Relocating Back To Canada

[FREDOBO]

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone please advise me as am really confused here. Since ETA has been introduced, it been difficult to go back to go back to Canada. I landed 2013 as PR holder with a different Nationality and my PR was issued to me after few months, Got all my province cards, health cards etc. I left Canada with visa waiver citizenship passport (Not US Citizenship tho) therefore no traces of me leaving Canada and I have been going to Canada since then using my visa waiver citizenship passport. However, since ETA officially introduced last year I have been so confused to go to Canada as I would need to apply for ETA if I want to continue using my European Passport, Presently I need to go to Canada to renew my PR and I can't use my European passport to go because if I apply for ETA the questions that would put me into trouble for misinterpretation are there, so I dare not lie and no point because it is already been said PR holder should not apply for ETA.
***My question right now is Can I say I just left Canada few weeks ago if the officer ask me when I left Canada? As am sure no account of me returning previously as I have never used my PR to come in since I landed. FYI I have another Nationality Passport I used with my PR at first which is not European.
** How would the officer knows If or not I have been away for a while when I have not ever returned to Canada using PR since I landed in 2013.
**As I need now to renew my PR and willing to settle finally what are the option for me so I won't be refused entry or jeopardize my status ?

Please advise!! Thank you

 

[Rob_TO]

***My question right now is Can I say I just left Canada few weeks ago if the officer ask me when I left Canada?

You're asking for advice on if you should lie to a CBSA officer?? What answer do you really expect to get here?

There are records of everything. If CBSA does an indepth search, they will be able to determine your actual entries and exits to Canada. DO NOT LIE TO THEM. If you're asked, answer 100% honestly.

**As I need now to renew my PR and willing to settle finally what are the option for me so I won't be refused entry or jeopardize my status ?

If you don't meet the RO, and don't have a valid excuse (like living with Canadian citizen spouse, having a real H&C reason like a family's medical condition, etc), then you should expect the renewal app to be rejected, and process started to revoke your PR status.

 

[scylla]

No one here is going to help you lie. If you're looking for that kind of help, you've come to the wrong place.

As explained above, you need to be 100% truthful in your answers to CBSA and CIC. Assume both can easily determine your true travel record.

Unless you have very strong H&C reasons for failing to meet RO, applying to renew your PR card immediately after returning to Canada is not an option. You'll need to return and then live in Canada for two years straight before applying to renew.

 

[FREDOBO]

You're asking for advice on if you should lie to a CBSA officer?? What answer do you really expect to get here?

There are records of everything. If CBSA does an indepth search, they will be able to determine your actual entries and exits to Canada. DO NOT LIE TO THEM. If you're asked, answer 100% honestly.

If you don't meet the RO, and don't have a valid excuse (like living with Canadian citizen spouse, having a real H&C reason like a family's medical condition, etc), then you should expect the renewal app to be rejected, and process started to revoke your PR status.

Thank you for the advise!

 

[FREDOBO]

No one here is going to help you lie. If you're looking for that kind of help, you've come to the wrong place.

As explained above, you need to be 100% truthful in your answers to CBSA and CIC. Assume both can easily determine your true travel record.

Unless you have very strong H&C reasons for failing to meet RO, applying to renew your PR card immediately after returning to Canada is not an option. You'll need to return and then live in Canada for two years straight before applying to renew.

Thank you for the advise!

 

[rish888]

FREDOBO,

If you have a visa waiver passport that gives you visa free entry to Canada and the US, then you can drive in the US and cross into Canada on your visa waiver passport. ETA's are not needed for land travel. You could go by car, train, or even bus.

An eta is only if you fly.

Once at the border should your PR status come up, be 100% truthful, the officer may or may not report you.

Once in Canada you must stay 2 years before you can reapply for a PR card.

Depending on how long you were outside, you may need to reapply for your health cards etc based on provincial residency requirements.

 

[rish888]

Let me also note that while CBSA does not stamp passports upon exit, they have access to all flight manifests in and out of Canada. While your nationality may be different I'm assuming your name is not, as such they will be able to find the truth if the dig deep enough as Rob_TO said.

If you do like and get caught, not only expect to loose your PR status, expect to have virtually no shot at appeal, and expect to be possibly banned for a duration of time from reapplying for a visa or PR.

If you are not questioned, then no harm no foul. If you are questioned, then be truthful and say I left Canada a year ago. (Which is what I assume based on your post.)

If you are asked if you met your 730 day obligation, be truthful.

The only thing I'd say is there is no need to volunteer more information than what is asked, however it should stop there.

 

[Bs65]

FREDOBO,

If you have a visa waiver passport that gives you visa free entry to Canada and the US, then you can drive in the US and cross into Canada on your visa waiver passport. ETA's are not needed for land travel. You could go by car, train, or even bus.

An eta is only if you fly.

Once at the border should your PR status come up, be 100% truthful, the officer may or may not report you.

Once in Canada you must stay 2 years before you can reapply for a PR card.

Depending on how long you were outside, you may need to reapply for your health cards etc based on provincial residency requirements.

assuming the OPs passport is on the US visa waiver list the OP will still need an ESTA to fly into the US else will need a US visa.

 

[rish888]

Yep, but getting an ESTA should not be a problem since that has nothing to do with Canadian PR status.

 

[Bs65]

Yep, but getting an ESTA should not be a problem since that has nothing to do with Canadian PR status.

true nothing to do with PR but one suggestion is for the OP to return via the US Canada land border and to do that they have to fly from Europe to the US hence they either need an ESTA or a US visa so was just pointing this out as a prereq to any plan to use land border.