Landing experience by car at Peace Bridge POE at Buffalo, NY

[dumbsean]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Janani2109]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

Are they still allowing soft landing? I thought they allowed only people who were willing to settle in Canada permanently. Did they ask you anything about that?

 

[dumbsean]

Are they still allowing soft landing? I thought they allowed only people who were willing to settle in Canada permanently. Did they ask you anything about that?

I called them before and said my one time visa is going to expire in august and I need to go back to USA, they said I can go back. At the toll officer seemed fine with it but inside the CBSA building another officer was little surprised but when I explained I will come back at a later date he was fine.

 

[Deeds189]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

@dumbsean Congratulations!!!! Did you also fill out Goods Accompanying ? Do they ask for a Customs Declaration Card? I am planning to land on 7/17 through Peace Bridge POE and Buffalo. Any information would be very useful for me. Thanks!

 

[sameer318]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for the post. Very helpful. Curious how you plan to apply for a PR card now given you wont still have the address before you move. I was under the impression the PR card must be applied by them at the border for first timers.

 

[tb12_pats]

@Deeds189 - I am also planning for 7/17 Peace bridge landing and u-turn. Do you want to connect ?

@dumbsean - They didnt apply for PR card because you didnt have the canadian address or because you were taking u-turn ? Appreciate you sharing info.

 

[Bhuppi]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

Congratulations.. I wanted to ask you 2 things 1- how you are going to re-enter Canada without PR card ? 2- Is there any online process to apply PRCard ?

 

[Janani2109]

@dumbsean Congratulations!!!! Did you also fill out Goods Accompanying ? Do they ask for a Customs Declaration Card? I am planning to land on 7/17 through Peace Bridge POE and Buffalo. Any information would be very useful for me. Thanks!

I thought Canada doesn’t allow soft landings till august 21?

 

[Janani2109]

CBSA agent discretion obviously

Let me know if you were able to land successfully. I am also planning to land sometime this month but was not sure if we will be let through

 

[dileepch7]

Hello guys, here is my experience today:

Canada Entry:

At the toll officer verified our COPR and made us acknowledge by reading out aloud from a paper that basically said, 'I understand and agree to 14 day quarantine'. Before acknowledging I told him that I plan on returning back to USA today, to which he said, 'I understand, you can go back but you still have to acknowledge'. Then he sent us inside the CBSA building where another officer verified docs, he also asked us Proof of funds, took signature and said we can't apply for PR card today since I'm going back to US and gave us a form and asked us to apply whenever we have Canadian Address. Finally another officer asked us to fill out Goods to Follow form and said whenever I plan on getting those items inside Canada they will verify from this list. Overall I felt that couple of officers were confused why I'm going back to USA when my clock starts today for PR but when I explained that my one time visa expires in august and I will be making final move to Canada very soon they understood. I would suggest download and fill out BSF 186 and BSF 186A forms before hand that might save some time.

USA Entry:

My wife and I have valid visa on our passports (mine expires April 2021, wife's expires on Sept 2020). It literally took us less than a min at USA toll, officer asked Citizenship, why and when did u go to Canada, where are you going to in USA and took passports and did his thing on computer and let us go in a minute.

Hope this info is helpful, let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you...this info is very helpful....I am planning to drive through Detroit-Windsor tunnel on 07/26/2020 and return back immediately.
However, my H1B visa is expired but have approved I797.
Anybody kindly clarify couple of my doubts:

Softlanding is still allowed at US-Cad border?
AVR is still allowed while entering US?
No need of 2 week quarantine plan in Canada if returning immediately right?

 

[Janani2109]

Thank you...this info is very helpful....I am planning to drive through Detroit-Windsor tunnel on 07/26/2020 and return back immediately.
However, my H1B visa is expired but have approved I797.
Anybody kindly clarify couple of my doubts:

Softlanding is still allowed at US-Cad border?
AVR is still allowed while entering US?
No need of 2 week quarantine plan in Canada if returning immediately right?

Avr is still allowed. I called CBSA at ambassador bridge and they said that only people who want to settle in Canada permanently can land. So it’s in the officers discretion I guess. Also it’s better to make plans for 2 weeks. You can cancel later

 

[dumbsean]

@dumbsean Congratulations!!!! Did you also fill out Goods Accompanying ? Do they ask for a Customs Declaration Card? I am planning to land on 7/17 through Peace Bridge POE and Buffalo. Any information would be very useful for me. Thanks!

I already mentioned that in my post, yes they asked me to fill out Goods to follow list. Read my post for more details.

 

[dumbsean]

Thanks for the post. Very helpful. Curious how you plan to apply for a PR card now given you wont still have the address before you move. I was under the impression the PR card must be applied by them at the border for first timers.

I believe we can reenter with the signed copr or we can also apply for PRTD (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr-travel-document.html). We can also apply for SIN from USA, they even have an option in the online SIN form to select USA as residence. We can use SIN also while entering.

 

[dumbsean]

@Deeds189 - I am also planning for 7/17 Peace bridge landing and u-turn. Do you want to connect ?

@dumbsean - They didnt apply for PR card because you didnt have the canadian address or because you were taking u-turn ? Appreciate you sharing info.

I said I have a Canadian address but officer asked me if I am living there, I said no. That's why they didn't apply for PR card

 

[dumbsean]

Thank you...this info is very helpful....I am planning to drive through Detroit-Windsor tunnel on 07/26/2020 and return back immediately.
However, my H1B visa is expired but have approved I797.
Anybody kindly clarify couple of my doubts:

Softlanding is still allowed at US-Cad border?
AVR is still allowed while entering US?
No need of 2 week quarantine plan in Canada if returning immediately right?

I'm not sure about AVR but there are other posts where people have done it.