Travel Document

Canada issues two different types of travel documents to non-Canadians:

• Refugee travel document: these are issued to protected persons in Canada, including convention refugees or persons in need of protection; and

• Certificate of identity: these are issued to permanent residents of Canada who are not protected persons and are stateless and cannot obtain a national passport or travel document from any other source.

Once IRCC has received the application, they will be able to determine whether to issue a:          

• Refugee Travel Document; or

• Certificate of Identity
  

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

Individuals who are inadmissible to Canada on medical or criminal grounds or do not otherwise meet the criteria of the Immigration Act or Regulations in Canada, but are required to enter Canada, may be eligible for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP).

A TRP allows the individual who is inadmissible to overcome their inadmissibility for a specified reason and for a specific period of time. The individual is required to demonstrate that there is a significant reason as to why they must enter Canada. A TRP will only allow the individual to gain temporary entrance into Canada.

To be eligible, the individuals need to enter and stay in Canada will need to outweigh the health and safety risk to Canadian Society.  A TRP is usually issued for the length of your visit to Canada, however, there are some instances in which the TRP is issued for a longer period of time (i.e. a few weeks up to 2-3 years).

Super Visa

Super Visa is a visa that is issued to parents and grandparents which allows them to visit their children or grandchildren for up to 2 years at a time (upon their initial entry into Canada). This visa is for parents and grandparents of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.  

The application process is very similar to a regular temporary resident visa with minor differences. 

There are certain requirements in which applicants will require:

1. A letter of invitation from the child or grandchild residing in Canada

2. Documents that prove the child or grandchild meets the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) minimum

3. Proof of parental relationship with the child or grandchild

4. Proof of medical insurance coverage for at least 1 year with a Canadian insurance company

The complete application will be assessed with regard to a number of factors. The purpose of the visit to Canada will be examined, as well as whether parents or grandparents will maintain sufficient ties to their home country.

Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD)

Permanent Residents wishing to enter back into Canada must have their Permanent Resident Card on them to gain entry back into Canada. However, Permanent Residents that do not have a valid PR Card and they require to enter Canada again may be eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document. Permanent Resident Travel Document is the only official document that allows permanent residents of Canada to use to travel back to Canada.

These documents are generally valid for a single entry into Canada, which allows the permanent resident to enter Canada before obtaining a new PR Card. Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document:

• They are a permanent resident of Canada

• They do not have a valid PR card

• They are outside of Canada

• They will return to Canada by airplane, boat, train or bus

It is important to note that Permanent Residents should maintain to meet their residency obligations. If the applicant has failed to meet their residency obligations, then the application for a Permanent Resident Travel Document may be refused by the Visa Officer.