A travel document will only be issued if you can demonstrate to the immigration officer that you meet or will meet the physical residency requirement to maintain the PR status. Depending of the office, issuance of a travel document can take a few days to a few weeks/months.
The travel document usually arrives within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application. You can't leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States.
Online: Use the case status online tool to check for updates about your immigration case. You will need your 13-character receipt number from your application or petition. By phone: If you are calling from the U.S., contact the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 or TTY 1-800-767-1833.
Ing to USCIS data from 2023, the average processing time for Form I-131 (Application for Travel Document) varies between 3 to 7 months, depending on the service center handling the case and the specific category (e.g., refugee travel document, re-entry permit).
You may ask us to expedite adjudication of your Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, by calling the Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page.)
Other Common Forms FormPurposeProcessing Time I-90 Replace/Renew Green Card 0.8 months I-765 Employment Authorization 2.5 months I-131 (Advance Parole) Travel Document 7.4 months I-131 (Travel Document) Travel Document 13.7 months
Before you arrive in Canada, you may be asked to complete a Customs Declaration Card. Complete this card before meeting with customs and immigration officials, even if you aren't a Canadian citizen. If you're traveling by air, it's a good idea to complete the card before you leave the airplane.
If you're outside Canada and don't have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada. If you try to return to Canada without a PR card or PRTD, you may not be able to take your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.
International visitors to Canada. All international travellers must carry acceptable identification when entering Canada. A passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document when abroad.
Canadian citizens travelling by air to the United States must present one of the following documents: a passport, which must be valid for the duration of their stay. a valid NEXUS card, used at self-serve kiosks at designated airports.