Re-entry to canada without PR card

[dvon30]

Hi there,

im looking for some advice and wondering if anyone has been through the same as me.

Basically I landed in Canada June 27, 2014 having been on a working visa. I have been waiting for my PR card since then, I called CIC and they informed me the border agent failed to process my application correctly and now it wont be until December I get my card. A mistake on their end. I fly home to the UK in November and will not have my card. What will happen on my re-entry without my PR card, I still have my work permit documents and had I know there was going to be an issue I would have waited to land. I heard about the travel document I can get but it takes 7 working days to process and I am only home for 6.

If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.
I don't want to cancel and lose my money

 

[scylla]

If you hold a UK passport or another visa exempt passport then you'll be able to re-enter Canada on your passport alone. If you don't hold a visa exempt passport, you'll need to apply for a travel document.

 

[Rob_TO]

As long as you have a visa-exempt UK passport you'll have non problems.

When returning back to Canada, just tell the airline in the UK you are traveling to Canada on your visa-exempt passport. Don't mention PR or they may demand to see the card to allow boarding.

Once back in Canada, just show your passport and COPR to CBSA officer and they can determine your PR status on their computer. You don't actually need the physical PR card.

Or if the card arrives at your Canadian address while you're in the UK, have someone receive it for you and then courier it to your UK address.

 

[dvon30]

Thanks for the reply everyone, I'm glad I will be ok. I have a uk passport, just one more question should I show my landing documents to the canadian officer when I re enter or should I take it out my passport and just show my working visa?

 

[Rob_TO]

Thanks for the reply everyone, I'm glad I will be ok. I have a uk passport, just one more question should I show my landing documents to the canadian officer when I re enter or should I take it out my passport and just show my working visa?

If you have already officially landed as a PR, then any work, study, visitor or other visas should have been invalidated and removed. Why do you need a work visa if you are a PR? If the officer who did your landing didn't remove your existing visas from your passport, they didn't do their job properly.

When my wife returned to Canada as a PR but with no PR card, she just showed her passport + COPR document to the CBSA officer, and that was fine.

 

[Moe2013]

If you have already officially landed as a PR, then any work, study, visitor or other visas should have been invalidated and removed. Why do you need a work visa if you are a PR? If the officer who did your landing didn't remove your existing visas from your passport, they didn't do their job properly.

When my wife returned to Canada as a PR but with no PR card, she just showed her passport + COPR document to the CBSA officer, and that was fine.

I would appreciate your advice on my case.

I landed as a PR, but left before receiving my PR card - apparently now there is a problem in issuing it and I will have to go to Canada soon without it.

I am not from a visa exempt country. But I have a multiple visit visa valid till Jan 2015 - would it be sufficient in this case to enter Canada? I got some advice that it would work in boarding the plane, then on the border I could show my COPR, and enter Canada smoothly.

Please let me know your thoughts, as your caused some panic for me

 

[scylla]

I would appreciate your advice on my case.

I landed as a PR, but left before receiving my PR card - apparently now there is a problem in issuing it and I will have to go to Canada soon without it.

I am not from a visa exempt country. But I have a multiple visit visa valid till Jan 2015 - would it be sufficient in this case to enter Canada? I got some advice that it would work in boarding the plane, then on the border I could show my COPR, and enter Canada smoothly.

Please let me know your thoughts, as your caused some panic for me

Your multiple visitor visa was canceled when you landed and became a permanent resident. You cannot use it to return to Canada. You will need to apply for a travel document to board an airplane and return to Canada.

 

[Moe2013]

Your multiple visitor visa was canceled when you landed and became a permanent resident. You cannot use it to return to Canada. You will need to apply for a travel document to board an airplane and return to Canada.

Thanks for your reply. When you say cancelled, do you mean on the Canada system? I'm asking because immigration officer didn't put any notes or mark anything on the visa counterfoil on my passport. If that's the case, do you think the airplane team checking my docs would figure this out, or I can try to present my visitor visa when asked about it, and they wouldn't notice the landed immigrant one?

The thing is I have no time to apply for travel document, since my wife will deliver soon in Canada, and I hope to catch it!

Thanks a lot for your help

 

[Rob_TO]

U need pr card or travel document to re-enter canada.

No you don't. You only need PR card or travel document to board an airplane.

I'm asking because immigration officer didn't put any notes or mark anything on the visa counterfoil on my passport. If that's the case, do you think the airplane team checking my docs would figure this out,

What I don't know, is if the airline actually checks the Canada visa number against some live database online, to see if it's valid. You would need to ask someone who knows about this.

Or worst case if you try to check in at the airport with it, and they realize it's an invalid visa, you would be denied boarding and have to cancel your flight.

 

[Rob_TO]

If We enter canada by car or bus, then pr card not required? From India I can board flight with my passport and copy of COPR. It is required only at immigration in Canada not outside canada?

Crossing the border by car, a PR card is not required. By bus, the bus company may demand to see PR card or travel document before allowing you to board, similar to an airline.

Indian citizens are not visa-exempt to Canada, so before boarding a flight to Canada they must show their PR card or a travel document. Airlines won't accept a COPR to travel.

 

[ttrajan]

PR card not required in immigration at canada airport?

 

[Moe2013]

No you don't. You only need PR card or travel document to board an airplane.

What I don't know, is if the airline actually checks the Canada visa number against some live database online, to see if it's valid. You would need to ask someone who knows about this.

Or worst case if you try to check in at the airport with it, and they realize it's an invalid visa, you would be denied boarding and have to cancel your flight.

Thanks! Appreciate your help

 

[Rob_TO]

PR card not required in immigration at canada airport?

No it's not. Just COPR and passport is fine when dealing with CBSA.