Soft landing in Emerson

[robopablo]

We're not ready to pull up stakes in the US, but COPR expires at months end(thanks for COVID process delays).

We were going to just head north and land at the border crossing in Emerson/Pembina and turnaround and come back to finish getting ready.

Has anyone crossed there?

Thanks

 

[robopablo]

Update:

We made the sprint north because the weather was good.

We scheduled the covid tests (hours later we found out they were dropping that in a couple of weeks, of course) and got them Friday morning in Fargo and drove to Emerson.

The border guy was kind of a hassle. I handed him our passports and my CoPR and told him I was there to complete the paperwork. He snapped, I just need your passports! He said the same when I asked about vaccination cards etc. Never looked at them or the arrivecan QR code.

Then he asked if we planned on moving today and I explained the CoPR expires at end of month and due to COVID, weather etc we were unable to travel so just wanted to land and return. He told me we could've come anytime and blew off my letter that came with the CoPR that said not to travel until notified (Which never came) it was 10 minutes of this guy trying to act like the last 2 years didn't affect immigration.

Got past him and the fine fellow at the desk took about 15 mins to process me and said welcome to Canada!

He indicated my PR card could be sent to the US but the IRCC page says no. Anyone have info on that?

Thanks!!

 

[Tubsmagee]

Update:

We made the sprint north because the weather was good.

We scheduled the covid tests (hours later we found out they were dropping that in a couple of weeks, of course) and got them Friday morning in Fargo and drove to Emerson.

The border guy was kind of a hassle. I handed him our passports and my CoPR and told him I was there to complete the paperwork. He snapped, I just need your passports! He said the same when I asked about vaccination cards etc. Never looked at them or the arrivecan QR code.

Then he asked if we planned on moving today and I explained the CoPR expires at end of month and due to COVID, weather etc we were unable to travel so just wanted to land and return. He told me we could've come anytime and blew off my letter that came with the CoPR that said not to travel until notified (Which never came) it was 10 minutes of this guy trying to act like the last 2 years didn't affect immigration.

Got past him and the fine fellow at the desk took about 15 mins to process me and said welcome to Canada!

He indicated my PR card could be sent to the US but the IRCC page says no. Anyone have info on that?

Thanks!!

Thanks for update; glad it went relatively easily.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Update:

We made the sprint north because the weather was good.

We scheduled the covid tests (hours later we found out they were dropping that in a couple of weeks, of course) and got them Friday morning in Fargo and drove to Emerson.

The border guy was kind of a hassle. I handed him our passports and my CoPR and told him I was there to complete the paperwork. He snapped, I just need your passports! He said the same when I asked about vaccination cards etc. Never looked at them or the arrivecan QR code.

Then he asked if we planned on moving today and I explained the CoPR expires at end of month and due to COVID, weather etc we were unable to travel so just wanted to land and return. He told me we could've come anytime and blew off my letter that came with the CoPR that said not to travel until notified (Which never came) it was 10 minutes of this guy trying to act like the last 2 years didn't affect immigration.

Got past him and the fine fellow at the desk took about 15 mins to process me and said welcome to Canada!

He indicated my PR card could be sent to the US but the IRCC page says no. Anyone have info on that?

Thanks!!

1. PR cards to Canadian adresses only. You have 180 days to supply CIC/CBSA with a Canadian address or you will be required to apply for a new PR Canada.

 

[liaquat85]

Update:

We made the sprint north because the weather was good.

We scheduled the covid tests (hours later we found out they were dropping that in a couple of weeks, of course) and got them Friday morning in Fargo and drove to Emerson.

The border guy was kind of a hassle. I handed him our passports and my CoPR and told him I was there to complete the paperwork. He snapped, I just need your passports! He said the same when I asked about vaccination cards etc. Never looked at them or the arrivecan QR code.

Then he asked if we planned on moving today and I explained the CoPR expires at end of month and due to COVID, weather etc we were unable to travel so just wanted to land and return. He told me we could've come anytime and blew off my letter that came with the CoPR that said not to travel until notified (Which never came) it was 10 minutes of this guy trying to act like the last 2 years didn't affect immigration.

Got past him and the fine fellow at the desk took about 15 mins to process me and said welcome to Canada!

He indicated my PR card could be sent to the US but the IRCC page says no. Anyone have info on that?

Thanks!!

Hi the same thing happened to me
I cross the border from Detriot and Windsor bridge, They took the CoPR paper and signed both of them took one with them and the second one gave it to me and said you want to enter and exit Canada with this paper.

I am confused about the PR card? They did not take any Canadian address from me and nor said anything where it will come?
I need that card to apply for my spouse and dependent children as both of them were non-accompanying in my PR application?

 

[meyakanor]

Hi the same thing happened to me
I cross the border from Detriot and Windsor bridge, They took the CoPR paper and signed both of them took one with them and the second one gave it to me and said you want to enter and exit Canada with this paper.

I am confused about the PR card? They did not take any Canadian address from me and nor said anything where it will come?
I need that card to apply for my spouse and dependent children as both of them were non-accompanying in my PR application?

You are a permanent resident, you do not need a PR card in order to sponsor your spouse and children (I am assuming you have specified in your application that they would be non-accompanying?).

However, you have to be physically present in Canada (with or without PR card) in order to sponsor your family.

• You can’t sponsor someone if you’re a permanent resident living outside Canada.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/spouse-partner-children/eligibility.html

 

[liaquat85]

You are a permanent resident, you do not need a PR card in order to sponsor your spouse and children (I am assuming you have specified in your application that they would be non-accompanying?).

However, you have to be physically present in Canada (with or without PR card) in order to sponsor your family.

So if I am not physically present in Canada I Cannot apply for my spouse and dependent child PR?
How do they know if I am physically present in Canada or not?
On my way back to the USA there is no CBSA checking nor there is an exit stamp on my passport?

 

[meyakanor]

So if I am not physically present in Canada I Cannot apply for my spouse and dependent child PR?
How do they know if I am physically present in Canada or not?
On my way back to the USA there is no CBSA checking nor there is an exit stamp on my passport?

It's in the IRCC I quoted above:

• If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents.
• You can’t sponsor someone if you’re a permanent resident living outside Canada.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/spouse-partner-children/eligibility.html

Also, Canada and USA have been exchanging entry and exit information through land border since 2013 for non-USA and non-Canadian citizens (and since July 2019, USA and Canadian citizens have been included as well).

With the passing of Bill C-21, An Act to amend the Customs Act, data on all travellers (including Canadian and U.S. citizens) has begun to accumulate as of July 11, 2019, for travel by land. On June 25, 2020, the CBSA began collecting pre-departure exit information and exit records directly from commercial air carriers

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/entry-exit.html

So they know everytime you leave the country.

If you are not a US citizen or LPR, you should be able to check your entry/exit to the US from the I-94 website. Every information that you see there (that is also involving Canada) would have been shared with Canada as well.

https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home

 

[liaquat85]

Hi Meyakaor,

Thank you for the detailed message.
I think you know a lot of information about this stuff than I and I appreciate that you sharing it with me.
I would love to be in contact with you. My number is 913-325-7638. Please feel free to message me there.
So in order to apply for my spouse, do I have to be there in Canada permanently?
What If I went there and apply for them (as now applications are online) and submit the application and come back to the USA?
Actually, I have a job here and also my spouse is working full time here (expecting a baby in June).

 

[ash21]

Update:

We made the sprint north because the weather was good.

We scheduled the covid tests (hours later we found out they were dropping that in a couple of weeks, of course) and got them Friday morning in Fargo and drove to Emerson.

The border guy was kind of a hassle. I handed him our passports and my CoPR and told him I was there to complete the paperwork. He snapped, I just need your passports! He said the same when I asked about vaccination cards etc. Never looked at them or the arrivecan QR code.

Then he asked if we planned on moving today and I explained the CoPR expires at end of month and due to COVID, weather etc we were unable to travel so just wanted to land and return. He told me we could've come anytime and blew off my letter that came with the CoPR that said not to travel until notified (Which never came) it was 10 minutes of this guy trying to act like the last 2 years didn't affect immigration.

Got past him and the fine fellow at the desk took about 15 mins to process me and said welcome to Canada!

He indicated my PR card could be sent to the US but the IRCC page says no. Anyone have info on that?

Thanks!!

Hi,

Can soft landing be done on weekend as well ? Is there any time limit on what time the border can be crossed ?

Thanks,
Avinash.

 

[steaky]

Hi,

Can soft landing be done on weekend as well ? Is there any time limit on what time the border can be crossed ?

Thanks,
Avinash.

You can check the land border immigration hours at the CBSA website.

 

[Lpranitha]

Hi,

Can soft landing be done on weekend as well ? Is there any time limit on what time the border can be crossed ?

Thanks,
Avinash.

Hey, did you do your soft landing ? What documents are needed and how was the experience?

 

[Hank2804]

Hi Folks ,

I plan to do soft landing June 4th,2022 into Windsor, ON through Detroit tunnel. I had couple of questions and appreciate any responses :

1. What is the best way to respond to the PR card question. I was hoping to avoid the scenario where CBSA Officer doesn’t agree to send the PR cards to my friends address. Any tricks / best practices ?

2. Are there any particular Canadian banks were I can open an account without a Canadian address ?

Thanks !

 

[armoured]

Hi Folks ,

I plan to do soft landing June 4th,2022 into Windsor, ON through Detroit tunnel. I had couple of questions and appreciate any responses :

1. What is the best way to respond to the PR card question. I was hoping to avoid the scenario where CBSA Officer doesn’t agree to send the PR cards to my friends address. Any tricks / best practices ?

2. Are there any particular Canadian banks were I can open an account without a Canadian address ?

Thanks !

1. There's no trick as far as I can tell. If they think you're staying (basically) and address is residential, they will likely do the pR card bit. If it's clear you're not staying, they won't. Note that for those from US, it's possible they'll take the view that since you can arrive by land, the PR card isn't so critical for you.

2. If you have friend's address, why not use that?

 

[Joe110]

A quick question on Soft Landing -

1. Is it mandatory to provide BSF-186 & BSF-186A forms (Goods with me & Goods to follow form) at the airport when you first do a soft landing?
2. For goods to follow list- not sure which category to fall in as I don't fall in any of the classification types mention on form BSF 186.
The classifications are -
1) Former Resident (Tariff item no: 9805.00.00).......False for initial soft landing. I am a would be resident.
2) Beneficiary (Tariff item no: 9806.00.00)....... False for initial soft landing.
3) Seasonal Resident (Tariff item no: 9829.00.00).................False for initial soft landing.
4) Settler(Tariff item no: 9829.00.00).
a) I am entering Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a permanent residence for a period in excess of 12 months and I arrived in Canada on ____________.


Again this should not be applicable for people doing a soft landing whose initial period of stay in Canada is less than 12 months.

What to do in this case?

Appreciate your thoughts.

Best,
Joe