Recommendations for Travelling without PR card

[mega_option101]

Hi Everyone,

Wondering what the general consensus is on this topic.

My spouse recently became a PR on June 2nd, 2016. We are travelling back to her country of nationality (Poland) at the end of July (25th). I am planning on staying there with her and our daughter for 3 weeks - then I will return to Canada for work, while she will be staying for an additional three weeks with her family. From my understanding, she will not have her PR card by the time that we leave.

The CBSA officer recommended that we do not travel until we receive the PR card - but he did offer the option of applying for a travel document.

I want to know what your thoughts are on our particular circumstances - I will list them below:

1) When we arrive in Poland, we apply for a travel document for her ($50 for processing from CIC + $105 for mandatory service fee from VAC). I am not sure how quickly they can process this application though as I am not familiar with the process.

2) Travel as a visitor (telling the airline that she is a visitor)... Not sure how this will work as since she is a PR now, she can no longer get an eTA.

3) Stays in Poland longer until I receive her PR card and mail it to her.

Please let me know what you would recommend.

All of your input is appreciated.

Kindly,

mega_option101

 

[CDNPR2014]

is she visa exempt or does she require a visa to enter canada? if she is visa exempt, she can use her passport to get on the plane, and use her passport + COPR when entering canadian immigration. for visa exempt travelers, the PR card isn't essential. Airlines don't ask for current status when all you need to show is your passport to travel to canada. I am not sure how that works with this new ETA thing though.

IF she requires a visa to travel to canada, then she needs to apply for the PR travel document before she can return. i believe this form is primarily for the airline. once she's at immigration in canada, again, her Passport + COPR will be all she needs.

 

[mega_option101]

is she visa exempt or does she require a visa to enter canada? if she is visa exempt, she can use her passport to get on the plane, and use her passport + COPR when entering canadian immigration. for visa exempt travelers, the PR card isn't essential. Airlines don't ask for current status when all you need to show is your passport to travel to canada. I am not sure how that works with this new ETA thing though.

IF she requires a visa to travel to canada, then she needs to apply for the PR travel document before she can return. i believe this form is primarily for the airline. once she's at immigration in canada, again, her Passport + COPR will be all she needs.

Poland is a visa-exempt country.

My main concern with using her passport is that the airline normally "searches" through your passport. They will find her CoPR and ask her for her PR card, no?

 

[CDNPR2014]

Poland is a visa-exempt country.

My main concern with using her passport is that the airline normally "searches" through your passport. They will find her CoPR and ask her for her PR card, no?

Nope they won't or shouldn't. If you are that concerned, take it out and put it back in when you land in canada. (It does not become void if you do this - just don't lose it - you'll need it for services before the PR card arrives) All the airline cares about is whether you have the right to travel to canada. if you are visa exempt, you have the right to travel without pre-authorization and all you need to prove that is your passport.

 

[mega_option101]

Nope they won't or shouldn't. If you are that concerned, take it out and put it back in when you land in canada. (It does not become void if you do this - just don't lose it - you'll need it for services before the PR card arrives) All the airline cares about is whether you have the right to travel to canada. if you are visa exempt, you have the right to travel without pre-authorization and all you need to prove that is your passport.

What about the eTA?

 

[CDNPR2014]

What about the eTA?

sorry, that I do not know and would defer to members who are familiar with that. However, isn't there some sort of grace period established for that?

 

[mega_option101]

sorry, that I do not know and would defer to members who are familiar with that. However, isn't there some sort of grace period established for that?

What I am reading online is that the government has given a six-month grace period... However, what the implications of that are - I have no idea.

 

[CDNPR2014]

What I am reading online is that the government has given a six-month grace period... However, what the implications of that are - I have no idea.

I honestly can't see anyone knowing unless they travel, since it's really up to so many interpretations.

 

[mega_option101]

I honestly can't see anyone knowing unless they travel, since it's really up to so many interpretations.

This is the correspondence I received from the Embassy :

Dear Madam/Sir,

This refers to your recent correspondence.



Please note that Permanent Residents returning to Canada by airplane, boat, train or bus must show a valid PR Card or travel document before boarding.

Permanent residents presently located outside of Canada, who do not have a permanent resident card and who intend to return to Canada, should apply for a limited-use travel document.

An application for a travel document must always include the following:

• a valid passport,

• a completed application

• a NON REFUNDABLE FEE ( $ 50 CAD )

• a recent passport-sized photograph for each applicant.



Instructions on how to apply are available at our website www.canada.pl

Also please refer to the information provided here: www.vfsglobal.ca/Canada/Poland. For further instructions please contact cicwarsaw@vfshelpline.com



Sincerely,



Immigration and Visa Unit/Section Immigration et Visas

Embassy of Canada/ Ambassade du Canada

Warsaw, Poland/Varsovie, Pologne

 

[CDNPR2014]

yes, of course they are going to say that because why are they going to suggest people not carry their pr card? it would leave them up to so many issues and backlash. what you received looks like a standard answer that was copy and pasted in the email as a response.
believe me, there are many many many people who are visa exempt and have traveled without a pr card. it is not necessary to travel with one if you are visa exempt. your passport gets you on the flight, and your passport/copr gets you into canada. hopefully there are others who will confirm this fact for you.

 

[mega_option101]

yes, of course they are going to say that because why are they going to suggest people not carry their pr card? it would leave them up to so many issues and backlash. what you received looks like a standard answer that was copy and pasted in the email as a response.
believe me, there are many many many people who are visa exempt and have traveled without a pr card. it is not necessary to travel with one if you are visa exempt. your passport gets you on the flight, and your passport/copr gets you into canada. hopefully there are others who will confirm this fact for you.

Yes, I wasn't pleased with their response to be honest.

They certainly didn't answer any of my questions.

 

[Regina]

Do not understand why people like to get in trouble.

My spouse recently became a PR on June 2nd, 2016. We are traveling back to her country of nationality (Poland) at the end of July (25th).

Could not she go in August and you wait till he PR comes to your place and then go to Poland for 3 weeks as planned and bring her her PR card?
Or both of you wait till her PR card comes?

 

[Rob_TO]

What I am reading online is that the government has given a six-month grace period... However, what the implications of that are - I have no idea.

Basically it means up until Sept 29, eTA is not yet mandatory so airline will not require it to board. Based on several recent reports from others on this site, PRs are still successfully boarding flights simply with their visa-exempt passport. No reports yet have shown anybody has been denied boarding.

I suspect this will continue right up until Sept 29, but you never know when CIC/airlines will suddenly upgrade their systems to share more info and bar PRs from traveling without their PR card or a PR TD. And after Sept 29, no PR will be able to board a flight without a PR card or TD, period.

If attempting to travel on visa-exempt passport alone she should NOT tell or indicate to the airline she's a PR. Remove COPR from passport as it doesn't need to be there.

If she is uncomfortable with trying to board the flight as a foreign national, then the only other option is to get the PR Travel Document. She seems to have enough time to coordinate it with the local visa office.

 

[mega_option101]

Basically it means up until Sept 29, eTA is not yet mandatory so airline will not require it to board. Based on several recent reports from others on this site, PRs are still successfully boarding flights simply with their visa-exempt passport. No reports yet have shown anybody has been denied boarding.

I suspect this will continue right up until Sept 29, but you never know when CIC/airlines will suddenly upgrade their systems to share more info and bar PRs from traveling without their PR card or a PR TD. And after Sept 29, no PR will be able to board a flight without a PR card or TD, period.

If attempting to travel on visa-exempt passport alone she should NOT tell or indicate to the airline she's a PR. Remove COPR from passport as it doesn't need to be there.

If she is uncomfortable with trying to board the flight as a foreign national, then the only other option is to get the PR Travel Document. She seems to have enough time to coordinate it with the local visa office.

Thank you for the response.

We will take our chances in that case and remove her CoPR from her passport and tell the airline she is visiting me in Canada (as a visitor along with her mother).