Leaving urgently without a PR card

[GustavesF]

You are mistaken. There is no such rule around 1 year of having landing papers/COPR.

In general anyone can enter Canada with just their passport and landing papers, at any time, as long as it's by car at a land border.

When traveling by plane the landing papers are useless, as the airline will only accept a PR card to allow boarding (unless traveler is visa-exempt, and before the new eTA rules come into effect).

The 1 year was my "safe" guess.

I don't know how long a PR card is valid, because I don't know if I'll ever receive ours... but if it's 3 years then I imagine that trying to cross over with landing papers that are 10 years old, with no PR card, then I don't imagine they'll assume you're still a valid PR.

There must be some kind of time limit or expiry on your PR status as indicated by landing papers or PR cards would never expire, but I assume the papers are good for at least 1 year. Likely 3.

 

[Ponga]

The 1 year was my "safe" guess.

I don't know how long a PR card is valid, because I don't know if I'll ever receive ours... but if it's 3 years then I imagine that trying to cross over with landing papers that are 10 years old, with no PR card, then I don't imagine they'll assume you're still a valid PR.

There must be some kind of time limit or expiry on your PR status as indicated by landing papers or PR cards would never expire, but I assume the papers are good for at least 1 year. Likely 3.

They are valid for 5 years, but AFAIK, having a valid PR Card is not a requirement [ever], unless the person plans to ever travel back to Canada via a commercial carrier. All CBSA needs to do is check their system to verify the status of a PR, with or without an actual card. The COPR never expires, once it has been activated...meaning that the person has landed.

 

[Taddy]

You don't need to have PR card to return. You can apply for a travel document which cost $50.Application would be made in the country you are leaving at the Canadian High Commission.

The travel document is for PR holders who for whatever reason don't have a valid PR card to travel back to Canada.
Your reason would be that it had not been dispatched at the time you departed from Canada.

True, but processing times vary from country to country so it's worth making sure that one has enough time in the country to be able to get their PRTD processed. This is the position I'm in; flights booked, 8 working days in UK, been told 5 working days to process (plus mailing times as I won't be anywhere near London).

(I booked my flights just after landing when I was told at immigration that we would get our cards in 4-6 weeks. I assumed that booking travel 15 weeks later would be safe. It seems I assumed wrong )

 

[GustavesF]

They are valid for 5 years, but AFAIK, having a valid PR Card is not a requirement [ever], unless the person plans to ever travel back to Canada via a commercial carrier. All CBSA needs to do is check their system to verify the status of a PR, with or without an actual card. The COPR never expires, once it has been activated...meaning that the person has landed.

So as long as you have access to a land border to Canada somewhere (which is easy, because there's an American airport reasonably near almost every Canadian city) you never have to renew your PR card, and as a result will never lose your PR status since no one will ever be reviewing it.

I wonder if there are people actively taking advantage of this, especially since Canadian airports are terrible.

 

[Rob_TO]

There must be some kind of time limit or expiry on your PR status as indicated by landing papers or PR cards would never expire, but I assume the papers are good for at least 1 year. Likely 3.

No there is no expiry. Not 1 or 3 or 100. All you really need is a passport to cross a land border as a PR, having your landing papers (doesn't matter how old they are) just helps expedite the process with CBSA.

Even if crossing by land, CBSA can still report a PR for not meeting the residency obligation. The only advantage is that it doesn't require one to get a PR Travel Doc.

 

[StevieFray]

You are mistaken. There is no such rule around 1 year of having landing papers/COPR.

In general anyone can enter Canada with just their passport and landing papers, at any time, as long as it's by car at a land border.

When traveling by plane the landing papers are useless, as the airline will only accept a PR card to allow boarding (unless traveler is visa-exempt, and before the new eTA rules come into effect).

Hi Rob, let me get this straight. Reason with me here a little and correct me if I'm wrong.

1. I'm from a visa-exempt country. So you're saying I can book a round trip, land in canada, provide my address of a family member, then have them bring my PR card to me? Will I experience a problem at the border in Toronto when I show my PR card?

2. I can enter through land border (in car or truck) with just passport and COPR?

3. I can leave Canada then apply for a PRTD however, it isn't guaranteed because it is based on certain requirements.

Thanks

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi Rob, let me get this straight. Reason with me here a little and correct me if I'm wrong.

1. I'm from a visa-exempt country. So you're saying I can book a round trip, land in canada, provide my address of a family member, then have them bring my PR card to me? Will I experience a problem at the border in Toronto when I show my PR card?

2. I can enter through land border (in car or truck) with just passport and COPR?

3. I can leave Canada then apply for a PRTD however, it isn't guaranteed because it is based on certain requirements.

Thanks

1. Yes, they can bring you the card. No, you won't have a problem at the border.

2. Yes.

3. You could get a PRTD without issue.

 

[StevieFray]

1. Yes, they can bring you the card. No, you won't have a problem at the border.

2. Yes.

3. You could get a PRTD without issue.

Ok, thanks for the feedback.