Los Angeles Visa Office Applicants Check in here! :)

[OhCanadiana]

Any WHTI identification is sufficient to get across the border: Passport, Passport card, Nexus Card, or Enhanced Drivers License/Licence to name several. Of course, a Canadian PR card is enough to get back into Canada as well.

At this point it's not likely one could obtain a second US passport before next Tuesday due to the US President's Day holiday in any case.

Indeed, my hope was that the OP would see the post in time to make it to a passport office today before they closed since it was the most realistic 'new document' option to still fly on Sunday.

At this point, assuming the OP is a US citizen, the Enhanced DL is probably be the only viable option left to get before Sunday and that has lots of if's (the OP would need to live in one of the four states that offer it - Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington - there would need to be an open DMV open Saturday and they would need to be able/willing to issue it without the passport). And, it would require flying to a border city (since they aren't valid for air travel).

 

[parker24]

What would a US citizen/PR of Canada, need to cross the border via Car? Hubby and I are thinking of taking a day trip to Syracuse next month, he got his PR card so we're trying to find out if he needs his passport, PP AND PR card, or just his PR card will do?

 

[computergeek]

The PR card should be sufficient, though I've never been asked to show mine by anyone yet.

 

[IvanP]

The PR card should be sufficient, though I've never been asked to show mine by anyone yet.

While computergeek may be right, carrying both and needing only one is infinitely better than carrying only one and needing the other.

 

[uskyoot]

Hubby needs Us passport to get into the States and Pr card and Passport to go back to Canada
.You need your passport

 

[computergeek]

While computergeek may be right, carrying both and needing only one is infinitely better than carrying only one and needing the other.

I'll admit I'm spoiled as I have a Nexus card - so neither US CBP nor Canadian CBSA ever ask to see my passport OR my PR card. Only the airlines want to see my passport.

But with that said, I carry both my passport and PR card with me because, as you noted, it's better to have too much than too little.

 

[computergeek]

Hubby needs Us passport to get into the States and Pr card and Passport to go back to Canada
.You need your passport

As a matter of law, you don't need your foreign passport to get back into Canada. I realize the CBSA officer may want to see the passport as well, but if you didn't have it ("I must have lost it on the plane") they don't have any basis for refusing entry.

If you read ENF 4 there's even a protocol for establishing that someone with no identification at all is in fact a permanent resident of Canada. That might happen if you were in a situation where you'd lost all your ID - the last thing you want to be is stuck in some foreign country (ergo, the US) and unable to get home.

 

[IvanP]

the last thing you want to be is stuck in some foreign country (ergo, the US) and unable to get home.

Or stuck at the border waiting for your identity to be confirmed!

 

[Ivytwiks]

thanks guys but i decided to change my flight coz am not in the us am in Africa currently and have a valid study permit and visa which cant allow me travel without my passport....so will wait and see what they do hopefully they send my passport back soon.. have a few questions guys...

But how long does it normally take LA to return passports to applicants?
And whats confusing me even more is the email they sent me says send your passport within 60days as soon as possible coz your visa has already been issued and cant be renewed or extended so when they keep my passport isn't that time gone for me interns of landing..

 

[computergeek]

thanks guys but i decided to change my flight coz am not in the us am in Africa currently and have a valid study permit and visa which cant allow me travel without my passport....so will wait and see what they do hopefully they send my passport back soon.. have a few questions guys...

But how long does it normally take LA to return passports to applicants?
And whats confusing me even more is the email they sent me says send your passport within 60days as soon as possible coz your visa has already been issued and cant be renewed or extended so when they keep my passport isn't that time gone for me interns of landing..

LA returned my passport in 3 weeks, but I also included evidence of future travel and a prepaid USPS Express Mail envelope. Otherwise it seems to take them 4-6 weeks based upon my reading of others reports.

They are trying to get you to submit quickly so they create a deadline. In fact, under some circumstances they're required to go back and extend it.

If you have a US passport, you won't get a visa, just a Confirmation of Permanent Residency - a legal size page that establishes you qualify to become a permanent resident. The expiration will be the soonest of your medical expiration or your passport.

 

[Ivytwiks]

wooh that was a smart move..(evidence of future travel,,) that i didnt include...it didnt cross my mind at all but i guess i will keep waiting so far its been five weeks so hopefully they get back to me soonest...coz i have a job to keep and some classes to attend.. and my medicals expired 20th jan so hopefully they dont ask me to re-do them coz that will be a whole even longer process...thanks so the info computergeek...

 

[expatboarder]

HI,

I am planning to visit my wife at the end of March for our first anniversary. We can no longer stand the wait apart from each other. We are looking for a place to live in BC when I get up there. I plan to stay with her until we get the COPR. LA received my documents they requested on Feb 1.

I still havent gotten my email request from LA for my passport but hopefully its coming soon, lol!

My questions are : If and when I get the request for my passport will the LA visa office be able to mail the COPR to Canada to our BC address?

My personal belongings will be in storage and I plan to drive back over to the border and land with them. Is this OK? Do you foresee any problems with this plan?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated

Good luck to everyone here

boarder

 

[computergeek]

I am planning to visit my wife at the end of March for our first anniversary. We can no longer stand the wait apart from each other. We are looking for a place to live in BC when I get up there. I plan to stay with her until we get the COPR. LA received my documents they requested on Feb 1.

There's some very nice places in BC to live. Vancouver itself is rather expensive (most expensive in North America now), but the outlying areas aren't as bad, though there are trade-offs. If you like to surf, there's great surfing on the west side of Vancouver Island, but it's a trek from anywhere (e.g., Victoria or Nanaimo being "anywhere").

My questions are : If and when I get the request for my passport will the LA visa office be able to mail the COPR to Canada to our BC address?

Yes. You can also have it sent to someone in the US and have them forward it to you - that's what I did, I provided LA with a pre-paid USPS express mail envelope and had my passport and COPR sent to my company's office. They forwarded it to me (in Vancouver) via FedEx. Or you can use a border delivery service to receive it and go pick it up (I use a company called kinek - they'll receive pretty much anything for a $5 fee that you pay when you pick it up and it's literally just over the border.)

My personal belongings will be in storage and I plan to drive back over to the border and land with them. Is this OK? Do you foresee any problems with this plan?

My advice is to complete your B4/B4A forms while you pack the boxes and get them ready to go to storage. That will make it MUCH easier when you do actually cross. As a settler, you can bring pretty much anything you want into Canada (albeit some things with more paperwork).

Good luck to you as well!

 

[expatboarder]

There's some very nice places in BC to live. Vancouver itself is rather expensive (most expensive in North America now), but the outlying areas aren't as bad, though there are trade-offs. If you like to surf, there's great surfing on the west side of Vancouver Island, but it's a trek from anywhere (e.g., Victoria or Nanaimo being "anywhere").

Yes. You can also have it sent to someone in the US and have them forward it to you - that's what I did, I provided LA with a pre-paid USPS express mail envelope and had my passport and COPR sent to my company's office. They forwarded it to me (in Vancouver) via FedEx. Or you can use a border delivery service to receive it and go pick it up (I use a company called kinek - they'll receive pretty much anything for a $5 fee that you pay when you pick it up and it's literally just over the border.)

My advice is to complete your B4/B4A forms while you pack the boxes and get them ready to go to storage. That will make it MUCH easier when you do actually cross. As a settler, you can bring pretty much anything you want into Canada (albeit some things with more paperwork).

Good luck to you as well!

Thanks computergeek

My wife and I are settling in Vernon or Kelowna but she is living in Saskatchewan now. So I will help her move when i get there and then find a place together. We really have our work cut out for us.

Ive learned lots of great stuff here.

boarder

 

[computergeek]

Thanks computergeek

My wife and I are settling in Vernon or Kelowna but she is living in Saskatchewan now. So I will help her move when i get there and then find a place together. We really have our work cut out for us.

Ive learned lots of great stuff here.

boarder

The Okanagan is a nice region and similar to where I grew up (Spokane, WA), but very different than the west side of the mountains (e.g., the coastal areas). Warm dry summers, cold snowy winters. Lots of sunshine though.

Best of luck wherever you end up!