Canada PR landing help

[deepca]

Hi,

I just got my CoPR approved! Quite excited about it

Threads in this forum have been very helpful to me. However, I want to confirm if my plan of action is correct for my specific situation:
- H1b visa stamp on passport: Expired in Jul this year.
- Have current and updated I-797 in hand (valid till 2022). This is not stamped yet.
- Have valid I-94.

Questions:
- Do I need to mandatorily get my visa stamped if I only intend to start the PR process with a "landing"?
- Do I qualify for AVR (Automatic Visa Revalidation)? I plan to be there for 2-3 days.
- Is there an advantage of driving vs flying to Canada? Read in some forums that some airlines don't understand the AVR concept and are hesitant to give a boarding pass. I am currently located in Seattle. So border is not that far away.
- What documents should I be carrying except the CoPR, passport, I-797, I-94?

Also, I am in the middle of changing employers (same field/h1b). And the CoPR is only valid till end of this year. Is it advisable to get done with landing before the job change?

Thanks!

 

[justinline]

-You don't have to go for stamping. Hopefully you have old stamped visa to use AVR.
-If you plan to stay less than 30 days you can use AVR.
- I don't see any particular advantage for driving or flying. Anyway will have to go through secondary most likely.
-Carry all the documents you would carry for an actual stamping at the consulate.
-I would prefer first finish the landing and then file for transfer.

 

[deepca]

-You don't have to go for stamping. Hopefully you have old stamped visa to use AVR.
-If you plan to stay less than 30 days you can use AVR.
- I don't see any particular advantage for driving or flying. Anyway will have to go through secondary most likely.
-Carry all the documents you would carry for an actual stamping at the consulate.
-I would prefer first finish the landing and then file for transfer.

Thank you for the prompt reply! Yes, I have the old visa stamped. It's in my old passport which expired this year as well. But that should not matter I believe? I will carry both the old and latest passports.

Also, what do you mean by "secondary"? Is that a separate line for applicants like us?

 

[lampbreaker]

Don't worry about secondary.

You better do this after changing the job and getting new employer's petition approved.

You don't need the Visa (neaither in new nor in old passport). But do carry both.

 

[deepca]

Don't worry about secondary.

You better do this after changing the job and getting new employer's petition approved.

You don't need the Visa (neaither in new nor in old passport). But do carry both.

Thanks for the reply!

My concern regarding post transfer is that I won't have many paystubs to show (I will probably move by end of Oct). My CoPR is only valid till end of this Dec. Also, does it matter that my current I-797 will be by a different employer than the stamped visa on my passport?

 

[lampbreaker]

Thanks for the reply!

My concern regarding post transfer is that I won't have many paystubs to show (I will probably move by end of Oct). My CoPR is only valid till end of this Dec. Also, does it matter that my current I-797 will be by a different employer than the stamped visa on my passport?

Why would you need many paystubs? Normally, they don't ask for any and even if they do you only need to show evidence of getting paid for the duration of the petition.

 

[deepca]

Why would you need many paystubs? Normally, they don't ask for any and even if they do you only need to show evidence of getting paid for the duration of the petition.

cool, sounds good!

 

[deepca]

Why would you need many paystubs? Normally, they don't ask for any and even if they do you only need to show evidence of getting paid for the duration of the petition.

I just realized that my last I-94 expired in July. I guess I won't be able to use AVR then?

 

[deepca]

I just realized that my last I-94 expired in July. I guess I won't be able to use AVR then?

Sorry, false alarm! Just noticed that I-797 document has a valid I-94 attached. So, all good. Phew!