Expired PR, valid PR status, crossing US border back to Can

[Pyth]

The background: My PR card expired in February (totally forgot I had to renew it). I meet all residency requirements. My status as a PR is not in question. I have already applied for and received a Travel Document to re-enter Canada in early March. I have not sent the PR card in to be renewed yet because I have needed to enter the US a number of times. Each time I returned to Canada in a private vehicle.

My problem: I have to go to LA from Vancouver. I have to fly. I will only be there late Thursday afternoon July 7 to midday Sunday July 10.

I could send my PR card to be renewed and ask them to process it quickly due to travel requirements but I’m concerned that three weeks is not sufficient time. CIC won’t tell me how long it takes to do an emergency renewal.

I know that I have two official options for crossing the border if I have an out of date PR card.
1. Return to Canada in a private vehicle.
2. Apply for a Travel Document.

1 is not possible since I have already bought my ticket. If I need to change my ticket to fly to Bellingham to have someone drive down from Vancouver to pick me up I will but that is expensive and annoying.

2 is a possibility if the LA office processes Travel Documents in one day. I could go in Friday. I’d obviously prefer to be sleeping in, shopping and going to the beach and not spending my time and money in an Immigration Office.

My question:
Should I send in my renewal in the hope that it will be done in time and if it isn’t show photocopies of my application and card at the border?
Or
Should I just take the expired card and explain to them the situation?
Or
Something else?

My biggest concern with the first two options is that I won’t be allowed onto the plane in LA. I’m not too worried about crossing the border as I have plenty of evidence of my residency and connection to Canada. I know the Immigration officials won’t be impressed but I don’t see how they could keep me out.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the best course of action is?

Greatly appreciated.
Pyth

 

[Alabaman]

• Information on this forum suggests urgent PR renewal takes 4 weeks.
• You might want to try your luck with ur expired PR card when boarding in LA to come back to Canada. Some times the airlines dont even check the dates
• What country's passport do you carry?

 

[Pyth]

Thanks for that info.
I have an Australian passport.

 

[Alabaman]

so with an australian passport, you are visa exemp so you should use that premise to get on the plane. When you get to Canada, you can present your australian passport, your expired card and if neccessary all the documents you talked about.

 

[Pyth]

Of course. It seems so obvious when you point it out like that! So getting on the plane won't be a problem.

I think I'm going to send off the application and have it all photocopied to present to the border officials. That seems like the best course of action.

Thanks for helping me think through this.

 

[toby]

Of course. It seems so obvious when you point it out like that! So getting on the plane won't be a problem.

I think I'm going to send off the application and have it all photocopied to present to the border officials. That seems like the best course of action.

Thanks for helping me think through this.

Hmmm .... thinking about this carefully, yes you can get into Canada with your Australian passport.

However, IF 9(and only if) the airline learns that you have an expired PR card, not yet renewed (even if the application is underway), they might have concerns.

Why do I suspect this? Because I once asked why someone would go to the trouble of canceling his PR card. Why not just let it expire? It was explained to me (by Leon and PMM I recall) that if he could not meet the residency requirement upon renewal, and if he were challenged at the border (more likely at an airport), he might be required to appear in front of a panel to show he would be able to meet the PR quota by the expiry date on his card. Now in your case you can meet the quota, so no problem, except that it would be a hassle.
Avoiding the hassle would be preferable, so I'd not mention the pending PR card renewal at the airport at all. Just put on the innocent face Aussies are famous for and use your passport.

 

[Gabe1921]

Hello Everybody;
I have a similar problem, my PR card is expired since 2008 and I did not renew it for stupid, because I was working and I did not use it for travelling, but 5 months ago I left Canada in order to attend mother health problems with cancer, unfortunatelly she past away 2 weeks agoand I almost finish althe issues regarding this event. Can I come back crossing in my car from Buffalo?

 

[Alabaman]

Hello Everybody;
I have a similar problem, my PR card is expired since 2008 and I did not renew it for stupid, because I was working and I did not use it for travelling, but 5 months ago I left Canada in order to attend mother health problems with cancer, unfortunatelly she past away 2 weeks agoand I almost finish althe issues regarding this event. Can I come back crossing in my car from Buffalo?

You should be able to cross with your private car. How long were you in Canada before you left 5 months ago?