Travel Document with Expired PR

[jshahid]

So I have applied for my citizenship.. Long story short its still pending since 2011. My PR will be expired by the end of this month. I did apply to renew my PR card on Dec 8, 2012 and its also in process.

I have to travel to states for 10 days on Feb 7 and I am afraid that as with every thing my PR will be be reissued by then. I did email them request for urgent processing but for them urgent doesn't mean any thing. They send me an email saying there is no guarantee that I will get the PR reissued on time or I should apply for travel document when I am outside Canada.

Has any one ever applied for this before, what was your experience? Do I have to mail this in or go in person?

 

[computergeek]

So I have applied for my citizenship.. Long story short its still pending since 2011. My PR will be expired by the end of this month. I did apply to renew my PR card on Dec 8, 2012 and its also in process.

I have to travel to states for 10 days on Feb 7 and I am afraid that as with every thing my PR will be be reissued by then. I did email them request for urgent processing but for them urgent doesn't mean any thing. They send me an email saying there is no guarantee that I will get the PR reissued on time or I should apply for travel document when I am outside Canada.

Has any one ever applied for this before, what was your experience? Do I have to mail this in or go in person?

I'm assuming you do not have a passport from a country that is visa exempt.

Obtaining a PRTD from any US office is a 1-2 month process, so that's not a very good option. Current times are reported on the respective office's website, which you can find from the CIC website.

What you might consider - as a backup plan - would be to fly to a border location and then cross over on foot. For example, you can fly to Detroit, make your way to the Windsor tunnel take the Windsor tunnel bus across (in my experience, they don't check your ID when you get on the tunnel bus). Once you are at a POE, you'll be fine. If you review ENF 4 it describes what a BSO should do to confirm that you are a PR - there's even a protocol for doing that in the absence of any documentation, but in your case your passport and a copy of your landing document (probably COPR) is more than enough. They'll likely also use your (expired) PR card.

If you do this, expect a trip to secondary (which is normally what happens on the tunnel bus anyway). As soon as they confirm you are a PR and there's no residency issue, you'll be done and on your way. Odds are it will take 2 minutes.

Once you're through, you can take a taxi to the VIA station (or walk, it's about 2 km as I recall) and take the train to Toronto and fly wherever you want. It may not be ideal, but it's better than being stuck in the US for 6 weeks while you await the issuance of a PRTD.

 

[jshahid]

Thank you

I'm assuming you do not have a passport from a country that is visa exempt.

Obtaining a PRTD from any US office is a 1-2 month process, so that's not a very good option. Current times are reported on the respective office's website, which you can find from the CIC website.

What you might consider - as a backup plan - would be to fly to a border location and then cross over on foot. For example, you can fly to Detroit, make your way to the Windsor tunnel take the Windsor tunnel bus across (in my experience, they don't check your ID when you get on the tunnel bus). Once you are at a POE, you'll be fine. If you review ENF 4 it describes what a BSO should do to confirm that you are a PR - there's even a protocol for doing that in the absence of any documentation, but in your case your passport and a copy of your landing document (probably COPR) is more than enough. They'll likely also use your (expired) PR card.

If you do this, expect a trip to secondary (which is normally what happens on the tunnel bus anyway). As soon as they confirm you are a PR and there's no residency issue, you'll be done and on your way. Odds are it will take 2 minutes.

Once you're through, you can take a taxi to the VIA station (or walk, it's about 2 km as I recall) and take the train to Toronto and fly wherever you want. It may not be ideal, but it's better than being stuck in the US for 6 weeks while you await the issuance of a PRTD.

 

[jshahid]

another Quick question.

As I have applied to renew my PR card and I also applied for urgent one. I might get one by Feb 7th, if the PR is received by Feb 10 lets say can I ask my cousin to express mail it to me and on the way back I can use that?

I'm assuming you do not have a passport from a country that is visa exempt.

Obtaining a PRTD from any US office is a 1-2 month process, so that's not a very good option. Current times are reported on the respective office's website, which you can find from the CIC website.

What you might consider - as a backup plan - would be to fly to a border location and then cross over on foot. For example, you can fly to Detroit, make your way to the Windsor tunnel take the Windsor tunnel bus across (in my experience, they don't check your ID when you get on the tunnel bus). Once you are at a POE, you'll be fine. If you review ENF 4 it describes what a BSO should do to confirm that you are a PR - there's even a protocol for doing that in the absence of any documentation, but in your case your passport and a copy of your landing document (probably COPR) is more than enough. They'll likely also use your (expired) PR card.

If you do this, expect a trip to secondary (which is normally what happens on the tunnel bus anyway). As soon as they confirm you are a PR and there's no residency issue, you'll be done and on your way. Odds are it will take 2 minutes.

Once you're through, you can take a taxi to the VIA station (or walk, it's about 2 km as I recall) and take the train to Toronto and fly wherever you want. It may not be ideal, but it's better than being stuck in the US for 6 weeks while you await the issuance of a PRTD.

 

[computergeek]

another Quick question.

As I have applied to renew my PR card and I also applied for urgent one. I might get one by Feb 7th, if the PR is received by Feb 10 lets say can I ask my cousin to express mail it to me and on the way back I can use that?

Of course. And that works just fine assuming they mail it back to you.

If they send it to an inland office for pickup (which they can do) clearly you'd have to pick it up yourself.

 

[jshahid]

I live in a small town of Fort Mcmurray, nearest office is in edmonton which is about 5 hr of drive. Can they still mail it to edmonton and make me go there?

Of course. And that works just fine assuming they mail it back to you.

If they send it to an inland office for pickup (which they can do) clearly you'd have to pick it up yourself.

 

[computergeek]

I live in a small town of Fort Mcmurray, nearest office is in edmonton which is about 5 hr of drive. Can they still mail it to edmonton and make me go there?

Absolutely.

 

[jshahid]

I checked my status online and it says that status said Decision made,

"Your request for a permanent resident card was approved on January 23, 2013. You will be notified by mail within four weeks and invited to pick up your card at the CIC office closest to you."

Does it usually take 4 weeks to get the letter? Can i go to the center and see if they can give me my PR card?

Absolutely.

 

[computergeek]

I checked my status online and it says that status said Decision made,

"Your request for a permanent resident card was approved on January 23, 2013. You will be notified by mail within four weeks and invited to pick up your card at the CIC office closest to you."

Does it usually take 4 weeks to get the letter? Can i go to the center and see if they can give me my PR card?

Most likely they just mailed it directly to you, not to the local office - e-cas says that in either case. But there is no longer counter service, so you cannot just walk into the CIC office and pick it up in any case - you must have an appointment.

 

[steaky]

Most likely they just mailed it directly to you, not to the local office - e-cas says that in either case. But there is no longer counter service, so you cannot just walk into the CIC office and pick it up in any case - you must have an appointment.

Te e-cas says it will mailed it directly to you. But does it usually take 4 weeks to get the letter? My wife has waited a week now.

 

[jshahid]

Te e-cas says it will mailed it directly to you. But does it usually take 4 weeks to get the letter? My wife has waited a week now.

I just called CIC and They told me my card has been shipped to edmonton CIC office. She said once they receive it they usually take 6-8 weeks to send you an invitation letter to come pick it up. In my case i applied for urgent so they just might call me once they receive the card.

so lets see finger crossed as I need to go to state by Feb 7th.

 

[jshahid]

I did send in a request for an urgent process, and today I just a call from them that Edmonton location have got it and I can stop by and pick it up. For the 1st time I have to say CIC rocks!

 

[edmonton2011]

Have you tried calling CIC about your citizenship application recently?

 

[jshahid]

Have you tried calling CIC about your citizenship application recently?

No :-[ , still waiting... I dont even think about it any more... more I think more angry I get so now I am just going with the flow.

 

[steaky]

I did send in a request for an urgent process, and today I just a call from them that Edmonton location have got it and I can stop by and pick it up. For the 1st time I have to say CIC rocks!

Like computergeek had said, the PR card also mailed directly to my home. That's nice!