Air Travel on COPR

[shrinidh]

Hello Folks,

I received my COPR on March 16th and landed on COPR (became a permanent resident on May 8th, 2017). Due to the typographical error of immigration officer at YYZ airport, my PR card is delayed and I expect to receive it in the end week of September. Currently, I am in USA and planning to take a trip back to Toronto next month.
My specific question is can I travel by flight on COPR without PR card? I am certain about traveling by road on COPR since I crossed the border once on COPR but I did not travel by flight. Additionally, I also have Canadian Tourist visa. I doubt that tourist visa is no longer valid from the date you became PR. I am in the dilemma that should I plan my travel by flight or not? Any insights from you is truly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[scylla]

You'll need to tell us what passport you hold. If you hold an American passport, you can fly. Otherwise you need to obtain a PRTD or enter via a US/Canada land border by car.

Your Canadian visitor visa is no longer valid.

 

[bafonso]

You'll need to tell us what passport you hold. If you hold an American passport, you can fly. Otherwise you need to obtain a PRTD or enter via a US/Canada land border by car.

Your Canadian visitor visa is no longer valid.

Is this loophole true? Has anyone done it?

 

[Rob_TO]

Hello Folks,

I received my COPR on March 16th and landed on COPR (became a permanent resident on May 8th, 2017). Due to the typographical error of immigration officer at YYZ airport, my PR card is delayed and I expect to receive it in the end week of September. Currently, I am in USA and planning to take a trip back to Toronto next month.
My specific question is can I travel by flight on COPR without PR card? I am certain about traveling by road on COPR since I crossed the border once on COPR but I did not travel by flight. Additionally, I also have Canadian Tourist visa. I doubt that tourist visa is no longer valid from the date you became PR. I am in the dilemma that should I plan my travel by flight or not? Any insights from you is truly appreciated.
Thanks

Since you hold a TRV, I assume you don't have a US passport. In this case, as a PR you would need to show valid PR card or PR TD to be allowed boarding on the flight.

There is a chance your TRV was not cancelled when you became a PR (for some it is, for others it isn't). So you could try to pretend you're a foreign national (and not a PR) to the airline to use your TRV to board the flight. However if TRV was cancelled and airline sees this on their system, you will be denied boarding to the flight. The only way to know if this will work or not, is to try and see what happens when you check in.

Otherwise you should apply for a PR TD, or travel back to Canada via land border.

 

[Rob_TO]

Is this loophole true? Has anyone done it?

What loophole? Above are all perfectly valid ways of entering Canada.

 

[bafonso]

What loophole? Above are all perfectly valid ways of entering Canada.

Seems like americans do not need to get a PRTD when traveling abroad by plane unlike everyone else that is waiting for their PR card.

 

[Rob_TO]

Seems like americans do not need to get a PRTD when traveling abroad by plane unlike everyone else that is waiting for their PR card.

Right, since US passport do not require eTA.

 

[mgnlky]

Is this loophole true? Has anyone done it?

If you hold a US passport, this is true. I did it in October. Our passports will get us into the country, however it is the PR Card/PRTD that gives us the right to live , work, etc.

 

[bafonso]

If you hold a US passport, this is true. I did it in October. Our passports will get us into the country, however it is the PR Card/PRTD that gives us the right to live , work, etc.

I'm confused, is it then an issue for a US citizen to enter the country by air while waiting for his PR card in the absence of PRTD ?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I'm confused, is it then an issue for a US citizen to enter the country by air while waiting for his PR card in the absence of PRTD ?

No. As said above, US citizens are eTA-exempt, so they are able to fly to Canada on just the strength of their passport.

 

[bafonso]

No. As said above, US citizens are eTA-exempt, so they are able to fly to Canada on just the strength of their passport.

I guess non US citizens are not able since their eTA is revoked once they get PR ? I'm asking because I have an eTA and being able to fly easily before getting my card in the mail would be great for me.. (not that I'm hopeful at this point..)

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I guess non US citizens are not able since their eTA is revoked once they get PR ? I'm asking because I have an eTA and being able to fly easily before getting my card in the mail would be great for me.. (not that I'm hopeful at this point..)

Yes, the eTA is no longer valid after becoming a PR.

 

[Rob_TO]

I guess non US citizens are not able since their eTA is revoked once they get PR ? I'm asking because I have an eTA and being able to fly easily before getting my card in the mail would be great for me.. (not that I'm hopeful at this point..)

There have been posts on this forum, of newly landed PRs who found their eTA wasn't cancelled and continue to fly on it by posing as a foreign national to the airline. You can check online the status of your eTA to see if its still active or not. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

I have no idea why some eTAs were cancelled, and others were not. Perhaps it takes time or human initiative from CBSA/IRCC to start the cancellation process, and in some cases they may not bother. You can certainly attempt to travel back to Canada on it if it still shows active, but of course this would be a big risk since it could be cancelled at any time and with no warning.