Rule for landing, coming back an reentering?

[LalluBhaiya]

Hi all, I intend to land, spend 2-3 days and come back, the question is can I reenter as I wish or once I come back I must reenter only with the PR card (virtually barring me from entering Canada between coming back after landing and getting PR card, almost making me ineligible to enter Canada for a period of approx 60 days - which is typical time getting PR card takes?) , or am I confused and mistaken? please advise in detail. Likes and heartfelt thank you guaranteed for each answer

 

[DelPiero07]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=064&top=10

 

[LalluBhaiya]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=064&top=10

Thanks Del Piero. Your kind help is much appreciated. I went through the link, and many other materials, but am still confused (slow learner I guess ) - so there is/are way(s) for a PR holder to reenter without a PR card - but that has to be in a private vehicle and with some additional documents is that correct? Also I did not manage to figure out what exactly are those additional documents and how/where can I get those (inside Canada or outside) and how much time it will take. Can you advise. Thanks a lot.

 

[thegreatest]

Thanks Del Piero. Your kind help is much appreciated. I went through the link, and many other materials, but am still confused (slow learner I guess ) - so there is/are way(s) for a PR holder to reenter without a PR card - but that has to be in a private vehicle and with some additional documents is that correct? Also I did not manage to figure out what exactly are those additional documents and how/where can I get those (inside Canada or outside) and how much time it will take. Can you advise. Thanks a lot.

Carry the copy of your CoPR along with your passport.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

Carry the copy of your CoPR along with your passport.

Thanks, but am still confused, till now (before reading your post) my understanding was that CoPR = Confirmation of PR = the PR printed in your passport that you get back after you send the passport once you receive PPR. So when you say copy of your CoPR wih Passport, you mean though the passport has the PR printed on it, I need a photo copy as well? would appreciate a detailed answer. Thanks again.

 

[crescent_jam]

Thanks, but am still confused, till now (before reading your post) my understanding was that CoPR = Confirmation of PR = the PR printed in your passport that you get back after you send the passport once you receive PPR. So when you say copy of your CoPR wih Passport, you mean though the passport has the PR printed on it, I need a photo copy as well? would appreciate a detailed answer. Thanks again.

If you have a US Visa and are re-entering Canada by car from the US, you can use your passport and signed COPR to get into Canada. However, if you're entering Canada through an airport, unless you applied for a PR Travel Document (PRTD) in your home country, you will not be able to get back into Canada without your PR Card.

The COPR is NOT a travel document (and this is clearly stated as such on the COPR). You cannot rely on it for travel except, for some weird reason, when crossing the US border in a private vehicle (but not in public transportation, e.g. bus or train).

Also, PR is not 'printed' in your passport after you get it back once you receive PPR - the thing that is printed in your passport is your PR visa, which is a one-time entry visa that allows you to enter Canada, for one time only, in order to claim your PR. It is not evidence of your PR.

Even with your PPR email, your COPR letter, and your PR visa stamp in your passport, you are not truly a Permanent Resident until you land, the immigration officer makes you sign your COPR in front of them, and then they say to you that you are officially a permanent resident. Your PR Card is the only official evidence of this PR, not the other 3 documents (i.e. PPR email, COPR, one-time entry PR Visa stamp)

So, to sum it up:

• Leave Canada WITH PR Card, come back to Canada via any means: bring passport and PR Card and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via US border in PRIVATE vehicle: bring passport and signed COPR, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via airport/public transportation: get PRTD from home country; bring PRTD and passport, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via airport/public transportation WITHOUT PRTD: they won't let you in

 

[Besho85]

If you have a US Visa and are re-entering Canada by car from the US, you can use your passport and signed COPR to get into Canada. However, if you're entering Canada through an airport, unless you applied for a PR Travel Document (PRTD) in your home country, you will not be able to get back into Canada without your PR Card.

The COPR is NOT a travel document (and this is clearly stated as such on the COPR). You cannot rely on it for travel except, for some weird reason, when crossing the US border in a private vehicle.

Also, PR is not 'printed' in your passport after you get it back once you receive PPR - the thing that is printed in your passport is your PR visa, which is a one-time entry visa that allows you to enter Canada, for one time only, in order to claim your PR. It is not evidence of your PR.

Even with your PPR email, your COPR letter, and your PR visa stamp in your passport, you are not truly a Permanent Resident until you land, the immigration officer makes you sign your COPR in front of them, and then they say to you that you are officially a permanent resident. And your PR Card is the official evidence of this PR, not the other 3 documents (i.e. PPR email, COPR, one-time entry PR Visa stamp)

So, to sum it up:

• Leave Canada WITH PR Card, come back to Canada via any means: bring passport and PR Card and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via US border in private vehicle: bring passport and signed COPR, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via an airport: get PRTD from home country; bring PRTD and passport, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via an airport WITHOUT PRTD: they won't let you in

Thank you! you are awesome.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

If you have a US Visa and are re-entering Canada by car from the US, you can use your passport and signed COPR to get into Canada. However, if you're entering Canada through an airport, unless you applied for a PR Travel Document (PRTD) in your home country, you will not be able to get back into Canada without your PR Card.

The COPR is NOT a travel document (and this is clearly stated as such on the COPR). You cannot rely on it for travel except, for some weird reason, when crossing the US border in a private vehicle (but not in public transportation, e.g. bus or train).

Also, PR is not 'printed' in your passport after you get it back once you receive PPR - the thing that is printed in your passport is your PR visa, which is a one-time entry visa that allows you to enter Canada, for one time only, in order to claim your PR. It is not evidence of your PR.

Even with your PPR email, your COPR letter, and your PR visa stamp in your passport, you are not truly a Permanent Resident until you land, the immigration officer makes you sign your COPR in front of them, and then they say to you that you are officially a permanent resident. Your PR Card is the only official evidence of this PR, not the other 3 documents (i.e. PPR email, COPR, one-time entry PR Visa stamp)

So, to sum it up:

• Leave Canada WITH PR Card, come back to Canada via any means: bring passport and PR Card and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via US border in PRIVATE vehicle: bring passport and signed COPR, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via airport/public transportation: get PRTD from home country; bring PRTD and passport, and they will let you back in
• Leave Canada WITHOUT PR Card, come back to Canada via airport/public transportation WITHOUT PRTD: they won't let you in

Awesome, thank you so much, very helpful.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

To clarify, the issue is not being allowed entry to Canada; PRs are guaranteed the right of entry to Canada (barring extreme circumstances). If you can get to a Port of Entry, CBSA can easily determine your PR status even without a COPR, PR card or PRTD.

The issue is being able to board a commercial carrier to travel to Canada. Without a valid PR card or PRTD, the commercial carrier will not allow you to board.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

To clarify, the issue is not being allowed entry to Canada; PRs are guaranteed the right of entry to Canada (barring extreme circumstances). If you can get to a Port of Entry, CBSA can easily determine your PR status even without a COPR, PR card or PRTD.

The issue is being able to board a commercial carrier to travel to Canada. Without a valid PR card or PRTD, the commercial carrier will not allow you to board.

ok, got it. thanks for the explanation. One more question I have - if you can help - I keep reading people saying that doing the landing by land at the US canadian border by entering from US to Canada in vehicle (I live in US) is better than landing by plane in an airport because you get the PR card 2 weeks earlier....can you explain this (maybe I got it wrong but I remember reading something like that)..thanks a lot.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

ok, got it. thanks for the explanation. One more question I have - if you can help - I keep reading people saying that doing the landing by land at the US canadian border by entering from US to Canada in vehicle (I live in US) is better than landing by plane in an airport because you get the PR card 2 weeks earlier....can you explain this (maybe I got it wrong but I remember reading something like that)..thanks a lot.

That's BS. It takes the same amount of time to process a PR card regardless of how you land.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

That's BS. It takes the same amount of time to process a PR card regardless of how you land.

Ok thanks. I will try to find the link and post it here in case I am missing what was said there.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

To clarify, the issue is not being allowed entry to Canada; PRs are guaranteed the right of entry to Canada (barring extreme circumstances). If you can get to a Port of Entry, CBSA can easily determine your PR status even without a COPR, PR card or PRTD.

The issue is being able to board a commercial carrier to travel to Canada. Without a valid PR card or PRTD, the commercial carrier will not allow you to board.

one questions comes to my mind - that is how come first time (when one receives the passport back with CoPR) people are able to enter Canada by airlines? from what I am reading, the 2nd time (once getting out after landing) is when the issue arises. or am I mistaken and I need a tourist visa to enter the first time for landing? I mean going by your explanation - nobody will ever be able to enter by flight without having a PR card, not even for landing, but we know that people do enter using flights for landing with only CoPR and passport. So what exactly changes after landing that prohibits further flight/commercial entry without PR card. Any input?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

one questions comes to my mind - that is how come first time (when one receives the passport back with CoPR) people are able to enter Canada by airlines? from what I am reading, the 2nd time (once getting out after landing) is when the issue arises. or am I mistaken and I need a tourist visa to enter the first time for landing? I mean going by your explanation - nobody will ever be able to enter by flight without having a PR card, not even for landing, but we know that people do enter using flights for landing with only CoPR and passport. So what exactly changes after landing that prohibits further flight/commercial entry without PR card. Any input?

Non visa-exempt immigrants are issued a single-entry visa counterfoil in their passport that allows them to board the plane.

Visa-exempt immigrants are issued an electronic facilitation counterfoil which is attached in the system to their passport and allows them to board the plane.

Once people have landed as PRs, these counterfoils are no longer valid and they require either the PR card or a PRTD to board a plane.

 

[LalluBhaiya]

Non visa-exempt immigrants are issued a single-entry visa counterfoil in their passport that allows them to board the plane.

Visa-exempt immigrants are issued an electronic facilitation counterfoil which is attached in the system to their passport and allows them to board the plane.

Once people have landed as PRs, these counterfoils are no longer valid and they require either the PR card or a PRTD to board a plane.

Thanks, but I am not visa exempt. What about non-exempt folks? my question is - if I am not allwed to board plane without PR after landing how come I will be allowed to board the first time - before landing (when I am taking the flight with my passport and CoPR to do the landing)?