Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

[Maicon Oliveira]

Hello guys,

I have L2 visa and I live in Windsor. Can I apply for EAD and keep living in Windsor?
I am planning to work in Detroit.

 

[lampbreaker]

Hello guys,

I have L2 visa and I live in Windsor. Can I apply for EAD and keep living in Windsor?
I am planning to work in Detroit.

You can certainly apply for EAD while you are in the US. But when the application gets processed, you may be outside the US or commuting and it is upto USCIS's discretion whether they want to approve it or not. If you want to be on the safest side, you are supposed to stay in the US while the application is being processed. Also, since L2 is dependent status, your L1 spouse must be living in the US and working in L1 status. If L1 spouse is also commuting, then it adds one more level of complexity. If the L1 spouse is not living in the US, then you are not eligible even for L2 status, forget EAD.

 

[BhargavDadhaniya]

Hi all,

I have query regarding Soft Landing and H1B Stamping for first time.

So, I need to visit India in December 2019 for first time H1B stamping and I also need to land in Canada prior to January 2020 to activate PR.

My choice is- Drive to Windsor (I currently live in metro Detroit) to activate PR (soft landing), Fly to India from Toronto for H1B visa stamp, return to Detroit (provided everything goes well) from India and then go to Windsor. If this case is feasible, can I re-enter Canada without PR card and solely on COPR via land border?

Other option is- Fly to India from US for H1B interview and return back to US (provided everything goes well). After that drive to Windsor to activate PR and come back to Detroit. Question still remains, if this case is feasible, can I re-enter Canada without PR card and solely on COPR via land border?

I request you guys to please assist in any possible way.
Thanks
Bhargav

 

[Takentaken421]

I will strongly suggest to complete your soft landing before you go to India for visa stamping. If you plan to do soft landing later and you're stuck in India due to any issue in stamping, you would risk your PR activation too.

If you have any friend or relative in Canada, you can get your PR card mailed to them. Some people did post some successful experiences of using COPR during road travel (rental car or your own car) to Canada. Since you are already in Detroit, you can try your luck using COPR to travel but you can apply PRTD if you want to be super safe.

 

[lampbreaker]

It is not a matter of luck. You can certainly enter Canada without the PR card via US land border when traveling in a private vehicle. Even commercial bus operators don't check PR cards and people have used those as well.

 

[BhargavDadhaniya]

Thank you for the response guys. This certainly is going to help me. I will be using the same Windsor border and same private car to reenter Canada. I think I will be fine with passport and COPR.

Can someone please list out common questions that are asked when we do soft landing? Also, at the time of landing, do we need to mention that we (me and my wife are landing together) are just doing soft landing and we will be back in few weeks?

 

[BhargavDadhaniya]

While doing the soft landing, do we have to mention goods to follow and goods to accompany lists?
Also, if I plan to do like daily up-down travel between Detroit-Windsor, do I need to mention in the list that I am importing my car?

Please assist.
Thanks.

 

[pr131985]

While doing the soft landing, do we have to mention goods to follow and goods to accompany lists?
Also, if I plan to do like daily up-down travel between Detroit-Windsor, do I need to mention in the list that I am importing my car?

Please assist.
Thanks.

For soft landing you don't have to provide Goods to Follow list.
When the officer asks about your plans to move, just say you are not sure and its undecided.

However, do remember they won't apply for PR card yet since you are soft landing.
They won't accept friends/relatives address and will tell you to apply for PR card after you have your own Canadian address.

 

[BhargavDadhaniya]

For soft landing you don't have to provide Goods to Follow list.
When the officer asks about your plans to move, just say you are not sure and its undecided.

However, do remember they won't apply for PR card yet since you are soft landing.
They won't accept friends/relatives address and will tell you to apply for PR card after you have your own Canadian address.

Thank you for your response. I came to know from other posts that, officer just asks for any address for PR card (even if it is Soft landing).
Is this recent trend that during soft landing, they will not apply for PR card? Or does this depend on officers?

 

[pr131985]

Thank you for your response. I came to know from other posts that, officer just asks for any address for PR card (even if it is Soft landing).
Is this recent trend that during soft landing, they will not apply for PR card? Or does this depend on officers?

All the posts I have read, say that @ WIndsor they do not process PR card since last year. My experience was same too.
I did my landing this year in June, and the officer said since you are not moving permanently we will not do your PR now.
Do it once you have Canadian address, they won't do it for your friend/relatives address.
You might try, but chances are that's what you will hear as well.

 

[BhargavDadhaniya]

All the posts I have read, say that @ WIndsor they do not process PR card since last year. My experience was same too.
I did my landing this year in June, and the officer said since you are not moving permanently we will not do your PR now.
Do it once you have Canadian address, they won't do it for your friend/relatives address.
You might try, but chances are that's what you will hear as well.

Thank you again for the explanation. If they do not kick PR card off, does that mean we won't be co sided as

 

[skarme312]

Thank you again for the explanation. If they do not kick PR card off, does that mean we won't be co sided as

You become a PR when you land! I would not worry too much if they don't take a friend's address. Just call IRCC and they will update the address for sending a PR card.

 

[DespairAmericanDream]

Is it better to travel during day time on weekends through ambassador bridge into USA? or night time is okay too? I am travelling with H1B. I know it says the bridge is open 24 hours. First time travelling to make sure there are no issues.

 

[lampbreaker]

Is it better to travel during day time on weekends through ambassador bridge into USA? or night time is okay too? I am travelling with H1B. I know it says the bridge is open 24 hours. First time travelling to make sure there are no issues.

As long as the bridge is open, timing/day of week makes no difference to the outcome. Of course, some times/days might be busier than others.

 

[pr131985]

You become a PR when you land! I would not worry too much if they don't take a friend's address. Just call IRCC and they will update the address for sending a PR card.

Yes you can surely do that. But the web page (Address change notification) does not work until the Border officer acknowledges you have moved to Canada.
Other option is to call and update the address, but you cannot call from outside Canada.
You can maybe bypass it by calling them from a number from Canada (using your relative/friends number).