Alaskan Cruise From Vancouver w/o first PR Card

[britsabrpad]

Hey everyone,

Looking for some help on a bit of a complicated question.

I received my PR status in June and I have been living and working in Canada on a work visa for 2.5 years, thus I have already landed (I believe). We have had a family cruise planned for well over a year (all others are citizens/residents). Without my PR card, I will be unable to travel/re-enter the country from the cruise ship. The cruise leaves from Vancouver and returns to Vancouver, but stops off in Alaska.

The current processing time for my PR card is stated as 57 days which would put me right on the day before I am set to leave. Providing that everything is on time, it is cutting it real close to me receiving it. I know there is an option to have the PR card expedited on an emergency basis, but I have been advised I do not qualify for that. It does not cover pre-booked travel, not surprisingly.

I know there are PR travel documents, but those need to be applied for outside of Canada, which is hard to do on a ship and I cannot wait on the ship until it arrives, that is if they let me on. Is there a travel document that I can apply for from within Canada for future travel so that I can get back into Canada and be allowed on the ship without my PR card. Are they any other options available to me or do I just hope that the card arrives in time? Anybody's help and input would be appreciated.

 

[scylla]

Hey everyone,

Looking for some help on a bit of a complicated question.

I received my PR status in June and I have been living and working in Canada on a work visa for 2.5 years, thus I have already landed (I believe). We have had a family cruise planned for well over a year (all others are citizens/residents). Without my PR card, I will be unable to travel/re-enter the country from the cruise ship. The cruise leaves from Vancouver and returns to Vancouver, but stops off in Alaska.

The current processing time for my PR card is stated as 57 days which would put me right on the day before I am set to leave. Providing that everything is on time, it is cutting it real close to me receiving it. I know there is an option to have the PR card expedited on an emergency basis, but I have been advised I do not qualify for that. It does not cover pre-booked travel, not surprisingly.

I know there are PR travel documents, but those need to be applied for outside of Canada, which is hard to do on a ship and I cannot wait on the ship until it arrives, that is if they let me on. Is there a travel document that I can apply for from within Canada for future travel so that I can get back into Canada and be allowed on the ship without my PR card. Are they any other options available to me or do I just hope that the card arrives in time? Anybody's help and input would be appreciated.

Not sure you have actually landed per the requirements to become a PR.

You have to physically "land" AFTER your PR application is approved. Once your PR application was approved / you received the PR visa, did you "land" within Canada through making an appointment with an inland office and going to that appointment? Or did you leave Canada and then return either on an international flight or through a US/Canada land border?

 

[britsabrpad]

My apologies if I was unclear. I had my appointment in June where I "entered" Canada and became a PR. I received a letter congratulating me on becoming a PR and that the card will come in 8 to 10 weeks. I also applied for a SIN, while there.

 

[scylla]

My apologies if I was unclear. I had my appointment in June where I "entered" Canada and became a PR. I received a letter congratulating me on becoming a PR and that the card will come in 8 to 10 weeks. I also applied for a SIN, while there.

OK - that confirms you've landed.

A PRTD is not an option since you can only apply once you are outside of Canada and this doesn't work in a cruise ship situation.

Your only option is to hope the PR card is processed in time. You can try submitting a request for expedite processing - although this is typically only considered for PR card renewals (not brand new cards).

If you hadn't landed yet, then I would have recommended holding off landing until after the cruise. But that's not an option now.

 

[steaky]

If you have US passport, you don't need PR card.

 

[britsabrpad]

OK - that confirms you've landed.

A PRTD is not an option since you can only apply once you are outside of Canada and this doesn't work in a cruise ship situation.

Your only option is to hope the PR card is processed in time. You can try submitting a request for expedite processing - although this is typically only considered for PR card renewals (not brand new cards).

If you hadn't landed yet, then I would have recommended holding off landing until after the cruise. But that's not an option now.

That was my thinking and concern. Well just need to hope and pray. They told me that if I chose to push off my landing date. My visa would expire and I wouldn't be able to work and that I would have to wait longer. I wasn't aware, that I couldn't travel until the card arrived until I was at my appointment. They advised my visa is no longer valid.

 

[britsabrpad]

If you have US passport, you don't need PR card.

I'm not American, so I don't have a US passport. I have a UK passport, I don't think that changes anything.