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Cheryllove

Star Member
Oct 22, 2017
136
10
Port Alice, British Columbia
Category........
FAM
I finally received my Confirmation of Permanent Residence Letter today!! Stamped on it is “Not Valid for Travel” I think I read that’s standard and it just means if you leave Canada before you get your PR card it’s not valid to use to reenter?? I’m doing a soft landing in a couple weeks then returning to the States to wait for our Mortgage to go thru before returning. As a US citizen... since I’m from a visa exempt country... can I re-enter by plane with just my passport since I won’t have my PR card yet or do I have to re-enter in by private car? Could someone advise please??
 
I finally received my Confirmation of Permanent Residence Letter today!! Stamped on it is “Not Valid for Travel” I think I read that’s standard and it just means if you leave Canada before you get your PR card it’s not valid to use to reenter?? I’m doing a soft landing in a couple weeks then returning to the States to wait for our Mortgage to go thru before returning. As a US citizen... since I’m from a visa exempt country... can I re-enter by plane with just my passport since I won’t have my PR card yet or do I have to re-enter in by private car? Could someone advise please??

"Not valid for travel" means that it cannot be used in place of a travel document, i.e. a passport.

You can fly to Canada with just your US passport. Don't mention your PR status to the airline.
 
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can I re-enter by plane with just my passport since I won’t have my PR card yet or do I have to re-enter in by private car? Could someone advise please??

No, you cannot board the plane from the US as you wont have your PR Card. You can however re-enter as you said by private car, as CBSA can directly access their own database and check on your PR status (the airlines can't). You will need your copy stamped CoPR and your passport of course!
 
No, you cannot board the plane from the US as you wont have your PR Card. You can however re-enter as you said by private car, as CBSA can directly access their own database and check on your PR status (the airlines can't). You will need your copy stamped CoPR and your passport of course!
I think this is not the same for new PRs who are also US citizens....
If you have a US passport, you can board a plane to Canada with your US passport. You don't even need eTA.
 
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I think this is not the same for new PRs who are also US citizens....
If you have a US passport, you can board a plane to Canada with your US passport. You don't even need eTA.
So different answers! Guess I’m going to do what I always do and ask someone official and follow the rules!! It makes sense to me since I have always been able to go in to Canada with just my passport to do it that way but if that technically changes because I’ll be a Permanent Resident. Wish I didn’t have to leave a few days after landing but have to wait till mortgage goes thru to have a place to live! Husband lives in an all male apartment. This trip is to Land officially.... get my SIN and go on his accounts and apply for mortgage with him. Bank won’t let me apply until I have my SIN.
 
No, you cannot board the plane from the US as you wont have your PR Card. You can however re-enter as you said by private car, as CBSA can directly access their own database and check on your PR status (the airlines can't). You will need your copy stamped CoPR and your passport of course!

Incorrect. OP is a US citizen and therefore is both eTA-exempt and visa-exempt. She can fly on her US passport with no issues.
 
So different answers! Guess I’m going to do what I always do and ask someone official and follow the rules!! It makes sense to me since I have always been able to go in to Canada with just my passport to do it that way but if that technically changes because I’ll be a Permanent Resident. Wish I didn’t have to leave a few days after landing but have to wait till mortgage goes thru to have a place to live! Husband lives in an all male apartment. This trip is to Land officially.... get my SIN and go on his accounts and apply for mortgage with him. Bank won’t let me apply until I have my SIN.

You don't need to call anyone. US citizens are the exception to the PR card rule because they are both eTA-exempt and visa-exempt. In order to board a plane to Canada, a non-Canadian must show a visa, an eTA, a PR card, a PRTD or a US passport. If you search the forum, you will find multiple threads with posts from Americans who have done this.