Hello everyone,
I've read many posts on this great forum talking about how it is possible to enter Canada at a US-Canada border in a private/rented car or by foot only with one's confirmation of permanent residence or record of landing + passport of a country that needs a visa to enter Canada, without the need of a PR card. The officers at the border usually ask questions to check whether or not the returning PRs have met their residency requirements and may lecture those whom they feel aren't but then eventually let them through when they're convinced that they had good H&C reasons, this is because the officers at the border don't have the authority to judge whether or not these H&C reasons are sufficient or not so they're usually more flexible and let people through more readily (To my understanding, trying to convince the officers at the US-Canada border of one's H&C reasons face to face is much better than writing the H&C reasons down in a travel document application because if the officers at the embassy aren't fully convinced by the written H&C reasons and refuse to issue a TD, this would automatically lead to the revocation of PR status completely). However, in the worst case scenario, the officers may report the PR if they're not convinced by the PR's H&C reasons, if the PR has spent very long times outside Canada or if they're not convinced that the PR is willing to return to Canada permanently. In that case, they would still let the person through into Canada for only 30 days during which he/she is supposed to appeal the decision. My question is, during these 30 days would that reported person still be considered a permanent resident of Canada or would this reporting mean that he/she has lost his/her status as a PR until he/she appeals during the 30 days and wins?
I'm asking this because I'm willing to cross the US-Canada border but I fear that if I get reported (as I haven't met my residency requirements) but still allowed to enter for 30 days, that I wouldn't be considered a Permanent resident during these 30 days and therefore my citizenship application would be cancelled and I wouldn't be able to attend my future citizenship ceremony (My Father who lives in Canada applied for citizenship 1.5 years ago and added me to his application as a minor). I'm planning to return to Canada through the US-Canada border in a private vehicle as soon as my father gets the letter inviting us to the citizenship ceremony, I do have some convincing H&C reasons to say at the border including that I was unintentionally removed from Canada by my parents when I was just 12 years old and that I now want to join my mother, father and younger brother in Canada and enter university there (I suppose they consider the best interests of any "children" involved, I am under 22 (19) and unmarried) so I think I have quite a good chance at entering Canada without getting reported. However, in the worst case scenario that I get reported and given 30 days to appeal in Canada, would I still be able to attend my citizenship ceremony as a PR or would I then not be considered a PR in the first place and not allowed to attend. My plan is to attend the citizenship ceremony and become a Canadian citizen, even if I get reported at the border (because I intend to return to Canada much less than 30 days (the time they'd give me in Canada to appeal) before the time of the citizenship ceremony). Also, in order to receive citizenship, one must give the judge his/her PR card and original immigration documents, so I wanted to know whether or not they would take them from me or stamp them if I get reported at the border?
Thank you very much
I've read many posts on this great forum talking about how it is possible to enter Canada at a US-Canada border in a private/rented car or by foot only with one's confirmation of permanent residence or record of landing + passport of a country that needs a visa to enter Canada, without the need of a PR card. The officers at the border usually ask questions to check whether or not the returning PRs have met their residency requirements and may lecture those whom they feel aren't but then eventually let them through when they're convinced that they had good H&C reasons, this is because the officers at the border don't have the authority to judge whether or not these H&C reasons are sufficient or not so they're usually more flexible and let people through more readily (To my understanding, trying to convince the officers at the US-Canada border of one's H&C reasons face to face is much better than writing the H&C reasons down in a travel document application because if the officers at the embassy aren't fully convinced by the written H&C reasons and refuse to issue a TD, this would automatically lead to the revocation of PR status completely). However, in the worst case scenario, the officers may report the PR if they're not convinced by the PR's H&C reasons, if the PR has spent very long times outside Canada or if they're not convinced that the PR is willing to return to Canada permanently. In that case, they would still let the person through into Canada for only 30 days during which he/she is supposed to appeal the decision. My question is, during these 30 days would that reported person still be considered a permanent resident of Canada or would this reporting mean that he/she has lost his/her status as a PR until he/she appeals during the 30 days and wins?
I'm asking this because I'm willing to cross the US-Canada border but I fear that if I get reported (as I haven't met my residency requirements) but still allowed to enter for 30 days, that I wouldn't be considered a Permanent resident during these 30 days and therefore my citizenship application would be cancelled and I wouldn't be able to attend my future citizenship ceremony (My Father who lives in Canada applied for citizenship 1.5 years ago and added me to his application as a minor). I'm planning to return to Canada through the US-Canada border in a private vehicle as soon as my father gets the letter inviting us to the citizenship ceremony, I do have some convincing H&C reasons to say at the border including that I was unintentionally removed from Canada by my parents when I was just 12 years old and that I now want to join my mother, father and younger brother in Canada and enter university there (I suppose they consider the best interests of any "children" involved, I am under 22 (19) and unmarried) so I think I have quite a good chance at entering Canada without getting reported. However, in the worst case scenario that I get reported and given 30 days to appeal in Canada, would I still be able to attend my citizenship ceremony as a PR or would I then not be considered a PR in the first place and not allowed to attend. My plan is to attend the citizenship ceremony and become a Canadian citizen, even if I get reported at the border (because I intend to return to Canada much less than 30 days (the time they'd give me in Canada to appeal) before the time of the citizenship ceremony). Also, in order to receive citizenship, one must give the judge his/her PR card and original immigration documents, so I wanted to know whether or not they would take them from me or stamp them if I get reported at the border?
Thank you very much