Leaving Canada for vacation with inland application

[plumster11]

Hello all, thanks in advance for any advice.

So I KNOW that there is ZERO guarantee that, if you leave Canada with an inland application in progress, you will be allowed back into Canada and if you are NOT, then you abandon your inland application. I do understand that and I have reviewed the threads.

What I'm wondering is more of a personalized question for others who may have similar stats to mine to see what the chances are of NOT being allowed to return... keeping in mind that I know every officer at the POE is different.

I am married with 1 child with my wife, who is a Canadian citizen. I require a TRV to visit Canada. I have a valid multiple entry visa that is valid until Aug 2019. I applied inland about 5 months ago, we are still waiting for stage 1 approval. I applied for a work permit when I sent my application and it was approved. I am currently not yet working. My wife works and I stay home with our baby for now, and we have a solid income with a house (in wife's name).

Given that I have a valid TRV with multiple entries, an open work permit (albeit not working yet), no criminality, have remained in status the whole time I have been in Canada, and have a INLAND permanent residency application currently in progress, do I have a decent chance of being readmitted if I go on vacation to the USA with my wife and child this spring? We would all be travelling together and I would have proof of my valid status and pending application, of course.

Obviously, a vacation seems like a stupid reason to abandon a PR inland application and I would not want to be denied re-entry and be away from my family. At the same time, if we have done everything right and my status is valid, and we can show proof that we are following the process, it would be nice to travel for a week. I know this has been asked several times and the answer is always... "no one can guarantee re-entry"... but I just wanted to hear what others' have experienced.

If it makes any difference, my TRV will have about 5 months left on it when I'm coming to re-enter Canada after the vacation and I plan to extend it before it expires (when I'm still in Canada, but this would be after the trip).

Thanks in advance for your stories - one way or another!

 

[lyn80]

I can just add my story, my husband (the PR applicant) has crossed back and forth to the US 3 times since we submitted our inland application, and has had no issues re-entering any of the times. The first two times, he had a visitor visa (listing it was NOT valid for re-entry), and the 3rd time, he was on implied status only in Canada (waiting for OWP confirmation, visitor visa had expired). At that crossing, the agent looked to verify that he had applied for PR, and issued a new visitor visa which is valid until September (when our PR application will hit 1 year). Whatever you decide, good luck! As a note - my husband is American.

 

[clara_J]

Hello all, thanks in advance for any advice.

So I KNOW that there is ZERO guarantee that, if you leave Canada with an inland application in progress, you will be allowed back into Canada and if you are NOT, then you abandon your inland application. I do understand that and I have reviewed the threads.

What I'm wondering is more of a personalized question for others who may have similar stats to mine to see what the chances are of NOT being allowed to return... keeping in mind that I know every officer at the POE is different.

I am married with 1 child with my wife, who is a Canadian citizen. I require a TRV to visit Canada. I have a valid multiple entry visa that is valid until Aug 2019. I applied inland about 5 months ago, we are still waiting for stage 1 approval. I applied for a work permit when I sent my application and it was approved. I am currently not yet working. My wife works and I stay home with our baby for now, and we have a solid income with a house (in wife's name).

Given that I have a valid TRV with multiple entries, an open work permit (albeit not working yet), no criminality, have remained in status the whole time I have been in Canada, and have a INLAND permanent residency application currently in progress, do I have a decent chance of being readmitted if I go on vacation to the USA with my wife and child this spring? We would all be travelling together and I would have proof of my valid status and pending application, of course.

Obviously, a vacation seems like a stupid reason to abandon a PR inland application and I would not want to be denied re-entry and be away from my family. At the same time, if we have done everything right and my status is valid, and we can show proof that we are following the process, it would be nice to travel for a week. I know this has been asked several times and the answer is always... "no one can guarantee re-entry"... but I just wanted to hear what others' have experienced.

If it makes any difference, my TRV will have about 5 months left on it when I'm coming to re-enter Canada after the vacation and I plan to extend it before it expires (when I'm still in Canada, but this would be after the trip).

Thanks in advance for your stories - one way or another!

I traveled three times with an OWP last year so I think it would be fine if your doc is valid. But as you said it all depends on the border officer so there is always a small risk.

 

[plumster11]

I can just add my story, my husband (the PR applicant) has crossed back and forth to the US 3 times since we submitted our inland application, and has had no issues re-entering any of the times. The first two times, he had a visitor visa (listing it was NOT valid for re-entry), and the 3rd time, he was on implied status only in Canada (waiting for OWP confirmation, visitor visa had expired). At that crossing, the agent looked to verify that he had applied for PR, and issued a new visitor visa which is valid until September (when our PR application will hit 1 year). Whatever you decide, good luck! As a note - my husband is American.

Thanks!
How come he had a visitor visa the first 2 times if he's American? Wouldn't an American not need a visitor visa? Thanks for your reply!

 

[mr_wanderlust]

Myself (Canadian) and wife (Inland Application in process) live in a Canadian border city. We usually cross over to the US once or twice a month to see friends, entertainment (sports/theatre/etc) and are going to Cuba for a week this month for a vacation without being worried. She is from a Visa exempt country for Canada, so she only needs to satisfy the normal conditions of entry to Canada and we have never had an issue. We did request to get a Visitor Record from Canadian Customs when we first crossed to help facilitate the process - it doesn't guarantee entry but states she has applied for PR. To be safe, we always have the Visitor Record, copy of marriage license, proof of funds for her, and our AOR to prove that we have applied for PR for her. The border guards have always been nice and let us through going both ways.

As always, there is always the caution that everything when you cross the border is up to the individual border guards discretion.

 

[kcward7]

Myself (Canadian) and wife (Inland Application in process) live in a Canadian border city. We usually cross over to the US once or twice a month to see friends, entertainment (sports/theatre/etc) and are going to Cuba for a week this month for a vacation without being worried. She is from a Visa exempt country for Canada, so she only needs to satisfy the normal conditions of entry to Canada and we have never had an issue. We did request to get a Visitor Record from Canadian Customs when we first crossed to help facilitate the process - it doesn't guarantee entry but states she has applied for PR. To be safe, we always have the Visitor Record, copy of marriage license, proof of funds for her, and our AOR to prove that we have applied for PR for her. The border guards have always been nice and let us through going both ways.

As always, there is always the caution that everything when you cross the border is up to the individual border guards discretion.

Just so you know the other concern about out of Canada travel is that you may be failing to meet the "inland" requirement (that both sponsor and applicant remain in Canada for processing). Applicants have been denied when IRCC got wind of spending excessive amount of time outside Canada - re-entry isn't the only risk.

 

[mr_wanderlust]

Just so you know the other concern about out of Canada travel is that you may be failing to meet the "inland" requirement (that both sponsor and applicant remain in Canada for processing). Applicants have been denied when IRCC got wind of spending excessive amount of time outside Canada - re-entry isn't the only risk.

That's a fair point. We usually are over in the states for a day trip, cross in the morning and are back over in Canada in the afternoon. A one week vacation out of Canada isn't that long of a time either. When you add it all up you're probably looking at less than 3 weeks out of the country in a 12 month period, so we take it as a calculated risk and not excessive time outside Canada.

 

[plumster11]

That's a fair point. We usually are over in the states for a day trip, cross in the morning and are back over in Canada in the afternoon. A one week vacation out of Canada isn't that long of a time either. When you add it all up you're probably looking at less than 3 weeks out of the country in a 12 month period, so we take it as a calculated risk and not excessive time outside Canada.

Thanks for the response!

 

[kcward7]

That's a fair point. We usually are over in the states for a day trip, cross in the morning and are back over in Canada in the afternoon. A one week vacation out of Canada isn't that long of a time either. When you add it all up you're probably looking at less than 3 weeks out of the country in a 12 month period, so we take it as a calculated risk and not excessive time outside Canada.

Absolutely, just wanted to point it out so others are aware.

 

[Stephnjon]

I traveled three times with an OWP last year so I think it would be fine if your doc is valid. But as you said it all depends on the border officer so there is always a small risk.

Hello, I’ve got a few questions if you don’t mind me asking....

Does your owp state at the bottom not valid for re-entry? And if so what documents did you bring to show to allow you back into Canada.

My husband is American and we currently have his vehicle here in Canada. Unfortunately his tag for his license plate expires at the end of next month, and I am freaking out over having to drive close to 11 hours by myself to do the tag. I would much rather we both go together to get it done and at the same time take the apportunity to visit his family.

Any advise is extremely appreciated.
Please help out a very paranoid, nervous, OCD, pregnant wife haha

 

[Stephnjon]

I can just add my story, my husband (the PR applicant) has crossed back and forth to the US 3 times since we submitted our inland application, and has had no issues re-entering any of the times. The first two times, he had a visitor visa (listing it was NOT valid for re-entry), and the 3rd time, he was on implied status only in Canada (waiting for OWP confirmation, visitor visa had expired). At that crossing, the agent looked to verify that he had applied for PR, and issued a new visitor visa which is valid until September (when our PR application will hit 1 year). Whatever you decide, good luck! As a note - my husband is American.

Hello, if you don’t mind me asking.

Has your husband travelled back to the states since he’s received his owp? How did the process go? I am also married to an American and am extremely paranoid over possibly having to abandon his application and starting from the beginning again.

Thank you very much in advance