Usually, if you have applied for permanent residence in Canada, you will receive a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) after you have been approved for permanent residence. It is one of the most important documents to process your PR in Canada. In this article, we will show you some more details about COPR to make sure you know the usages and information it contains.
What is COPR?
According to the Canadian government, the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) is an official document that can be used to prove your permanent residence status. And there are two types of COPR based on where you receive your COPR, such as outside Canada and inside Canada.
Outside of Canada
If you apply for COPR outside of Canada, you will receive it from Immigration Refuges and Citizenship Canada. And you can use it to prove your Canadian permanent resident status when you enter Canada. Therefore, you must show your COPR to the officer at the port of entry with other necessary documents. Of course, after landing in Canada, you need to show your COPR to prove your status before you get a PR card.
Inside of Canada
However, if you are applying for your COPR in Canada, you will be given an e-COPR through an online portal with the end address at cic.gc.ca. You must be physically present in Canada and provide relative information on the permanent residence portal. If you have not obtaineded your PR card, the e-COPR can be proof of your new permanent resident status in Canada. In addition, when you have the e-COPR, you can apply for eligible government benefits and services, such as social insurance and employment assistance. After you have the e-COPR, you must provide a photo to process your first PR card. If you are leaving Canada before your permanent resident (PR) status is issued, you must inform the IRCC.
What information is in my Confirmation of Permanent Residence?
The COPR contains a lot of information related to your application. Here you can check the information included on IMM 5292.
The document number Client ID (UCI) at the top of your COPR.
Under the heading COPR, it lists the following personal information:
- First Row: surname, given name, “name flag” (the term IRCC uses for an alias you use that is not a legal name).
- Second row: Date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy), place of birth, country of birth.
- Third row: gender, marital status and citizenship at the time of landing.
- Fourth row: passport number, passport validity, country of issue.
- Fifth Row: Family status at landing, height and eye color.
- Line 14: Information about your accompanying family members, if applicable.
- Line 15: the address where you first lived or stayed in Canada and the name of the person whose house it was.
- Lines 16, 17 and 18: Government reference.
In the following areas, you must sign your name to prove the truth of the above information and write the date you landed in Canada.
Then the lines below are for official use, which include numerical codes and dates about your Permanent Residence application.
Below your signature is your arrival information:
- Line 39: CBSA Officer’s remarks
- Line 41: Flight Number (if applicable)
- Line 42: The amount of money in your possession
- Line 43: Any conditions imposed on your PR status
- Line 45: The date you became a PR
- Line 46: The place you landed
- Line 47: Signature of the Immigration Officer
In addition, you will find that the COPR document will be stamped “NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL” as it is not a travel document.
Eligibility for a COPR card
If you wish to apply for a COPR card, you must meet eligibility requirements through one of the following immigration programs:
- Express Entry
- Family Sponsorship
- Start-up visa program
- Self-employed application program
- Quebec skilled worker program
- Quebe investor program
After your application has been approved, IRCC will send you a welcome letter confirming your permanent residence online. Once you have successfully confirmed permanent residence, you will receive your COPR.
What should you do after you receive a COPR card?
Once you have received your COPR card, you are required to complete your landing in Canada as soon as possible. Because your COPR card is valid for one year, this means that if you do not complete the landing process within the limited time, you will need to reapply for a COPR card again, which may cost you more time and money. Also, when you keep the COPR card, you must put it away, because it is the only proof of your permanent residence status when you enter Canada. Of course, it also plays an important role in applying for your PR card. If you have landed in Canada, you must apply for the PR card as soon as possible.
What is the difference: COPR vs PR card
A COPR only records the date of your arrival in Canada as a permanent resident. In addition, it will help you check your status before you apply for a PR card. And it is the basic document required in the PR card application. However, a PR card that can prove your permanent resident status no matter where you are. When traveling outside of Canada, you must bring your PR card back to Canada. While COPR can’t help you travel to Canada.
What should I do if my COPR card is lost or expired?
Unfortunately, if you lose your COPR by accident, you will not be allowed to enter Canada because it is proof of your permanent residence status at entry to Canada. In addition, if your COPR expires when you attempt to come to Canada, you cannot enter Canada either. Under Canadian immigration rules, you must show a valid COPR when you visit Canada to show your identity. Therefore, you must apply for a new COPR card before visiting Canada, which means you need to spend more time waiting for a new card. The good thing is that you should keep the COPR card in a safe place and complete the landing in Canada before your COPR card expires.
How long does it take to send a PR card after I receive COPR?
In general, after you have just landed in Canada with COPR, you should promptly send your home address or mailing address to Canadian immigration authorities within 180 days. The authority officer will help you process your PR card as soon as possible. If there isn’t a huge volume of applications, you will receive the PR card in a few weeks. However, if you do not send them the mailing address within 180 days of landing in Canada, you are required to apply for a PR card yourself, which may cost you about 3 months, which is longer than the method you have notified the home address. However, if you do not receive your PR card within 180 days after informing immigration authorities of your home address, you also need to apply for a PR card yourself.
FAQ:
How do I obtain a copy of my confirmation of permanent residence?
Currently, you are not allowed to obtain a copy of your confirmation of permanent residence or a copy of a landing record. However, you can apply for a Verification of Status (VOS), which will provide the same information contained in your COPR. In addition, you must apply on paper and send your application with all supporting documents and a receipt of your fees to the Canadian government.
What are the best provinces to immigrate to in Canada?
When you choose to be a permanent resident in Canada, you need to pick a place to be your immigration destination. There are some of the best provinces for foreigners to immigrate to Canada.
- Quebec, Canada: This is the only place where French is the official language. It is known as a strong job market with technology and healthcare.
- Ontario, Canada: Ontario is Canada’s most popular province because of its strong economy. There are many job opportunities available, which is good for someone looking for a good job.
- British Columbia: This place is famous for its amazing scenery and mild climate. This attracts many immigrants to live here and enjoy retirement.
- Alberta, Canada: It is also a strong economic province with an oil and gas industry. And the cost of living here is relatively low.
- Nova Scotia, Canada: It is a friendly and welcoming province. The cost of living is quite low. And there are lots of job opportunities in tourism and healthcare.
Is a permanent resident card the same as an ID?
Yes. The permanent resident card allows foreigners to live, work and study in Canada, just like Canadian citizens. They can use this card to prove their identity and enjoy the same social welfare and health care. Also, when you enter Canada, you must take your permanent resident card when you are at the border.
Conclusions
All in all, since you have applied for a COPR card, you must complete the landing in Canada and apply for the PR card as soon as possible. Don’t lose your COPR card, otherwise you need to waste time and money applying for it again.
Related Posts:
Erin Lo