Indian citizen entering Canada via US

[hardikanavkar]

Hello,

I am Indian citizen and have recently received my CoPR and Immigrant Visa. I am planning to land in Toronto in the first week of August. This is the first time I will be entering Canada.
I wish to visit the US on my way to Canada to meet my nieces for a couple of weeks in July.
My sister will drive me to Toronto.
Am I allowed to enter Canada from US for my PR even though I am not an American citizen?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Bs65]

Sure why not you do not have to be a US citizen to enter Canada from the US. Whether the US will allow you into the US nobody can answer though so be well prepared to convince US CBP with your onward travel plans to leave the US. As for PR landing you will of course do that at the US/Canada border not in Toronto whether a US citizen or any other nationality.

 

[bellaluna]

Hello,

I am Indian citizen and have recently received my CoPR and Immigrant Visa. I am planning to land in Toronto in the first week of August. This is the first time I will be entering Canada.
I wish to visit the US on my way to Canada to meet my nieces for a couple of weeks in July.
My sister will drive me to Toronto.
Am I allowed to enter Canada from US for my PR even though I am not an American citizen?

Thanks a lot!

Does it say anywhere in your COPR or approval letter that citizens must come directly into Canada from their country of origin? No? Then anyone can enter Canada from anywhere else in the world.

I can't figure out why this assumption is held by a handful of people here.

 

[hardikanavkar]

Sure why not you do not have to be a US citizen to enter Canada from the US. Whether the US will allow you into the US nobody can answer though so be well prepared to convince US CBP with your onward travel plans to leave the US. As for PR landing you will of course do that at the US/Canada border not in Toronto whether a US citizen or any other nationality.

Thanks for your response Bs65. I already have a US Visa, so travelling to US is not an issue.

 

[hardikanavkar]

Does it say anywhere in your COPR or approval letter that citizens must come directly into Canada from their country of origin? No? Then anyone can enter Canada from anywhere else in the world.

I can't figure out why this assumption is held by a handful of people here.

Thanks for your response bellaluna. It doesn't say on the COPR or approval letter that citizens must come directly into Canada from the country of their origin. Just asking to cover all the bases as I do not wish to be stranded at the border. Appreciate your time.

 

[dotslash227]

You can certainly enter Canada via US but to enter US, you would need to be able to convince the immigration officer that you do not intend to overstay in US, your COPR copy and flight tickets from an US airport to Canadian airport should be able to help. You should also be able to explain your intention of travel to US and provide relevant information with proves. I also would not recommend travelling to Canada from US by road in such cases, if that is what you are planning to.

 

[k.h.p.]

You can certainly enter Canada via US but to enter US, you would need to be able to convince the immigration officer that you do not intend to overstay in US, your COPR copy and flight tickets from an US airport to Canadian airport should be able to help. You should also be able to explain your intention of travel to US and provide relevant information with proves. I also would not recommend travelling to Canada from US by road in such cases, if that is what you are planning to.

Why not? It makes no difference by road, air, boat, or camel.

 

[bellaluna]

I also would not recommend travelling to Canada from US by road in such cases, if that is what you are planning to.

Your reasoning behind this is so one can show a plane ticket leaving the US? All the same, plane tickets are easily cancelled or even ignored. Perfectly acceptable to tell a CBP officer they intend to drive to Canada. It would take an unusual line of questioning and a suspicious travel history to lead the officer to want to see flight tickets leaving the US. I agree with k.h.p., it makes no difference.

Someone in this case would have the COPR and Canadian immigrant visa, so that's all the documentation needed.

 

[dotslash227]

Your reasoning behind this is so one can show a plane ticket leaving the US? All the same, plane tickets are easily cancelled or even ignored. Perfectly acceptable to tell a CBP officer they intend to drive to Canada. It would take an unusual line of questioning and a suspicious travel history to lead the officer to want to see flight tickets leaving the US. I agree with k.h.p., it makes no difference.

Someone in this case would have the COPR and Canadian immigrant visa, so that's all the documentation needed.

Why not? It makes no difference by road, air, boat, or camel.

You are not wrong, neither I am. However, the OP is an Indian, so am I and different rules and line of questioning apply for different countries, and India has a reputation where a lot of people want to leave India in search of economic prosperity.

A bus ticket from NYC to Toronto costs around INR 3000-3500 and flight ticket from NYC to Toronto, both one way, costs around INR 22,000. Such stark different between price tickets would obviously support one's claim that they would leave US when they want to.

But yes, a lot also depends on your travel history to the US, if you have been there multiple times and have never overstayed. You are good.