Travelling outside Canada before New PR Card arrives

[CharlieC0912]

Hi there,

Just received notice that my PR application has been approved. Therefore I'm currently waiting for my CoPR to be mailed to me (as I hold a eTA valid passport).

I have to travel back to Australia (family reasons) at the end of April and am wondering if it is a good idea to delay landing until I fly back to Vancouver in May, as I won't be in possession of my PR Card for at least another 2 months.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Bs65]

Others can comment as this is only my view but makes sense to simply do your landing on way back from Australia in May given it is not as though your COPR will still not be valid in May.

Just take your COPR with you and complete everything , PR landing/Customs/PR card app, on the way back as this avoids having as you know having to wait around to get a PRTD in Australia should you flagpole before your trip

 

[ch671]

So here’s the summary.
1) Once you get your CoPR you land before your Medical tests expire (with any other people on the application together), or you land alone if you’re primary applicant.
2) Give an address in Canada -when they ask u where you want PR card mailed- of someone you trust, who will courier the PR card to wherever you go back to (maybe give them a prepaid courier envelope). That’s what I did.
3) After you leave Canada and come back to Australia, you can either apply for a PR Travel Document (PRTD), or not, since you are visa exempt passport holder. I got my PRTD in one week (Indian passport holder living in US). You will need CoPR to show proof of PR at customs and eTA for boarding the flight in Australia.
4) once you get PRTD or PR card in your case, that’s it.

This is the way I did it because I’m not visa exempt. If I were you I’d land asap and get it over with and come back immediately to Aus if I can’t stay there.

 

[Bs65]

Alternatively of course the OP could get the landing out of the way as soon as gets COPR and apply for PR card anyway which probably will not come by end April, more like mid to end May.

Then 2 choices 1)risk applying for a PRTD once in Australia, may get it back in time may not 2)Fly back via the US assuming have an ESTA and cross back into Canada via a land border with just COPR.

There is a lot to be said for getting a landing out of the way given life can be unpredictable especially with trips back to home country. A bit inconvenient and maybe bit more expensive with (2) , decision is yours whichever feel more comfortable with.

 

[ch671]

Alternatively of course the OP could get the landing out of the way as soon as gets COPR and apply for PR card anyway which probably will not come by end April, more like mid to end May.

Then 2 choices 1)risk applying for a PRTD once in Australia, may get it back in time may not 2)Fly back via the US assuming have an ESTA and cross back into Canada via a land border with just COPR.

There is a lot to be said for getting a landing out of the way given life can be unpredictable especially with trips back to home country. A bit inconvenient and maybe bit more expensive with (2) , decision is yours whichever feel more comfortable with.

A small correction from my earlier post. Check with your airline if eSTA is acceptable as the only document to board direct flight to Canada. If not, Fly to USA and then drive over to Canada using CoPR as proof.

Whether or not OP needs a PRTD depends on whether the airline will let him board the flight without the PR card.

 

[CharlieC0912]

Thanks for all your replies.

To confirm, I am from a Visa exempt country and also in possession of a valid and current work permit to Canada, so therefore should have no issue boarding a flight back to Canada.

Would there be any hard lines reasons not to do the 'landing' process on the way back to Canada after being in Australia for 3 weeks?

Thanks again

 

[canuck_in_uk]

A small correction from my earlier post. Check with your airline if eSTA is acceptable as the only document to board direct flight to Canada. If not, Fly to USA and then drive over to Canada using CoPR as proof.

Whether or not OP needs a PRTD depends on whether the airline will let him board the flight without the PR card.

Incorrect. All PRs require either a PRTD or PR card to board a plane to Canada.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks for all your replies.

To confirm, I am from a Visa exempt country and also in possession of a valid and current work permit to Canada, so therefore should have no issue boarding a flight back to Canada.

Would there be any hard lines reasons not to do the 'landing' process on the way back to Canada after being in Australia for 3 weeks?

Thanks again

Being visa-exempt and having a valid work permit doesn't allow you to board a flight to Canada. Right now, an eTA allows you to board the plane. After becoming a PR, a PR card or PRTD is what will let you board the plane. There have been a few reports of people who have been able to travel on their eTA after becoming a PR but that is not a guarantee, as the eTA should be cancelled once PR is issued.

It is simpler to wait to land, as then you don't need to bother with the PRTD app while in Australia.

 

[CharlieC0912]

Being visa-exempt and having a valid work permit doesn't allow you to board a flight to Canada. Right now, an eTA allows you to board the plane. After becoming a PR, a PR card or PRTD is what will let you board the plane. There have been a few reports of people who have been able to travel on their eTA after becoming a PR but that is not a guarantee, as the eTA should be cancelled once PR is issued.

It is simpler to wait to land, as then you don't need to bother with the PRTD app while in Australia.

Just to confirm, you're saying it's better to wait and land on my return flight from Australia, yes?

My understanding is that this would be the easiest way, as I have both an eTA linked to my work permit and a work permit.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Just to confirm, you're saying it's better to wait and land on my return flight from Australia, yes?

My understanding is that this would be the easiest way, as I have both an eTA linked to my work permit and a work permit.

Yes, easier to wait.

 

[Imbees]

Hello Everyone,
I would like to find out if anyone has done this recently. I have been approved as a Canada PR and I intend to land in 2 weeks. However, I am planning a day trip to Niagara/Buffalo US and I have a valid US Visa. I need to confirm if there would be no issues when i try to re-enter Canada with just my CoPR and Nigerian Passport at the land border. Can I just walk across the bridge into Canada or get a Rental Car and I won't get turned back?

I would appreciate if anyone could share their experiences.

 

[ch671]

Technically, your US trip should not affect your Canada trip as you can consider those two mutually exclusive. Canada does not care whether you land from Nigeria directly or come via the US-Canada land border, it only cares if you have the correct paperwork to enter Canada, just as US will only care about it's own paperwork.

Subjectively, I don't know how/if people do "landing" at Rainbow bridge or whether they even allow that or whether they even prefer that. I did my landing at Toronto airport, and it was easy peasy.

When you say "re-enter". You mean you have already done the landing and then going to Buffalo and then coming back to Canada?

If you're driving across if your own/rental vehicle CoPR should be enough although you may get pulled aside and asked more questions. Ideally you should wait in Canada till your PR card arrives.

 

[ch671]

Incorrect. All PRs require either a PRTD or PR card to board a plane to Canada.

Yes, ideally he should possess PRTD or PR card, it'll be risky otherwise. But that still begs the question of how does the airline know he's a Canadian PR? They don't have access to CBSA database I presume. Since he is an Aus citizen he can say he's visa exempt and travel on eSTA.

The real problem might (will) occur at Canadian port of entry (e.g. Toronto immigration), where they will question how he was able to board flight without a PR card/PRTD, even if they can check that he is a PR, from his CoPR.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Yes, ideally he should possess PRTD or PR card, it'll be risky otherwise. But that still begs the question of how does the airline know he's a Canadian PR? They don't have access to CBSA database I presume. Since he is an Aus citizen he can say he's visa exempt and travel on eSTA.

The real problem might (will) occur at Canadian port of entry (e.g. Toronto immigration), where they will question how he was able to board flight without a PR card/PRTD, even if they can check that he is a PR, from his CoPR.

Canada has an eTA, not an ESTA. eTAs are cancelled after landing and PRs can't apply for another one.

Zero problems at a POE. CBSA doesn't care.

 

[evdm]

Yes, ideally he should possess PRTD or PR card, it'll be risky otherwise. But that still begs the question of how does the airline know he's a Canadian PR? They don't have access to CBSA database I presume. Since he is an Aus citizen he can say he's visa exempt and travel on eSTA.

The real problem might (will) occur at Canadian port of entry (e.g. Toronto immigration), where they will question how he was able to board flight without a PR card/PRTD, even if they can check that he is a PR, from his CoPR.

Your assessment is wrong. the OP will face problems with the airline, and not at the border.

1, the airline won't know that the OP is a PR or not, but they will scan the passport which is checked for an eTA. As a PR, the OP technically cannot have an eTA and the system should then issue a "do not board" response. The airline will then have to ask for a valid visa, or other document (i.e. PRTD or PR Card) which would allow the airline to bypass the "do not board" remark in the system. The airlines face heavy fines for transporting passengers to Canada who do not have the proper documentation.

2. The CBSA at the port of entry will not care about how the OP got to the inspection point. Their job is to make sure they verify identity and determine admissibility; and to do this they can run any number of checks. Even without a CoPR, officers at the border can run background checks and match records to verify PR status.