Permanent Resident Visa and Travelling abroad

[masterpeace]

I just received asking me to mail my passport (I guess this is what's called passport request?).

However, I can only mail it in mid-March because I'm travelling outside of Canada next week. I understand that after mailing my passport, I will get a permanent resident visa. So I will need to drive to the border and get this visa exchanged for a PR card?

I'm also planning to travel to Mexico in early May. If I mail my passport in mid-March, will I be able to get it back before May? How long did it take you to get your passport back?

Assuming I get my passport back in time and receive my permanent resident visa before May, can I travel using that visa to Mexico and back?


Thanks for your help.

 

[PMM]

Hi

I just received asking me to mail my passport (I guess this is what's called passport request?).

However, I can only mail it in mid-March because I'm travelling outside of Canada next week. I understand that after mailing my passport, I will get a permanent resident visa. So I will need to drive to the border and get this visa exchanged for a PR card?

I'm also planning to travel to Mexico in early May. If I mail my passport in mid-March, will I be able to get it back before May? How long did it take you to get your passport back?

Assuming I get my passport back in time and receive my permanent resident visa before May, can I travel using that visa to Mexico and back?


Thanks for your help.

1. Well since my crystal ball is cloudy, I have no idea which office requested your passport. Most take about 4 weeks to return it with your COPR, New Delhi is one of the exceptions.
2. You drive to the border, and "flagpole" . Go to the US side, tell them you are "landing" in Canada, and they will give you an administrative rejection. You return to the Canadian citizen and "land"
3. Your PR card will be mailed to an address in Canada, present time is 35 days, so you wont' have the PR card until sometime May/June.
4. Unless you are from a visa exempt country, the airline returning you to Canada from Mexico probably won't board you without your PR card.

 

[masterpeace]

Thank you PMM for your detail answers.

My processing office is Ottawa.

I forgot to mention that at the moment I still have a work permit and a multiple entry visa (worker visa) that is valid until June 2013. After I get my passport back from COPR before May, and if I don't "land" yet, will i still be able to use this worker visa to enter Canada from Mexico? Or, once the permanent resident visa is issued, that will be the only visa I can use to enter Canada?