+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Re-enter Canada using your COPR?

Sim23Can

Star Member
Aug 10, 2017
59
64
Category........
PNP
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
22-07-2017
Nomination.....
12-09-2017
I am staying Detroit USA on L1 visa and me and my family did landing formalities at Windsor Canada Border on September 16, 2018. The lady officer did stamped our passport and COPR document with landing date as September 16 but told us that they can't process our PR card application as we are not going to stay in Canada for now. Asked to apply for it once we planned to move to Canada permanently within next 180 days and have our address in Canada.
Now question here is, I am not planning to move to Canada at least for next 1 year. So if we do not get the PR card application processed first time, when should we apply for PR card? How? from where?
Can I apply for the PR card after 1 year? What implications it will have on my future applications PR extension or Citizenship?
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
640
I am staying Detroit USA on L1 visa and me and my family did landing formalities at Windsor Canada Border on September 16, 2018. The lady officer did stamped our passport and COPR document with landing date as September 16 but told us that they can't process our PR card application as we are not going to stay in Canada for now. Asked to apply for it once we planned to move to Canada permanently within next 180 days and have our address in Canada.
Now question here is, I am not planning to move to Canada at least for next 1 year. So if we do not get the PR card application processed first time, when should we apply for PR card? How? from where?
Can I apply for the PR card after 1 year? What implications it will have on my future applications PR extension or Citizenship?
I had similar experience at Detroit border with the same bunch of rude lady CBP officers. I am not sure why they insist on this at specifically at Detroit border when other popular borders like Toronto don't mind taking friend's address. There is no law that says you should give only your permanent address for PR card.

So what you need to do now is to call CIC and update your address for PR. Just call them and say them that you landed on Sep 16 and you need to update the address for PR card for you and your family. After verifying the basic details, they would update it. Don't explicitly tell them that you are moving soon or that is your friend's address or anything like that, they neither ask that too.

I updated my address the same way after landing in Detroit border and I already have our PR cards. I am still in US.
 

Sim23Can

Star Member
Aug 10, 2017
59
64
Category........
PNP
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
22-07-2017
Nomination.....
12-09-2017
I had similar experience at Detroit border with the same bunch of rude lady CBP officers. I am not sure why they insist on this at specifically at Detroit border when other popular borders like Toronto don't mind taking friend's address. There is no law that says you should give only your permanent address for PR card.

So what you need to do now is to call CIC and update your address for PR. Just call them and say them that you landed on Sep 16 and you need to update the address for PR card for you and your family. After verifying the basic details, they would update it. Don't explicitly tell them that you are moving soon or that is your friend's address or anything like that, they neither ask that too.

I updated my address the same way after landing in Detroit border and I already have our PR cards. I am still in US.
Thanks a lot for your inputs. I will contact CIC and will follow your instructions for updating the address. Thanks again.
 

z0mbie

Star Member
Jun 8, 2017
149
92
Canada
Category........
FSW
Thanks a lot for your inputs. I will contact CIC and will follow your instructions for updating the address. Thanks again.
Same happened with me. Did not accept my friends address at the border. Used the online webform to give them the same address after couple of days.
 

Sim23Can

Star Member
Aug 10, 2017
59
64
Category........
PNP
NOC Code......
2173
App. Filed.......
22-07-2017
Nomination.....
12-09-2017
Same happened with me. Did not accept my friends address at the border. Used the online webform to give them the same address after couple of days.
Hi z0mbie,
Tried calling them but no success so far getting connected.
I tried using online service @ https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/authenticate.do but it does not provide access and I am getting below message:
"We were not able to identify you using the information you provided. "
So looks like they have not processed our PR application. Please let me know if you are using any other link/method to make this working.

Thanks.
 

lossada

Hero Member
Sep 5, 2017
279
80
I am staying Detroit USA on L1 visa and me and my family did landing formalities at Windsor Canada Border on September 16, 2018. The lady officer did stamped our passport and COPR document with landing date as September 16 but told us that they can't process our PR card application as we are not going to stay in Canada for now. Asked to apply for it once we planned to move to Canada permanently within next 180 days and have our address in Canada.
Now question here is, I am not planning to move to Canada at least for next 1 year. So if we do not get the PR card application processed first time, when should we apply for PR card? How? from where?
Can I apply for the PR card after 1 year? What implications it will have on my future applications PR extension or Citizenship?
you can cross the border with your valid CoPR and valid passport
the CoPR is valid until one year of your medical exam
then you have to get a PR Travel document
for your future PR extension and Citizenship you have to meet the PR obligations, so once you enter again to Canada don't ask any document por 2-3 years,,,
 

z0mbie

Star Member
Jun 8, 2017
149
92
Canada
Category........
FSW
Hi z0mbie,
Tried calling them but no success so far getting connected.
I tried using online service @ https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/authenticate.do but it does not provide access and I am getting below message:
"We were not able to identify you using the information you provided. "
So looks like they have not processed our PR application. Please let me know if you are using any other link/method to make this working.

Thanks.
Hi...I used this webform
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/web-form.asp
Select “Tell us More”
Answer questions “Yes” then “No”.
The button for webform will appear. Go to the webform.

On the form
1. Select “Permanent Resident Card”
2. Select “Permanent Resident Card - Initial Card”
3. In the Enquiry box, start with your full name, mention that you didn’t have the address at the time of landing and that you do have it now (dont mention anything about friends address or other details). Give the full address.
4. Type all the remaining information
5. I didn’t upload any documents on the next page
6. Submit the form

Depending upon the backlog...it may take 10days to get a reply from them.

If you don’t get any reply after 10 days, submit the same form but mention that you submitted change of address and that you didn’t get any confirmation.

I didn’t get any reply for the 1st webform but I got email for the 2nd Enquiry confirming that they have updated my file with the address. Got my PR card soon after.

Hope this helps!!!
 

DS895

Star Member
Jun 12, 2018
52
14
I am staying Detroit USA on L1 visa and me and my family did landing formalities at Windsor Canada Border on September 16, 2018. The lady officer did stamped our passport and COPR document with landing date as September 16 but told us that they can't process our PR card application as we are not going to stay in Canada for now. Asked to apply for it once we planned to move to Canada permanently within next 180 days and have our address in Canada.
Now question here is, I am not planning to move to Canada at least for next 1 year. So if we do not get the PR card application processed first time, when should we apply for PR card? How? from where?
Can I apply for the PR card after 1 year? What implications it will have on my future applications PR extension or Citizenship?
I took tunnel or Ambassador bridge??
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,149
1,660
Category........
Visa Office......
Sydney, NS
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-May-2015
Doc's Request.
30-Dec-2015 ReminderEmail(PCCs, NewPassport via cse 31-Dec-2015)
Nomination.....
SK 22-Apr-2015
AOR Received.
11-Aug-2015
Med's Request
23-Dec-2015
Med's Done....
20-Jan-2016
Passport Req..
26-May-2016 (BGC In Progress 25-May-2016)
VISA ISSUED...
PP Reached Ottawa:27-May-2016, Received:10-Jun-2016
LANDED..........
PR: 09-Jul-2016, PR Card: 17-Aug-2016
you can cross the border with your valid CoPR and valid passport
the CoPR is valid until one year of your medical exam
then you have to get a PR Travel document
for your future PR extension and Citizenship you have to meet the PR obligations, so once you enter again to Canada don't ask any document por 2-3 years,,,
COPR: Where can i see that COPR(after landing) is valid for one year(or till medical expiry)? I dont see any reference online at canada.ca. This cannot be a travel document to use it via public transport but are you sure it has validity?
Medical validity is nothing to do with validity of COPR after landing.
 

langoorbandar

Star Member
Jun 14, 2017
168
95
Bay Area, USA
Visa Office......
Ottawa
I can conclusively say that one can enter Canada using COPR and Passport without the PR Card after completing landing formalities as I just did that a week ago at Peace Bridge and also entered back into US couple of days later at Rainbow bridge using AVR. My PR cards were delivered at a friend's address and I didnt want to take a risk to courier them outside of Canada so that I can obtain them. I flew to BUF and then rented car to go to GTA Area to personally collect the PR cards. At Peace Bridge, CBSA officer just asked how long I'll be in Canada for and where I reside, I was truthful and told I'll be in Canada only for a day or two and will return back to US. He was okay with it and just looked at Passport and COPR and let me go. Upon return similar thing happened at rainbow bridge, I handed CBP officer the I-797 and passport with expired H1B visa and he simply looked at it, asked how long I was in Canada for and asked where I'm heading. Since I live in CA, I told him I'll be going to CA after dropping car back at BUF airport and he wished me good luck and let me go. All it took was about 30 seconds and that was it. Good luck to anyone who wish to cross border with COPR and Passport, it surely works.
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
640
I can conclusively say that one can enter Canada using COPR and Passport without the PR Card after completing landing formalities as I just did that a week ago at Peace Bridge and also entered back into US couple of days later at Rainbow bridge using AVR. My PR cards were delivered at a friend's address and I didnt want to take a risk to courier them outside of Canada so that I can obtain them. I flew to BUF and then rented car to go to GTA Area to personally collect the PR cards. At Peace Bridge, CBSA officer just asked how long I'll be in Canada for and where I reside, I was truthful and told I'll be in Canada only for a day or two and will return back to US. He was okay with it and just looked at Passport and COPR and let me go. Upon return similar thing happened at rainbow bridge, I handed CBP officer the I-797 and passport with expired H1B visa and he simply looked at it, asked how long I was in Canada for and asked where I'm heading. Since I live in CA, I told him I'll be going to CA after dropping car back at BUF airport and he wished me good luck and let me go. All it took was about 30 seconds and that was it. Good luck to anyone who wish to cross border with COPR and Passport, it surely works.
Good to know that copr works for travel..

But traveling for getting PR cards is definitely overkill and unnecessary! It is not illegal to send the cards by courier at all. There is no law that says so. If someone (including CIC call center) had said so to you, you have been misinformed. I had my PR cards shipped through courier and so tons of others in this forum without any issues.. Worst outcome for that is cards getting lost which ain't a big deal anyway.

Even CIC themselves requests people to send passport (which is more critical travel document then PR card) by mail from US for stamping.
 

langoorbandar

Star Member
Jun 14, 2017
168
95
Bay Area, USA
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Good to know that copr works for travel..

But traveling for getting PR cards is definitely overkill and unnecessary! It is not illegal to send the cards by courier at all. There is no law that says so. If someone (including CIC call center) had said so to you, you have been misinformed. I had my PR cards shipped through courier and so tons of others in this forum without any issues.. Worst outcome for that is cards getting lost which ain't a big deal anyway.

Even CIC themselves requests people to send passport (which is more critical travel document then PR card) by mail from US for stamping.
I agree, traveling just to collect PR cards is not necessary however I did what I did out of my own choice and no one asked me to do it that way.

Sending PR cards out by a courier and losing it would be an additional headche I wasnt ready to take on so for me travelling was best option. In addition to it, I was able to meet few acquaintances for networking opportunities to help in eventual job search as well as take care of bank accounts etc. which I could not have so I traveled to GTA.
 

rakakatoofaan

Star Member
Sep 8, 2014
123
21
I do that everyday. I got my COPR in 2016. However, I did not move until July last week. Technically, I am not supposed to travel on COPR. However, I am traveling by my car everyday, so no issues on that.

Most of the times, officers do not even ask for COPR, as they see that I have PR stamped on my passport.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lossada

lossada

Hero Member
Sep 5, 2017
279
80
COPR: Where can i see that COPR(after landing) is valid for one year(or till medical expiry)? I dont see any reference online at canada.ca. This cannot be a travel document to use it via public transport but are you sure it has validity?
Medical validity is nothing to do with validity of COPR after landing.
bonne chance
 

rakakatoofaan

Star Member
Sep 8, 2014
123
21
Also COPR is not valid for Travel, as airlines, take it as a risk, because, in case of a denied entry, they will have to bear the expense to deport. Also, say if you Travel to US ( if you have visa for US), you can still fly to the US and take a greyhound to Toronto or Niagara.