Traveling w/o PR card - US citizen

[ascouple]

Hi guys,

Recently sponsored my fiancee (common law) to get her PR. She is a US citizen. After landing we were told by the border officer that the PR card should arrive in about 1-1.5 months. We wanted to go on vacation this summer Stateside, so we booked a flight for 2 months after.

Now that date is coming up and we still haven't received the PR card. Tried calling CIC and they said they can't even look into it until the processing time has passed 67 days! Had we known it would take over 2 months, we would have booked our vacation later in the summer.

We've read that coming back by commercial flight/bus/train/etc would require a PR card or travel document. Does this still apply for citizens of visa-exempt countries like the US? If so - what's the likelihood that her passport + COPR + Ontario ID card wouldn't be sufficient as proof of permanent residency?

We would get the travel document but we're only going for 9 days (6 business days), so I doubt there would be sufficient time to mail the application, have it processed, then mailed back to the hotel.

Worst scenario is we would rebook her flight back to the US near the border, where I would pick her up. Not an ideal situation though, as we would lose the travel time and a few hundred bucks to rebook the flight.

Thanks for any help and tips!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi

She can return on the strength of her American passport as if she were a visitor. She should not inform the airline of her PR status, as they may refuse to board her without the card. She can then present herself to CBSA as a PR when she enters Canada without any issue.

 

[ascouple]

Hi

She can return on the strength of her American passport as if she were a visitor. She should not inform the airline of her PR status, as they may refuse to board her without the card. She can then present herself to CBSA as a PR when she enters Canada without any issue.

Thanks

We did just call CBSA earlier today to speak with an agent. They said as long as she makes it on the flight, there shouldn't be any problems upon arrival.