Recently, I often get questions from old customers about renewal of Canadian maple leaf card. For example, some of them have expired because they forgot to renew their cards, and some are confused because they have not met immigration jail requirements. So, how should we correctly understand and meet the requirements of "immigration supervision" in order to successfully renew the maple leaf card? To this end, this article will explain in detail to you: What should be done after the maple leaf card expires? What is the renewal process?

How to renew Canadian maple leaf card

Regardless of the Canadian immigration program you choose, you can get a maple leaf card once you have obtained permanent residence qualification. This card is equivalent to the identity proof of immigrants, and its importance is obvious. However, it is worth noting that the maple leaf card is not permanently valid. Usually, it is valid for five years, sometimes even only one year. Therefore, after obtaining a maple leaf card, the first priority is to verify the validity period of the card. When the maple leaf card is about to expire, applicants face three options: renew and replace the new card, give up the maple leaf card, or apply directly to join Canadian nationality.

The maple leaf card is one of the certificates of permanent resident status in Canada, similar to the green card in the United States. Once Canadian immigration is successful, it is necessary to complete its first entry within the prescribed time limit and apply for the first maple leaf card at the airport at the time of entry. The card is usually valid for 5 years and can be applied for renewal 9 months before expiration.

The validity period of the maple leaf card is within 9 months and the preparation of relevant materials must be started. This is because the renewal conditions for the maple leaf card are relatively complicated and the review process takes a long time. Applicants usually need to wait 4 to 6 months, and even if the processing is urgent, it will take at least 3 to 5 weeks. If sufficient time is not reserved, it will not only affect normal use, but may also cause the maple leaf card to expire due to tight time, causing irreparable losses.

Whether you apply for a maple leaf card for the first time or apply for a second maple leaf card after the five-year period expires, you must pass the "residence test". All persons with permanent residence status in Canada must complete a residence requirement of at least 730 days within any five-year period. Even if the number of days of residence is less than 730 days within any five years after logging in, if one of the following five conditions is met, it can still be regarded as meeting the residence conditions and including the overseas residence time in the calculation, which is equivalent to fulfilling the residence obligation.

If the maple leaf card has expired and lives abroad, you must apply to the Canadian Overseas Visa Center to obtain a permanent resident travel visa. You can apply for a maple leaf card after returning to Canada. However, if an immigration official realizes that the applicant has not met the immigration supervision regulations when applying for a travel visa, he or she has the right to require the applicant to cancel the maple leaf card before issuing the visiting visa. Once the maple leaf card is officially revoked, it also means that the holder's permanent resident qualification will no longer exist. For applicants whose permanent resident qualifications have been revoked, they have the right to appeal if they feel that the immigration officer’s ruling is unfair.

In the process of applying for a travel visa to Canada, if someone tries to conceal the fact that he once held a maple leaf card, this practice is inappropriate in the editor's opinion. After all, no matter where anyone has applied for any kind of visa, the Immigration Bureau may find relevant information in its system. If immigration officials find that the applicant has concealed something, not only will the current visa application face the fate of being rejected, but those in serious cases may even be included in the blacklist prohibited from entering Canada.

Therefore, for applicants whose maple leaf card is about to expire, they must pay attention to completing the renewal procedures in a timely manner. Do not forge information or hide anything from the actual situation, otherwise it may cause many unnecessary troubles to themselves.

How to renew the maple leaf card without meeting the immigration prison

If you become a permanent resident for less than 5 years:

You need to present evidence to show that you are still likely to live in Canada and that the cumulative residence time is at least 730 days.

If you cannot actually live in, are there any alternatives?

Situation 1: Living with a Canadian citizen outside Canada

Living with Canadians outside of Canadian territory is equivalent to living in Canada.

This permanent Canadian resident must maintain a relative relationship with Canadian citizens outside of Canada's borders, such as spouse, cohabitation partner or parents.

Situation 2: Outside Canada, employed in a specific unit

Working full-time in a Canadian business, or working in a public administration department in a federal government or a province; you must submit corresponding documents to prove the legal employment status and explain the legitimate nature of your work abroad.

Situation 3: Living with a permanent resident outside Canada

The permanent Canadian resident, he or she must be your spouse, partner or parent who lives together, and the permanent Canadian resident is also required to work full-time in a "Canadian business" or serve the public administration of the Canadian federal government or a province.

When will the immigration surveillance be checked?

When you are planning to apply for a new maple leaf card, or in an emergency situation such as accidentally losing or forgetting a maple leaf card, you need to apply for a permanent resident travel license, and your immigration supervision record will be reviewed.

Additionally, the immigration jail rules will be under scrutiny when you step into Canadian territory again. Although not every entry is so rigorously inspected, if the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) senses that your condition may not meet the requirements of a “residence obligation”, it may make verification requirements and ask you to provide relevant documents such as proof of residence.

Serious misunderstanding: If you have a maple leaf card, everything will be fine

Maple Leaf Cards are only used as documents that prove that the cardholder has permanent resident status. Even if the card is within the validity period, it cannot ensure that the cardholder has fulfilled his residence obligation.

Although an applicant has obtained permanent resident status in Canada, he left the country shortly after arriving in the country and has lived abroad for more than four years. Even though its maple leaf card is still valid, since it has not met the minimum requirement for permanent residents to live in the country, the Immigration Bureau may refuse entry when the applicant tries to return on the grounds that the remaining time is not enough to meet the two-year residence period.

Therefore, we must pay special attention to the validity period of the maple leaf card must not be used as the criterion for judging whether the "residential obligation" is met.

Applicants who have obtained permanent residence qualifications must take the "residence requirements" seriously. If they have insufficient residence time, they should consult professional immigration agencies in advance and explore legal ways. It is particularly critical to accurately calculate the length of residence and the date of entry. If turned away because of not meeting the residence requirements, the chances of making up may be slim and may even lead to the loss of permanent resident status.

In fact, for applicants who fail to successfully renew their Maple Leaf Cards because they do not meet immigration requirements, if they wish to return to Canada, they can seek guarantees from their spouses or parents who hold permanent resident status and apply for reunion immigration to their spouses and children. In the process of applying for family reunion immigration, it is necessary to strictly verify that the connection between yourself and the guarantor is legally established. If the applicant intends to obtain Canadian nationality only and not to truly achieve family reunion, even if the marriage relationship does exist, the Immigration Bureau can still refuse his immigration application based on this reason.

Canadian citizenship is extremely precious and difficult to obtain, so based on personal interests, renewal plans should be formulated in advance to prevent potential risks.