I concur in the observations by
Leon and
kateg.
I do not disagree with
ttrajan per se, but having a British passport is largely irrelevant for purposes of a PR's
entry into Canada: as PRs they are entitled to entry into Canada. In contrast, the British passport merely
authorizes entry but does not necessarily entitle the person carrying a British passport to actual entry. POE officers can, and on some occasions do, deny entry to persons carrying a British passport. In contrast, a Canadian PR cannot be denied entry (the PR may be reported for inadmissibility, if applicable, but not denied entry).
The significance of carrying a British passport is that it is visa-exempt, so it (1) authorizes entry into Canada without need to apply for a visa, and (2) it satisfies an airline's boarding requirements relative to identification and travel document authorizing entry into Canada. That is, it gets the traveler on the plane, but upon arrival at the POE the traveler is still subject to screening and potentially being denied entry (typical example would be a UK citizen the POE officer believes is not just a tourist but coming to work in Canada without a work permit; for example, CBSA appears to have increasingly required access to travelers' laptops, email, or cell phones to look for indications of plans to work or live in Canada; visa-exempt travelers with a one-way ticket seem particularly at risk for elevated scrutiny at the POE).
The caveat is that by March next year, as noted by
kateg, those carrying a British passport (with some very narrow exceptions, like members of the British Royal family) will need electronic authorization in advance of boarding, pursuant to the eTA requirements currently being implemented for the vast majority of visa-exempt travelers (scheduled to be fully implemented and mandatory by March 2016, but noting that already major problems with actual implementation of the program are currently being experienced, so it remains to be seen if the program is fully in force by March).
Other clarifications:
I particularly concur in the caution noted by
Leon, since the actual rule requires PRs to display either a PR card or a PR Travel Document (
technically the visa-exempt passport is
only for
foreign nationals and PRs are not foreign nationals). But I would further caution that there are indications suggesting a decline in, or perhaps an outright end to the common practice of allowing PRs to board flights destined for Canada if the PR displays a visa-exempt passport.
I would note, in this regard, that a one-way ticket, or perhaps even a
return ticket to Canada, may raise enough of a flag (depending on which airline or departing location/country is involved) to lead to problems boarding for a PR who is not carrying a PR card or PR Travel Document. No easy way to quantify the extent of this risk -- it could range from minimal to substantial. And, again, it could depend a lot on which airline it is, or which country one is flying out of.
Regarding obtaining a PR Travel Document abroad:
Technically it should be basically the same process no matter which visa office is involved. Practically, though, it is clear that the experience varies a lot from visa office to visa office, the timeline varying, and the extent of proof the PR should submit with the application varying.
In any event, the PR should be prepared to submit proof of compliance with the PR RO with the PR Travel Document application. How much proof may depend on the circumstances. Many seem to attach hard and fast significance to the basic fact of being in compliance with the PR RO based on two years in Canada within the previous five. That, I think, can be a mistake. The PR who has been living in Canada for the previous five years, who happens to need to travel abroad without renewing the PR card prior to departing Canada, will almost certainly have little risk of problems getting a PR TD, certainly a lower risk of problems than the PR who declares less than 900 days (less than half time) in Canada in the last five years. Common sense matters. And saying something is so does not make it so. Those who cut it close, and are abroad in need of a PR TD to return to Canada are, indeed,
cutting it close, with rather predictable complications looming.
englishpatient2006 said:
- My wife and daughter already stayed in Canada for 3 years and most likely will qualify for citizenship in 2016
Three years, particularly three plus years, should be enough of a margin to not worry. There is a fair chance, it is my guess, that the urgent processing of application for new PR cards will come through in time for a trip in December (especially if a bit later than the first of the month). If not, a few documents to show where they have been living and what they have been doing should be carried as proof of compliance with the PR RO.
