Permanent Resident Card after landing

[Imran-Shahid]

Hi Everyone,

I have received Canadian Immigration Visa based on my spouse sponsorship. I am planning to travel to Canada in February 2013 and I need to know how long will it take to get first PR card and what is the procedure to apply for PR card.

I search over the web and found that following CIC website states that you get Permanent Resident Card in four to six weeks after landing after updating your mailing address.

cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/pr-card/index.asp

No. You will automatically receive your first permanent resident card by mail. That is part of the immigration process.
Within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident, you must send your Canadian address to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) using our Address notification tool. CIC will then mail your first card to you, within four to six weeks. If you do not send CIC your address within 180 days, the PR card will be cancelled and you will have to apply for a new one.


Whereas following website states that time required for the issuance of PR card to new permanent residents is 57 working days.
cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-card.asp

Can someone please share his experience and help to speed up the process to get PR card quickly.


Thanks,
Imran Shahid

 

[scylla]

You don't apply for the PR card separately. This is done automatically when you land.

As you've read on the CIC site, new PR cards are currently taking approximately 55 business days to process. This means that your PR card will arrived 11-12 weeks after you land.

There is no way to speed up the processing of the PR card. You will just have to wait.

 

[computergeek]

If you need to travel prior to obtaining your PR card and you are not from a visa exempt country, you will need to apply for a PR travel document: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/travel.asp

If you are from a visa exempt country and can thus get to a POE, the COPR is sufficient to demonstrate that you are a PR to the BSO. See ENF 4 "Port of Entry Examinations" for detailed information on how border agents verify that you are a permanent resident.

 

[AMYRE]

Dear Imran,

I am also leaving in about three week time.
send me an email at
shafsal@hotmail.com
with your cell.
Rgds.
Amin

 

[Celtic_Mike]

computergeek - are you certain on the COPR being sufficient if you're from a visa-exempt country? I'm British and landed as a PR on Friday, but am having to travel tonight; when I landed, the BSO noted that I may have to go to a Canadian visa office while out of the country to obtain an entry visa. Just wondering on the best way to get back into Canada - would it be easier flying to the US and then travelling by car across the border, or would a direct flight to Canada cause no issues given I have a British passport?

 

[lpc19800]

computergeek - are you certain on the COPR being sufficient if you're from a visa-exempt country? I'm British and landed as a PR on Friday, but am having to travel tonight; when I landed, the BSO noted that I may have to go to a Canadian visa office while out of the country to obtain an entry visa. Just wondering on the best way to get back into Canada - would it be easier flying to the US and then travelling by car across the border, or would a direct flight to Canada cause no issues given I have a British passport?

I had this query with my lawyer and was told to cross the border in a private vehicle as coming in via air or public transport means needing a travel document. I am a british passport holder too

 

[zardoz]

I had this query with my lawyer and was told to cross the border in a private vehicle as coming in via air or public transport means needing a travel document. I am a british passport holder too

Your lawyer was incorrect. If you are visa-exempt, you can board an aircraft on the basis of your passport alone. You just don't tell the airline that you are a PR, but are a visitor. The PR card is just for getting the flight if you would otherwise be refused by the airline.

 

[Rob_TO]

Your lawyer was incorrect. If you are visa-exempt, you can board an aircraft on the basis of your passport alone. You just don't tell the airline that you are a PR, but are a visitor. The PR card is just for getting the flight if you would otherwise be refused by the airline.

I can confirm this also. My wife is visa exempt and we traveled to Mexico right after she landed but before she had PR card. When returning, we told the airline in Mexico she was traveling on her visa-exempt passport, and they let her board based on that no problem. When arriving at Canadian airport, the immigration officer just used her passport/COPR and checked computer system to confirm her PR status.

Only potential problem is i've heard an airline outside Canada could ask to see a return ticket for people traveling as visitors to Canada. However this is extremely rare, and very worst case would just have to buy a fully refundable return ticket on the spot, and cancel it right after.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Another confirmation. We were going on holiday to Mexico after my British partner landed and weren't sure whether the PR card would arrive in time. I actually asked the landing officer, who confirmed that my partner could return to Canada on the strength of his visa-exempt passport and present himself to CBSA as a PR with no issue.

His card arrived the day before we left. When we went through Canadian immigration, the officer didn't even ask for it; she just swiped his passport, saw he was a recent PR and sent us on our way.

 

[computergeek]

computergeek - are you certain on the COPR being sufficient if you're from a visa-exempt country? I'm British and landed as a PR on Friday, but am having to travel tonight; when I landed, the BSO noted that I may have to go to a Canadian visa office while out of the country to obtain an entry visa. Just wondering on the best way to get back into Canada - would it be easier flying to the US and then travelling by car across the border, or would a direct flight to Canada cause no issues given I have a British passport?

I've never had an airline ask to see my PR card. I traveled multiple times via air without it. Indeed, I've never heard anyone from a visa exempt country saying they had an issue traveling on a common carrier of any type.

Once you make it to the Port of Entry, they are legally obligated to permit you to enter if you are a permanent resident. See ENF 4 for a description of the process of doing this (it even describes how to do it without any documents at all!)

 

[Moe2013]

Appreciate some advice on my case,

I had to leave Canada before receiving my PR card - and seems there are some issues with my photo specs for PR card delaying that.

My wife will deliver in canada in three weeks, and I am not from a visa exempt country. However, I do have a previous visit visa that is valid till Jan 2015.

Can I use this visa to travel to Canada? or do I have to apply for a travel document?

Would this cause any issues at the border with immigration officers?

Thanks for your help

 

[zardoz]

Appreciate some advice on my case,

I had to leave Canada before receiving my PR card - and seems there are some issues with my photo specs for PR card delaying that.

My wife will deliver in canada in three weeks, and I am not from a visa exempt country. However, I do have a previous visit visa that is valid till Jan 2015.

Can I use this visa to travel to Canada? or do I have to apply for a travel document?

Would this cause any issues at the border with immigration officers?

Thanks for your help

Once you became a permanent resident, you are not eligible to hold any form of Canadian Visa. You should apply for a Travel Document. Having said that, you may be able to get onto a flight if the airline staff are unaware of your status. Caveat Emptor.. It's probably illegal or against airport /airline regulations.

 

[steaky]

Appreciate some advice on my case,

I had to leave Canada before receiving my PR card - and seems there are some issues with my photo specs for PR card delaying that.

My wife will deliver in canada in three weeks, and I am not from a visa exempt country. However, I do have a previous visit visa that is valid till Jan 2015.

Can I use this visa to travel to Canada? or do I have to apply for a travel document?

Would this cause any issues at the border with immigration officers?

Thanks for your help

If you have a US visa, you might be able to enter Canada with your landing papers and non visa exempted passport!

 

[ttrajan]

Any US visa or Green card?

 

[Moe2013]

Once you became a permanent resident, you are not eligible to hold any form of Canadian Visa. You should apply for a Travel Document. Having said that, you may be able to get onto a flight if the airline staff are unaware of your status. Caveat Emptor.. It's probably illegal or against airport /airline regulations.

Well I might be able to do that, but I won't risk it. I'll go through the US visa track safer. Thanks!