Question - Travel while waiting for PR card

[mgrandolini]

Quick Question,

If say someone landed as a PR at the beginning of March, would they be able to leave the country for a 5 day trip while waiting for the card? Are there any limits to leaving etc?

 

[scylla]

Do they hold a visa exempt or non visa exempt passport? Where are they going? Are they flying?

There are no limits to leaving - but there can be some challenges returning.

 

[mgrandolini]

Do they hold a visa exempt or non visa exempt passport? Where are they going? Are they flying?

There are no limits to leaving - but there can be some challenges returning.

They are visa exempt - travelling in last week of March, will be landing as PR March 10. Flying to Las Vegas. Thanks for your help

 

[Rob_TO]

They are visa exempt - travelling in last week of March, will be landing as PR March 10. Flying to Las Vegas. Thanks for your help

Starting March 15, 2016, the new eTA system will be in force and mandatory for all travelers. This means there is really no difference in being visa-exempt, ALL PRs must show either a valid PR card or a PR Travel Document in order to board any airplane to Canada. Travel document must be arranged through a visa office in the USA.

Visa-exempt travelers will need to show their eTA to board, which is not possible for someone with PR status in Canada.

Alternatively you could instead take a flight to the US airport closest to your home in Canada, and drive across the border. If driving you don't need a valid PR card or travel doc, just passport and COPR is fine.

 

[Jamesdavid3]

I had no majpr issues travelling without my PR card...I had my CORP in my hand but they only checked my British passport..

I DID have issues at the check-in desk when coming back into the Canada before boarding the flight, I guess since I had no PR card and not a Canadian Passport they wanted to know how I would enter Canada....I had my Valid OWP from the Sponsorship process however the people at the Check-in desk really are clueless when it comes to Visa's....I knew more than them.

 

[Ponga]

Starting March 15, 2016, the new eTA system will be in force and mandatory for all travelers.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa.



You'd think that a CoPR would be a valid visa.

 

[taffy7]

Even with his British passport he will need a visa to enter The US. My husband holds a Brit passport and he was on holiday here ,we didn't have a problem getting back in. Just take your cop with you . Oh thats right the cbsa man told us when he landed that he can travel in and out of the country using his British passport but to carry documents with him , his corp until his PR card comes through.

 

[Rob_TO]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa.



You'd think that a CoPR would be a valid visa.

A COPR is definitely not a visa. The "visa" is the counterfoil they put in the passport of PR applicants that are not visa-exempt.

Once you become a PR, any visa you may have is voided. So unless you're a US citizen, after March 15 anyone with no PR card on them will require a PR travel document to fly back to Canada, no exceptions.

 

[Ponga]

At what point would a person receive that counterfoil? After they receive the PR Card?

And for those that are visa-exempt, is the PR Card itself, in essence, their visa?

http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-visas.html

To immigrate to Canada and become a Canadian Permanent Resident, you will need to apply for and be issued a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.

 

[katia23]

Hi.

I just received the email requesting my passport for PR Visa. I live in US because I study here. If I officially go to Canada and Land to "activate" the permanent residence ( because that visa has a short expiration day) can I leave Canada and go back to US and finish my semester? I also have a TRV that expires in 2024, will I be able to enter again with that visa?

I appreciate your help

 

[bradybunchmom]

I saw something about getting a rushed PR card if you have booked travel. Can you contact them with your travel dates?

 

[Rob_TO]

At what point would a person receive that counterfoil? After they receive the PR Card?

And for those that are visa-exempt, is the PR Card itself, in essence, their visa?

http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-visas.html

To immigrate to Canada and become a Canadian Permanent Resident, you will need to apply for and be issued a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.

No the counterfoil is only used for applicants who are NOT visa exempt, and it's just a single-use visa for the PR landing. When they submit the passport to visa office and their app reaches DM, it's returned with visa counterfoil attached and the 2 pages of COPR. They then use that single-use visa to fly to Canada and land as a PR, at which point the counterfoil is removed.

Anyone that has PR, do not need a visa to fly to Canada, and they are exempt from the eTA program. So that is why the trick of simply flying on a visa-exempt passport if someone doesn't have their PR card on them, will not work anymore. If not a US citizen and no PR card, the airline will demand to see an eTA. However someone who's a PR can't get an eTA, and airlines do not recognize COPR as a visa or travel document.

 

[taffy7]

No the counterfoil is only used for applicants who are NOT visa exempt, and it's just a single-use visa for the PR landing. When they submit the passport to visa office and their app reaches DM, it's returned with visa counterfoil attached and the 2 pages of COPR. They then use that single-use visa to fly to Canada and land as a PR, at which point the counterfoil is removed.

Anyone that has PR, do not need a visa to fly to Canada, and they are exempt from the eTA program. So that is why the trick of simply flying on a visa-exempt passport if someone doesn't have their PR card on them, will not work anymore. If not a US citizen and no PR card, the airline will demand to see an eTA. However someone who's a PR can't get an eTA, and airlines do not recognize COPR as a visa or travel document.

Well that officer gave me great info lol .. he told us to fly using our visa exempt passport but your right i looked into it and anyone with a Pr can't apply for an eta.. just as well hubby isn't planning on leaving the country till July.

 

[Rob_TO]

Hi.

I just received the email requesting my passport for PR Visa. I live in US because I study here. If I officially go to Canada and Land to "activate" the permanent residence ( because that visa has a short expiration day) can I leave Canada and go back to US and finish my semester?

Assume you are being sponsored for PR by your Canadian spouse? If so there may be 2 problems with your plan:
1. If you have Conditional PR ("Condition 51" will be specified on your COPR) you're required to live with your sponsor for 2 years after becoming a PR. If you live in the US after getting PR and your sponsor stays in Canada, that would violate the condition. If your sponsor lived in the US with you, that would be fine.
2. It's expected that as a PR applicant, you are ready to move to Canada permanently when you do your landing. There has been a case here where someone was approved and tried to land as a PR, but they told the CBSA officer they were heading right back to the US to continue their studies so the CBSA officer basically cancelled their COPRs on the spot and told them to reapply when they are actually ready to move to Canada.
So basically if you intend to go back to the states shortly after landing, just don't mention this to the CBSA officer upon landing. This information is not relevant to them anyways so you are doing nothing wrong by not mentioning it.

I also have a TRV that expires in 2024, will I be able to enter again with that visa?

No, your TRV will be cancelled as soon as you do your PR landing. As a PR you do not require a travel visa anymore. To return to Canada by plane you will need a valid PR card in hand, or a PR Travel Document.
Else you could travel back to Canada by private car with only your passport and landing papers.

 

[katia23]

Thanks a lot for you advice. I don't think I will have a conditional PR as we have been married for more than 3 years and partially cohabitaing ( just weekends). We are right at the boarder between US and Canada. I will definitively follow your advice.