While traveling abroad, if you unfortunately lose your Permanent Resident Card (Maple Leaf Card), what awaits you may not be a smooth process of obtaining a replacement card and returning home, but rather weeks or even months of anxious waiting and heavy economic burdens.

Recently, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on the real experiences of several permanent residents who were stranded overseas. These stories reveal a worrying reality: despite holding Canadian permanent resident status, their return journey to Canada is fraught with difficulties due to the inefficient emergency systems of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Permanent Residents Trapped Abroad for Weeks Due to Loss of Maple Leaf Card: Incompatibility in the System Becomes an Obstacle

Helen Bobat is a Canadian permanent resident and British citizen. During her travels, her Maple Leaf Card was stolen. She originally intended to return to Canada using the IRCC's emergency travel document system, but due to the "excessive" amount of materials she uploaded, the system rejected her application. It wasn't until CBC reported on her case that IRCC discovered the issue and allowed her to return to Canada.

After her case was reported, dozens of readers contacted CBC to share their own experiences. One netizen bluntly stated: "Permanent residents are not treated as Canadians when they are abroad." Many criticized the IRCC's cumbersome, expensive, and opaque processes.

Immigration lawyer Lawrence Wong said that the current system is "very one-sided," where "you submit your materials and can only wait, with no timeline provided."

Wong suggested that if similar issues arise, the most feasible solution is to take a detour by flying to the United States, then driving or walking across the land border into Canada. Because as long as you step onto Canadian soil, the Canadian side must legally recognize your permanent resident status, even without a Maple Leaf Card.

Returning from Mexico, Couple Accumulates Over 40,000 Canadian Dollars in Debt

Poonam McMullin and her husband originally planned a vacation to Mexico but became stranded there for five weeks due to the loss of their Maple Leaf Card. She holds a British passport and provided documentation of her permanent resident status, but the airline received instructions from IRCC to deny her boarding.

She said: "I have a British passport, we are members of the Commonwealth, yet I cannot return to 'my own country.' This is infuriating." In addition to extra expenses for accommodation, communication, and pet boarding, they also faced income losses due to the long holiday, accumulating debts exceeding 40,000 Canadian dollars.

Lost Documents, Disconnected Information, Missing Files: VFS Global Criticized

Several respondents mentioned that IRCC outsources the handling of travel documents to the third-party company VFS Global, leading to slow information feedback, opaque processing, and difficulties in inquiries. Some even said that their passports were only "found" after contacting senior executives of the company via LinkedIn.

Wei Yue had his documents stolen while traveling in Mexico, and the application process was "relatively fast," but after submitting the documents to VFS, he fell into a state of disconnection. Calling did not result in anyone confirming the whereabouts of the documents, and he ultimately had to "self-advocate" to expedite the processing.

Returning Home to See a Seriously Ill Relative, Only to Find the Funeral Becomes Costly

Laura Anthony gave up waiting for her Maple Leaf Card, which was still in the mail, to visit a seriously ill relative in the UK. However, when she tried to return to Canada, she was denied boarding due to the lack of her card.

She said: "The postal strike prevented the card from arriving, but my relative was critically ill, so I couldn't stay. This trip full of regrets not only made me miss Christmas but also cost an additional approximately 10,000 Canadian dollars in various delayed expenses."

Due to Address Errors, the Card Was Lost — The Government Only Sends Important Documents Via Ordinary Mail?

Sieghard and Jacqueline Weitzel, who live in British Columbia, applied for and received approval for a card renewal as early as February, but the card was lost because IRCC sent it to their street address instead of the actual mailing box they provided.

Sieghard criticized: "Sending such important identification documents through ordinary mail is irresponsible."

Concert Tour Nearly Foiled, Luckily with the Intervention of a Member of Parliament

Musical artist Saskia Tomkins discovered her Maple Leaf Card missing upon arrival in Ireland. Her concert tour, sponsored by the Canadian Arts Council, was time-sensitive. She attempted to contact IRCC but received no response. Finally, with the help of a member of parliament who marked her application as urgent, she was able to return on schedule.

Government Response: Expedited Processing Not Guaranteed, VFS "Is Just a Courier Company"

In its response, IRCC emphasized: Travel document applications can be marked as urgent, but there is no guarantee of processing time.

As for VFS Global, the company is only responsible for document delivery and collection and does not participate in approvals, provide any advice, or offer priority processing. All applications follow a "first come, first served" policy.

These real-life experiences indicate that the existing process for handling lost Maple Leaf Cards in Canada urgently needs reform. Relying on outdated application systems and inflexible third-party contractors not only causes emotional distress for overseas permanent residents but also results in significant financial losses.

In today's increasingly frequent global travel, this systemic shortcoming deserves more attention and discussion.

Source of News:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-travel-nightmares-permanent-residents-1.7509870

Original Article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7493709930201940531/

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