Immigration Puzzle: PR visa + Cruise to Alaska + Canadian and US TRVs

[scylla]

Posting on behalf of a work colleague of mine. Hoping the brains here can confirm there's a way out of this problem.

Problem: His non-visa exempt parents recently received their approved PR visas and were planning on landing next week. They also hold valid multiple visitor visas for both Canada and the US. They are scheduled to go on a cruise to Alaska a week after they land (starting and ending in Vancouver). If they land next week - they obviously won't have their PR cards before the cruise leaves and the landing will invalidate their Canadian visitor visas. They also can't get Travel Documents from within Canada - which means the cruise won't let them board because they will hold no document that allows them to re-enter Canada. (I don't think the cruise will let them onboard with the CORP alone - but maybe I'm wrong?)

Question: Can they solve this problem by doing the following?

1) Fly to Canada next week but don't land. Enter Canada as tourists instead using their multiple entry TRVs. Tell immigration they plan to land at a later date.
2) Go on the cruise using their Canadian and US multiple entry tourist visas.
3) Once they are back in Canada after the cruise, flagpole to land (I know this bit is possible).

Thoughts? Possible? Not possible?

And a huge thanks in advance from my incredibly stressed out colleague who has just realized their vacation may not be doable.

 

[tink23]

I'm no expert, but I would think it will be ok to enter Canada on the tourist visa for their cruise and land after. Hopefully the CBSA officer won't say anything, but if he/she does, and they explain their situation, surely they would allow them to do that. It sure would be a difficult pain to have to get a travel document after the cruise to be allowed to re enter as a PR, if forced to land before e cruise.

If they just present their passports and not their COPR, hopefully they won't even be questioned at all.

 

[keesio]

Sounds a little familiar to what my wife did. Basically we had a trip planned to Europe. She got her COPR before the trip but we decided we wanted to land after the trip. But our flights were roundtrip departing and arriving back in Toronto. So my wife (who was still in the US at the time) flew up to Toronto a few days before the flight to Europe. Even though she had her COPR, she didn't land but entered as a visitor using her visa-exempt US passport. She didn't mention COPR and the CBSA officer never asked. Then we went on our trip and when we returned back to Canada, she officially landed.

The only difference here is that my wife has a visa-exempt passport. But your friend's parents have multi-entry tourist visas so they can enter both countries anyway. And of course after their trip, they would enter Canada again as tourists and flag-pole. But the key thing that I know is possible is that you can still choose to enter Canada as a visitor (as long as you have a visa to do so) even if you have COPR already.

I also called CIC to confirm if this is ok before my wife came up. They said that is fine, not everyone is ready to officially land right away and choose to delay it but still want to visit Canada for personal and logistical reasons before hand.

 

[scylla]

Thanks guys! Very helpful...

 

[oerisir]

Can a Permanent Resident whose PR card will have expired before the planned Alaska Cruise trip leaving from Vancouver board the ship with an expired PR card?

There will not be enough time to receive the renewed PR card, nor can he get a Travel Document since already in Canada..

Would it be a similar case to the single entry TRV holders who are allowed to do that?

 

[yvr1234]

Can a Permanent Resident whose PR card will have expired before the planned Alaska Cruise trip leaving from Vancouver board the ship with an expired PR card?

There will not be enough time to receive the renewed PR card, nor can he get a Travel Document since already in Canada..

Would it be a similar case to the single entry TRV holders who are allowed to do that?

Your situation is very different. Since you have already landed a long time ago and hold a PR card (expired).

You can try this forum section instead.
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/settlement-issues-b14.0/

 

[Ponga]

Can a Permanent Resident whose PR card will have expired before the planned Alaska Cruise trip leaving from Vancouver board the ship with an expired PR card?

There will not be enough time to receive the renewed PR card, nor can he get a Travel Document since already in Canada..

Would it be a similar case to the single entry TRV holders who are allowed to do that?

It appears that the March 15th deadline has been extended for another 6 months:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/eta-deadline-extended-for-6-months-t401825.0.html

It may, or may not, include a PR of Canada (not eligible for an eTA).

 

[scylla]

Can a Permanent Resident whose PR card will have expired before the planned Alaska Cruise trip leaving from Vancouver board the ship with an expired PR card?

There will not be enough time to receive the renewed PR card, nor can he get a Travel Document since already in Canada..

Would it be a similar case to the single entry TRV holders who are allowed to do that?

Only if that person holds a visa exempt passport. Otherwise - no. The cruise line won't let him board without a valid PR card.

 

[scylla]

Posting on behalf of a work colleague of mine. Hoping the brains here can confirm there's a way out of this problem.

Problem: His non-visa exempt parents recently received their approved PR visas and were planning on landing next week. They also hold valid multiple visitor visas for both Canada and the US. They are scheduled to go on a cruise to Alaska a week after they land (starting and ending in Vancouver). If they land next week - they obviously won't have their PR cards before the cruise leaves and the landing will invalidate their Canadian visitor visas. They also can't get Travel Documents from within Canada - which means the cruise won't let them board because they will hold no document that allows them to re-enter Canada. (I don't think the cruise will let them onboard with the CORP alone - but maybe I'm wrong?)

Question: Can they solve this problem by doing the following?

1) Fly to Canada next week but don't land. Enter Canada as tourists instead using their multiple entry TRVs. Tell immigration they plan to land at a later date.
2) Go on the cruise using their Canadian and US multiple entry tourist visas.
3) Once they are back in Canada after the cruise, flagpole to land (I know this bit is possible).

Thoughts? Possible? Not possible?

And a huge thanks in advance from my incredibly stressed out colleague who has just realized their vacation may not be doable.

BTW: In case anyone is interested, my colleague did end up doing this and it worked fine. He was incredibly thankful.

 

[Drkdd]

Hello
I want to apply for TRV.
My husband is a Canadian citizen and we have received or SA. I have got AOR1 with the UCI number for my sponsor. Can I put the same UCI number in my visa form for me as well?? I am the applicant. Should I wait for AOR 2 ?? Please do guide

 

[Aquakitty]

Hello
I want to apply for TRV.
My husband is a Canadian citizen and we have received or SA. I have got AOR1 with the UCI number for my sponsor. Can I put the same UCI number in my visa form for me as well?? I am the applicant. Should I wait for AOR 2 ?? Please do guide

No, your sponsor and you have separate UCI numbers. But, you don't need a UCI number to apply for a visit visa, though. Just leave it blank or write "not yet received".