someone represented or advised you to help you submit your application, then that person is your representative.

A representative is also someone who has your permission to conduct business on your behalf with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

When you appoint a representative, you also authorize CIC and CBSA to share information from your case file to this person.

You are not obliged to hire a representative for immigration matters. We treat everyone equally, whether they use the services of a representative or not. If you choose to hire a representative, your application will not be given special attention nor can you expect faster processing or a more favourable outcome.

CIC and CBSA will only conduct business with your representative on immigration matters related to the application you submit with this form. You can appoint only one representative for each application you submit.

There are two types of representatives:

Family, friends, and non-profit groups often help applicants who feel the need for support and advice on immigration matters. You can appoint a representative who does not charge fees or receive any other compensation for providing immigration advice or services to represent you before CIC or the CBSA.

Uncompensated representatives include:

  • friends and family members who do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration for their advice and services;
  • organizations that do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration for providing immigration advice or assistance (such as a non-governmental or religious organization);
  • consultants, lawyers, paralegals, Québec notaries, and students-at-law under their supervision, who do not, and will not, charge a fee or receive any other consideration to represent you.

Compensated representatives

Compensated representatives charge a fee or receive some other form of consideration in exchange for the advice and representation that they provide. If you want us to conduct business with a compensated representative then they must be authorized by CIC.

It is important to know that anyone who represents or advises you for payment — or offers to do so — in connection with immigration proceedings or applications is breaking the law unless they are an authorized representative or they have a specific agreement or arrangement with the Government of Canada that allows them to represent or advise you. This applies to advice or consultation which happens before or after an immigration application is made or a proceeding begins.

Authorized representatives are:

  • immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC);
  • lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society and students-at-law under their supervision;
  • notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and students-at-law under their supervision.

If you appoint a paid representative who is not a member of one of these designated bodies, your application will be returned. For more information on using a representative, visit our Web site.

Section B

5. Your representative’s full name

If your representative is a member of the ICCRC, a law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, print his or her name as it appears on the organization’s membership list.

8. Your representative’s declaration

Your representative must sign to accept responsibility for conducting business on your behalf.

Section D

10. Your declaration

By signing, you authorize us to complete your request for yourself and your dependent children under 18 years of age. If your spouse or common-law partner is included in this request, he or she must sign in the box provided.

Release of information to other individuals

To authorize CIC to release information from your case file to someone other than a representative, you will need to complete the form Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475) which is available on our Web site and from Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.

The person you designate will be able to obtain information on your case file, such as the status of your application. However, he or she will not be able to conduct business on your behalf with CIC.

You must notify us if your representative’s contact information changes or if you cancel the appointment of a representative.

Fees

You must pay a processing fee when you submit your application. The processing fee is CAD $50.00, or the equivalent in any of the currencies accepted at the visa office where you submit your application.

Once initial processing of your application has begun, the processing fee will not be refunded. If your application is refused, the processing fee will not be refunded.

Submitting your application

Place all of the documents and your completed Application for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) (IMM 5524) in a sealed envelope. Submit your completed application to the Canadian visa office responsible for the country where you are currently located.

To find out which visa office will serve you, consult the List of Countries and Corresponding Canadian Visa Offices or contact a Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission.

What happens next

An officer at the visa office will assess whether you meet the requirements for a travel document. If you need to provide additional documents, the visa office will contact you requesting the missing information.

If your application is complete and you meet the requirements, you will be issued a travel document counterfoil in your passport, normally issued for a single entry to Canada. The travel document is the only document that you will need from the visa office to meet the requirements for re-entry to Canada.

Once in Canada, you should apply for a permanent resident card. Unlike the travel document, the permanent resident card allows you to enter Canada multiple times without having to apply for a travel document each time. The application kit Applying for a Permanent Resident Card (IMM 5445) is available on our website.