A Venezuelan PhD candidate in London, Ont. worries that he's "stranded in Canada" after his passport got lost somewhere between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Post.

Brian Villamizar, who has been studying geophysics at Western University since September, 2018, began the process of getting an extension on his passport from the Venezuelan government over the summer.

Despite an administrative meltdown in the country, he says Venezuela granted a two-year extension. He then successfully applied for a new work study permit and a temporary resident visa, which would allow him to travel in and out of Canada.

It was once the visa was approved in late August that things went downhill.

"I saw on the webpage of IRCC that [the visa] was approved, and they just requested my passport to stamp the visa, to stick the visa on the passport," said Villamizar.

At the recommendation of the IRCC website, Villamizar sent his passport and work study permit to the IRCC office in Ottawa through Canada Post's Xpresspost service, along with a prepaid envelope to have it returned.

He was able to track the documents' progress to Ottawa. But he wasn't able to track their progress back.

"When you try to look for the tracking number of the envelope that was supposed to be sent back, it doesn't exist," he said.

Villamizar believes his passport and work study permit are lost somewhere within IRCC.

"The first thing Canada Post does when they received a pack is just to scan them," said Villamizar. "There are no records whatsoever in the Canada Post system, so it means the package was never delivered to them in the first place."

'IRCC and Canada Post regret this situation'

In an initial email response to CBC News about Villamizar's missing documents, IRCC said the passport was sent back on September 9.

Later, after reportedly following up with the crown corporation, IRCC said the following:

"Canada Post was unable to confirm the whereabouts of the envelope with the passport or any expected tracking information. IRCC and Canada Post regret this situation. We can confirm that the Venezuelan student continues to have status in Canada and can continue with their studies."

In an email, Canada Post spokesperson Sylvie Lapointe said they have conducted an internal investigation of their facilities and processes.

"We could not confirm the whereabouts of the envelope with the passport," she said.

'Worst nightmare'

Not everyone understands his plight, Villamizar explains, because not everyone has such a hard time getting new travel documents from their country.

"The worst nightmare is for a Venezuelan to lose his or her passport," he said.

Brian Villamizar says without a passport, he won't be able to present his research in other countries. He also fears deportation in 2021. (Liny Lamberink/CBC London)

CBC News found out in mid-August that the federal government was going to recognize Venezuelan passports and travel documents that had expired.

The country's consulates either cannot or will not replace expired documents, which is why Villamizar is frustrated that he's being told to contact the Venezuelan embassy in Canada to get a new passport.

"They know my embassy won't do anything," he said.

Villamizar has been able to continue as a teaching assistant at Western University without his work study permit for the time being. But come May 2021, a year before his PhD program comes to an end, he fears being deported.

That's when the two year extension on his lost passport would run out, and when he must leave the country, according to a photocopy of his lost work study permit.

"I want IRCC to allow me to apply to any immigration process that I need to for extending my study permit, for getting a work permit, or applying for permanent residence, without a passport," he said.

Travel plans ruined

On the day Villamizar found out his temporary resident visa was approved, he and his girlfriend paid for a vacation to Mexico.

Without a passport, he won't be able to go.

"The flights are lost … we didn't buy insurance for that," he said. "I think we might be able to get something back from the resort, because there are some cancellation dates and we still meet that."

Villamizar said the flights for two people cost about $1,500.

He also needs to travel in and out of Canada to present his research.

"There's a meeting next year in June in Amsterdam, where my supervisor and I were planning to attend. Besides that point, I want to see my mom. I'd like to see my family. Those are things I won't be able to do, since I have no passport."

Villamizar says the situation has impacted him emotionally and professionally, and has distracted him from focusing on his research.

"When I go to bed, I think about it," he said. "When I wake up, I think about it."