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Canada to India Flights
Canada to India Flights
Last Updated on Jul 17, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Travelling to India as a Canadian PR comes with a whole set of things you really need to sort out before you land at the airport.
This guide covers everything. And we mean everything.
From what a PRTD actually is and how to apply for it in India, to the 730-day rule that can quietly end your PR status if you are not paying attention.
We will also talk about what happens when people stay in India longer than they planned, and how to actually get back to Canada without any nasty surprises at the immigration counter.
Let’s get started.
A Canadian permanent resident is someone who has the legal right to live and work anywhere in Canada permanently, but is not yet a Canadian citizen.
You get a PR card as proof of this status, and that card needs to be valid when you travel back to Canada on a commercial carrier like an airplane.
Here is something many people do not realise: your PR status does not disappear when your PR card expires. You are still a permanent resident, so long as you accumulate 2 years of residency days in a 5 year period.
However, you need a valid PR card or a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to board a flight back to Canada. Without one or the other, the airline will simply not let you on the plane.
This distinction matters a lot once you are in India and your card is expired, lost, or damaged.
Insight: After 3 years of Canadian residency, you may apply for Canadian citizenship. Canada recognizes dual citizenships, so you do not have to give up your current passport.
A Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) is an official document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to permanent residents who are outside Canada and do not have a valid PR card.
Think of it as a temporary proof of your PR status that tells the airline: yes, this person is allowed to board.
According to the Government of Canada's official website, if you are outside Canada without a valid PR card (whether it has expired, been lost, stolen, or damaged), you need a PRTD to return to Canada by any commercial vehicle, which includes planes, trains, buses, and boats.
One very important thing: a PRTD is valid for one single entry only. Once you use it to enter Canada, it is done. As soon as you are back in Canada, you need to apply for a new PR card right away.
You would need a PRTD if:
Here is where things get a little more involved. Applying for a PRTD from India involves a few steps, and with IRCC's reduced staffing in India (more on that below), it pays to be organised and patient.
The application form for a PRTD is called IMM 5444 — Application for a Permanent Resident Card or Permanent Resident Travel Document. You can apply online through the Permanent Residence Portal or submit a paper application at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in India.
If you are applying online, you will fill out the digital version of the form directly in the portal. If you are going the paper route, download the form, fill it out using Adobe Acrobat Reader, click the "Validate" button before printing, and then sign it.
The fee for a PRTD application is CAD $50 per applicant. Payment is made online through the IRCC fee payment portal, and you will need to include the receipt in your application.
Generally, you will need:
Canada's Visa Application Centres (VACs) in India are operated by VFS Global. These centres handle document submission and passport transmission on IRCC's behalf. The VAC locations currently active in India include:
Most centres operate Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Always check the VFS Global Canada-India page directly before you visit, as hours and availability can change.
Important context: Since the India-Canada diplomatic tensions in late 2023, IRCC's physical presence in India has been significantly reduced.
As per official IRCC statements, the number of Canada-based staff at the High Commission in New Delhi was reduced from 27 to just 5. IRCC's offices in Bengaluru and Chandigarh have also ceased operations indefinitely. Applications are still being processed, but delays are more likely than before. Plan ahead and apply early.
If you need to travel back to Canada within five days, say, due to a medical emergency, a death in the family, or some other serious situation, you can request urgent PRTD processing through the PR Portal. Select "Yes, my request is urgent" in the portal, or if submitting by paper, write "Urgent" clearly on the envelope. You will also need supporting documentation such as a flight itinerary, a medical certificate, or an employer's letter.
According to Envoy Global, while IRCC will prioritise urgent requests, they do not guarantee expedited timelines. Even with an urgent request, approved applicants must still submit their passports to the nearest VAC for the actual document to be placed in the passport. There is currently no digital PRTD option.
This is arguably the most important piece of information for any Canadian PR who travels frequently or spends extended time outside Canada.
Under Section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), a Canadian permanent resident must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days within any rolling five-year period to maintain their PR status.
To break that down in simple terms: in any five-year window, you need to have spent at least two years (730 days total) actually inside Canada. These days do not need to be back-to-back. You can split them up over the five years however you like. But they need to add up to 730.
The flip side of that: you can be outside Canada for a maximum of roughly 1,095 days in any five-year period, but this is not a single trip limit. It is a cumulative total across the entire five-year window.
The five-year window is calculated backwards from the date of assessment, not from your landing date.
So if a CBSA officer assesses you at the airport today, they will look at your physical presence in Canada over the past five years from today's date.
This is what catches a lot of people off guard. They may have been fine two years ago, but their recent extended trip abroad has now eaten into their five-year count in a way they did not track carefully.
Obviously, every day you spend physically inside Canada counts.
But Canadian immigration law also recognises a few exceptions where time outside Canada can still count toward your 730-day requirement:
If you are a permanent resident and you are travelling outside Canada alongside your Canadian citizen spouse, common-law partner, or parent, those days abroad can count toward your 730 days as if you were in Canada.
The critical word here is citizen. If your spouse is also a PR (not a citizen), this exception does not apply to your situation.
If you are employed full-time by a Canadian company and are on assignment outside Canada, those days can count toward your residency requirement. The Canadian company must be genuinely incorporated or registered in Canada, and your work abroad must be directed by the Canadian head office.
The same applies to federal or provincial government employees or contractors sent abroad in an official capacity.
A child who holds PR status and is travelling with a Canadian citizen parent can have those days counted as Canadian presence.
These exceptions are real, but IRCC scrutinises them carefully. Holding a nominal role in a company you control just to create qualifying days will not hold up.
IRCC has a travel history tool that can help you calculate your presence in Canada. Keep records of your travel: passport stamps, boarding passes, receipts from Canada, lease agreements, bank statements. If you are ever questioned at the border or during a PR card renewal, these records are what you will rely on.
A safe and simple rule of thumb from immigration professionals: if you have been outside Canada for fewer than 730 days in the last five years, you are likely in good shape, but keep tracking.
This is the question that keeps a lot of people awake at night, and rightly so. Let us be honest about what the real consequences look like.
You are fine on the residency obligation front. You still need a valid PR card or a PRTD to fly back on a commercial carrier, but your PR status itself is not at risk. Apply for your PRTD if your card is expired, gather your documents, and come home.
This is where it gets complicated. If an immigration officer determines that you have not met the 730-day residency obligation, they can initiate a process to have your PR status removed. However, it is not an instant loss, there is a process.
If you are applying for a PRTD and the officer reviewing your application believes you have not met your residency obligation, they will assess whether humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds exist that might justify keeping your PR status despite the shortfall. Factors like ties to Canada, family members in Canada, the reason for the extended absence, and your intent to return can all be considered.
If the officer makes a negative determination, you have the right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Even in negative situations, this appeal process can sometimes result in status being maintained, especially if you have strong ties to Canada and a genuine reason for the extended absence.
The important thing is: do not ignore the situation or try to hide it. The worst thing you can do is avoid applying for a PRTD because you are worried about a residency shortfall. Staying in India indefinitely does not fix the problem, it usually makes it worse.
Your status is still intact, no worries.
Remember, PR status and PR card validity are two different things. Your PR status does not expire just because the card does. But to board a commercial flight to Canada, you will need a PRTD in place of the expired card. Apply as soon as you realise you need one, and apply before you are in a hurry.
This is a separate issue entirely and has nothing to do with your Canadian PR status. However, it is worth mentioning.
If you are a Canadian citizen (not just a PR) or if you are travelling on a foreign passport with a regular Indian visa (not an OCI card), and you overstay that visa, the Government of Canada's travel advisory for India notes that you must request an exit visa from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) before you can leave. This process can be lengthy and stressful, so be aware of your visa expiry dates while in India.
If you are of Indian origin (meaning you or your parents or grandparents were Indian citizens at some point) you are likely eligible for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. If you do not already have one, this is seriously worth looking into.
The OCI card gives you lifelong, multiple-entry access to India. You can stay in India as long as you want, travel back and forth whenever you like, and you do not need a separate visa for each trip. For Canadian PRs of Indian origin who visit India frequently, this eliminates a huge chunk of the visa hassle.
OCI holders are also not limited in how long they can stay in India, but according to India's visa and OCI guidelines, you should register with the FRRO if your stay exceeds 180 days.
The OCI scheme is open to all Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were citizens of India on or after January 26, 1950, or who were eligible to become Indian citizens at that time, as well as their children and grandchildren. You apply through the Indian OCI services portal.
One important update: as of October 1, 2025, all foreign travellers arriving in India, including OCI and PIO cardholders, must fill out the e-Arrival Card no more than 72 hours before arriving in India. This is done online through the official portal or the Visa Su-Swagatam app. Entry can be denied if this step is skipped, so do not forget it. OCI holders are not exempt from this requirement.
If you still have a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card rather than an OCI card, you should know that the deadline to convert your PIO to an OCI card was December 31, 2025. No further extensions were expected after that. If you have not done this yet, check with the Consulate General of India in Toronto for your current options.
When you are a Canadian PR heading to or returning from India, here is what you should have on you or easily accessible:
It would be remiss to write a guide like this without acknowledging the diplomatic context. Since late 2023, Canada-India relations have been under strain, and this has had practical consequences for anyone navigating immigration services between the two countries.
As covered by CBC News, Indian visa services for Canadians were suspended in late 2023, causing many Indo-Canadians to scramble for OCI cards as an alternative way to access travel to India. While visa services have since been partially restored, processing times and service availability have been impacted.
For Canadian PRs in India, the IRCC staffing reduction means that PRTD processing from India specifically may take longer than it would from other countries. Build in extra time, apply before your PR card expires if you can, and check the VFS Global Canada-India page regularly for any service updates.
Here are the official and reliable sources you should keep handy:
Yes, you can leave Canada without a valid PR card. But you will not be able to board a commercial flight back to Canada without either a valid PR card or a PRTD. Sort out your return document before you travel or as soon as you realise your card is expired or lost. If you need help sorting this, we at EazyFares can help you with the lowest fare flights from Canada to India.
No. Your PR status is separate from your PR card. The card is just proof of your status. Your status remains valid as long as you meet the residency obligation.
There is no single maximum trip length. What matters is your cumulative physical presence in Canada over any rolling five-year period. You need 730 days in Canada within that window. Without any qualifying exceptions, that means you can be outside Canada for a maximum of roughly 1,095 days in five years, but not all at once and not in a way that tips your five-year count below 730.
Apply for a PRTD through VFS Global in India. If you are still above 730 days of Canadian presence in the last five years, your PR status is intact and your PRTD application should be approved. If you are below 730 days, be honest in your application and consult an immigration lawyer or RCIC about your options.
Your immigration status in Canada does not determine your entry requirements into India. Whether you need a visa for India depends on your citizenship (i.e., the passport you travel on) and whether you hold an OCI card. Most Canadian passport holders need a visa or an e-Visa to enter India. OCI cardholders do not need a separate visa.
Yes, processing times from India specifically can be longer than from other countries due to the reduced IRCC staffing at the High Commission in New Delhi. Apply early and build in extra time.
Travelling to India as a Canadian PR is completely doable. People do it all the time. The key is knowing the rules before you go, keeping track of your days in Canada, and not letting your PR card expire without a plan.
The PRTD exists precisely for situations where you are caught without a valid card, and the process is manageable as long as you start it early enough.
The 730-day rule is the part most people underestimate. It is not about any single trip being too long, it is about the cumulative total over five years. If you are a frequent traveller between India and Canada, keep a running count of your Canadian days. It is the kind of thing that feels easy to track until suddenly it is not.
If your situation is complicated, a long stay in India, a residency shortfall, a lost card, or overlapping family obligations in both countries, please consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or an immigration lawyer. The official IRCC website and the IRCC help line (1-888-242-2100 from within Canada, or check the IRCC contact page for international contact options) are also valuable resources.
Plan ahead, carry the right documents, and your trip will be one to remember for all the right reasons.
Once your documents are sorted and your travel dates are locked in, the next step is finding a good flight deal. And you don’t need to worry about this since EazyFares Canada to India travel deals are absolutely the best. Our 4.9 Google Rating and 5 Star Facebook reviews are testimony to the same.
If you are looking to book cheap flights from Canada to India online, EazyFares is worth checking out. We specialise in offering discounted flights to India from Canada as we know this route well, so whether you are booking from Toronto, Vancouver, or anywhere in between, we’ll help you compare options and find fares that actually make sense for your trip.
At EazyFares, weāre passionate about travel, storytelling, and the magic of discovering new cultures. Our team of enthusiastic writers and globe-trotters brings a unique blend of wanderlust and creativity to every blog we share. Whether we're diving into travel tips, exploring hidden gems, or recommending the best rom-coms to watch on your next flight, our love for adventure and cinema always shines through. With a mix of travel inspiration and practical insights, we aim to make your journey unforgettableābecause at EazyFares, the world is just a ticket away!
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Travel May thru June.
Starting from: $1300 onwards