Lost PR Card in Canada 2026: Replace It, Fee, Wait
As of September 24, 2026.
If your permanent resident (PR) card is lost, stolen, or damaged, what you do depends on where you are. Inside Canada, apply for a new card in the Permanent Residence Portal. Outside Canada, you cannot have a replacement card mailed abroad. You need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to board a commercial vehicle back. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) fee is $50.
TL;DR
In Canada: replace a lost or stolen PR card through the Permanent Residence Portal (IMM 5444) | Outside Canada: apply for a PRTD, not a new plastic card | IRCC fee is $50 per person for a card or a PRTD | IRCC's posted time to renew or replace a PR card: 38 days on September 22, 2026 | Urgent PR card processing cannot finish in less than 3 weeks | Police report: include it if you have one | IRCC mails cards only to Canadian addresses
What to do if I lost my permanent residence card?
Short answer: If you are in Canada, IRCC's help answer What should I do if my PR card has been lost, stolen or damaged? says apply to have the card replaced. The get, renew or replace page is the how-to: start IMM 5444 in the Permanent Residence Portal, upload IMM 5644, pay $50 on the IRCC pay page, and upload the receipt. If you lost the card, include a police report or incident number if you have one. If you only want to report the loss and do not need a new card, IRCC offers a solemn declaration.
That solemn declaration is form IMM 5451. IRCC says to use it if your card was lost, stolen or destroyed and you do not want to apply for a new one right now, or if you have waited six weeks longer than the normal processing time and your card still has not arrived. Fax it to 1-902-564-3148 or mail it to the PR Card Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Filing it reports the loss; it does not get you a new card.
If you are outside Canada and will return on an airplane, bus, boat, or train, apply for a PRTD. If you return in a private vehicle, IRCC says you can use other documents. Who can apply still requires you to be in Canada before IRCC will mail a PR card.
Do not use guide IMM 5530 for a lost card. That kit is for an IRCC error on a card you still hold.
How much is a replacement PR card?
Short answer: $50 per person. IRCC's How much does a permanent resident card cost? and the fee list use the same line for renew and replace. A PRTD is also $50. Pay outside the portal, then upload the receipt. Refunds are not possible while the application is in progress. Photo fees are extra.
| Document | IRCC fee (CAD) | Where IRCC sends it |
|---|
| Replacement PR card | 50.00 | Canadian address only |
| Permanent resident travel document | 50.00 | Issued so you can travel back |
Renewal of a card that is simply expiring uses the same $50 and the same portal. That walkthrough is PR card renewal.
How long does it take to replace a lost PR card?
Short answer: About 38 days. That was IRCC's posted processing time for renewing or replacing a PR card on September 22, 2026. There is no separate "lost card" clock, so a lost or stolen card follows the same figure. Use IRCC's processing times tool, permanent resident cards, renewing or replacing. The figure is updated weekly and describes recent complete files. Our PR card processing time page tracks it. Urgent processing, if you qualify, still cannot finish a PR card in less than 3 weeks. IRCC says it cannot guarantee you will get the card on time even if the request is urgent.
After approval, IRCC usually mails the card. Check after you apply. Do not file a second replacement because the first one is slow.
Can I get my PR card urgently?
Short answer: Sometimes, and never faster than 3 weeks for a PR card. The urgent processing page lists reasons: a job opportunity, work tied to your current job, your own serious illness, serious illness or death of a family member, loss or theft of the PR card while you were temporarily outside Canada, a crisis or vulnerable situation, and, for PRTD files only, other reasons an officer may accept. In the portal, check "Yes, my request is urgent." On paper, write "urgent" on the envelope. Include proof: itinerary, tickets, receipts, a letter, a doctor's note, a death certificate, or an employer letter, with translations if needed.
If you are leaving Canada in less than 3 weeks and have not applied for a PR card yet, IRCC cannot process the card in that window. Once you are outside Canada and your flight back is within 5 days, you can apply urgently for a PRTD. Without a card or a PRTD you may return only by land in a private vehicle.
Can a PR card be tracked?
Short answer: IRCC does not give the public a courier tracking number as a standard step. You check application status in your account. The after-you-apply page says IRCC usually mails the card to a Canadian address, may ask you to pick it up at an office, and tells you to update your address if you move within 3 weeks. Bring your passport or other travel document if you are told to pick up. There is no public "where is my card on the truck" page.
If rural mail is not delivered to houses, IRCC mails to the arrangement described on that after page. Watch account messages rather than a shipping app.
How do I check if my PR card is mailed?
Short answer: Open the IRCC account or Permanent Residence Portal and read the latest message. IRCC's after-you-apply page is the official "how you'll get your card" text: they mail it if they approve the file, they send cards only to Canadian addresses, and they may switch to office pickup. If you did not get the first card more than 180 days after you gave a Canadian address, that is a different problem, listed on When should I apply. For a replacement after a loss, wait for the approval message, then watch the mail.
Cut the old card in half if it later turns up, so a found card cannot be used. We are Go Far Global, a licensed Canadian immigration firm. If the card vanished abroad and a flight is close, book a consultation before you pay for a PRTD you do not need, or skip one that you do.
Photos for the new card must match the PR card photo specifications. A selfie will bounce the file.
Sources
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Each case is unique and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before making immigration decisions.
