Yes, IRCC legally requires you to destroy your Permanent Resident (PR) card at the conclusion of your citizenship ceremony. During a virtual oath, you must cut the card in half on camera. If attending in person, you must physically surrender the card to the presiding official.
The journey to becoming a Canadian citizen is long, requiring years of physical presence, tax filings, and background checks. The absolute final step in this process is attending your citizenship ceremony and taking the Oath of Citizenship. However, many applicants are completely caught off guard by a specific instruction given at the end of the ceremony: you must permanently surrender or destroy your Permanent Resident (PR) card. This singular act symbolizes the end of your immigration journey and your new, permanent status.
In Canada, it is legally impossible to hold both Permanent Resident status and Canadian Citizenship simultaneously. The moment you utter the oath and the presiding official confirms your new status, you instantly cease to be a PR. Because your PR card is technically the property of the Government of Canada, it must be voided to prevent fraudulent travel or identity confusion. Whether you are swearing the oath from your living room in Calgary or at an official hall in Toronto, here is a detailed guide to exactly how the PR card surrender process works.
Step-by-Step Process in Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) governs all ceremonies federally. 🇨🇦 Since the 2020s, the vast majority of ceremonies are conducted virtually via Zoom, though some in-person events still occur in major cities like Montreal and Vancouver. The handling of your PR card varies slightly depending on the format.
Step 1: Receiving the Notice to Appear
A few weeks before your ceremony, IRCC will email you a formal “Notice to Appear.” 📝 This critical document contains your Zoom link (if virtual) and explicitly lists the items you must have with you. Chief among these items are your current PR card, your Record of Landing (if applicable), two pieces of personal identification (like a provincial driver’s licence), and a pair of scissors.
Step 2: The Virtual Ceremony Validation
If you are attending a virtual ceremony, you will first enter a private digital waiting room. An IRCC clerk will ask you to hold up your personal identification and your physical PR card to the webcam to verify your identity. You will be reminded at this stage to keep your scissors nearby. Do not cut the card yet! You must wait until the official instructs you to do so.
Step 3: Taking the Oath of Citizenship
You will then join the main digital room with the presiding Citizenship Judge or official. 📍 Together with other applicants, you will raise your right hand and recite the Oath of Citizenship in either English or French. Once the judge officially welcomes you as new Canadians, your legal status instantly changes.
Step 4: Cutting the PR Card on Camera
Immediately after the oath, the IRCC clerk will instruct all participants to take their scissors and physically cut their PR cards in half in full view of the camera. You must cut directly through the magnetic stripe and the personal data section to render the card completely unusable. This confirms to the federal government that the document is destroyed.
Step 5: The In-Person Ceremony Surrender
If you are selected for a traditional, in-person ceremony, you will not need scissors. Instead, when you are called up to the front to receive your citizenship certificate from the judge or official, you must physically hand over your intact PR card to the IRCC staff. They will collect it and destroy it securely at their federal processing centre.
Step 6: Signing the Oath Form
Once your PR card is destroyed or surrendered, your final legal obligation is to sign the Oath of Citizenship form. For virtual ceremonies, you will print, sign, and email this form back to IRCC the exact same day. Once IRCC receives this signed document, they will trigger the mailing of your paper certificate or the issuance of your digital e-certificate.
How Much Does it Cost in Canada?
There are no additional government fees associated with the ceremony itself or the destruction of your PR card. All costs were covered when you initially submitted your application.
- Ceremony Fee: $0 CAD (covered by the $630 CAD adult application fee paid months prior).
- Lost PR Card Replacement: Do not pay to replace a lost PR card just for the ceremony. You can simply sign a solemn declaration instead.
- Passport Fees: You will need to budget roughly $120 to $160 CAD for your new Canadian passport soon after, as you can no longer travel with the destroyed PR card.
| Ceremony Format | Required Action for PR Card | How IRCC Verifies |
| Virtual (Zoom) | Applicant cuts card in half | Clerk watches via webcam |
| In-Person | Applicant physically surrenders card | Clerk collects the physical card |
| Lost/Expired Card | Must declare it lost/expired | Applicant signs a Solemn Declaration |
How Long Does the Process Take?
The actual ceremony, including the oath and the cutting of the PR card, usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours from the moment you log in to the moment you log off. ⏲ After the ceremony is over and you have emailed your signed oath form, you are temporarily grounded from international travelling. It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks for your official citizenship certificate to arrive in the mail, which you must then use to apply for a Canadian passport.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What if I lost my PR card before the ceremony?
If you lost your card, do not panic. Simply inform the IRCC clerk when you log into the virtual waiting room. They will ask you to verbally confirm it is lost and may require you to sign a Solemn Declaration stating that you will destroy it if you ever find it.
Can I keep my cut PR card as a souvenir?
Yes. If you attend a virtual ceremony and cut the card yourself, IRCC does not ask you to mail the pieces back to them. You can throw the pieces in the garbage or keep them in a scrapbook as a personal memento.
Can I still travel back to Canada without my PR card?
If you leave Canada immediately after your ceremony before obtaining a Canadian passport, you will have extreme difficulty boarding a commercial flight back to Canada. Without a PR card or a Canadian passport, airlines will likely deny you boarding.
What if my PR card is already expired?
Even if the date on the PR card has long expired, it is still official federal property. You must still cut it up on camera or hand it over at the in-person ceremony, just like a valid card.
Do I have to cut my Record of Landing (IMM 1000)?
No! Never destroy your original Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) documents. You only destroy the plastic PR card. The paper documents are important historical records for your pension and Service Canada.
Can a law firm attend the ceremony with me?
Your immigration lawyer can sit in the room with you off-camera to celebrate, but they cannot speak for you or take the oath on your behalf. The ceremony is a deeply personal, individual legal requirement.
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