I Lost My PR Card, What Should I Do?
Replacing a Destroyed PR Card
If you destroyed your PR Card – or if it was somehow destroyed by someone else with your knowledge – you do not need to report it lost. You do need to complete the “Solemn Declaration Concerning a Lost, Stolen or Destroyed or Never Received Permanent Resident Card” (see below) but you don’t need to do anything else. You need to explain to IRCC why you destroyed it.
Replacing a Lost PR Card
If you have lost your PR Card you should report the card as lost to IRCC as soon as possible, to prevent any possible identity theft. You will need to complete the “Solemn Declaration Concerning a Lost, Stolen or Destroyed or Never Received Permanent Resident Card” (see below) when you replace your PR Card. You will need to explain how you lost it. Here are some examples:
- “My PR Card was lost when I lost my wallet on Month Day, Year.”
- “I have misplaced my PR Card in my home sometime in the last month. I have looked for it and looked for it but I have not been able to find it. I am worried that it got thrown out somehow.”
- “My PR Card was lost when my luggage was lost on Month Day, Year.”
Replacing a Stolen PR Card
If you know for sure that your PR Card was stolen, you need to report the theft to the local police as soon as possible. Once you have reported the theft to the police, you need to inform IRCC as soon as possible. You should only report your PR Card as stolen if you know it was stolen. If you are not sure, report it lost instead, as this could save you a lot of hassle.
How To File a Police Report to Support Your PR Card Replacement Application
In order to report your card as stolen to IRCC, you need to file a police report that it was stolen before you replace your PR Card. How you file a police report depends upon where you live.
In Canada, there are four different levels of police and which level of police serves your community is determined by the province or territory and the local government (municipality or region).
- If your community has a municipal police force (for example, Toronto Police Service, you should file the report with them.
- If your community does not have a municipal police force but has a regional police force (for example, Peel Regional Police), you should file the report with them.
- If your community has neither a municipal police force or a regional police force, but has a provincial police force (i.e you live in Ontario or Quebec, or the parts of Newfoundland and Labrador which are served by their provincial police), then you file the report with them.
- If your community has neither a municipal police force or a regional police force, and you live anywhere in the rest of Canada, then you file your report with the RCMP.
Many police agencies now accept police reports through special online filing forms (not by email) in addition to by phone and in person.
EXAMPLE
If you live in Peel, you could file your report for your stolen PR Card online. You would
- select “Theft” as the type of crime you are reporting
- select “Individual” as why you are reporting the crime
- complete the contact and personal information as instructed.
You will be contacted by the police, in person or by phone, if you use an online contact form to file a police report. The advantage of calling or going to a police precinct in person is that you will likely receive follow up visits/calls if they have good news about your PR Card (and lost wallet, if applicable).
What to Do if Your PR Card Was Never Received
If your PR Card was lost in the mail, you need to notify IRCC that you never received it. This is different than if you lost the card. Otherwise, the procedure is the same: you will need to write a brief explanation as to why your card is lost as part of your renewal application. For example: “A status check of cic.gc.ca reports my card as issued however it has been at least six weeks and I have not received it.”
If you never received your first PR Card – the one issued to you when you landed in Canada – then you need to complete a different form than the renewal form. Use this form to report your first PR Card as never received.
The process to replace a lost or stolen Permanent Resident Card is not much different than renewing your card. Just a few additional details to keep in mind:
How to Replace Your Missing PR Card
To replace your card, you must complete the PR Card Application form as usual, only in this case you must also complete Section G.
- If your card was stolen, report the theft to the police and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) immediately.
- If your card was lost, you should still report the loss to CIC as soon as possible.
How to Complete Section G of the IMM 5444
Do the following:
- If you know your PR Card number (i.e. if you wrote it down), enter it in the first box in section G.
- Put the date of issue of your PR Card, if you know it, in the box next to the first box. The date is exactly five years before your card would have expired.
- On the next line, indicate whether the card was lost, stolen or somehow destroyed (cut up, for example) and when approximately that happened and where.
- You should be as clear as possible when explaining the circumstances. For example, if your purse was stolen, explain how it happened and where.
- In the last field, indicate if you have looked for your lost card, or reported your card stolen to the police. Attach a copy of the police report if applicable.
- Don’t forget to sign and date the declaration!
For a complete explanation of how to complete the entire application form, go here.
