Operational Bulletin 491 (Modified) - June 30, 2014

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

This document has expired. For current information, please refer to Permanent resident (PR) card and PR status

Mailing Permanent Resident Cards to Representatives

Modified: June 30, 2014

Summary

This Operational Bulletin (OB) summarizes and clarifies the procedures for Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) distribution by the Case Processing Centre in Sydney (CPC-S), Nova Scotia, when an applicant has indicated the address of a third party representative as their residential and/or mailing address.

Background

Since May 2012, as part of a pilot project, the majority of Phase II (replacement or renewal) PR Cards are mailed directly to permanent residents (PRs). Previously, all Phase II PRs were required to appear in person at Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices in Canada to collect their PR Cards. By mailing PR Cards to immigration representatives, it opened the possibility that these cards may then be forwarded to the PR overseas, circumventing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its Regulations.

For PR Cards issued to new immigrants upon entry to Canada (Phase I cards), it may be appropriate for clients to provide the address of a third party (friend, relative, service provider or a paid representative) in Canada in order to facilitate processing and issuance of the card following their arrival in Canada, as new immigrants may not have a permanent address.

Instructions

Phase I cards

CPC-S will continue to mail the PR Cards to the Canadian address provided by the new PR upon arrival, according to the process currently in place. However, where there are clear indications that the initial entry into Canada was only of short duration and the client provided a third party address for the purpose of forwarding their initial PR Card outside of Canada, these cases should be flagged with a note indicating that the client is outside Canada, and if relevant, the fact that the photo retake was done outside Canada and submitted to produce the first PR Card along with the date this information is recorded.

Phase II cards

When applications indicate the mailing address of a third party, with a Use of Representative (IMM 5476) form on file, CPC-S will update the Global Case Management System (GCMS) with only the residential address of the applicant. The mailing address of the third party will be recorded in GCMS as the third party address “Authorized to disclose”. The PR Card will be mailed to the client at the residential address provided.

If the application received indicates both the residential and mailing address of a third party with an IMM 5476 form on file, a letter (Appendix A) will be addressed to the applicant and sent to the mailing address of the third party provided on the application. The letter will inform the applicant that CIC does not mail PR Cards to third party addresses, and that the PR Card will be mailed to the residential address once it has been provided by the client. As PR Cards are not mailed to P.O. boxes, clients who indicate a P.O. box instead of a mailing address will have to provide justification as to the reason they do not have an acceptable mailing address.

When applications indicate the address of a known or suspected third party and there is no IMM 5476 form on file, the file will be handled in accordance with CIC’s standard procedures on unauthorized and concealed representatives, as set out in IP 9, section 7.2.

The same would apply in situations where applications appear to have the applicant’s home and mailing address but the return address on the envelope is that of an immigration consulting company or lawyer’s office.

The website, application form and guide have been updated to inform clients that PR Cards will only be mailed in Canada and will not be mailed to a third party’s address.


Appendix A

CASE PROCESSING CENTRE
P.O. BOX 9000
SYDNEY, NS B1P 6K7

[Date]

"[Client Name]"
"[Client ID]"
[Street Address]
[City, Prov. Postal Code]

Your application indicates your representative’s address as your home and mailing address. As per subparagraph 56(2)(a)(iv) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, we require that applicants provide their personal mailing address, as Permanent Resident Cards are not mailed to third parties.

Please provide your mailing address and the information requested by “dd, mm, yyyy” to enable us to issue your Permanent Resident Card. If the information requested is not provided by the date indicated, we will consider your application as abandoned and you will have to submit a new application, including processing fees.

Once you have provided this information we will continue with the processing of your application.

Should you require further assistance, please visit our website.

Officer
Case Processing Centre
Sydney, Nova Scotia

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