The maple leaf card finally obtained by the Canadian immigration program represents permanent residence qualification and is the identity proof of Canadian immigration, and its role is undoubtedly.

However, after obtaining the permanent resident status of Canada, you should note that this identity document is not permanently valid. It usually lasts for five years, and in some cases it may only be limited to one year. Therefore, the primary task after obtaining the identity certificate is to clarify the specific validity period of the document. When the document is about to expire, the applicant can decide whether to apply for an extension of the document replacement based on his or her personal actual situation, or choose not to retain the identity, or directly apply to become a Canadian citizen.

1. When will you start preparing to replace the maple leaf card?

The maple leaf card must start preparing relevant documents within the remaining nine months. The conditions for renewal of the card are quite cumbersome and the approval process is relatively long. Applicants usually have to wait four to six months. Even if they choose to handle it urgently, it will require a waiting period of three to five weeks. If sufficient time is not reserved, it will not only hinder the normal use of the card, but may even cause the maple leaf card to fail due to the tight time, and the losses caused by irreparable.

2. Give up the maple leaf card and natural expiration

There are several main types of customers who need to give up the maple leaf card business:

There are several situations that are voluntary termination, and the reasons are different. One is that it is unwilling to hold a permanent residence status in Canada, but this kind of situation is relatively rare. The other is that it has applied for permanent residence or nationality in other countries. The newly accepted national policy prohibits holding a dual identity, so it has to choose to give up.

There is another situation where the initiative is to choose not to hold it anymore. The general reason is that the Maple Leaf certificate is invalid, the parties neglect to fail to complete the renewal procedures, or fail to meet the prescribed residence requirements, and do not meet the qualification to replace the certificate.

Under various circumstances, we recommend submitting an application for "actively departing from permanent resident qualification" to the immigration department, because once your Canadian citizenship card expires, you will be hindered by border officials when entering Canada again. After completing the process of giving up the citizenship card, the applicant's invalid permanent residence status will automatically be converted to a travel document, and you will not encounter any obstacles when entering Canada.

3. When can I become a naturalized Canadian

After five years of obtaining the Canadian maple leaf card, the applicant can apply to become a Canadian citizen. One of the necessary conditions is that during the five years of holding the maple leaf card, he must live in Canada for three years, and at the same time have at least three years of tax filing records in Canada, and there must be no illegal acts. Note that this refers to violations, not crimes. Moreover, during the naturalization process, applicants need to complete language ability verification and master the basic knowledge of Canada's historical geography and political system. The requirements are generally strict.

4. Naturalization in Canada

Canadian citizens can obtain all citizen benefits. Holding a Canadian passport can be visa-free in 164 countries around the world. They do not need to be subject to immigration supervision and can travel anywhere freely without restrictions. This is undoubtedly the most important advantage for Canadian permanent residents who have been affected by immigration supervision for a long time.

There is no doubt that obtaining Canadian citizenship will inevitably have to pay the price, and abandoning the nationality of other countries you already have is something that the applicant must carefully weigh.

If you don’t want to become a Canadian citizen, you can apply for a new Canadian permanent resident card every five years, so that you can always retain your permanent resident status.

In short, if you hold a Canadian maple leaf card and your certificate is about to expire, be sure to plan in advance according to your personal situation to avoid unnecessary losses.