New PR entering Canada without PR card

[andrews65]

Hi, Here is my situation and questions:

I landed as a PR on 14th February. I hold a UK passport. I have booked air travel to the UK on 30th March, then a single flight back to Canada on 5th April. I've only realised in the past few days that I'm at risk of not being in possession of my PR card when I do this trip to the UK, since the current processing times are averaging 49 days according to CIC website. So my questions are:

1/ Am I at risk of not being allowed to board the flight from the UK to Canada? I have an existing ETA (still showing as valid according to the CIC site). I will also have booked air travel back to the UK for October, hopefully proving that I have a "return" flight.

2/ Am I at risk of not being admitted to Canada when I arrive? I have my COPR which makes it clear that I have PR status, but it also says "not valid for travel". Also, I hold a passport from a visa exempt country, and (as of today) still have a valid ETA.

3/ Does attempting to enter Canada without my PR card put my PR status at risk?

Any opinions on this situation are welcome.

 

[Omegabyte]

From reading the guide at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5529ETOC.asp, it appears you will need to apply for a PR Travel Document when you arrive in the UK. AFAIK, it takes 4-7 days to have one issued.

Your PR status isn't at risk, but your ability to board a flight back to Canada would be negatively impacted without your PR card or PRTD.

 

[CDNPR2014]

1. yes, you may be at risk to not be able to travel to canada by a commercial airline without the PR card. You can't use an ETA because you are no longer a visitor. I would confirm with the airline what they need from you to allow you to travel. before the ETA requirement, PRs from the UK were able to board planes with just their passport, since they are visa exempt. the new ETA rules may have changed this.

2. no, you are not at risk of not being admitted to canada. Traveling to and entering canada are 2 different things. travelling to canada is at the descretion of the commercial airline, entering canada is at the descretion of CBSA. it is not required to have a pr card to enter canada. it is required to travel to canada. again, these are 2 different things. as a pr, you can not be denied entry to canada. CBSA will honor your COPR no problem. you don't even need it, since technically your passport shows them your current status. While the COPR can't be used to travel to canada, it's perfectly acceptable to use for entry to canada.

3. no, there is no risk to your PR status trying to enter without a PR card. your card hasn't even been issued yet. relax. this is more about the airline allowing you to travel, than anything else. it has nothing to do with your PR status or ability to enter canada. More than likely you need to apply for a PR Travel document to return.

 

[wildemam]

you will need to apply for a PR Travel Document

I got one in Cairo. Took them 4 days to issue it, but make sure you have the necessary docs to support your claim you are a PR. You must have obeyed (or able to obey) your residency obligation.

They gave me the document in form of a multiple enrty visa with class: Permanent Resident. I was treated as a visa bearer in airport and the Canadian airport officer asked where my PR card is, told him I didn't get mine yet, he let me pass. that simple.

 

[zardoz]

1. yes, you may be at risk to not be able to travel to canada by a commercial airline without the PR card. You can't use an ETA because you are no longer a visitor. I would confirm with the airline what they need from you to allow you to travel. before the ETA requirement, PRs from the UK were able to board planes with just their passport, since they are visa exempt. the new ETA rules may have changed this.

2. no, you are not at risk of not being admitted to canada. Traveling to and entering canada are 2 different things. travelling to canada is at the descretion of the commercial airline, entering canada is at the descretion of CBSA. it is not required to have a pr card to enter canada. it is required for those who are not visa exempt to travel to canada. again, these are 2 different things. as a pr, you can not be denied entry to canada. CBSA will honor your COPR no problem. you don't even need it, since technically your passport shows them your current status. While the COPR can't be used to travel to canada, it's perfectly acceptable to use for entry to canada.

3. no, there is no risk to your PR status trying to enter without a PR card. your card hasn't even been issued yet. relax. this is more about the airline allowing you to travel, than anything else. it has nothing to do with your PR status or ability to enter canada. More than likely you need to apply for a PR Travel document to return.

1. The new eTA rules HAVE changed this. PR card or PRTD are now the only options.

 

[methyl]

1. The new eTA rules HAVE changed this. PR card or PRTD are now the only options.

There is one more option - traveling to US and crossing the border to Canada in a private car or on foot.

 

[TANMEX]

Hi, Here is my situation and questions:

I landed as a PR on 14th February. I hold a UK passport. I have booked air travel to the UK on 30th March, then a single flight back to Canada on 5th April. I've only realised in the past few days that I'm at risk of not being in possession of my PR card when I do this trip to the UK, since the current processing times are averaging 49 days according to CIC website. So my questions are:

1/ Am I at risk of not being allowed to board the flight from the UK to Canada? I have an existing ETA (still showing as valid according to the CIC site). I will also have booked air travel back to the UK for October, hopefully proving that I have a "return" flight.

2/ Am I at risk of not being admitted to Canada when I arrive? I have my COPR which makes it clear that I have PR status, but it also says "not valid for travel". Also, I hold a passport from a visa exempt country, and (as of today) still have a valid ETA.

3/ Does attempting to enter Canada without my PR card put my PR status at risk?

Any opinions on this situation are welcome.

Hi ,
Tricky situation ... since UK passport holders needs an ETA and PR Holders prohibited from applying for one ... i think your CoPR should help you board the plane and your UK passport should do the rest in Canada .

 

[Rob_TO]

1/ Am I at risk of not being allowed to board the flight from the UK to Canada? I have an existing ETA (still showing as valid according to the CIC site). I will also have booked air travel back to the UK for October, hopefully proving that I have a "return" flight.

Technically PR holders are not entitled to hold eTAs. So also technically, an eTA should become invalid for use after one lands as a PR.

HOWEVER, the same can be said for travel visas obtained before one became a PR, yet there have been several reports recently of PRs traveling successfully on old TRVs after they became PR. Anecdotal reports stated the airlines said the TRVs as still valid even though the traveler was a PR, and they were allowed boarding under assumption they were still a foreign national.

So if your eTA shows still valid, you could possibly take the risk to try and check in at an airline with it for a direct flight to Canada. Just be well aware of the risk, that if on the airline's check-in system they see a flag that you're a PR so can't accept the eTA, of if your eTA was since put into invalid status or cancelled, you would be denied boarding. Really nobody here can tell you what will happen. You would need to risk it and accept that you could possibly be denied boarding.

The safest way by far is to just get the PR Travel Doc to fly direct to Canada, or return to Canada via USA land border.

 

[Omegabyte]

Hi ,
Tricky situation ... since UK passport holders needs an ETA and PR Holders prohibited from applying for one ... i think your CoPR should help you board the plane and your UK passport should do the rest in Canada .

No. You CANNOT use a CoPR for travel. It says that right on the front of it.

The OP will need either their PR card, or a PRTD issued after their arrival in the UK.

 

[Landagirl]

We have to take my stepdaughter back to the states 30 days after my husband lands so he wont have his card yet either. We are going to fly out of Winnipeg, MB and return to Fargo, rent a car and drive across the land border, then drop off the rental at Winnipeg airport. Not sure how possible that would be for a trip from the UK. Its an inconvenience, but we wont be in Texas long enough for PRTD as we are leaving the same day we arrive.

 

[Rob_TO]

We have to take my stepdaughter back to the states 30 days after my husband lands so he wont have his card yet either. We are going to fly out of Winnipeg, MB and return to Fargo, rent a car and drive across the land border, then drop off the rental at Winnipeg airport. Not sure how possible that would be for a trip from the UK. Its an inconvenience, but we wont be in Texas long enough for PRTD as we are leaving the same day we arrive.

If you hold a US passport, that is eTA exempt so most likely is fine to just fly directly to Canada.

 

[CDNPR2014]

We have to take my stepdaughter back to the states 30 days after my husband lands so he wont have his card yet either. We are going to fly out of Winnipeg, MB and return to Fargo, rent a car and drive across the land border, then drop off the rental at Winnipeg airport. Not sure how possible that would be for a trip from the UK. Its an inconvenience, but we wont be in Texas long enough for PRTD as we are leaving the same day we arrive.

US applicants don't need PR Travel documents. a PR with a US passport can board a plane with just their US passport, and enter canada with their COPR. ETAs and PR Travel Documents are non-issues for us citizens.

 

[andrews65]

Thanks for all the replies. Rob_TO's response matched my thinking, in that if my ETA still shows as valid on the CIC site there is a chance it still shows as valid on BA's checkin systems. If so I'd never need to mention to BA that I was a PR. I'm thinking that because the ETA is all electronic but PR needs you to show a card at checkin there is less chance of PR status being on their system. But all guesswork and risky, as was pointed out.

In any case I'm going to try for expedited processing of my PR card since the reason for the trip is to visit a family member who has cancer.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies. Rob_TO's response matched my thinking, in that if my ETA still shows as valid on the CIC site there is a chance it still shows as valid on BA's checkin systems. If so I'd never need to mention to BA that I was a PR. I'm thinking that because the ETA is all electronic but PR needs you to show a card at checkin there is less chance of PR status being on their system. But all guesswork and risky, as was pointed out.

In any case I'm going to try for expedited processing of my PR card since the reason for the trip is to visit a family member who has cancer.

1. You will be disappointed, there is no expedited processing for the initial PR card.

 

[andrews65]

Hi

1. You will be disappointed, there is no expedited processing for the initial PR card.

From where did you get this information? I've not seen it on CIC's websites.