Questions about landing at US/CDN border crossing (specifically in AB/BC)

[tom_from_sk]

Hello everyone!

My wife and I are awaiting a CIC landing appointment in Calgary, but I am starting to wonder if we may need to do the land crossing. We won't be able to drive down for about a month... but thought I would ask a couple questions for planning purposes.

I have read some messages that some crossings don't process immigration... is this true? We would like to go through the Roosville (BC) border or Carway (AB) border and avoid Coutts for logistical reasons.

Can you land at the smaller border crossings as well?

We went and got new PR pictures as the original ones are the old dimensions. Do they take these for processing when you land at a border?

I have seen people mention that you are requested to bring photos when at a CIC office in Canada, however haven't seen this discussed for a flagpole landing. We do not want to get held up in the PR card processing line due to wrong sized pictures.

Thank you in advance for any help and past experience!

 

[CDNPR2014]

I have read some messages that some crossings don't process immigration... is this true? We would like to go through the Roosville (BC) border or Carway (AB) border and avoid Coutts for logistical reasons.

Can you land at the smaller border crossings as well?

Yes, small borders do PR landings. the best way to know whether the border you intend to go to is to call that border's office. the contact information is available online. google will help you find it.

We went and got new PR pictures as the original ones are the old dimensions. Do they take these for processing when you land at a border?

has CIC requested new photos? if not, then the border may or may not take them. the border does not process the PR Card, they sign the COPR and send it off to CIC. so if they actually mail your paperwork, they may take the pictures. if they submit everything electronically (which I think they do), then i don't see why they would take them since the physical pictures need to be sent. more than likely they will say to hold on to them in case the PR card processing center requests them. you may not receive a request prior to landing. in some cases, the PR card processing office will request them after receiving the completed COPR and will send instructions about how to submit them. So just hold on to them for now and see what the border agent says.

I have seen people mention that you are requested to bring photos when at a CIC office in Canada, however haven't seen this discussed for a flagpole landing. We do not want to get held up in the PR card processing line due to wrong sized pictures.

Thank you in advance for any help and past experience!

More than likely you are reading information about the INLAND landing, not an outland landing, since outland landings generally are not held at VO. Inland and outland landings are different, where the inland landing is an "interview" where they may request additional information about your relationship. an outland landing is strictly only signing the copr with the agent. there is no need to bring anything except the COPR, passport, and B4 forms (if bringing items to canada).

 

[Aquakitty]

There used to be landings listed on the CBSA site in BC labeled as "immigration", then they removed those and I sent in an email about it, because I thought it was a website bug.

I received a reply stating that they were phasing out "immigration" crossings in BC, and now all crossings were immigration crossings.

You can see what I mean here: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/services/imm-eng.html

As for Alberta, the only crossing listed as "immigration" is Coutts. The easiest way is to phone and ask the actual crossing.

 

[CDNPR2014]

There used to be landings listed on the CBSA site in BC labeled as "immigration", then they removed those and I sent in an email about it, because I thought it was a website bug.

I received a reply stating that they were phasing out "immigration" crossings in BC, and now all crossings were immigration crossings.

You can see what I mean here: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/services/imm-eng.html

As for Alberta, the only crossing listed as "immigration" is Coutts. The easiest way is to phone and ask the actual crossing.

I'm not sure "immigration services" actually means or includes PR landings? there are a bunch of things that fall under "full service immigration services". to me, it's pretty vague so I agree the best thing to do is to call the border office to know for sure.

 

[tom_from_sk]

Thank you both, Aquakittiny and CDNPR2014, for your responses. I found an official link for the two border crossings I am interested in, but did not find any phone #'s... I definitely would call them up before trying to head this way.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/549-eng.html
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/654-eng.html

To answer the photo question... No CIC has not requested photos, but I know that I definitely sent in the old photo dimensions. From what I read on another thread... the process can really get long and screwed up in that they won't request the new ones for a long time... then there is another wait. I was hoping I could just hand in the new ones at the "landing" so I didn't have to wait for the request and delay the whole process. Does that make sense

 

[Snowisland]

I too am trying to plan where to land. In May I leave Ft St John, BC to fly to Houston, Tx area to empty my house and put it up for sale. Then I will land with two cats and my car, nothing more than the car will hold. So my confusion is, driving to land, where should I land? Looks like it's going to be a week long drive and I can't figure out which route to take. Red or green pins on the map...which ones are for landing? Ft St John is in BC but also near Alberta.
And I can't flagpole when I leave Canada by air in May, right, Cause I won't be on USA soil when I am at the airport?
Thanks for any suggestions on where to land.

 

[CDNPR2014]

To answer the photo question... No CIC has not requested photos, but I know that I definitely sent in the old photo dimensions. From what I read on another thread... the process can really get long and screwed up in that they won't request the new ones for a long time... then there is another wait. I was hoping I could just hand in the new ones at the "landing" so I didn't have to wait for the request and delay the whole process. Does that make sense

yes it does, but you have to remember the PR Card processing office is a CIC office in NS. a CBSA border office may not be able to send it. you will have to wait until landing to find out or wait for a request for new ones.

I too am trying to plan where to land. In May I leave Ft St John, BC to fly to Houston, Tx area to empty my house and put it up for sale. Then I will land with two cats and my car, nothing more than the car will hold. So my confusion is, driving to land, where should I land? Looks like it's going to be a week long drive and I can't figure out which route to take. Red or green pins on the map...which ones are for landing? Ft St John is in BC but also near Alberta.
And I can't flagpole when I leave Canada by air in May, right, Cause I won't be on USA soil when I am at the airport?
Thanks for any suggestions on where to land.

again, the best thing to do is to call the border office you are interested in landing at. i personally would not use that map on the CIC website as a source. it is not clear what "immigration services" they are referencing, and it's very confusing.

correct, you can not "Flagpole" at an airport, you can only flagpole at a land border. if you are flying into canada, then you will be able to process your landing at immigration at that airport.

 

[tom_from_sk]

Thanks for the replies everyone! We received news today of our landing appointment date in Calgary... which is earlier than we can drive down to the border... so we are quite happy to have the local appointment!