Precautions during Short Landing PR Interview at immigration

[knowAndShare]

My friends and fellow members on this forum have hinted that one should not disclose his or her PR's short landing plans to the immigration officer during landing as this might have negative effects. So I would like to understand from people who previously did short landing and returned soon to their home country:
1) Does immigration officer asks you about your near future plans in Canada and to be specific, do they ask if a person is doing short landing only?
2) Will it really be a negative point for you if immigration officer get to know your short landing plans?

Experienced people please share your thoughts.

 

[xpressentry]

You have to tell them that you are landing as a permanent resident. They may ask you a few questions and to fill out forms. You should not tell them that it is a short landing. The fact that you are landing as a PR is to show them that you are here to live permanently.

 

[knowAndShare]

Thanks for the reply xpressentry,
but do they really interrogate you to dig out things. And so does that mean, in case they randomly select me for details check of my baggage should I avoid carrying anything which suggests that I will be returning back soon. Things like return ticket print outs, even my whatsapp chat discussion over these matters?

I may sound over concerned but I am really trying to be 100% safe because this PR has come after a lot effort and it means a lot.

 

[xpressentry]

It makes sense to not show / declare your return ticket. You have to declare the good you are carrying and the good you are importing at a later stage. So if you have less luggage now, you can say that you wanted to travel light and are importing the remaining luggage at a later stage once you find more permanent accommodation.

 

[CADparity]

Nobody asked me about my plans when I landed. I was only asked if I had a Canadian address to which IRCC should send my PR card. I said that I didn't have one yet, and they gave me an address form to fax to IRCC when I have one.

I haven't heard of anyone who had any problems just because he/she did a short landing. The only thing I've read about is that some people doing a short landing were told to fax their address to IRCC once they had a permanent Canadian address. There is no law or regulation I'm aware of that says that you cannot land and then exit the country shortly after. Once you land, you are a permanent resident, so I don't see how your intention to go outside Canada on a later date could create you any problems. This doesn't make sense. You could have a family business, a business project, or an emergency to attend to.

You are not under any obligation to disclose your travel plans unless asked. However, if they do ask you a direct question, I suggest that you don't lie because that could get you into bigger trouble. Saying that you have personal/whatever business to attend to outside Canada on a later date is not against any law.

Btw, if anyone wants to check your baggage, that would be Customs, which is after you pass through Immigration. And they check for forbidden or undeclared goods. Nobody is going to be looking for your ticket to check what travel plans you have.

 

[knowAndShare]

Thanks CADparity and for clearing doubts .

 

[vrlkacha]

If we do the short landing and come back to the home country before we get the PR card in hand, then how can we go back and enter in Canada again? Is the CoPR Visa stamp valid for multiple times?

 

[shashidhar_sm]

If we do the short landing and come back to the home country before we get the PR card in hand, then how can we go back and enter in Canada again? Is the CoPR Visa stamp valid for multiple times?

The visa stamp you get with the CoPR is a single entry visa. You need your PR card always when travelling out of Canada.

The most common workaround people use is to leave a friend/relative's address when asked for during 'landing' and have the card couriered to your overseas address.

 

[knowAndShare]

If we do the short landing and come back to the home country before we get the PR card in hand, then how can we go back and enter in Canada again? Is the CoPR Visa stamp valid for multiple times?

And just in case the solution given by shashidhar_sm don't work out then there is an option of visiting Canadian embassy in your home country and get Travel document from them. My guess is that it is issued only once and off course there is a fees attached to it, probably around CAD $50.

 

[Bs65]

Nobody asked me about my plans when I landed. I was only asked if I had a Canadian address to which IRCC should send my PR card. I said that I didn't have one yet, and they gave me an address form to fax to IRCC when I have one.

I haven't heard of anyone who had any problems just because he/she did a short landing. The only thing I've read about is that some people doing a short landing were told to fax their address to IRCC once they had a permanent Canadian address. There is no law or regulation I'm aware of that says that you cannot land and then exit the country shortly after. Once you land, you are a permanent resident, so I don't see how your intention to go outside Canada on a later date could create you any problems. This doesn't make sense. You could have a family business, a business project, or an emergency to attend to.

You are not under any obligation to disclose your travel plans unless asked. However, if they do ask you a direct question, I suggest that you don't lie because that could get you into bigger trouble. Saying that you have personal/whatever business to attend to outside Canada on a later date is not against any law.

Btw, if anyone wants to check your baggage, that would be Customs, which is after you pass through Immigration. And they check for forbidden or undeclared goods. Nobody is going to be looking for your ticket to check what travel plans you have.

Absolutely correct as people do this all the time and to be honest the CBSA officer does not really care if a new PR stays a day, a month or even hours. As long as all the correct documentation is to hand on initial landing that is all CBSA are interested in , beyond that things such as coming and going plus residency obligation are up to the PR.

The only thing to read up about is Customs and if need to follow the goods to follow process given obviously with a short landing travelling light will probably have goods to follow eventually.

Plus as mentioned here a Canadian address for the PR card which they will not mail outside of the country.

 

[CADparity]

The visa stamp you get with the CoPR is a single entry visa. You need your PR card always when travelling out of Canada.

The most common workaround people use is to leave a friend/relative's address when asked for during 'landing' and have the card couriered to your overseas address.

As knowAndShare already mentioned, if you don't have a PR card, you need to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document at the nearest embassy. I'm not sure that you can apply for it only once - after all, it's meant for situations where you don't have other documents, for whatever reason.

More:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/travel-document/
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/travel.asp

 

[skdubai]

I guess the next question is.. If you get the travel document and enter Canada, is the PR card they send to your Canadian address (the one you applied when you did your landing) still valid? or will we need to apply for another one?

 

[CADparity]

I guess the next question is.. If you get the travel document and enter Canada, is the PR card they send to your Canadian address (the one you applied when you did your landing) still valid? or will we need to apply for another one?

I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be valid. At the time of issuance, the card is valid for five years. The travel document is just a temporary paper that is valid for a single entry.

 

[skdubai]

I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be valid. At the time of issuance, the card is valid for five years. The travel document is just a temporary paper that is valid for a single entry.

Yea, I suppose, but I would imagine they would ask why I dont have my PR card with me and make my existing one invalid since they know it is not in my possession.

 

[CADparity]

Yea, I suppose, but I would imagine they would ask why I dont have my PR card with me and make my existing one invalid since they know it is not in my possession.

You'd tell them the truth - you had to go out of the country because of family/work-related business or whatever and your PR card wasn't ready yet at the time you left. Can't see why this would be a problem.