When Taryn Whitehead recently needed blood tests, the B.C. resident had to pay for them herself, twice, spending $600 in total.

And every time Whitehead乌鸦传媒檚 doctor renews her prescription for anti-anxiety medication, the Aldergrove woman has to pay a fee.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e had to up my dose of my anxiety medication because of all the [stuff] that乌鸦传媒檚 going on,乌鸦传媒� a frustrated Whitehead told Black Press.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just worried that something could happen and I have to go to hospital,乌鸦传媒� explained the native of South Africa.

She乌鸦传媒檚 also been unable to get a drivers乌鸦传媒� licence.

Whitehead said it乌鸦传媒檚 because the federal government shut down in-person permanent resident (PR) applications due to COVID, without creating an alternative.

As a result, Whitehead has been unable to undergo a required interview that would allow her to get a new permanent resident card, which she could then use as ID to obtain medical coverage and a driving licence.

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A notice on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) web page advised any PR applicants already living in Canada that all in-person 乌鸦传媒渓anding appointments乌鸦传媒� at offices in Canada have been cancelled until further notice, and warned applications may take 乌鸦传媒渓onger than usual乌鸦传媒� to process.

Whitehead has been waiting since January of 2020.

She had an in-person appointment, but it was cancelled.

乌鸦传媒淭hey won乌鸦传媒檛 say when they will open the office,乌鸦传媒� Whitehead said.

She had permanent resident status before, when she was living in Canada from 2000 to 2004, but it expired after she and her family, Canadian-born husband John and their three children, moved to South Africa.

The couple and two of their children returned to Canada just in time for the pandemic to hit, shuttering the IRCC offices.

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Abbotsford South Liberal MLA Bruce Banman and Langley-Aldergrove Conservative MP Tako van Popta have both made submissions on her behalf to the immigration authorities, to no avail.

乌鸦传媒淒espite a worldwide pandemic over the last 17 months, communities and governments figured out how to continue supporting their citizens,乌鸦传媒� van Popta remarked.

乌鸦传媒淭he fact that all this time later, the federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship hasn乌鸦传媒檛 figured out how to serve permanent residents in Canada is appalling. Ms. Whitehead乌鸦传媒檚 story is only one of many where people legally entitled to be in Canada cannot get medical coverage, drivers乌鸦传媒� licences or any Canadian identification. How much longer is it going to take for this government to figure it out?乌鸦传媒�

The latest word, a July 30 email from IRCC, was that there were no plans at present to reopen the offices.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e seriously tried everything,乌鸦传媒� Whitehead said.

乌鸦传媒淚 just can乌鸦传媒檛 win with them. I can legally work here, I pay my taxes, I乌鸦传媒檝e got a SIN number, I乌鸦传媒檝e got a medical number 乌鸦传媒� but it乌鸦传媒檚 not activated, because I don乌鸦传媒檛 have ID.乌鸦传媒�

Whitehead is also unable to leave Canada for fear she won乌鸦传媒檛 be allowed to return, which is why she couldn乌鸦传媒檛 be present when one of her children was married.

乌鸦传媒淚 had to miss my daughters wedding in South Africa because I can乌鸦传媒檛 get in without it [a PR card].乌鸦传媒�

Langley Advance Times has reached out to IRCC for comment.