Traveling home without PR card?

[Love_Young]

Is it possible for me to travel home without my PR card?
I need to go home soon as my mom's health seems to be more of a safety risk to her these days and she lives alone so I would feel much better if I could be there for a while to care for her. I am just concerned about being able to return back home to Canada. How could I go about this? I know some just have their PR card mailed to them from someone in Canada when it arrives but with the strike going on, that doesn't seem to be as much of a reliable option as it used to be. I just really need to be at home right now so I am hoping there is a way around this. I guess if there isn't, I will just have no other choice but to wait for its arrival.

 

[fprince]

Sorry not sure where you are from, are you going to the US?

You should receive your card anytime and someone can post it to you if that is the case.
Or if its really delayed you can apply for a travel document from outside of Canada to enter Canada.

You should not have any issues returning with a Travel document.

 

[Rinnerz]

No. She's a US citizen -- visa exempt.

See this recent thread, particularly rjessome's replies: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t71498.0.html

Sorry about your mom; hope she gets better soon.

 

[Love_Young]

I am from the US.
I just don't know with the way my mom's health is if I can really afford to wait 7-8 weeks not including the strike delay. I mean what if she gets hurt really bad, you know? I had considered the travel document route but I don't like how they make it seem like you may or may not get it. Well then how would I be able to get back? Ugh...they couldn't just make it easier could they!

 

[Love_Young]

No. She's a US citizen -- visa exempt.

See this recent thread, particularly rjessome's replies: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t71498.0.html

Sorry about your mom; hope she gets better soon.

Thanks Rinnerz! I am going to read it now. I really appreciate your kindness. *hugs*

 

[kelKel]

You can travel home without your card no problem. My bf travelled without his card and had no problems whatsoever. He flew in from vacation and only had to show his COPR and wasn't even scolded for travelling without his card. Travel with your COPR and you can show that to board the plane with no questions asked.

You are not elgible for a travel document as you're from a visa exempt country. These are required of those who require a visa to enter Canada and cannot board a plane without visa or travel document.

If you did feel insecure coming back without it just have it couriered to you in Virginia.

My prayers are with your Mom. xo

 

[Love_Young]

Thanks so much kelKel.
I guess I just get concerned because the first and only time I crossed the border I seemed to encounter problems and I just really don't want to encounter them as a PR now. So even though I don't have the visa counterfoil (like Outlanders), I should be okay with just the passport and COPR, correct? So would I just explain that I had an emergency back home to attend to and that I am waiting on the PR card arrival pending the strike (if its still going). And is it safe to courier such an important document? Dumb question I guess but I would hate for it to be lost.
Thank you for your prayers, that means so much. :-*

 

[Love_Young]

I don't know...as much as I feel the need to travel right now, I am afraid to take the risk of A)Not getting admitted back home to Canada and B)My PR card getting lost in the mail. I guess I will just keep an eye on her health over the next little while and if it gets to be too much for her then I will still leave. I hope that doesn't make me seem bad but I am trying to think for both sides here. I know that if I couldn't get back here, she would be worried about it and so would hubby. I can't induce stress on everyone like that and stress would be bad for both of their health. So hopefully only about 6 more weeks. Anything changes from now until then though, I am definitely going.

 

[CharlieD10]

rjessome was pretty certain that as a visa-exempt PR, you would not need a travel document and it should be OK for you to re-enter on the strength of your COPR.

I hope your Mom's health improves.

 

[Love_Young]

Well, luckily I did just now find a good deal on a ticket. And it should be around a time that I would be getting it in the mail so hubby said he would send it by FedEx to me. Do you know if they would be trustworthy to send it? And if I don't have my PR card, do I tell the people before boarding the plane that I am a PR? Anyone have any more suggestions?

 

[kelKel]

Hey Love. We went to Cayman Islands in April before he had his card. In true form I was freaking out, rjessome (my awesome consultant) assured me I would have no problems. Leaving the country noone asks you anything. Flying back she asked if my bf lived in Canada because of his German psssport and he said yes. She asked if we had a document to show this we handed here the COPR and she printed the ticket and we boarded, no problem. On the way back in we handed the passport to the officer along with the COPR and he didnt even ask any questions other than what did we purchase. Thats it thats all, so of course my bf laughed and my incessant worrying over nothing as usual with this whole process.

Also I deal with Fedex on a weekly basis and a package has never been lost.

 

[Love_Young]

Awesome, your advice is amazing. Well I think hubby and I have decided that it would in the best interest if both me and him go together which we were thinking about doing around his birthday (October) plus tickets are cheaper then. I just think I need him there for support as I don't like traveling alone and he wants to visit my home again anyway. Plus if something were to happen to her while I was there I wouldn't want to be alone through it. I will talk to my mom and see what she would prefer. If she needs me there sooner I will go but if she feels she will be okay for just a little while longer until hubby and I can both be there for support, then we will do that. I just want to respect whatever she prefers as support but I think she would be more comforted if both of us could be there for her.

 

[missmini]

my parents sent me original documents through both fedex and purolator and they were never lost, never had any issues....just mention that u r sending documents....i would avoid dhl though :

as a us citizen my logical guess is that u will not have problems of reentry even without ur pr card so don't worry too much...on a side note did u try to call immigration to see the status of ur pr card and how long it will still take? maybe explain them ur situation and they could put a note somewhere....

as for ur other question how u can keep contact with ur mom: i use google voice and it's much better than skype (it's true that skype is a little censored here and hiding my ip does make the connection slower and the quality worse); for google voice u both need gmail account, u can create one for her and then u need to install a few things inside ur gmail account; yes the set-up is a little more difficult but it's worth it; when u go to visit her u could do that; also the call phone in gmail is free for us and ca, and with better rates than skype for the rest of the countries...and u could send sms too; right now from gmail u can call ur mom's phone for free

best wishes for ur mom

 

[Love_Young]

Thanks missmini! Well I am thinking that I won't travel before I get the PR card now not because it will be an issue to come back but just because we need to go when hubby and I can better afford for us to go. And right now he is on sick leave so I still need to make sure he is okay for travel. His appointment is soon though to see how his progress is so we will see what they recommend then but I would say they recommend a few more months anyway. Your suggestion about asking if they can expedite my PR card is great, I am just not sure if that would work.

And thanks about the suggestion for google voice but I am looking for things that don't require her to have the use of a computer and something I can physically see her on but for normal voice communication it seems perfect. Thanks.

 

[missmini]

Thanks missmini! Well I am thinking that I won't travel before I get the PR card now not because it will be an issue to come back but just because we need to go when hubby and I can better afford for us to go. And right now he is on sick leave so I still need to make sure he is okay for travel. His appointment is soon though to see how his progress is so we will see what they recommend then but I would say they recommend a few more months anyway. Your suggestion about asking if they can expedite my PR card is great, I am just not sure if that would work.

And thanks about the suggestion for google voice but I am looking for things that don't require her to have the use of a computer and something I can physically see her on but for normal voice communication it seems perfect. Thanks.

u welcome actually through google voice u can also connect ur web cameras, i'm a big fan of google in general but yeah u still need a computer

other than that the iphone/ ipad 2 gadgets have cameras and with some softwares installed and internet u can also talk / see each other; but the softwares usually do require u either to have skype account or gmail account or others, so u still need some pc knowledge; also these apple gadgets r pretty expensive if u would buy them with a plan from the mobile company (don't!)

on a side note i used to work in a place where we would teach people how to use the internet, a pc, email, etc...some never touched a pc before and they were quite old too...but with proper very simplified documents and with a lot of patience it was possible....so many can manage by themselves now and still send me emails years later if she has will, it's worth trying teaching her...it's never too late

keep us updated! good luck!