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FAMILY EMERGENCY TRAVEL URGENT HELP NEEDED

Digital_Tofu

Digital_Tofu

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Apr 24, 2014
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So I have to return to Australia in the next 48 hours for my fathers funeral.

I am a landed immigrant who is living in Canada. I am still waiting of my PR card to arrive in the mail. I know that I need to get a travel document form the consulate in Sydney and submit the application to them. My question is... how long does it take for them to process this travel document? Is it something they approve on the spot? Is it something that takes weeks/months to approve? I dont want to be trapped in Australia for more than a couple of weeks.

Thanks in advance
 
Digital_Tofu said:
So I have to return to Australia in the next 48 hours for my fathers funeral.

I am a landed immigrant who is living in Canada. I am still waiting of my PR card to arrive in the mail. I know that I need to get a travel document form the consulate in Sydney and submit the application to them. My question is... how long does it take for them to process this travel document? Is it something they approve on the spot? Is it something that takes weeks/months to approve? I dont want to be trapped in Australia for more than a couple of weeks.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Gidday Mate, sorry to hear about your dad.

Since you don't require a visa to get back into Canada I don't think you need to wait for your PR Card. You can sort the landing bit later when you get back.
 
I am not 100% sure but I don't think you will even need a travel document. You should be fine with a copy of your landing document and being Australian.

For piece of mind maybe get the travel document, but you should be fine.
 
joolery said:
I am not 100% sure but I don't think you will even need a travel document. You should be fine with a copy of your landing document and being Australian.

For piece of mind maybe get the travel document, but you should be fine.
Click to expand...

I have spoken to immigration on the phone a couple of times, and I know you need a travel document. My question was that I was wondering if anyone has been in this situation, and if so... How long does the application take to get processed? Ie. If I go to the consulate, I will get it approved instantly, or if I have to wait for weeks in Australia before I can return to Canada.
 
I'm very sorry for your loss.

Travel documents at embassies vary in processing time - I've heard of it being done the same day and in some cases up to 2 weeks. It is probably highly dependent on how good your documentation is and whether there is any ambiguity.

Note that the primary reason for a travel document is to allow you to board the plane. Because you are from a visa-exempt country to Canada (assuming you have an Aussie passport), you might be able to board the plane back to Canada without a travel document. The CBSA should be able to verify your identity with your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (that you got when landing) once you're at the airport, just as they do if you didn't have a PR card and were crossing back into Canada at a land border. However the safest approach to avoid any undue hiccups would be to just get the travel document from the Sydney embassy.
 
You absolutely do not need a travel document if you hold an Australian passport (ignore what you were told on the phone - it's wrong). As long as you have a visa exempt passport, you don't need a TD to return. My husband traveled several times this way on his US passport without any issues.

If, on the other hand, you hold a non visa exempt passport - a travel document is needed and you won't be able to apply for one until you are actually in Australia.
 
scylla said:
You absolutely do not need a travel document if you hold an Australian passport (ignore what you were told on the phone - it's wrong). As long as you have a visa exempt passport, you don't need a TD to return. My husband traveled several times this way on his US passport without any issues.

If, on the other hand, you hold a non visa exempt passport - a travel document is needed and you won't be able to apply for one until you are actually in Australia.
Click to expand...

I did some research on older threads and it seems that getting back into Canada won't be a problem - the problem might be on the Australia side as to whether they will let you on the plane.

When I moved to Canada with just my IEC LOI and not an actual work permit, Qantas would not let me on the plane without a ticket out of North America.
 
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