Leaving the country with an expired PR Card

[English Rob]

I applied for a renewal the last week of August.
My application was made urgent on November 8 - the card still has not been produced as of this AM on December 3.
I fly out to Texas on December 6 for a 7 day cruise of the Bahamas.

Has anyone left the country with an expired PR card? What was your experience?


Background:
Moved to Canada at the age of 8 in 1982 from England
Adopted by my Canadian Step-dad.
Have a Canadian wife of 10 years and two children

 

[Msafiri]

Do you hold a visitor visa exempt passport?

 

[English Rob]

I don't know what that is - I just have a plain red English passport.

 

[Msafiri]

Without going into semantics there is no 'English' passport. What you have is a burgundy EU format British Passport. Visitor visa exempt means your passport is of a nationality that does not require a visa in advance to visit Canada.

You should be ok to fly back without any immigration issues - have some proof of your submitted PR Card renewal application. When you get to the airport in Canada you will likely be sent to Secondary Inspection where they will verify your details including the pending PR Card renewal and admit you as a PR. Your only concern really is if the check in agent will sweat you for not having a return ticket since he/she will assume you are a tourist and not a PR if they see no PR Card presented. Check with your airline if they are ok with those holding a one way ticket into Canada (though yours is actually the return leg of a round trip). If they make a major deal about it then you may have to purchase a return ticket from the Bahamas which you can cash in after return.

 

[English Rob]

Thanks so much for your help on this!!

The thought of having a bogus flight booked back to the UK did cross my mind but I don't want to be underhanded. I've done everything the CIC asked me to and it still won't be ready on time.

I called American Airlines and they didn't seem to care too much about me getting on their flight back to Canada as long as I have a valid passport.

Just for a bit more background:
- My flight leaves from Calgary on the 6th of December and lands in Dallas/Ft. Worth - we then depart from Galveston Texas for the cruise and then return to Canada the same way.
- the CSR from CIC advised me NOT to reapply with urgent status back in October because they believed my application would be started with more than enough time to still make it urgent if needed to have it ready.

 

[Dejaavu]

You will need to fill out the Customs Declaration form and it will ask for visitor or resident status. You need to put there that you are a resident. My wife who is also from visa exempt country and she had problems coming back in. She always had her confirmation of permanent residence/ landing document and she was let in without being sent to secondary inspection.

 

[Msafiri]

1. Most Airlines don't enforce the PR Card requirement if you are visitor visa exempt to Canada - e.g. Air Canada actually states this on their ID requirements page.

2. A minor challenge at the US port of entry - you are admitted under the VWP which requires an onward or return ticket to territories outside a specified region/ range including Canada unless you have long term resident status i.e. not a visitor. Normally you show CBP your PR Card and they know you live in Canada...since you don't have a PR Card and presumably have no other 'Canadian Visa' then they may think you are a visitor to Canada. Carry some proof of your residence in Canada just in case e.g. IMM 1000 and some pay stubs.

3. Have you applied for ESTA as part of your VWP admission?

4. Like any other work place some agents know their stuff and some don't....next time politely thank them and apply on an urgent basis anyway.

5. In reference to your adoption was there any chance you were naturalized as a Canadian say as a dependent to your mother?. If not you really should apply for Canadian Citizenship - things will be changing on several fronts e.g residence requirements so best get on with this.

 

[English Rob]

1. Most Airlines don't enforce the PR Card requirement if you are visitor visa exempt to Canada - e.g. Air Canada actually states this on their ID requirements page.

We're flying American Airlines - I called them and they didn't seem to bothered as long as I had a valid passport.

2. A minor challenge at the US port of entry - you are admitted under the VWP which requires an onward or return ticket to territories outside a specified region/ range including Canada unless you have long term resident status i.e. not a visitor. Normally you show CBP your PR Card and they know you live in Canada...since you don't have a PR Card and presumably have no other 'Canadian Visa' then they may think you are a visitor to Canada. Carry some proof of your residence in Canada just in case e.g. IMM 1000 and some pay stubs.

I have a record of landing, marriage certificate, pay stubs, emails from CIC stating my application has been moved to urgent and I plan on taking my expired card too.

3. Have you applied for ESTA as part of your VWP admission?

Completed.

4. Like any other work place some agents know their stuff and some don't....next time politely thank them and apply on an urgent basis anyway.

Good point - live and learn I suppose.

5. In reference to your adoption was there any chance you were naturalized as a Canadian say as a dependent to your mother?. If not you really should apply for Canadian Citizenship - things will be changing on several fronts e.g residence requirements so best get on with this.

This will be priority number one when I return.

I really really appreciate your time and knowledge here Msafiri - you've really helped calm me down.

 

[Msafiri]

...I really really appreciate your time and knowledge here Msafiri - you've really helped calm me down.

No worries and glad to be of help...have a safe trip.