Landed but PR Card application delayed

[AvayaLenovo]

Hi guys,
I just made my landing this morning as PR but did not actually move my things. I told the officer that I will only be here until July 5. She did not allow me to apply for my PR and said that I can apply for that when I finally move. Has anyone experienced this? I drove from Seattle to Vancouver.

[steaky]

that is normal

[AvayaLenovo]

that is normal

Hi Steaky,
Can you give more details why this was the case? And she said I can't fly in to Canada without my PR card. But I Need to apply for PR Card within CANADA. That sounded ridiculous. Another thing she said, I cant drive to Canada using US-plated car. So what is my option to come back to Canada?

She said I would need to apply for a visa (not sure what type) to fly in to Canada to apply for my PR Card. Why is that? So that means a US Greencard holder has more right to fly in to Canada since they don't need a visa(?).

[sharat_joshi77]

I would also like to know why this happened ?
I am also landing in Canada in Aug for about 2 weeks.
I understand that this is a rare situation as I have read/heard about a situation like thins for the first time.

Any explanation on what kind of questions they ask in Interview on landing and what we should answer would be helpful.

[Leon]

More than likely, she gave you your PR but withheld the PR card.  This is common when you state that you will not be in Canada when the PR card will be mailed.  What you can do now is phone CIC and tell them that you did not have an address in Canada for your PR card but you have one now and can they please update it so you can get your PR card in the mail.  For some people, that has worked perfectly.

If not, then you have the option of applying for a PR travel document to go back to Canada.  It is not really for immigration as much as it is for the airline.  The airline would likely not let you board a plane to Canada unless they are sure you don't need a visa.  If you are visa exempt, you do not need a travel document, you can enter on your landing papers and passport.

As for driving a car with US plates, there is a law in Canada that states that a permanent resident of Canada can not drive a US plated car in Canada.  This however is open to interpretation because it is possible to be a PR of Canada without being resident in Canada.  You are allowed to stay outside Canada for up to 3 out of 5 years and still be a PR.

Still, if an IO really believes that you shouldn't be driving a US plate in Canada, good luck in trying to argue that.  Some people have even been barred from landing in a US plated car, told they either must import it or leave it on the US side.  Other people were told it was ok for them to land in a rental car as long as the car was on Canadian plates.  You can get cars on Canadian plates from rentals close to the border so that should be doable.

[canbeing1]

Thanks so much for bringing this up. We had no idea that we could'nt drive US Plated cars in Canada and were planning to rent one next week and land as PR.

Can you please suggest any rental cars that provide Canada plated cars near rainbow bridge near US side? (Have been researching, have not yet had helpful info so far)

Also can we do the landing by a
a. Taxi? or
b. Bus?

Have read both ways Yes and No - for landing by Bus. Any help on this is so much appreciated! Thanks

[Leon]

I think you can land by bus.  I am not sure about taxi.  I have never heard of someone doing that but I suppose you could.

[Annie Overbey]

    Is not it? This thing normal? 

[AvayaLenovo]

Thanks so much for bringing this up. We had no idea that we could'nt drive US Plated cars in Canada and were planning to rent one next week and land as PR.

Can you please suggest any rental cars that provide Canada plated cars near rainbow bridge near US side? (Have been researching, have not yet had helpful info so far)

Also can we do the landing by a
a. Taxi? or
b. Bus?

Have read both ways Yes and No - for landing by Bus. Any help on this is so much appreciated! Thanks

I think you can land as PR thru a commercial vehicle (e.g., bus, train)...but for the second time entry without your PR card, I was told we cannot use commercial vehicle.  Only our own car (which we need to import) or a Canadian-plated rental car.

Just an update on what I did -- I sent a mail to CIC while I was still in Vancouver (I'm now back in Chicago, IL USA).  I mentioned in the letter that I need to have my PR card for my own convenience of transferring my stuff and applying for jobs.  I included the exact date when I will be permanently moving.  I also indicated in the letter that I currently live in the MIdwest part of US and is very far from any CAnadian border.  I cited some more reasons why I need my PR card and I have also provided in that letter my friend's address in Canada.  I don't know if that would work, but I'm planning to call after 2 months of not hearing from them.  What do you think?  Is there any way I can know if they started processing my PR card?

[robfis]

I landed to Vancouver as well. With my California registered car. The Canadian officer lady made a big deal of this, lots of noise etc.. However, she completed the landing formalities, but told us that "something must be fishy here." We didn't import anything and told her we were coming back in a few months for the final moving to Canada. She was very nasty, but as I said she completed the landing formalities and let us in. She didn't accept a friend address though.
The next day I called CIC and told them that the immigration officer hasn't taken out friend's address.
They made a note of the address and in about one month both my wife and I  received our PR cards by mail. They were mailed by our friend in Vancouver to our address in California. We will soon move to Canada for good.
Just wanted to share our experience.
Robert

P.S. There is no application for PR at landing, it's an automatic process, all you need to do is provide an address in Canada.

[can_usa_97]

I'm sorry you had issues. I landed, in Ontario at the Salute ST Marie without issue in this manner and returned to the US - till Sunday (almost 4 months) I will move and import my car at that time. However, the IO asked ME to provide an address of family or friends in Canada who they could send my PR card to, and they did in fact do that then - my husband is bringing it across with him on Saturday for me to enter Canada with on Monday.

To note: US Green holders can note fly by their greencard alone.  (hubby was (losing it when he returned to Canada last month) and could not)