How to enter Canada via U.S. to pick up approved PR card in person?

[jungshan]

Hi,

My timeline for PR card renewal is :

-sent application on Aug.2016
-received an email dated Oct.2016 saying that my file went to secondary review, causing delay.

I am currently outside Canada.

In the case that PR card is approved and I receive a mail from IRCC saying that I should pick up PR card at IRCC office in person,
I will enter Canada via U.S. by land as my existing PR card have already expired and I can not board air flight to Canada with expired PR card, also
obtaining PRTD talks too long.

My questions is:

1. will there be be chance of being reported at Canada border due to expired PR card even if I show immigration officer documents proving that
I applied for renewal and received a email letter to pick up PR card in person ?
what should I prepare for (like any documents) and how should I explain to the officer to enter Canada without a issue?

2. Based on my son's case, PR card pick-up letter says that the card should be picked up by XX certain date. Otherwise, pick up date will be rescheduled by IRCC, in this case, just wait for IRCC's notification about rescheduled date indefinitely. It would be very stressful.
if I think that I can't pick up card by XX certain date for reasons, what should I do in advance before the date ? should I call IRCC call center and ask for rescheduling of pick up date? Can IRCC call center agent reschedule it and notify IRCC office(where I am supposed to visit to pick up) of it ?
If IRCC call center can not reschedule, what should I do for immediate rescheduling rather than just waiting for IRCC's mail long re: rescheduled date ?

Your comments would be highly appreciated.

 

[zardoz]

Hi,

My timeline for PR card renewal is :

-sent application on Aug.2016
-received an email dated Oct.2016 saying that my file went to secondary review, causing delay.

I am currently outside Canada.

In the case that PR card is approved and I receive a mail from IRCC saying that I should pick up PR card at IRCC office in person,
I will enter Canada via U.S. by land as my existing PR card have already expired and I can not board air flight to Canada with expired PR card, also
obtaining PRTD talks too long.

My questions is:

1. will there be be chance of being reported at Canada border due to expired PR card even if I show immigration officer documents proving that
I applied for renewal and received a email letter to pick up PR card in person ?
what should I prepare for (like any documents) and how should I explain to the officer to enter Canada without a issue?

2. Based on my son's case, PR card pick-up letter says that the card should be picked up by XX certain date. Otherwise, pick up date will be rescheduled by IRCC, in this case, just wait for IRCC's notification about rescheduled date indefinitely. It would be very stressful.
if I think that I can't pick up card by XX certain date for reasons, what should I do in advance before the date ? should I call IRCC call center and ask for rescheduling of pick up date? Can IRCC call center agent reschedule it and notify IRCC office(where I am supposed to visit to pick up) of it ?
If IRCC call center can not reschedule, what should I do for immediate rescheduling rather than just waiting for IRCC's mail long re: rescheduled date ?

Your comments would be highly appreciated.

1) If you are not currently in compliance with the residency obligation requirements, you may be reported at the border. This is completely independent of your previous PR card assessment for renewal. Otherwise, there is no issue with entering via the land border with an expired card.

 

[Rob_TO]

1. will there be be chance of being reported at Canada border due to expired PR card even if I show immigration officer documents proving that
I applied for renewal and received a email letter to pick up PR card in person ?
what should I prepare for (like any documents) and how should I explain to the officer to enter Canada without a issue?

As of the specific date you'll be crossing the land border into Canada, have you been outside Canada for 3 years or more going back exactly 5 years from that day?

 

[jungshan]

After I met PR residency requirement, I applied for PR renewal in Aug.2016 and then left Canada.
I want to be prepared for the case that I receive PR card pick-up notice from IRCC.

I would like to know what should be my action if I miss appointment date for PR pick-up in person.

 

[Rob_TO]

After I met PR residency requirement, I applied for PR renewal in Aug.2016 and then left Canada.
I want to be prepared for the case that I receive PR card pick-up notice from IRCC.

I would like to know what should be my action if I miss appointment date for PR pick-up in person.

That's not what we're asking. After you applied for PR renewal you then left Canada. So as of the date you may re-enter Canada going back 5 years, do you still meet the residency obligation as of that specific day?

If one used physical presence in Canada from 5 years ago to qualify for RO and renew PR card, they may not be able to use that same physical presence at a later date since it would have dropped out the 5 year window.

 

[zardoz]

Looking at the OP's posting history, I think that the OP will actually be OK. All the residency days are recent, Apr 14 to Aug 16...

 

[newcanuck1234]

We entered Canada through the Peace Bridge (Buffalo) last month. The process was very smooth. We showed the border agent our expired PR cards and the email receipt that we received from IRCC indicating that we had applied for the PR card renewal. The interaction with the border agent took all of 2 minutes and was extremely pleasant

 

[newcanuck1234]

Of course, at the time of entry into Canada, we were comfortably over the days required for the RO.

 

[kateg]

We entered Canada through the Peace Bridge (Buffalo) last month. The process was very smooth. We showed the border agent our expired PR cards and the email receipt that we received from IRCC indicating that we had applied for the PR card renewal. The interaction with the border agent took all of 2 minutes and was extremely pleasant

If you can demonstrate that you have applied for renewal, the officer knows that your residency will be examined. Since it's being examined already, there is little reason for him to do so.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

If you can demonstrate that you have applied for renewal, the officer knows that your residency will be examined. Since it's being examined already, there is little reason for him to do so.

A person who met the RO when applying for renewal doesn't automatically meet the RO when re-entering Canada. For example, someone who applied for renewal with 750 days and then left Canada for a month would no longer meet the RO upon a return. If the CBSA officer suspects a person doesn't meet the RO upon re-entry, they can and will investigate regardless.

 

[jungshan]

Thanks for your comments !!

To answer to questions, I returned to Canada from my home country in April.2014 and lived in Canada until Aug.2016 almost straight
except for 3 months visit to my home country for father's funeral.

I left Canada in Aug.2016 ~20 days after I met RQ and applied for renewal.

If I return to Canada to pick up PR Card in person in 3-4 months from now, I believe that I still meet the RQ.
Pls kindly correct if I am wrong.,

I hope that there will be no issue at the border with my expired PR card and several documents from IRCC including AOR email, secondary review letter, PR card pick-up letter.
It would be great if you give me advice as to how to enter Canada via U.S by land without a issue.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I left Canada in Aug.2016 ~20 days after I met RQ and applied for renewal.

If I return to Canada to pick up PR Card in person in 3-4 months from now, I believe that I still meet the RQ.
Pls kindly correct if I am wrong.,

If you left Canada 20 days after meeting the RO and that was in August 2016, you most certainly DO NOT meet the RO.

If you look back 5 years from today, do you have 730 days in Canada? If you don't, CBSA may report you upon entry and you will most likely lose you PR status.

 

[Rob_TO]

If you left Canada 20 days after meeting the RO and that was in August 2016, you most certainly DO NOT meet the RO.

If you look back 5 years from today, do you have 730 days in Canada? If you don't, CBSA may report you upon entry and you will most likely lose you PR status.

No I think he's fine.

He has 2 years established starting from April 2014. So even if he left in August 2016, he will still meet the RO for sure up until at least around April 2019. Once you spend 2 straight years in Canada, you can then spend up to the next 3 years outside and still meet RO.

I hope that there will be no issue at the border with my expired PR card and several documents from IRCC including AOR email, secondary review letter, PR card pick-up letter.
It would be great if you give me advice as to how to enter Canada via U.S by land without a issue.

You should have no problem as your days to meet RO will fall well within the past 5 years when you re-enter Canada. Your passport and documents you mentioned will be more than enough.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

No I think he's fine.

He has 2 years established starting from April 2014. So even if he left in August 2016, he will still meet the RO for sure up until at least around April 2019. Once you spend 2 straight years in Canada, you can then spend up to the next 3 years outside and still meet RO.

Yes, my mistake. I misread the dates and thought some of his days were from outside the current 5 year window.

 

[kateg]

A person who met the RO when applying for renewal doesn't automatically meet the RO when re-entering Canada.

That's certainly true - hence, the officer has "little reason", not "no reason".

They generally won't bother if you are already being examined, having renewed recently, as there is only a short window in which you could have lost your status.

They certainly can, and if you give them a specific reason to investigate, they very well might. However, in general, if you have recently renewed your PR card, or if you have a PR travel document, they don't bother unless they are bored and don't have much else to do.

Hint: crossing at 3am when you are the only one in line, or at really remote crossings does get you a bit more scrutiny.