Crossing the border by land

[East]

Hi there,

I have to cross the US/CA border by land as my residency card has expired but I do qualify all the obligations so it won't be a problem getting in. I'm going to Seattle and then cross the border to Vancouver Island.

My question is.. Am I able to travel by ferry? This is the quickest and easiest way. Or do I have to do it by car, train, bus etc?

 

[Rob_TO]

Hi there,

I have to cross the US/CA border by land as my residency card has expired but I do qualify all the obligations so it won't be a problem getting in. I'm going to Seattle and then cross the border to Vancouver Island.

My question is.. Am I able to travel by ferry? This is the quickest and easiest way. Or do I have to do it by car, train, bus etc?

eTA program only applies to airlines, so you should be able to travel via ferry simply based on your visa-exempt passport.

 

[East]

Thank you

 

[Blueboy1980]

Hi there,

I have to cross the US/CA border by land as my residency card has expired but I do qualify all the obligations so it won't be a problem getting in. I'm going to Seattle and then cross the border to Vancouver Island.

My question is.. Am I able to travel by ferry? This is the quickest and easiest way. Or do I have to do it by car, train, bus etc?

If you're talking about your PR card expired then only a private vehicle is what you can use to come back into Canada as a resident. You need a valid PR card. This is what CIC state : " a PR card or travel document is required for all permanent residents returning to Canada on a commercial vehicle (plane, train, boat or bus)." You can use a rental car too and that is considered a private vehicle. If you have a visa exempt passport then if you re enter Canada on a commercial vehicle you are considered a visitor and will need to re validate your permanent residence status so be careful.

 

[Rob_TO]

If you're talking about your PR card expired then only a private vehicle is what you can use to come back into Canada as a resident. You need a valid PR card. This is what CIC state : " a PR card or travel document is required for all permanent residents returning to Canada on a commercial vehicle (plane, train, boat or bus)." You can use a rental car too and that is considered a private vehicle. If you have a visa exempt passport then if you re enter Canada on a commercial vehicle you are considered a visitor and will need to re validate your permanent residence status so be careful.

CBSA will not care one bit HOW you got to the border. So whether he got there by boat, bus or private car, the interaction with CBSA will be the same in each situation. With a passport + COPR, CBSA will easily be able to determine PR status so should be allowed in with no problems.

 

[Blueboy1980]

CBSA will not care one bit HOW you got to the border. So whether he got there by boat, bus or private car, the interaction with CBSA will be the same in each situation. With a passport + COPR, CBSA will easily be able to determine PR status so should be allowed in with no problems.

I know they won't care HOW you got to the border. But try entering Canada with an expired PR card and it won't be a good record. Why do you think they use PRTDs if it's OK to use an expired card?

 

[keesio]

I know they won't care HOW you got to the border. But try entering Canada with an expired PR card and it won't be a good record. Why do you think they use PRTDs if it's OK to use an expired card?

Those people who need a PRTD are usually people who are abroad and need to fly back to Canada. The issue is boarding the flight as airlines will check for a valid PR card or PRTD.

 

[spyfy]

I know they won't care HOW you got to the border. But try entering Canada with an expired PR card and it won't be a good record. Why do you think they use PRTDs if it's OK to use an expired card?

There is no such thing as a "bad record" for crossing the border without a PR card. As others said, the only issue is that airlines don't let you board without a PR Card, PRTD or eTA. But there is not eTA procedure in effect to board a ferry. So indeed anyone with a visa-exempt passport can board a ferry to Canada no questions asked.

 

[Rob_TO]

But try entering Canada with an expired PR card and it won't be a good record. Why do you think they use PRTDs if it's OK to use an expired card?

Irrelevant. Neither a valid PR card nor PR TD is actually required by CBSA. Technically all you need is a passport, and with that CBSA can determine your PR status. It may just require a trip to secondary inspection for them to confirm status which is why showing an expired PR card or COPR could help expedite the process.

 

[thecoolguysam]

As per the following link, under "Permanent residents of Canada", ferry is considered commercial, they might not let you board the ferry without valid PR card. It's better to drive by land to the border from USA in a private vehicle and then CBSA can check your information and if you meet residency requirements, they will let you in.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp

 

[Rob_TO]

As per the following link, under "Permanent residents of Canada", ferry is considered commercial, they might not let you board the ferry without valid PR card. It's better to drive by land to the border from USA in a private vehicle and then CBSA can check your information and if you meet residency requirements, they will let you in.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp

Doesn't matter if commercial or not... if you don't need an eTA then you should be able to board with no problems using just a visa-exempt passport. You are basically just pretending to be a visitor to Canada with the commercial transport carrier.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Doesn't matter if commercial or not... if you don't need an eTA then you should be able to board with no problems using just a visa-exempt passport. You are basically just pretending to be a visitor to Canada with the commercial transport carrier.

The OP has not specified that he has visa exempt passport. If he indeed does, doesn't filling eta require to disclose PR status?

 

[Rob_TO]

The OP has not specified that he has visa exempt passport. If he indeed does, doesn't filling eta require to disclose PR status?

OP is from the UK so is visa-exempt.

eTA is only required for airlines, not for ferry/bus commercial transport.

 

[Blueboy1980]

Doesn't matter if commercial or not... if you don't need an eTA then you should be able to board with no problems using just a visa-exempt passport. You are basically just pretending to be a visitor to Canada with the commercial transport carrier.

I understand what you mean but there's two things here.

1) I'm British and only passport I have is a British one, when I was boarding my flight from Heathrow to Ottawa there was someone there asking to see people's passports so I showed her mine and she asked me what the reason for travel is and I told her I live in Ottawa so she asked to see my PR card which I did. Now if my PR card was expired, would they deniy me boarding?

2) If it was expired, am I meant to lie and say I'm just visiting Canada? Now let's say I manage to board the flight, the CBSA wouldn't care if my PR card is expired? Because when I first flew and got to CBSA, I gave the customs officer my passport and told him I'm a PR and if he needs to see my PR card. He said yes definitely, that just as important if not more than a passport.

 

[Rob_TO]

1) Now if my PR card was expired, would they deniy me boarding?

Yes they would have. But if you didn't have a valid PR card, you wouldn't have told them you're a PR. The whole premise of this is pretending you're a visa-exempt foreign national.

2) If it was expired, am I meant to lie and say I'm just visiting Canada?

Yes exactly.

Now let's say I manage to board the flight, the CBSA wouldn't care if my PR card is expired? Because when I first flew and got to CBSA, I gave the customs officer my passport and told him I'm a PR and if he needs to see my PR card. He said yes definitely, that just as important if not more than a passport.

As has been told now to you multiple times, CBSA does not require a valid PR card to determine your PR status and grant you entry. Technically all you need is a passport as all your PR info is on their system. Having an expired PR card or COPR will help CBSA look up your info much quicker.

All the above no longer holds true to air travel, however it's still perfectly valid for other commercial transport where no eTA is required.