Can I leave the country while waiting for PR card to arrive?

[kneekick]

Hi! So I just received my copr today and my husband and I are trying to determine when the best time for me to land would be. I'm currently in Toronto so we were ready to leave this evening to go across the border; however, our lawyer's assistant informed us that I shouldn't leave Canada once I land until I get my PR card. She said it isn't advisable to come back with out it. I'm eager to get things going asap but I'm going to Abu Dhabi at the end of this month, so if this is the case, I will wait.

I'm just wondering if any of you have returned to Canada without the physical PR card after landing. I haven't had great experiences with our lawyer and his assistant, so I'm going to the trusty forum for help.

Thanks!

 

[andrew-brit]

I only just applied for PR, so I do not have COPR or a PR card, but this advice sounds incorrect to me, based on reading this forum for the past 3-4 months.

A lot of people land with just the COPR and the official double checks their address, so that the card gets sent to you in due course.

 

[rhcohen2014]

yeah i wouldn't trust your attorney or the assistant because it is not true you can't travel without your pr card. if you require a visa to enter canada, then i *think* you may need to fill out a "PR travel document" in order to fly to canada. Once at immigration, you can present your PR visa and COPR and they will verify your PR status.

If you don't require a visa, you can fly on your passport as a visitor, then when you enter immigration, the officer will see your COPR that is stapled in your passport (and your PR status when they scan your passport) and shouldn't give you any problems, since you have the legal right to reside in canada. This is also true for driving across the border - only your passport and COPR are needed.

 

[kneekick]

I only just applied for PR, so I do not have COPR or a PR card, but this advice sounds incorrect to me, based on reading this forum for the past 3-4 months.

A lot of people land with just the COPR and the official double checks their address, so that the card gets sent to you in due course.

Whoops, maybe I worded that awkwardly. She said I could land anytime with my COPR, but once I'm here, I'll have to sit tight and wait in Canada for my PR card to arrive. Then I can travel freely in and out.

 

[kneekick]

yeah i wouldn't trust your attorney or the assistant because it is not true you can't travel without your pr card. if you require a visa to enter canada, then i *think* you may need to fill out a "PR travel document" in order to fly to canada. Once at immigration, you can present your PR visa and COPR and they will verify your PR status.

If you don't require a visa, you can fly on your passport as a visitor, then when you enter immigration, the officer will see your COPR that is stapled in your passport (and your PR status when they scan your passport) and shouldn't give you any problems, since you have the legal right to reside in canada. This is also true for driving across the border - only your passport and COPR are needed.

You always have sound advice! Thanks! Yeah, I thought that sounded a bit weird when my husband relayed her message. So when you land they staple your COPR in your passport? Good to know!

 

[rhcohen2014]

You always have sound advice! Thanks! Yeah, I thought that sounded a bit weird when my husband relayed her message. So when you land they staple your COPR in your passport? Good to know!

yes, and it's important it stays in there because it will be needed for signing up for services once landed (ie: sin #, ohip, language assessment, employment ontario, immigrant services, etc). The agencies will make a copy and keep it for their files. and of course it is needed for any re-entry to canada!

 

[Rob_TO]

So when you land they staple your COPR in your passport? Good to know!

Not quite. You need to clarify, what passport do you hold??

If it's not visa-exempt, and you don't have your PR card, you will need a special PR travel document in order to board any flight back to Canada. A foreign airline may not even know what a COPR doc is, and right on it it states "not valid for travel". You would need to arrange to apply for and get the document from the country you will be in: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/travel.asp

If your passport is visa-exempt, then you should be able to board a flight to Canada ok, just by stating you're a tourist.

Either way, once back in Canada just your passport and COPR document are suitable to prove your PR status to Canada CBSA officer.