Hi All,
I wanted to share my PR landing experience and getting back to US using AVR. I took a rental car in Buffalo and arrived at the Peace Bridge CBSA post on October 1, 2018 (Monday) around 11:40 am.There were very few cars in the queue.
Me: Hi, I'm doing my PR landing today.
Officer: We do landings only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (assuming that I was doing flagpoling). Looked at my passport and asked me how long I've been in the US.
Me: Almost 6 years.
O: Then you are lucky.
O: Are you moving to Canada today?
Me: No. I'm headed to my friend's place in Toronto.
O: When do you plan to move to Canada?
Me: In the next 3-4 months.
O: How long are you gonna stay in Canada?
Me: Just one day
O: What are you bringing with you today? Nothing?
Me: Just my clothes.
He gave me a yellow slip and asked to park my car and go inside the office behind him.
I walked in and another officer made hand gesture to come forward to the counter. Handed my passport, COPR and the yellow slip to him and he asked me to take a seat.
There were 4-5 people before me. I waited for about 40 mins and then a lady officer called my last name.
Lady Officer: I'm going to do your PR formality paperwork today.
Me: Ok
Asked me put my initials and signature on both the COPRs and then asked me the regular questions (like do I have a family member who is not listed or my marital status changed after the PR approval, have I ever been denied entry into Canada or a visa for Canada, do I have any health conditions etc) to all of which I answered "No".
LO: Do you have an address in Canada?
Me: Yes
LO: What is it?
Me: Gave my friend's Toronto address.
After putting all the information on the COPR she stapled the second copy to my passport and put the entry stamp.
LO: You are a Canadian PR now. You have all the rights as a citizen except that you cannot vote. Your PR card will arrive at the given address in 6-8 weeks. Keep the second copy of the COPR safe as you would need it when applying for citizenship.
Me: Thank you.
I walked out, got into my car, payed 3.75 US dollar at the toll and was on my way. I went to the Service Canada Centre and got the SIN in around 30 mins.
Stayed at my friend's place in Toronto and drove back to the Rainbow bridge at Niagara Falls next morning to enter the US. There was no queue and I arrived at the CBP post around 11:50 am.
Me: Hi
Officer: What's your country of nationality?
Me: India
Handed my passport and I797A.
O: Where are you coming from?
Me: Toronto
O: Where are you headed to?
Me: New Jersey
O: Where do you work?
Me: Gave my employer's name
He looked at my passport and was like "Oh you already have a visa and entry stampings from before. He gave a white slip, asked me to park the car and head to the 2nd floor in the building behind him. There were around 15-20 people sitting there and the officers were calling names. Took about 15-20 mins before an officer called my name.
O: What do you do for work?
Me: Told him
O: You didn't have to come upstairs, you didn't read the notice.
Me: Oh really!
Asked to head to counter 7.
O: Checked the info in his system, tore the I94 section from my I797A, stapled it in my passport and put the entry stamp. What's your address in the US?
Me: Gave him the address
O: Handed my documents and gave me a small piece of paper with the same entry stamp as in my passport. He said "You are all set".
Me: Thank you
I took the elevator and another officer downstairs collected the piece of paper from me and said "You are all set".
I was out of there and on my way.
In all, it was a smooth process both on the Canadian and the US side. Good luck to everyone! The officer was well aware of AVR.
Note: For people doing flagpoling for PR landing, it can only be done on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays but if you are coming from the US, it can be done any day.
I wanted to share my PR landing experience and getting back to US using AVR. I took a rental car in Buffalo and arrived at the Peace Bridge CBSA post on October 1, 2018 (Monday) around 11:40 am.There were very few cars in the queue.
Me: Hi, I'm doing my PR landing today.
Officer: We do landings only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (assuming that I was doing flagpoling). Looked at my passport and asked me how long I've been in the US.
Me: Almost 6 years.
O: Then you are lucky.
O: Are you moving to Canada today?
Me: No. I'm headed to my friend's place in Toronto.
O: When do you plan to move to Canada?
Me: In the next 3-4 months.
O: How long are you gonna stay in Canada?
Me: Just one day
O: What are you bringing with you today? Nothing?
Me: Just my clothes.
He gave me a yellow slip and asked to park my car and go inside the office behind him.
I walked in and another officer made hand gesture to come forward to the counter. Handed my passport, COPR and the yellow slip to him and he asked me to take a seat.
There were 4-5 people before me. I waited for about 40 mins and then a lady officer called my last name.
Lady Officer: I'm going to do your PR formality paperwork today.
Me: Ok
Asked me put my initials and signature on both the COPRs and then asked me the regular questions (like do I have a family member who is not listed or my marital status changed after the PR approval, have I ever been denied entry into Canada or a visa for Canada, do I have any health conditions etc) to all of which I answered "No".
LO: Do you have an address in Canada?
Me: Yes
LO: What is it?
Me: Gave my friend's Toronto address.
After putting all the information on the COPR she stapled the second copy to my passport and put the entry stamp.
LO: You are a Canadian PR now. You have all the rights as a citizen except that you cannot vote. Your PR card will arrive at the given address in 6-8 weeks. Keep the second copy of the COPR safe as you would need it when applying for citizenship.
Me: Thank you.
I walked out, got into my car, payed 3.75 US dollar at the toll and was on my way. I went to the Service Canada Centre and got the SIN in around 30 mins.
Stayed at my friend's place in Toronto and drove back to the Rainbow bridge at Niagara Falls next morning to enter the US. There was no queue and I arrived at the CBP post around 11:50 am.
Me: Hi
Officer: What's your country of nationality?
Me: India
Handed my passport and I797A.
O: Where are you coming from?
Me: Toronto
O: Where are you headed to?
Me: New Jersey
O: Where do you work?
Me: Gave my employer's name
He looked at my passport and was like "Oh you already have a visa and entry stampings from before. He gave a white slip, asked me to park the car and head to the 2nd floor in the building behind him. There were around 15-20 people sitting there and the officers were calling names. Took about 15-20 mins before an officer called my name.
O: What do you do for work?
Me: Told him
O: You didn't have to come upstairs, you didn't read the notice.
Me: Oh really!
Asked to head to counter 7.
O: Checked the info in his system, tore the I94 section from my I797A, stapled it in my passport and put the entry stamp. What's your address in the US?
Me: Gave him the address
O: Handed my documents and gave me a small piece of paper with the same entry stamp as in my passport. He said "You are all set".
Me: Thank you
I took the elevator and another officer downstairs collected the piece of paper from me and said "You are all set".
I was out of there and on my way.
In all, it was a smooth process both on the Canadian and the US side. Good luck to everyone! The officer was well aware of AVR.
Note: For people doing flagpoling for PR landing, it can only be done on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays but if you are coming from the US, it can be done any day.
Last edited:
