crossed the border with expired PR

[Hadysaade]

Hi Hadysaade,

Greetings! Glad to know you safely crossed the border and now almost settled in Canada. I just want to know whether you had US passport or Green card before you crossed the land boarder and finally entered to Canada? I am also short of RO, however my PR card will expire in 2024. I just want to know your opinion about the immigration authority at the Montreal airport, if I choose Montreal air port as the port of entry enroute to Winnipeg. Just your experience at the Montreal air port. By the way, which country (nationality) are you from?

Thank you for your kind reply in advance.

Eusufzai

Thank you @Eusufzai.
I had a US visa so I traveled from the middle East to USA, spent a week and then came to Quebec by crossing the border from Burlington / Vermont with a rented car and with a PR that had been expired since 9 years and a COPR.
I cannot give my opinion for the authority at MTL airport, last time I came through the airport was 13 years ago.
The agent at the border give me a bit of hard time and after 30 minutes he advised us to move on, I felt honest when told him that we came here to settle and live here which We did since more than 4 years.
I was not alone we were a family of 4 with the same case.
Your case, in my opinion, is not as hard as mine since you have a card that is not expired, but all depends on the agent.
Try to have less luggage and a rented car with Quebec plate.
Good luck
Regards

 

[Eusufzai]

Thank you @Eusufzai.
I had a US visa so I traveled from the middle East to USA, spent a week and then came to Quebec by crossing the border from Burlington / Vermont with a rented car and with a PR that had been expired since 9 years and a COPR.
I cannot give my opinion for the authority at MTL airport, last time I came through the airport was 13 years ago.
The agent at the border give me a bit of hard time and after 30 minutes he advised us to move on, I felt honest when told him that we came here to settle and live here which We did since more than 4 years.
I was not alone we were a family of 4 with the same case.
Your case, in my opinion, is not as hard as mine since you have a card that is not expired, but all depends on the agent.
Try to have less luggage and a rented car with Quebec plate.
Good luck
Regards

Thank you Hadysaade for your kind reply. Sorry for being late to response. I just want to know, did you apply for US visitor visa from Middle East? I am from Bangladesh. Is it possible for me and my family to apply for visitor visa to US and then cross the border to enter to Canada? We are also 4 member family including me. Just in case, if I do not get US visitor visa, I would like to enter through any airport. I am just wondering which air port might be less severe.

Again thank you for your kind reply. Wish you all the best.

Regards,

Eusufzai

 

[canuck78]

Thank you @Eusufzai.
I had a US visa so I traveled from the middle East to USA, spent a week and then came to Quebec by crossing the border from Burlington / Vermont with a rented car and with a PR that had been expired since 9 years and a COPR.
I cannot give my opinion for the authority at MTL airport, last time I came through the airport was 13 years ago.
The agent at the border give me a bit of hard time and after 30 minutes he advised us to move on, I felt honest when told him that we came here to settle and live here which We did since more than 4 years.
I was not alone we were a family of 4 with the same case.
Your case, in my opinion, is not as hard as mine since you have a card that is not expired, but all depends on the agent.
Try to have less luggage and a rented car with Quebec plate.
Good luck
Regards

To be fair your family’s case what not that smooth. You all didn’t decide to come back to Canada, cross the border with no issues and live your lives for 2 years with no problems. Your wife lost her status if I read correctly. Your son was denied PRTD but then got approved.

 

[Hadysaade]

I also have a question if someone can help.

Back in 2010, when my PR card was still valid, I got pulled for a talk. I had been living back in the UK at the time. I told the border officer this at the time, because at that time, I had no plans to come back and he kind of looked at my card, at the other officer and handed my stuff back.

Now, I ended up coming back in 2016 and made it through the US border, I wasnt in compliance with the RO. She took my card, asked why it wasn't renewed since 2013 ( I said I hadn't got round to it) , scanned it in and said I was free to go.

Now i'm applying for a new card after meeting the requirements. However, this thread has worried me. What if the first time all those years ago when I stated I wasn't living in Canada anymore, if he tried to Revoke my status and it never made it to me? I've made a life here now and I'm terrified.

Im thinking that the lady at the border when I gave her my card would have seen that it was revoked when she scanned it? Also I applied for an eTa as I didn't realise I stil had it and I got the standard email 'We think you may be a permanent resident so you don't need one' and because I didn't reply, I got another saying 'As you didn't reply, we assume you wanted to keep your PR status so have closed the eTA case.'

Also - When I came to visit over the years, I never showed my PR card, just my UK passport and they never questioned me. . URgh. Panic mode.

Any clarification would be awesome.

Hello Jenny
I was going through this post and wondered if you managed to renew your PR card and/or also managed to obtain the Canafian Citizenship.
Many thanks
Hadi