US Passport Holder Flying to and from Canada without PR Card

[2pears]

Hello All,

I've received my COPR document yesterday and intend to land before March 1st, however a while back I booked a flight with my wife for a wedding in Mexico on February 15th out of Toronto, and I'm flying into Toronto a couple days before to make this flight.

If I formally land at my arrival on the 13th, fly to Mexico for this wedding and return on the 24th with my stamped COPR document and my US passport, is that going to be a problem? (It clearly states NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL, however I have read my US passport is enough to gain entry despite that).

I suppose the other alternative is do this trip strictly as a visitor, and formally land after the trip is over on March 1st.

Thank very much for your help!

 

[kcward7]

Hello All,

I've received my COPR document yesterday and intend to land before March 1st, however a while back I booked a flight with my wife for a wedding in Mexico on February 15th out of Toronto, and I'm flying into Toronto a couple days before to make this flight.

If I formally land at my arrival on the 13th, fly to Mexico for this wedding and return on the 24th with my stamped COPR document and my US passport, is that going to be a problem? (It clearly states NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL, however I have read my US passport is enough to gain entry despite that).

I suppose the other alternative is do this trip strictly as a visitor, and formally land after the trip is over on March 1st.

Thank very much for your help!

No, the problem is the airline won't let you board on the way back without your PR Card, which you will not have in time if you land before your trip.

We're in the same boat....well, kind of. We landed early December and still don't have the PR card. We leave next Friday to Ireland for 2w. If we don't have it, we have to apply for travel doc there. I understand they are relatively easy to get there so I'm not concerned, but trying to get one in Mexico in the span of time that you're there...wouldn't risk it.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[KBH]

No, the problem is the airline won't let you board on the way back without your PR Card, which you will not have in time if you land before your trip.

We're in the same boat....well, kind of. We landed early December and still don't have the PR card. We leave next Friday to Ireland for 2w. If we don't have it, we have to apply for travel doc there. I understand they are relatively easy to get there so I'm not concerned, but trying to get one in Mexico in the span of time that you're there...wouldn't risk it.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

You're not wrong, but the situation is a little different for people from the USA. They can "cheat" the system (although it's not necessarily recommended).

The way that the airline can tell if you are a PR and know to ask you for your PR card is that you don't have a visa or eTA attached to your passport. If you're flying into Canada without those things, it's assumed you are a PR since that's the only other way you could legally be flying to Canada on a foreign passport, so they will ask for the PR card. However, US citizens are the only country not required to get an eTA or visa, so all US citizens flying into Canada never have an eTA or visa, meaning there is no way for the airline to tell who is a visitor versus who is a PR. Most US people fly to and from Canada never being asked for their PR card. However, if the airline were to ask for it and you did not have it, you would be in a serious bind.

 

[2pears]

You're not wrong, but the situation is a little different for people from the USA. They can "cheat" the system (although it's not necessarily recommended).

The way that the airline can tell if you are a PR and know to ask you for your PR card is that you don't have a visa or eTA attached to your passport. If you're flying into Canada without those things, it's assumed you are a PR since that's the only other way you could legally be flying to Canada on a foreign passport, so they will ask for the PR card. However, US citizens are the only country not required to get an eTA or visa, so all US citizens flying into Canada never have an eTA or visa, meaning there is no way for the airline to tell who is a visitor versus who is a PR. Most US people fly to and from Canada never being asked for their PR card. However, if the airline were to ask for it and you did not have it, you would be in a serious bind.

Thanks for the responses. When you say a serious bind, is this a legal matter? Or would I just be required to forgo the ticket and purchase a new one to the United States?

 

[kcward7]

You're not wrong, but the situation is a little different for people from the USA. They can "cheat" the system (although it's not necessarily recommended).

The way that the airline can tell if you are a PR and know to ask you for your PR card is that you don't have a visa or eTA attached to your passport. If you're flying into Canada without those things, it's assumed you are a PR since that's the only other way you could legally be flying to Canada on a foreign passport, so they will ask for the PR card. However, US citizens are the only country not required to get an eTA or visa, so all US citizens flying into Canada never have an eTA or visa, meaning there is no way for the airline to tell who is a visitor versus who is a PR. Most US people fly to and from Canada never being asked for their PR card. However, if the airline were to ask for it and you did not have it, you would be in a serious bind.

Yeah, I thought because US there might be something I'm missing

 

[KBH]

Thanks for the responses. When you say a serious bind, is this a legal matter? Or would I just be required to forgo the ticket and purchase a new one to the United States?

Nope, not a legal matter, they would just not let you board the plane if they discovered you were a PR without a PR card. You would then need to purchase a new ticket flying into the US and cross back into Canada by land using your COPR

 

[2pears]

And in the event that I was allowed on the plane, would the Canadian customs agent have any opposition to me re-entering Canada by plane with the COPR document?

 

[jordo]

For Americans with an American passport, Don't tell the airline anything about PR and you'll be fine. However, do declare your PR status to the CBSA officer.

It is the airlines who enforce the rule about needing a PR card. It's not a CIC or CBSA rule. If you can manage to get to a Canadian point of entry in whatever way shape or form, CBSA will let a PR in without a PR card (as long as you can prove your identity). It's the airline that will bar you from the airplane because otherwise the airline could be responsible for the costs of returning you back to where you came from. CIC and CBSA won't interfer with airline regulations so they abide by the airline's decision to bar any PR without a card.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

And in the event that I was allowed on the plane, would the Canadian customs agent have any opposition to me re-entering Canada by plane with the COPR document?

You don't even need the COPR; you can leave it at home. CBSA will see your PR status in the system as soon as they swipe your passport.

You will have no issues getting on the plane.

 

[kcward7]

You don't even need the COPR; you can leave it at home. CBSA will see your PR status in the system as soon as they swipe your passport.

You will have no issues getting on the plane.

I'm assuming no issues getting on the plane because of the US thing?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I'm assuming no issues getting on the plane because of the US thing?

Yes.

 

[kcward7]

Yes.

Got it, I was going to say this just happened to our Irish friends in Boston and they denied him entry onto the plane and he had to rent a car to get back. The guy even has his PR card and just didn't bring it.

Cheers!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Got it, I was going to say this just happened to our Irish friends in Boston and they denied him entry onto the plane and he had to rent a car to get back. The guy even has his PR card and just didn't bring it.

Cheers!

Americans are the only ones who are both visa-exempt and eTA-exempt, so that's how they can do it.

 

[Cheryllove]

For Americans with an American passport, Don't tell the airline anything about PR and you'll be fine. However, do declare your PR status to the CBSA officer.

It is the airlines who enforce the rule about needing a PR card. It's not a CIC or CBSA rule. If you can manage to get to a Canadian point of entry in whatever way shape or form, CBSA will let a PR in without a PR card (as long as you can prove your identity). It's the airline that will bar you from the airplane because otherwise the airline could be responsible for the costs of returning you back to where you came from. CIC and CBSA won't interfer with airline regulations so they abide by the airline's decision to bar any PR without a card.

I’m an American immigrant to Canada who has just booked a one way back to Canada. ( Had to leave a few days after landing for family emergency on east coast) To be on the safe side I have purchased a return bus ticket back to US to attend my daughters wedding in Bellingham,Washington two weeks later. I’ll show the Airlines (Flying American Airlines) my “onward travel” proof and it should work!! Otherwise will book return flight to Seattle but since my daughter lives only an hour south of border and no airport close by I hope they accept it!! Not having that PR really is a pain!!

Question....Should I remove the stapled COPR from my passport just in case and re staple it once back??

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I’m an American immigrant to Canada who has just booked a one way back to Canada. ( Had to leave a few days after landing for family emergency on east coast) To be on the safe side I have purchased a return bus ticket back to US to attend my daughters wedding in Bellingham,Washington two weeks later. I’ll show the Airlines (Flying American Airlines) my “onward travel” proof and it should work!! Otherwise will book return flight to Seattle but since my daughter lives only an hour south of border and no airport close by I hope they accept it!! Not having that PR really is a pain!!

Question....Should I remove the stapled COPR from my passport just in case and re staple it once back??

Little chance that they will even ask for proof of onward travel.

Yes, remove your COPR. Do not staple it back in your passport. Put it somewhere safe.