We received our COPR in early Dec. 2015 whilst visiting in Ontario and immediately went "around the flagpole" to begin the process of getting our PR cards which we were informed at the Niagara border would take about 90 days. We have returned to France to tie up our affairs and will return to Canada in May 2016, purchasing one-way tickets (Airtransat from UK or Paris). We have some slight concern that the cards may not reach us in time. (They will be delivered to our daughter in Ontario and she will forward them to us in France by secure post.) I assume that attempting to enter as we always have, i.e. as visitors, will not work in our case due to the one-way tickets? Is the only safe course to apply for PRTDs? Any advice will be appreciated.
Questions about Applying for a travel document (permanent resident abroad)
- Thread starter MWEdwards
- Start date
Similar situation....Pr cards expire in early May - & we need to travel to Ireland end of June returning to Canada mid July. We are just about to send our pr renewal this week...with request for urgent processing. We do not have flights booked yet - will urgent processing be declined without evidence of flight itinerary? Could we send a regular renewal and add a request for urgent processing to that application once we book flights? we have never used our PR CARDS to board a flight -always just using our Irish passports as our valid ID - but any advice would be appreciated ? The new ETA (for visa exempt countries) further complicates things - the online application states that Permanent Residents should not apply. However in order to board a commercial flight into Canada -(without new PR card) after Mar 2016 we would require an ETA -should we apply anyhow? Will this be a problem when entering Canada as Pr's.
At the moment, visa-exempt PRs can travel to Canada solely on the strength of their passport; however, this ends in March when the eTA requirement comes into force. PRs do not qualify for an eTA and so will not be able to board a plane to Canada without either a PR card or a PRTD.mimicapes said:
If your cards don't arrive in time, you will either need to get a PRTD to board a flight to Canada or fly to the US and cross into Canada by private car or on foot with your COPR.
Without proof of flights, they will not process your cards urgently.helenaD said:
PRs can't apply for an eTA. As above, you will need to either apply for a PRTD in Ireland or fly to the US and cross into Canada on foot or in a private car.
Hi,
I am a PR of Canada, but my PR card expired on Nov 2014. I had been to Canada twice - first in 2010 for 3 months and 2011 for 3 months. I don't satisfy the RO of 730 days.
My mother, brother, and sister are all Canadian Cityzens. I had to return second time, as we were expecting 2nd child and my wife didn't have Visa. I had to come back from Canada to see my wife and the new baby, which I think is a life-changing event for a father. At this juncture, I had to give her emotional support.
I am really keen to go back and join my family (mother, bro and sister) in Canada.
I need to apply for PR Travel document.
My question is: 1) Will my application for PR Travel document be accepted (I understand, the answer here does not guarantee) taking into consideration I have not met RO, but on Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Grounds - coming back to support my wife and baby expected
Now, I want to be with my mother, bro, and sister, I am alone here in India and miss my family. I would like to join my family in Canada and later apply for my wife, daughter and son's visa too (once I reach in Canada and get a decent job)
Are there vague chances, of getting a PR Travel document on H&C grounds ?
Also, what is the processing time for PR Travel document ?
Is PR Travel application accepted in Bangalore Visa office ?
Would appreciate your help and suggestions.
Thanks,
tric
I am a PR of Canada, but my PR card expired on Nov 2014. I had been to Canada twice - first in 2010 for 3 months and 2011 for 3 months. I don't satisfy the RO of 730 days.
My mother, brother, and sister are all Canadian Cityzens. I had to return second time, as we were expecting 2nd child and my wife didn't have Visa. I had to come back from Canada to see my wife and the new baby, which I think is a life-changing event for a father. At this juncture, I had to give her emotional support.
I am really keen to go back and join my family (mother, bro and sister) in Canada.
I need to apply for PR Travel document.
My question is: 1) Will my application for PR Travel document be accepted (I understand, the answer here does not guarantee) taking into consideration I have not met RO, but on Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Grounds - coming back to support my wife and baby expected
Now, I want to be with my mother, bro, and sister, I am alone here in India and miss my family. I would like to join my family in Canada and later apply for my wife, daughter and son's visa too (once I reach in Canada and get a decent job)
Are there vague chances, of getting a PR Travel document on H&C grounds ?
Also, what is the processing time for PR Travel document ?
Is PR Travel application accepted in Bangalore Visa office ?
Would appreciate your help and suggestions.
Thanks,
tric
Hi, I am in the same situation. I am Australian and have not yet received my new PR Card but i have the Confirmation of PR/Landing Document.
Planning to travel back to Canada, but now Canada has introduced ETA for Visa Exempt Passports and my Airline is asking me to get an ETA before boarding the flight.
But i i can't apply for ETA as it's clearly mentioned on CIC website that "do not apply for ETA if you are Permanent residents of Canada"
What shall i do? Any help will be appreciated
Shall i apply for the Travel Document?
Planning to travel back to Canada, but now Canada has introduced ETA for Visa Exempt Passports and my Airline is asking me to get an ETA before boarding the flight.
But i i can't apply for ETA as it's clearly mentioned on CIC website that "do not apply for ETA if you are Permanent residents of Canada"
What shall i do? Any help will be appreciated
Shall i apply for the Travel Document?
You are not a Permanent Resident until you have completed the formalities in actually landing.sham_wow said:
So you should be eligible for and able to obtain eTA. The application is simple, the fee nominal, and you should get the results in short order. No harm in just applying and see what results. Be sure to include your client identification number as you have applied for status in Canada. (Your report as to how this goes would be appreciated.)
That said, IRCC has implemented a leniency period for eTA until the fall, so persons carrying a visa-exempt passport should be allowed to board a flight to Canada without obtaining eTA (see visitor information at IRCC website for details). How things are in practice done by particular airlines, however, can indeed vary; if there is a problem obtaining eTA or you otherwise want to just use your visa-exempt passport and it appears the airline still wants eTA, you may want to check with someone in person at your airline and attempt to clarify what you need specifically in your situation.
Moreover, eTA is not required if you have a specific visa for status in Canada . . . however, they have changed the procedure some for immigrants coming from a visa-exempt country since I landed, and as I understand it you may have only been issued the CoPR, not an actual PR visa. But if you have a visa, that is itself authorization to enter Canada and constitutes a Travel Document for which a traveler should be allowed to board a flight to Canada.
Welcome to Canada.
Hi dpenabill,
I did go to Canada couple of months ago to do the Landing formalities that's why i said I have the Confirmation/Landing Document. And, now i am moving permanently.
In the mean time after i posted my query on this portal, I started looking at the application form for Travel Document and the information provided is bit vague, it does not tell if they need original or Copies of the document.
Because during my Landing Interview, the Immi Officer told me that i can travel back to Canada using the Landing document & My Passport and he specifically said that do not give the original document to anyone. If i apply for Travel document then i am reluctant to send them the original document.
I did send an email to the visa office but did not get any reply
Can you please suggest what should i actually do in this case.
Also, I found this information on CIC Website. Does that mean that i can travel without Travel Document or ETA?
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" I have a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and will travel to Canada. Do I need an eTA?
No. If you are from a visa-exempt country and have been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document, you do not need an eTA.
If you are from a visa-required country, you are not eligible for an eTA. You have been issued a permanent resident visa in your passport for your travel to Canada.
In both cases, make sure you travel to Canada with your valid passport and your valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence document."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did go to Canada couple of months ago to do the Landing formalities that's why i said I have the Confirmation/Landing Document. And, now i am moving permanently.
In the mean time after i posted my query on this portal, I started looking at the application form for Travel Document and the information provided is bit vague, it does not tell if they need original or Copies of the document.
Because during my Landing Interview, the Immi Officer told me that i can travel back to Canada using the Landing document & My Passport and he specifically said that do not give the original document to anyone. If i apply for Travel document then i am reluctant to send them the original document.
I did send an email to the visa office but did not get any reply
Can you please suggest what should i actually do in this case.
Also, I found this information on CIC Website. Does that mean that i can travel without Travel Document or ETA?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" I have a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and will travel to Canada. Do I need an eTA?
No. If you are from a visa-exempt country and have been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document, you do not need an eTA.
If you are from a visa-required country, you are not eligible for an eTA. You have been issued a permanent resident visa in your passport for your travel to Canada.
In both cases, make sure you travel to Canada with your valid passport and your valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence document."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, I applied for my PR card renewal under urgent processing and it was approved on February 19, 2016.
But CIC officer made a mistake and sent my card to the wrong address...
My departure is tomorrow but as of today I have no idea where it is.
Unfortunately I won't have enough time to apply for a PR travel document while I'm away.
According to the previous posts here, I should be able to come back to Canada without a valid PR card or PR travel document if I can explain my situation and have some supporting documents.
I'm worried if it's still the same after they start eTA system from today.
I'm from the visa-exampt country and my return flight is via New York.
I appriciate any advice and comments. Thanks!
But CIC officer made a mistake and sent my card to the wrong address...
My departure is tomorrow but as of today I have no idea where it is.
Unfortunately I won't have enough time to apply for a PR travel document while I'm away.
According to the previous posts here, I should be able to come back to Canada without a valid PR card or PR travel document if I can explain my situation and have some supporting documents.
I'm worried if it's still the same after they start eTA system from today.
I'm from the visa-exampt country and my return flight is via New York.
I appriciate any advice and comments. Thanks!
CIC has extended the mandatory requirement for an eTA until fall. You should be able to board the plane as if you were a visitor; don't tell the airline that you are a PR, as they may refuse to board you without a PR card.CANYYZ said:
When you enter Canada, you can present yourself to CBSA as a PR and explain about the PR card.
CANYYZ & sham_wow:
Your situations illustrate problematic, perhaps unintended consequences due to the implementation of the eTA program.
Given the extension, of a sort, the so-called "leniency period," for when eTA will be mandatory, the near term situation is far from clear, not at all certain. There are some participants here (such as canuck_in_uk) who seem to be sure, or at least confident, that PRs with visa exempt passports will be able to board flights headed to Canada without much problem. I highly doubt there is a reliable source for such confidence. I suspect how it will go will vary from individual to individual, airport to airport, airline to airline, among the potential variables which can influence how it goes for a particular PR traveler on a particular occasion.
There is no doubt there is at least some risk that the rule (the current rule, which has been the rule for quite some time), requiring a PR to present either a PR card or PR Travel Document, will be enforced despite presenting a visa-exempt passport. We have seen forum reports of the rule's enforcement, some even before eTA was implemented, some since. Of course we have also seen a substantial number of reports otherwise, of the rule not being enforced, PRs allowed to board flights by presenting a visa-exempt passport. But as I have said before, I cannot quantify the risks, and cannot even roughly delineate relevant factors beyond recognizing the risks will probably depend some on the particular circumstances, including especially those related to the individual traveler, but also depending, perhaps, on the country or airport for the departing flight, which airline it is, among other factors which, however, do not illuminate much about how those factors will affect the degree of risk.
That there are reports both ways illustrates that, at least in the PAST, it could go either way. Some participants here have suggested ways to improve the odds of, in effect, getting away with presenting a visa-exempt passport (that is, avoiding the rule applicable to PRs), such as being careful to conceal from the airline the fact of being a PR.
In the meantime, going forward it is not as if the deadline for the mandatory enforcement of the eTA has been extended. Rather, a "leniency period" has been implemented. What this actually means is not entirely clear. My sense is that IRCC does not want to be clear about what this means (they do not even give a date, just saying the leniency period is until "fall"). My sense is that travelers presenting visa-exempt passports without eTA are, at the least, at risk for further screening prior to boarding. How this has gone in the past is virtually NO indication of how this will go going forward.
What you quote from the CIC (now IRCC) website is the situation I thought you were in. Those situations involve those who have been approved to become Permanent Residents, those from visa-required countries being issued a PR visa which is affixed in the individual's passport, and those from a visa-exempt country who are issued the CoPR. These are sufficient, in conjunction with appropriate passport, to obtain boarding of a flight to Canada.
The way this FAQ is presented does not make it clear, but I am quite sure it is not about PRs, but rather those who are still a Foreign National but who have been approved to become a PR and have been issued either the CoPR, or visa and CoPR, and are planning to make the trip to Canada to land.
In any event, if you follow the instructions, you need to apply for the PR Travel Document; others have reported this going far more smoothly than they apprehended it would. Yes, it is inconvenient, and it costs money. If done by mail, be sure to use a reliable courier service. Be sure to have a complete copy of everything before you send off originals.
Otherwise, having a visa-exempt passport, as some other participants here might suggest, you can attempt to board a flight by presenting that. As I have said with some emphasis, I cannot quantify the risks, or so much as guess the odds of being allowed to board the flight. Given the relatively recent date of issuance of your CoPR, if challenged you might present that and say the website says this is what you needed to board the flight. But I cannot guess what is likely to work, or how likely this or that approach will work.
So I cannot suggest what you should do. That is a decision you need to make. I understand the consternation, frustration, and confusion. Immigrating itself is a major transition, prone to complications, difficulties, and more stress than anyone needs, all of which are exacerbated by uncertainties.
But to put things in perspective, to give some context, those PRs whose passport is not visa-exempt have long been in this situation if they returned home before getting the PR card or otherwise needed to travel abroad without having a PR card. And, in the not-so-distant future, despite having a visa-exempt passport those PRs abroad without a PR card and no PR TD, will for certain face a very high risk of being denied boarding.
Your situations illustrate problematic, perhaps unintended consequences due to the implementation of the eTA program.
Given the extension, of a sort, the so-called "leniency period," for when eTA will be mandatory, the near term situation is far from clear, not at all certain. There are some participants here (such as canuck_in_uk) who seem to be sure, or at least confident, that PRs with visa exempt passports will be able to board flights headed to Canada without much problem. I highly doubt there is a reliable source for such confidence. I suspect how it will go will vary from individual to individual, airport to airport, airline to airline, among the potential variables which can influence how it goes for a particular PR traveler on a particular occasion.
There is no doubt there is at least some risk that the rule (the current rule, which has been the rule for quite some time), requiring a PR to present either a PR card or PR Travel Document, will be enforced despite presenting a visa-exempt passport. We have seen forum reports of the rule's enforcement, some even before eTA was implemented, some since. Of course we have also seen a substantial number of reports otherwise, of the rule not being enforced, PRs allowed to board flights by presenting a visa-exempt passport. But as I have said before, I cannot quantify the risks, and cannot even roughly delineate relevant factors beyond recognizing the risks will probably depend some on the particular circumstances, including especially those related to the individual traveler, but also depending, perhaps, on the country or airport for the departing flight, which airline it is, among other factors which, however, do not illuminate much about how those factors will affect the degree of risk.
That there are reports both ways illustrates that, at least in the PAST, it could go either way. Some participants here have suggested ways to improve the odds of, in effect, getting away with presenting a visa-exempt passport (that is, avoiding the rule applicable to PRs), such as being careful to conceal from the airline the fact of being a PR.
In the meantime, going forward it is not as if the deadline for the mandatory enforcement of the eTA has been extended. Rather, a "leniency period" has been implemented. What this actually means is not entirely clear. My sense is that IRCC does not want to be clear about what this means (they do not even give a date, just saying the leniency period is until "fall"). My sense is that travelers presenting visa-exempt passports without eTA are, at the least, at risk for further screening prior to boarding. How this has gone in the past is virtually NO indication of how this will go going forward.
Having actually landed makes the difference. You definitely do not qualify for eTA.sham_wow said:
What you quote from the CIC (now IRCC) website is the situation I thought you were in. Those situations involve those who have been approved to become Permanent Residents, those from visa-required countries being issued a PR visa which is affixed in the individual's passport, and those from a visa-exempt country who are issued the CoPR. These are sufficient, in conjunction with appropriate passport, to obtain boarding of a flight to Canada.
The way this FAQ is presented does not make it clear, but I am quite sure it is not about PRs, but rather those who are still a Foreign National but who have been approved to become a PR and have been issued either the CoPR, or visa and CoPR, and are planning to make the trip to Canada to land.
In any event, if you follow the instructions, you need to apply for the PR Travel Document; others have reported this going far more smoothly than they apprehended it would. Yes, it is inconvenient, and it costs money. If done by mail, be sure to use a reliable courier service. Be sure to have a complete copy of everything before you send off originals.
Otherwise, having a visa-exempt passport, as some other participants here might suggest, you can attempt to board a flight by presenting that. As I have said with some emphasis, I cannot quantify the risks, or so much as guess the odds of being allowed to board the flight. Given the relatively recent date of issuance of your CoPR, if challenged you might present that and say the website says this is what you needed to board the flight. But I cannot guess what is likely to work, or how likely this or that approach will work.
So I cannot suggest what you should do. That is a decision you need to make. I understand the consternation, frustration, and confusion. Immigrating itself is a major transition, prone to complications, difficulties, and more stress than anyone needs, all of which are exacerbated by uncertainties.
But to put things in perspective, to give some context, those PRs whose passport is not visa-exempt have long been in this situation if they returned home before getting the PR card or otherwise needed to travel abroad without having a PR card. And, in the not-so-distant future, despite having a visa-exempt passport those PRs abroad without a PR card and no PR TD, will for certain face a very high risk of being denied boarding.
There is no need to complicate the situation.dpenabill said:
It would only go the other way if a person was stupid enough to tell the airline that they were a PR. Airlines have no way to determine if a traveller is a PR, therefore, if the traveller doesn't mention it, the airline will not ask for a PR card or PRTD. This makes it simple for such a PR to return to Canada.
From CIC: However, from March 15, 2016 until fall 2016, travellers who do not have an eTA can board their flight, as long as they have appropriate travel documents, such as a valid passport. The eTA is not mandatory right now, i.e. the mandatory requirement for the eTA has been extended. You can call it whatever you want but that is what it is. And it's pretty clear what it means: an eTA is not required yet and they will choose a mandatory date later in the year. Airlines are not going to do any further screening beyond the basic screening performed now, as they are not required to by CIC and will not waste time/money to do something they don't need to do.
I understand your opinion and disagree. Not really complicated.canuck_in_uk said:
A visa-exempt passport, by the way, is NOT an "appropriate travel document" for a Canadian PR flying to Canada. That is the rule. That simple, that not-complicated. We know it has been enforced. We also know a number of PRs report it not being enforced.
You are confident PRs with visa-exempt passports can board flights without showing the appropriate Travel Documents (PR card or PR TD). And sure, CANYYZ & sham_wow, or any other Canadian PR, can rely on that opinion, which yes is consistent with the views expressed by other participants in this forum. I am not recommending they do or do not. I am just pointing out the rule, that the rule can be enforced, has been enforced, and that in contrast my perception is that there is a risk in failing to follow the instructions, a risk of delay or being denied boarding, which to be clear is precisely what the IRCC website clearly states.
I have clearly articulated the reasons I apprehend there is some risk in this, including the simple fact that others have reported it being enforced in conjunction with the FAQ for eTA for PRs, which again explicitly states the applicable rule: PRs need to present either a PR card or PR TD, and the failure to do so may result in delays or being denied boarding. No complications necessary.
You assert the risk is limited to those who are "stupid." Frankly, I think that characterization better applies to anyone who offhandedly discounts all the potential ways there are to be unlucky . . . which, it warrants noting, might amount to merely being unlucky enough to have the rules enforced.
For sham_wow the ultimate risk is merely some delay and having to obtain a PR TD to book a later flight. For a PR whose compliance with the PR RO might be in issue, however, the risk is complications in applying for the PR TD. To be clear: the relative risk is not merely a function of the odds of being unlucky (or as you say 'stupid') enough to be delayed or denied boarding, that is, what probability there is of encountering actual enforcement of the rule, but the amount of risk is also a function of the potential consequences. For many, the consequences would be mere inconvenience, having to book a later flight. For some the consequences can be more severe, such as those with potential PR RO compliance issues (from the perspective of IRCC, the perspective which matters), for whom applying for a PR TD might entail a problematic Residency Determination.
But again, ultimately the rule is for certain going to be enforced, sometime in the not-so-distant future, and when it is there will be no boarding a flight by a PR unless the PR presents a PR card or PR TD. PRs who do not have visa-exempt passports have long dealt with this. Now, going forward, all PRs (again, in the not-so-distant future) will have to deal with this requirement even if they carry a visa-exempt passport. Thus, for example, while for now CANYYZ may choose to go ahead on the scheduled trip, relying on being allowed to board the scheduled return flight displaying a visa-exempt passport (and I have not said CANYYZ will be denied boarding), going forward someone in a similar situation as that faced by CANYYZ will have limited alternatives:
-- not travel until a new PR card is obtained, or
-- be prepared to obtain a PR TD while abroad
Those inclined to give advice about how to skirt the rules will likely note a third alternative, and that is to travel via the U.S., taking a private vehicle to a land-crossing POE to return to Canada.
So, even if there is a small window in time during which it is worth the risk, for some, to travel relying on being able to board the return flight to Canada without a PR card or PR TD, on the strength of presenting a visa-exempt passport, the rule is going to be enforced going forward. This is how it is going to be. Not complicated. Rather simple for PRs: PR card or PR TD or no boarding a flight to Canada.
Another by the way observation: as for the amount of inconvenience there is following the rules for a PR in compliance with the PR RO, as another participant here recently reported, the PR TD application process can be quite quick, and additionally, apparently, a PR living abroad with a Canadian citizen spouse can obtain a multi-entry PR TD good for a period of time (reported instance was for a PR TD good for two plus years). This is the other side of the equation, which is just how difficult or inconvenient actually following the rules is, which admittedly is another one of those things which can vary widely depending on the country involved as well as many individual factors. While it is just a guess, my guess is that attempting to board a flight to Canada in a country where it is more problematic to obtain a PR TD is perhaps likely to be a country where the risk of problems boarding the flight are higher. This is just a guess.
In any event, I strongly believe it is fair to say that those who elect to follow the rules (which also means to follow the instructions) tend to fare better, tend to encounter fewer problems. My most frequent suggestion is direct, not at all complicated:
"When in doubt, follow the instructions; otherwise, yep, follow the instructions."
As for characterizing those who recommend not following the rules or instructions, no need to key out loud the rather obvious.
How it WILL BE, once the eTA is mandatory. Right now, visa-exempt PRs can board on the strength of their passport, as they've always been able to.dpenabill said: