Expired PR card- Have to travel to China for 5 days

[carbo]

Hello everyone,
My PR card expired, and although I had submitted for a renewal 2 months ago with urgent processing (with plane tix, and all), it still hasn't arrived. I am leaving in two days to Shanghai, China for a business trip - I am not Chinese - on Air Canada. (My passport is Turkish, not visa exempt)

I don't have an indication of how long it would take to get the temporary travel document in the Shanghai consulate. I dont think I can get one in a day.
So, would you recommend
a)I try my luck at the airport on getting on the plane? (as that sounds like the big obstacle, as far as what I read here.) I will have a confirmation of PR and employment letter from a big company here.
b)Or should I try changing my flight to the US and drive up to canada with a rental car through a border crossing? (the problem with this is I dont know if air canada will let me change to a Shanghai - US destiantion flight)

Thanks for your thoughts in advance!

 

[steaky]

I don't think air canada would let you even check in at Shanghai airport. I think you should consider option 2 or go to the consulate to get a travel document.

Finally, you can also consider postponing your trip until you received the renewed card.

 

[carbo]

so you are suggesting i dont even try the aircanada counter?
i dont think the consulate will be able to complete my application for a temporary travel document in time for my departing flight.

i hope AC will let me change to a partner airline for a US destination instead of toronto. otherwise ill have to pay thousands!

 

[PMM]

Hi

so you are suggesting i dont even try the aircanada counter?
i dont think the consulate will be able to complete my application for a temporary travel document in time for my departing flight.

i hope AC will let me change to a partner airline for a US destination instead of toronto. otherwise ill have to pay thousands!

PRTD processing time is 4 weeks in Shanghai.

 

[Msafiri]

.....
a)I try my luck at the airport on getting on the plane? (as that sounds like the big obstacle, as far as what I read here.) I will have a confirmation of PR and employment letter from a big company here.
b)Or should I try changing my flight to the US and drive up to canada with a rental car through a border crossing? (the problem with this is I dont know if air canada will let me change to a Shanghai - US destiantion flight)

Thanks for your thoughts in advance!

(a) Sorry no dice - there is no airline that will let you board a flight to Canada if you don't have the right travel document which for non visitor visa exempt landed PRs is a valid PR Card or a valid PRTD. Why should the airline risk a hefty fine if they board you with no travel documents and you get bounced at the border by CBSA? Fines run into several thousand dollars including the cost of returning you to your boarding point. They would rather lose your business than mess with CBSA. The COPR is not a travel document and your employment letter is of no significance and/or relevance to them...how do they know you haven't been sacked mid flight or that the letter is fake even if they decided to consider it.

(b) The US route is only viable if you have a US visa. Air Canada will allow any changes subject to the ticket conditions which often include hefty fees if you don't have designated class (read fully flexible) of tickets. If you don't have a US visa then again no dice. Even if you have a US visa what happens if CBP refuse you entry to the US?

You need to decide whether to lose money or get stuck outside Canada...what happens if the visa post in China decides to dig into your PRTD application and ask for more proof (there seems to be an issue with your RO as your urgent request hasn't been accepted)? They may even unjustly deny you a PRTD as we have seen happen to an applicant on this forum. How many physical days in the 5 years prior to application date did you declare for the PR Card renewal? What part of this period did you work for this big company employing you currently?

You could end up being stuck in China for several months....hint stay put!!

 

[carbo]

Hi Msafiri thanks for your extensive reply, and I thought I would get back to all folks who might be on the same boat as well.

1) I changed my direct shanghai-toronto flight to Shanghai->NYC->Buffalo and drove through the border with a rental car (paid change fees). I showed the officer my passport, expired card, and confirmation of PR. he spent a few moments looking at them and let me through. he wouldn't, however, stamp my passport.

2) I have been here for more than 1300 days in the last 4.5 years and worked for the same company since day 1 of residency

3)I called about my PR renewal application status today and was told it is in "verification" in Sydney and nothing can expedite it now. I suspect this is because of the high number of stamps in my passport. I'd like to know from other forum users how long this could take, so I will make a new thread about it. frustrating!!!

thanks again

 

[hobbes]

Good update, carbo.

Can you also let us know what you told the US border officials? "My PR card is expired, so I have to travel by road to get back to Canada" is sufficient? Any documents you had to show?

 

[carbo]

Of course. well, since my point of entry was EWR (newark international airport - a common international transfer point), I just told them I am transiting to Canada. And I do have a 10-year american visa on my passport. They didn't ask how/why/when whether by plane or bus. And I don't think they would care how I got to my final destination