Entry to Canada without PRTD / PR Card through US

[almehdi]

Hi

I received my PR and did a 1 week short-landing earlier this month before returning back home for about 4 weeks due to family matters. To re-enter Canada now without a valid PRTD / PR card, I want to travel to US on a B1/B2 visa (I have one) and cross the land border by car.

My worry is, if I am likely to be stopped from boarding flight to US or denied entry at the US airport? (I am not concerned about being denied entry to Canada)

Reasons for my concern -
1) I don't have a return/onward ticket from US (plan to go by land to Canada),
2) I am currently unemployed (I quit my job to move to Canada)
3) I do not have strong ties to Canada (yet to rent a place, get a job or establish other ties there)

Based on the above, will US border authorities deem I am likely to stay in US instead of going ahead to Canada?

I know many people have planned such entry to Canada instead of getting PRTD, but dont know if they were successful or how many (if any) were denied entry to US.

PS: I have had the US B1/B2 visa for 8+ years and only used it once so I could argue if I had intentions to illegally immigrate to US using this visa, I had 8 years to do so, although I dont think you are given a chance to defend your case if you are denied entry.

 

[Peacekeeper87]

Hi

I received my PR and did a 1 week short-landing earlier this month before returning back home for about 4 weeks due to family matters. To re-enter Canada now without PR card, I want to travel to US on a B1/B2 visa (I have one) and cross the land border by car.

My worry is, if I am likely to be stopped from boarding flight to US or denied entry at the US airport? (I am not concerned about being denied entry to Canada)

Reasons for my concern -
1) I don't have a return ticket from US (plan to go by land to Canada),
2) I am unemployed (I quit my job to move to Canada)
3) I do not have strong ties to Canada (yet to rent a place, get a job or establish other ties there)

Based on the above, will US border authorities deem I am likely to stay in US instead of going ahead to Canada?

I know many people have planned such entry to Canada instead of getting PRTD, but dont know if they were successful or how many (if any) were denied entry to US.

PS: I am not applying for PRTD as I want to travel back to Canada soon and dont want to wait 2 weeks - 2 months for PRTD

Your concerns are indeed founded.
On a B1/B2 visa, one way ticket, and no proof of onward travel, you may indeed be denied boarding. And if you manage to board a flight, you may be questioned by CBP upon arrival. Travelers on one-way tickets are pre-flagged, and known by CBP officers before their plane even lands.

That being said, let me share my own experience with you.

After we arrived in Canada for a soft landing, we flew back home via JFK, with an itinerary from Toronto to JFK on a way ticket. We had an onward ticket printed and ready to show if anyone asked, but I was surprised that neither the check-in agent or the US-CBP officer in Canada (Yes US border agents do passport controls for all US bound flights) bothered to ask or check if we had an onward itinerary. One could argue that it could have come up in their system but I doubt it, as it's a different airline, different booking system...etc.

Even when we transited through JFK on our way to Canada the first time, we told CBP officer at JFK that we were in transit. He did ask which airline and which flight to see if our story made sense, and moved on. At no point did he ask to see any proof. He did check if we had a proper Canadian visa, again, to see if our story makes sense. No proof of travel asked.

So my point is, I guess it's at their own discretion, but you're indeed taking a multi-staged risk. Issues can arise at check-in, boarding, and arrival.

Do check what are the rates for round trip flights From/To your US airport so that your first airline can let you board. And when you arrive in the US, you can tell them you're transiting on your way to Canada by car. As show of good faith, you can show CBP officer your CoPR. If you have a history with absolutely no issues and you're in good terms with Uncle Sam (no overstays, no visa violations...etc), shouldn't be an issue.

 

[almehdi]

Your concerns are indeed founded.
On a B1/B2 visa, one way ticket, and no proof of onward travel, you may indeed be denied boarding. And if you manage to board a flight, you may be questioned by CBP upon arrival. Travelers on one-way tickets are pre-flagged, and known by CBP officers before their plane even lands.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's a slight relief to know that you did something kind of similar to what I am planning. While in your case US-CBP did not check for proofs, you had a valid Canada visa and ticket during your first trip and on the second trip you had a valid onward ticket, so you had sufficient proofs if needed.

I'll wait to see if I can find someone who entered US specifically to do a land crossing to Canada without PRTD / PR Card before taking a final decision

 

[almehdi]

@wilson and @steaky

I see you guys suggested travelling via USA and entering Canada by land border to another user a long time back in this thread: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/urgent-pr-card-processing-and-question-of-returning-canada.161407/#post-2498160

As experienced members in the forum, request your inputs on the concerns I have raised in my original post above.

 

[Peacekeeper87]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's a slight relief to know that you did something kind of similar to what I am planning. While in your case US-CBP did not check for proofs, you had a valid Canada visa and ticket during your first trip and on the second trip you had a valid onward ticket, so you had sufficient proofs if needed.

I'll wait to see if I can find someone who entered US specifically to do a land crossing to Canada without PRTD / PR Card before taking a final decision

Yes, I did have the proof if needed, despite them not checking.
If you want 100% peace of mind, you can grab a round trip ticket on your first trip, the difference is usually not that big.
And upon arrival, as long as you have no issues with the US, transiting all the way to the border is no issue at all. You'll just need to convince officer.
All the best.

 

[Varun7172]

@wilson and @steaky

I see you guys suggested travelling via USA and entering Canada by land border to another user a long time back in this thread: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/urgent-pr-card-processing-and-question-of-returning-canada.161407/#post-2498160

As experienced members in the forum, request your inputs on the concerns I have raised in my original post above.

Hey Did you do the entry via US to canada by land? I am planning to do something similar. Please advise

 

[almehdi]

Hey, I did. It went pretty smoothly I would say. I told that my friend was coming down to NYC from Toronto with my PR card instead of saying I would enter Canada with the COPR document only.

The TSA guy at Istanbul where I boarded the JFK flight remarked rather sarcastically that I had a "very good story" about my friend coming down to NYC with my PR card and conferred with his boss, but they let me pass without further ado.

I also had my bus tickets and a fully paid AirBnB booking for a month in Toronto, so that was some proof that I did intend the forward trip to Canada.

I also crossed into the Canadian side on Megabus, not a private car and there was no issues with that.

 

[Varun7172]

Hey, I did. It went pretty smoothly I would say. I told that my friend was coming down to NYC from Toronto with my PR card instead of saying I would enter Canada with the COPR document only.

The TSA guy at Istanbul where I boarded the JFK flight remarked rather sarcastically that I had a "very good story" about my friend coming down to NYC with my PR card and conferred with his boss, but they let me pass without further ado.

I also had my bus tickets and a fully paid AirBnB booking for a month in Toronto, so that was some proof that I did intend the forward trip to Canada.

I also crossed into the Canadian side on Megabus, not a private car and there was no issues with that.

Thanks
I am in canada from last 4 years and i ahve all my job documents my licence all the residencial documents so i don't think so there will be much problem.