Re-entering Canada from overeas whilst waiting for first PR Card

[RBW16]

Hi there everyone,

My fiance and I are Australian citizens, and received our Canadian PR (at the Peace Arch border crossing) on July 16th, 2016. We are currently waiting for our PR cards to be processed and mailed to us, but we're also going to be leaving Canada on September 27th for 3 weeks, to get married in Australia, after which we'll be returning to Canada for the next couple of years.

I have been looking into what documents we might need for travel if our PR cards don't arrive in time, and am getting conflicting information regarding obtaining a PRTD whilst in Australia so that we're not refused by the airline, or not mentioning our PR status to the airline as we board.

When we had our PR activated at the border, the officer said that if we intended to travel outside Canada before our cards arrived, we should just present our 'CoPR' forms (which are currently stapled in our passports), because there shouldn't be an issue 'most of the time'. I'm just a bit concerned that we'll encounter problems, especially with the complication of a marriage and name change (which won't yet be reflected in any of our Canadian documents).

We have a number of docs we can take with us that support our Canadian ties (rental agreements, tax forms, work contracts etc), but the originals of our most recent valid work permits (valid til July 2017) were taken by the officer who processed our PR.

Has anyone had any recent experience with this? Do we really need to get the PRTD while we're in Australia? And how should we approach our return flights if we aren't able to get one?

Thanks in advance for any advice, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

We have a number of docs we can take with us that support our Canadian ties (rental agreements, tax forms, work contracts etc), but the originals of our most recent valid work permits (valid til July 2017) were taken by the officer who processed our PR.

Has anyone had any recent experience with this? Do we really need to get the PRTD while we're in Australia? And how should we approach our return flights if we aren't able to get one?

You will not be able to board a flight to Canada without a PRTD or your PR card. It doesn't matter what other documents you have; the airline will not let you board without one of those.

If you apply for PRTDs as soon as you get to Australia, there should be enough time to receive them.

Another option is to fly to a border city in the US and cross into Canada by land using your COPR.

 

[zardoz]

I have been looking into what documents we might need for travel if our PR cards don't arrive in time, and am getting conflicting information regarding obtaining a PRTD whilst in Australia so that we're not refused by the airline, or not mentioning our PR status to the airline as we board.

This loophole will be closed by the eTA system by that time.

 

[RBW16]

You will not be able to board a flight to Canada without a PRTD or your PR card. It doesn't matter what other documents you have; the airline will not let you board without one of those.

If you apply for PRTDs as soon as you get to Australia, there should be enough time to receive them.

Another option is to fly to a border city in the US and cross into Canada by land using your COPR.

Thanks so much for replying. I had guessed as much (that we would need one of those 2 things to get on the plane), but had also seen a lot of 'you can pretend you're a visitor' or 'they can't deny you entry' type suggestions too on other forums (and from the officer who activated our PR!). I would hate to leave something like that to chance, so I've emailed the Sydney consulate to ask about their application process and processing times. Fingers crossed the cards arrive in the meantime to save us the hassle!

Thanks again!

 

[RBW16]

This loophole will be closed by the eTA system by that time.

Thank you for replying! We already have our flights back to Vancouver booked, and I wouldn't like to rely on a loophole anyway, so yes, we'll definitely be going the PRTD route if the cards don't arrive before we leave.

Thanks again!

 

[rufoven]

Thank you for replying! We already have our flights back to Vancouver booked, and I wouldn't like to rely on a loophole anyway, so yes, we'll definitely be going the PRTD route if the cards don't arrive before we leave.

Thanks again!

Hello, may I ask you something? if its very personnal, dont anser me, no problem about, why are yor reasons, being asutralians, to move to Canada? you know, is about the eternal anwer...Canada or Australia? thanks!!

 

[RBW16]

Hello, may I ask you something? if its very personnal, dont anser me, no problem about, why are yor reasons, being asutralians, to move to Canada? you know, is about the eternal anwer...Canada or Australia? thanks!!

Haha no worries - I originally came over to Canada to study, as there was a particular course I had my heart set on which didn't have any comparable courses in Australia. When I graduated, I was offered a 3 year contract, as the industry I studied in (animation) is really booming here at the moment. From there, the decision to apply for PR (which meant being able to stay where there is lots of work) was an easy one, so we went ahead with that and are planning to stay for the foreseeable future. Not that we will never move back to Australia, but Canada is truly beautiful, so we are making the most of our time here

 

[Rob_TO]

I have been looking into what documents we might need for travel if our PR cards don't arrive in time, and am getting conflicting information regarding obtaining a PRTD whilst in Australia so that we're not refused by the airline, or not mentioning our PR status to the airline as we board.

As mentioned PR TD or PR Card will be mandatory to board any flight to Canada. There are only 3 possible solutions for you:

1. Get the PRTD in Australia. If you're close by a visa office you can apply for and receive PRTD in person, which can be a very quick process. Else you need to mail your passports to be processed and then mailed back to you with the PRTD attached. Anytime you mail a passport there is risk involved, but still 3 weeks should be enough time if you start the process immediately when you arrive.

2. If someone in Canada will be at your home to receive the PR cards, they can courier them to you in Australia. Of course no guarantee when the cards will arrive.

3. Book flight back to a US city close to border, and drive/walk into Canada. For this you don't need PRTD, just passport and COPR is enough.

 

[Gregor.Samsa]

This loophole will be closed by the eTA system by that time.

eTA is not for PR holders

Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA.

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

 

[rufoven]

Haha no worries - I originally came over to Canada to study, as there was a particular course I had my heart set on which didn't have any comparable courses in Australia. When I graduated, I was offered a 3 year contract, as the industry I studied in (animation) is really booming here at the moment. From there, the decision to apply for PR (which meant being able to stay where there is lots of work) was an easy one, so we went ahead with that and are planning to stay for the foreseeable future. Not that we will never move back to Australia, but Canada is truly beautiful, so we are making the most of our time here

hahha ook thanks!

 

[zardoz]

eTA is not for PR holders


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

Exactly... No more travelling on just a visa-exempt passport. Loophole closed.