From missed work to overwhelming debt, permanent residents say being stranded abroad without Canadian identification has left lasting scars.
Helen Bobat, a British citizen and permanent resident of Canada, spent weeks trying to return home after her PR card was stolen. Her application for emergency travel was blocked by IRCC’s outdated online system, which couldn’t handle her multiple supporting documents.
Dozens of others shared similar stories of travel nightmares. Many described the special travel document application as expensive, unnecessary, and plagued by technical issues. Lawyer Lawrence Wong called the process “one-sided,” with no guaranteed timeline.
Wong and others recommend entering Canada by land from the U.S., a loophole unknown to many but legally valid.
Poonam McMullin, stranded in Mexico with her husband, returned with $40,000 in debt after being blocked from boarding a flight despite proof of her residency. They were forced to extend their trip multiple times and incurred heavy expenses.
Wei Yue lost his PR card in Mexico and had to wait weeks with no updates on his passport, until he contacted VFS Global executives directly via LinkedIn to get action. He missed critical appointments, including his Canadian citizenship exam.
Laura Anthony flew to Wales for a funeral but couldn’t return due to a delayed PR card and had to spend $10,000 for two extra weeks abroad.
Sieghard and Jacqueline Weitzel’s card was mailed to the wrong address, delaying their travel despite applying early.
Saskia Tomkins lost her card in Ireland while on a sponsored music tour. Only after involving her MP did she get the necessary documents in time.
VFS Global, the third-party agency handling these cases, says it cannot expedite processing and has no direct customer service options beyond an online tracker.
Source: Swifteradio.com
