Entry by land with COPR from the 80s from being removed as a minor

[trebus]

Hello,

I'm wondering if it's possible to cross borders from the USA into Canada with my COPR. I was removed from the 80s as a minor by my parents and I've recently discovered the documents and since I'm stateless, I wish to live in Canada and become a permanent resident. Is there anything stopping me from doing this and since I was a minor at the time, I do not have a SIN number either. I have many relatives in Canada as well that would be able to help me cross the borders if that's required.

Can anyone tell me if it's a viable plan or not before I actually do it?

 

[xpressentry]

if you are stateless, i'd recommend getting legal documents first or applying for refuge somewhere. if you relatives help you cross the border illegally, you can be removed as an adult and that is worse than being removed as a minor. find a legal way to cross the border.

 

[trebus]

I have a COPR for Canada. My parents came into canada in the 80s and arrived as landed immigrants but left a year later due to my canadian grandparents leaving canada to live overseas.

So my current status is landed immigrant for Canada and due to my stateless status, I'm not able to travel or gain employment in any country. Since I was removed as a minor and recently found out about my current canadian status, I am currently researching on ways on resuming this status and I just wanted to ask more questions whether if it's possible to pursue this avenue of entry.

 

[scylla]

It's too late to use the "removed as a minor" argument to keep your PR status - you're far too old. This would only work if you were 18 - 21 years old now.

If you want to try to keep your PR status, you'll need to enter Canada legally via a US/Canada land border (which of course would require you to enter the US first). You'll need some sort of passport or travel document to enter Canada (you can't enter based on your COPR alone). When you enter Canada, it's possible you may be allowed in without issue. If this happen, you'll need to live in Canada for two years straight before you can apply for a PR card. During this time, it may be difficult to do things like obtain a SIN, health care coverage, driver's license, etc. It's also possible you may be reported at the border when you enter for failing to meet the PR residency requirement. If this happens, you will have to appear at a hearing to argue why you should be allowed to keep your status. Given you haven't lived in Canada since the 80's, you should expect this hearing not to go in your favour - in which case your PR status will be officially revoked and you'll be ordered to leave Canada.

So what you're planning is doable provided you are able to obtain a passport/travel document sot that you can legally enter Canada and provided you are able to legally enter the US (or are already in the US).

 

[scylla]

Actually - how old are you now? If you are in your mid twenties - you can try apply for a Travel Document with H&C considerations (based on the fact you were removed as a minor). It's probably going to be refused - but it's worth a try and probably your most realistic chance of keeping your PR status.

 

[trebus]

Well I'm in my mid 20s, I was in the process of applying for a PRTD but reading in this forum it seems crossing the land border seems to a more realistic path of keeping my PR status as due to my age it's very likely the request for the PRTD is to be refused.

Will there be any legal repercussions if I am refused entry into Canada if they discover my status? If revoked, would it be possible to apply through official channels to enter canada through official means of immigration.

 

[scylla]

Yeah - I think realistically speaking the chances of the PRTD being approved are extremely low given your age.

But can you get a valid passport? That's the one very big issue I see in crossing at a land border. You need to enter Canada legally - and for that, you need a valid passport.

There won't be any legal repercussions if you are refused entry into Canada. Yes - you can apply through official channels to immigrate. Again, you'll need a valid passport to do that.

 

[trebus]

Yeah I have a valid passport, I'd have to get a visa of entry into the USA and cross the borders by showing my COPR I suppose. Then at the borders it depends on what decisions the immigration officers at the border would decide.

I am also without a SIN card so I'm basically marooned for two years in Canada, is that right?

 

[trebus]

I'd like to add that due to my current landed immigrant status being in Limbo, I'm unable to apply for tourist visa or proper channels for immigration into Canada.

However due to my status being stateless, being able to keep this landed immigrant status is far more important for me and is definitely far better than independently applying for immigration into Canada, I feel. What do you guys think?

 

[scylla]

You're definitely marooned in Canada for two straight years in terms of travel.

I don't know about the SIN. It may still be possible for you to obtain one with just the COPR. Same goes for health care coverage. Not sure. It used to be easy in the past - I think one of them recently got harder. I would post this question to the Permanent Residency Obligation section of the forum. This is where all the discussions on this topic are.

And sorry - when you said you were stateless, I assumed this meant you didn't have a valid passport.

And yes - you will need to obtain a visa to enter the US. That should be your first step and will determine if the rest of your plan is feasible.

 

[scylla]

I'd like to add that due to my current landed immigrant status being in Limbo, I'm unable to apply for tourist visa or proper channels for immigration into Canada.

However due to my status being stateless, being able to keep this landed immigrant status is far more important for me and is definitely far better than independently applying for immigration into Canada, I feel. What do you guys think?

I think it all hinges on whether you can get a US visa approved. You need to enter the US legally and you need to enter Canada legally to be able to keep your existing PR status. So have a go at applying for a US visa. If it's approved, you can then consider the best option. If it's refused, that unfortunately answers your question for you.

 

[xpressentry]

What do you mean by stateless? If you have a passport, it would have been issued by some country so you are a national of that country.

 

[trebus]

Thanks a lot for the help then. I really appreciate it.

 

[trebus]

What do you mean by stateless? If you have a passport, it would have been issued by some country so you are a national of that country.

Well, it's not exactly a passport and more accurately called a Travel Document. I can travel but I'd have to get a visa for every country I go to. I thought it was a norm until I was older and realised that I am stateless, which is the nationality status denoted to me on my travel document and my identification card.

 

[scylla]

Well, it's not exactly a passport and more accurately called a Travel Document. I can travel but I'd have to get a visa for every country I go to. I thought it was a norm until I was older and realised that I am stateless, which is the nationality status denoted to me on my travel document and my identification card.

In that case I think you are going to be very hard pressed to get an approved US visitor visa. However you can certainly try. Good luck.