Re-enter Canada using your COPR?

[langoorbandar]

Also COPR is not valid for Travel, as airlines, take it as a risk, because, in case of a denied entry, they will have to bear the expense to deport. Also, say if you Travel to US ( if you have visa for US), you can still fly to the US and take a greyhound to Toronto or Niagara.

You cannot take any commercial carrier as they will not let you board it if you dont have valid visa for the travel or PR Card in possession. What you can do is to rent a car and drive across or somehow reach the border post and cross it on foot. COPR is not valid for travel but as a PR person, CBSA officers validate the status and allow the entry.

 

[rakakatoofaan]

You cannot take any commercial carrier as they will not let you board it if you dont have valid visa for the travel or PR Card in possession. What you can do is to rent a car and drive across or somehow reach the border post and cross it on foot. COPR is not valid for travel but as a PR person, CBSA officers validate the status and allow the entry.

I travel in my personal car on COPR everyday, between US and Canada. I am still waiting on my PR card, and I had become PR in 2016. Also, the expiration on my PR is of 2025.

 

[langoorbandar]

I travel in my personal car on COPR everyday, between US and Canada. I am still waiting on my PR card, and I had become PR in 2016. Also, the expiration on my PR is of 2025.

Buddy, my response was regarding suggestion you had made in previous post that you can take Greyhound to Toronto while traveling on COPR which you cannot. Clearly, private cars or rental vehicles or foot travel is permitted on COPR but any commercial carrier will not let you board the bus, boat, plane, train etc. without having PR Card or Travel Visa in your possession for travel to Canada.

 

[JaiCanada]

I can conclusively say that one can enter Canada using COPR and Passport without the PR Card after completing landing formalities as I just did that a week ago at Peace Bridge and also entered back into US couple of days later at Rainbow bridge using AVR. My PR cards were delivered at a friend's address and I didnt want to take a risk to courier them outside of Canada so that I can obtain them. I flew to BUF and then rented car to go to GTA Area to personally collect the PR cards. At Peace Bridge, CBSA officer just asked how long I'll be in Canada for and where I reside, I was truthful and told I'll be in Canada only for a day or two and will return back to US. He was okay with it and just looked at Passport and COPR and let me go. Upon return similar thing happened at rainbow bridge, I handed CBP officer the I-797 and passport with expired H1B visa and he simply looked at it, asked how long I was in Canada for and asked where I'm heading. Since I live in CA, I told him I'll be going to CA after dropping car back at BUF airport and he wished me good luck and let me go. All it took was about 30 seconds and that was it. Good luck to anyone who wish to cross border with COPR and Passport, it surely works.

Thanks for posting this @langoorbandar !

I'm in the NYC, planning to do first landing at Toronto Pearson, and head back in a day or two. After that, I'm planning to go to Toronto through Niagara (either drive all the way or fly to BUF and rent car). So looks like NYC-BUF-Toronto is good if we have our signed CoPR and PR stamp on the passport until I get the PR card (I'll be returning to the US on H-4 visa, with a valid stamp). Any other advice on traveling to BUF-Toronto? Is there anything additional charged by car rental companies for taking the car across the border?

 

[langoorbandar]

Thanks for posting this @langoorbandar !

I'm in the NYC, planning to do first landing at Toronto Pearson, and head back in a day or two. After that, I'm planning to go to Toronto through Niagara (either drive all the way or fly to BUF and rent car). So looks like NYC-BUF-Toronto is good if we have our signed CoPR and PR stamp on the passport until I get the PR card (I'll be returning to the US on H-4 visa, with a valid stamp). Any other advice on traveling to BUF-Toronto? Is there anything additional charged by car rental companies for taking the car across the border?

Generally there is no additional charge to take rental car over the border. Try to book through costco for better prices and less restricted rentals. If you are driving from BUF to Toronto, you can take Peace bridge or Rainbow bridge or Lewiston which is father away. In order to get to rainbow bridge from BUF airport you will need to cross a bridge that has all electronic toll on the US side (Grand Island bridge or something) and rental companies will try to make you rent EZ Pass toll transponder as its a money making scheme for them. You can all avoid that if you set your GPS to avoid Tolls and refuse to rent the toll transponder. As far as Peace Bridge or Rainbow bridge themselves are concerned, there is a toll to cross them ($3.75 USD or 4.75 CAD) but they take cash.

As far as roads in Toronto area is concerned, stay away from 407 ETR if using US rented car. Its all electronic toll road which relies on license plate readers to calculate the toll and send the bill to car rental companies. They will charge you processing fees in hundreds of dollars for toll worth few dollars. Best to avoid it than accidentally end up with huge rental bill.

 

[JaiCanada]

Generally there is no additional charge to take rental car over the border. Try to book through costco for better prices and less restricted rentals. If you are driving from BUF to Toronto, you can take Peace bridge or Rainbow bridge or Lewiston which is father away. In order to get to rainbow bridge from BUF airport you will need to cross a bridge that has all electronic toll on the US side (Grand Island bridge or something) and rental companies will try to make you rent EZ Pass toll transponder as its a money making scheme for them. You can all avoid that if you set your GPS to avoid Tolls and refuse to rent the toll transponder. As far as Peace Bridge or Rainbow bridge themselves are concerned, there is a toll to cross them ($3.75 USD or 4.75 CAD) but they take cash.

As far as roads in Toronto area is concerned, stay away from 407 ETR if using US rented car. Its all electronic toll road which relies on license plate readers to calculate the toll and send the bill to car rental companies. They will charge you processing fees in hundreds of dollars for toll worth few dollars. Best to avoid it than accidentally end up with huge rental bill.

Great points indeed!

Hadn't thought about tolls and getting charged for the tolls and stuff. Not sure if I'll be needing to Toronto but it's good to keep this in mind about 407. Thanks for sharing these points.

 

[Alithila]

I can conclusively say that one can enter Canada using COPR and Passport without the PR Card after completing landing formalities as I just did that a week ago at Peace Bridge and also entered back into US couple of days later at Rainbow bridge using AVR. My PR cards were delivered at a friend's address and I didnt want to take a risk to courier them outside of Canada so that I can obtain them. I flew to BUF and then rented car to go to GTA Area to personally collect the PR cards. At Peace Bridge, CBSA officer just asked how long I'll be in Canada for and where I reside, I was truthful and told I'll be in Canada only for a day or two and will return back to US. He was okay with it and just looked at Passport and COPR and let me go. Upon return similar thing happened at rainbow bridge, I handed CBP officer the I-797 and passport with expired H1B visa and he simply looked at it, asked how long I was in Canada for and asked where I'm heading. Since I live in CA, I told him I'll be going to CA after dropping car back at BUF airport and he wished me good luck and let me go. All it took was about 30 seconds and that was it. Good luck to anyone who wish to cross border with COPR and Passport, it surely works.

 

[Alithila]

Thanks for posting this @langoorbandar !

I too in same situation as you before .My PR card has been delivered in my friend's address.
My friend is not willing to courier the card. Its been 5 months since the card is delivered. Do you think I can still travel with my COPR and collect it in person?

 

[Alithila]

I do that everyday. I got my COPR in 2016. However, I did not move until July last week. Technically, I am not supposed to travel on COPR. However, I am traveling by my car everyday, so no issues on that.

Most of the times, officers do not even ask for COPR, as they see that I have PR stamped on my passport.

 

[DEEPCUR]

Thanks for posting this @langoorbandar !

I too in same situation as you before .My PR card has been delivered in my friend's address.
My friend is not willing to courier the card. Its been 5 months since the card is delivered. Do you think I can still travel with my COPR and collect it in person?

Why is he not willing to send it? You can generate the label in FedEx and send to him.. my friend's friend did that for me. He won't be in any kind of trouble by mailing it. I can vouch that. It doesn't make any sense to travel all the way spending time and money just for getting PR cards.

 

[Alithila]

Thanks for posting this @rakakatoofaan!
My PR card has been delivered in my friend's address.
My friend is not willing to courier the card. Its been 5 months since the card is delivered. Do you think I can still travel with my COPR but COPR got expired and Can i go by private car and collect it in person?

Why is he not willing to send it? You can generate the label in FedEx and send to him.. my friend's friend did that for me. He won't be in any kind of trouble by mailing it. I can vouch that. It doesn't make any sense to travel all the way spending time and money just for getting PR cards.

 

[Alithila]

Thank for reply DEEPCUR
He is apply for Citizenship so he scard about it and he dont wants to take any chance.he thinks that it is illegal to send it over couriers.
Do you think I can still travel with my COPR but COPR got expired and collect it in person? is there any other way?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank for reply DEEPCUR
He is apply for Citizenship so he scard about it and he dont wants to take any chance.he thinks that it is illegal to send it over couriers.
Do you think I can still travel with my COPR but COPR got expired and collect it in person? is there any other way?

Tell your friend to actually do some research instead of just believing what random people tell him. There is no law against mailing a PR card.

You don't even need your COPR. CBSA will swipe your passport and see your PR status in the system.

 

[DEEPCUR]

Thank for reply DEEPCUR
He is apply for Citizenship so he scard about it and he dont wants to take any chance.he thinks that it is illegal to send it over couriers.
Do you think I can still travel with my COPR but COPR got expired and collect it in person? is there any other way?

Yes, you can travel... If he is worried, just ask him to put your name and his address in from section so that CBSA will issue that arrest warrant for shipping PR card in your name.

 

[Alithila]

Tell your friend to actually do some research instead of just believing what random people tell him. There is no law against mailing a PR card.

You don't even need your COPR. CBSA will swipe your passport and see your PR status in the system.

Thank you for the reply Canuck_in_uk