An update - no issues boarding the plane in the US. When I got to customs in Canada (I don't have NEXUS), I explained my situation to the border agent. I had my cancelled work permit with me, and when he saw that he told me that I was fine to enter since the permit was still valid. This was not what the immigration agent told me when he signed the COPR and punched a hole through my work permit, but I didn't argue with the border agent. I guess I was a bit lucky, but the whole thing was pain-free overall. Thanks again everyone!
Re-entering Canada without PR Card, only CoPR and passport - by plane
- Thread starter donnanne
- Start date
Just goes to show you not all CBSA agents know how to do their job properly.
If you told them you were a PR, any old visa/permit you had whether valid or not would be irrelevant since you can't enter on those, you can only enter as a PR who is ineligible to hold any visas/permits.
Either way though he let you in with no problem so in this case it didn't matter.
Hi ALL
I have similar case, Activated my pr couple of days ago and will be going back to Europe for some holidays in may. All I have for now is COPR attached to my passport. At the border they told me that Canada has no issue of letting me in once I land at the airport. my question is :
can I use my other passport to come back to Canada which is British and just fly as a tourist. I have my ETA attached to it already.
Once im in Vancouver simply show them my main passport with copr ...
would it work ??
I have similar case, Activated my pr couple of days ago and will be going back to Europe for some holidays in may. All I have for now is COPR attached to my passport. At the border they told me that Canada has no issue of letting me in once I land at the airport. my question is :
can I use my other passport to come back to Canada which is British and just fly as a tourist. I have my ETA attached to it already.
Once im in Vancouver simply show them my main passport with copr ...
would it work ??
Hello Everyone,
I would like to find out if anyone has done this recently. I have been approved as a Canada PR and I intend to land in 2 weeks. However, I am planning a day trip to Niagara/Buffalo US and I have a valid US Visa. I need to confirm if there would be no issues when i try to re-enter Canada with just my CoPR and Nigerian Passport at the land border. Can I just walk across the bridge into Canada or get a Rental Car and I won't get turned back?
I would appreciate if anyone could share their experiences.
I would like to find out if anyone has done this recently. I have been approved as a Canada PR and I intend to land in 2 weeks. However, I am planning a day trip to Niagara/Buffalo US and I have a valid US Visa. I need to confirm if there would be no issues when i try to re-enter Canada with just my CoPR and Nigerian Passport at the land border. Can I just walk across the bridge into Canada or get a Rental Car and I won't get turned back?
I would appreciate if anyone could share their experiences.
Once you landed, your eTA technically became invalid. This means that in order to board a plane with Canada as a destination you will need to have your PR card or a PRTD.
CBSA will let you in at the border, but the chances are very high that the airline will refuse to take you there.
There's a chance that your eTA hasn't been cancelled, but it's a big (and potentially expensive) risk for you to take. I would consider that without the PR Card or PRTD you will not be allowed to fly to Canada.
How long are your holidays? Are you in one country long enough to apply for a PRTD at a Canadian visa office while you are there?
Your other option is to fly to Bellingham or Seattle and walk/drive/uber across the border. Note, you cannot take a bus or a train as they will also need to see a PR Card or PRTD.
I have an Indian passport and have a signed COPR but permanent card has not arrived yet. I also have a visitor visa to Canada separately. I am scheduled to return to Canada before my card gets there.
My flight tickets were already booked and its super expensive to cancel / change ($500 or more). The airline is Air Canada flying thru Frankfurt.
Is there any chance of me getting onto the flight in India and then in Frankfurt if I
show them my visitor visa and not disclose PR/COPR
Then in Toronto, I show them only Passport + COPR. Is this viable ?
My flight tickets were already booked and its super expensive to cancel / change ($500 or more). The airline is Air Canada flying thru Frankfurt.
Is there any chance of me getting onto the flight in India and then in Frankfurt if I
show them my visitor visa and not disclose PR/COPR
Then in Toronto, I show them only Passport + COPR. Is this viable ?
Sure you can always try, the risk would be if they scan your passport or visa and it indicates a "no-board" notice unless you present a PR card. Technically your TRV should have been cancelled after you became a PR.
If they simply let you on the flight with just a visual check of your TRV, then you would be fine since all CBSA needs when you get to Canada airport is your COPR.
Just be prepared though to be denied boarding, and have a back up plan.
Hi so just checking if anyone had a recent experience with crossing the land border from Buffalo, US to Canada with just their Passport and COPR
I landed last month and my PR card is yet to arrive. I need to travel to the US this week for 2 weeks (I have a valid US visit visa stamped on my Pakistani passport) .. so my questions are:
1. Will I be fine boarding a flight from Toronto to Boston ?
2. On return, can I take a taxi (or a bus?) from Buffalo, US and cross the border in to Canada with just my Pakistani passport and signed COPR?
This is really important - I don't want to get stuck on my way back to Canada because I have to join a new job as soon as I get back!
So anyone who has actually done this recently or knows someone (with a similar background) who has done this..would appreciate your responses to help with this please?
I landed last month and my PR card is yet to arrive. I need to travel to the US this week for 2 weeks (I have a valid US visit visa stamped on my Pakistani passport) .. so my questions are:
1. Will I be fine boarding a flight from Toronto to Boston ?
2. On return, can I take a taxi (or a bus?) from Buffalo, US and cross the border in to Canada with just my Pakistani passport and signed COPR?
This is really important - I don't want to get stuck on my way back to Canada because I have to join a new job as soon as I get back!
So anyone who has actually done this recently or knows someone (with a similar background) who has done this..would appreciate your responses to help with this please?
My understanding is that eTA, like ESTA, is only for air travel and technically doesn't apply to trains, ferries or buses. The official line is that you're supposed to have a PR card or PRTD to use a commercial land or sea carrier from the USA. A visa exempt tourist would only need a passport though.
A taxi would be OK if it dropped you at the border and you walked over yourself. The bus company would want to see a PRTD.
Are you sure about taxi to border and then walking over being okay (only with passport and COPR)? Have you done this? Sorry, I am just paranoid about it so wanna be sure that I wont get stuck hence just checking your sources.
You are not going to get stuck. You have the right of entry to Canada, so as long as you can get to a POE, you will be granted entry. Stop worrying.
Hello,
1. Yes you will be fine flying on a. commercial carrier to Boston if your visitor visa to the US is valid. Pakistan is not part of the wise waiver program (which requires an ESTA not a visa to travel to US) so you need your visitor visa.
2. You can fly from Boston to Buffalo and take public transport (Bus) from Buffalo airport to the Canadian border at Niagra falls. Rainbow Bridge is the pedestrian crossing and there's a nominal fare of $0.50. Present your passport and CoPR and the border official can check their systems and validate that you are a PR and just waiting for your card.
Good luck!