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CoPR, but not landed - am I a 'permanent resident' of Canada?

dopehead

Star Member
Jan 28, 2017
69
15
Hey guys,
I've gotten my CoPR but I'm yet to do my landing as my H-1B stamp has expired so I won't be able to land until I get a new stamp. I'm filling out the DS-160 for my H-1B extension stamping and I had a question.

The DS-160 has a question: "Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

- If the CoPR has been issued, are we considered permanent residents, or does that happen only once we land?

cheers.
 
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Wonderland_1010

Champion Member
Aug 24, 2015
1,822
382
Regina, SK
Category........
PNP
Hey guys,
I've gotten my CoPR but I'm yet to do my landing as my H-1B stamp has expired so I won't be able to land until I get a new stamp. I'm filling out the DS-160 for my H-1B extension stamping and I had a question.

The DS-160 has a question: "Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

- If the CoPR has been issued, are we considered permanent residents, or does that happen only once we land?

cheers.
No you are not PR yet. You will need to land first.
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
Hey guys,
I've gotten my CoPR but I'm yet to do my landing as my H-1B stamp has expired so I won't be able to land until I get a new stamp. I'm filling out the DS-160 for my H-1B extension stamping and I had a question.

The DS-160 has a question: "Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

- If the CoPR has been issued, are we considered permanent residents, or does that happen only once we land?

cheers.
No you are not until landing. Also can you use AVR to land with expired H1B stamping?
 

dopehead

Star Member
Jan 28, 2017
69
15
No you are not until landing. Also can you use AVR to land with expired H1B stamping?
Based on what I've read, it _is_ possible, but with all the madness that's going on, I don't want to run the risk of running into a CBP guy who isn't aware of AVR etc.
 
Last edited:

Ozil23

Newbie
Jul 31, 2018
9
1
Hi ,

I am in a similar situation where i got my CoPR recently . However , in my ds-160 form at the time of filling , i have mentioned the answer to the question below as "No " since i have not landed in Canada yet.

Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

BTW ,My H1B stamping appointment is in canada .

Will it be considered a mistake when US consulate visa officer sees this ? How do i rectify this if i have already submitted my ds-160 and reserved the visa dates?

Thanks
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,155
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
Hey guys,
I've gotten my CoPR but I'm yet to do my landing as my H-1B stamp has expired so I won't be able to land until I get a new stamp. I'm filling out the DS-160 for my H-1B extension stamping and I had a question.

The DS-160 has a question: "Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

- If the CoPR has been issued, are we considered permanent residents, or does that happen only once we land?

cheers.
Hi ,

I am in a similar situation where i got my CoPR recently . However , in my ds-160 form at the time of filling , i have mentioned the answer to the question below as "No " since i have not landed in Canada yet.

Are you a permanent resident of a country/region other than your country/region of origin (nationality) indicated above?"

BTW ,My H1B stamping appointment is in canada .

Will it be considered a mistake when US consulate visa officer sees this ? How do i rectify this if i have already submitted my ds-160 and reserved the visa dates?

Thanks
Say Yes to Canadian permanent resident. The DS160 is nothing but a filled information but actually you are applying for us visa on the day of the interview. So you should be fine. Also for the proof they will ask in the consulate then you show the landing doc.
COPR is your first official document for showing the status till we get the card.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,902
20,522
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Say Yes to Canadian permanent resident. The DS160 is nothing but a filled information but actually you are applying for us visa on the day of the interview. So you should be fine. Also for the proof they will ask in the consulate then you show the landing doc.
COPR is your first official document for showing the status till we get the card.
I disagree. Someone who hasn't yet landed is not a permanent resident and should not be saying they are.

The COPR is not a status document. It's a visa that indicates someone has been approved for permanent residency. It certainly does not confer PR. You have to land in order to do that.
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,155
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
I disagree. Someone who hasn't yet landed is not a permanent resident and should not be saying they are.

The COPR is not a status document. It's a visa that indicates someone has been approved for permanent residency. It certainly does not confer PR. You have to land in order to do that.
COPR is not even an visa. They wont let you board the flight. It seems that you are from a country which doesnt require visa for Canada.
For verifying status even PR Card doesnt show. Is it? No. No document shows/verifies the status of PR unless we get it verified from cic.
Also look at this link on how one can even verify PR status. This application just requires COPR.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/application-verification-status-replacement-immigration-document.html

COPR is valid document to show that you are a PR - thats all US consulate cares about - they are not interested in verifying if you are actually in the status currently. You should know that in the border you can just show COPR and enter even after landing and without a PR card. Showing status with PR card is also not valid as its not a verification of PR status unless we get it verified from CIC.

Yes he is not a PR till he lands. Correct. In his situation he is planning to land for sure and only after his successful landing he can even enter Canada hence he will be PR after entering Canada and he his applying for visa after successful landing. So he will be PR when he attends the interview.

In the application it doesnt ask for when he attained the status as his actual application applying is on the day of the interview. Example - when i booked for my wife's H4 interview i booked 4 months before the interview (which means 4 months before marriage). We say that we are married and give details based on the date we attend the interview. There is no issue.
 
Last edited:

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
COPR is not even an visa. They wont let you board the flight. It seems that you are from a country which doesnt require visa for Canada.
For verifying status even PR Card doesnt show. Is it? No. No document shows/verifies the status of PR unless we get it verified from cic.
Also look at this link on how one can even verify PR status. This application just requires COPR.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/application-verification-status-replacement-immigration-document.html

COPR is valid document to show that you are a PR - thats all US consulate cares about - they are not interested in verifying if you are actually in the status currently. You should know that in the border you can just show COPR and enter even after landing and without a PR card. Showing status with PR card is also not valid as its not a verification of PR status unless we get it verified from CIC.

Yes he is not a PR till he lands. Correct. In his situation he is planning to land for sure and only after his successful landing he can even enter Canada hence he will be PR after entering Canada and he his applying for visa after successful landing. So he will be PR when he attends the interview.

In the application it doesnt ask for when he attained the status as his actual application applying is on the day of the interview. Example - when i booked for my wife's H4 interview i booked 4 months before the interview (which means 4 months before marriage). We say that we are married and give details based on the date we attend the interview. There is no issue.
A person who has not landed is NOT a PR. You advised a person to lie to the US government in an immigration application. Bad advice.
 

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
Just to add to the fact already stated above that until someone has landed they are not a PR and in fact even with a COPR in hand when they face the CBSA officer there is still no guarantee they will be allowed to complete a landing, rare obviously but could happen. So to state on any visa application, the US especially, the implication that someone is a PR before they actually are on the basis they could be by the time they attend an interview could be construed as a misrepresentation in the application.

Anyone could argue that when someone attends a US Embassy or Consulate for a visa interview that is when you are applying yet in reality when an application form is being completed/submitted that is when they are applying and the expectation is the applicants status at that point in time should be reflected, not what may or may not be the status in the future at time of interview.

If there are changes that could materially affect an applicants status then the time to do that is either before the interview if process exists or at the interview but for sure not on the application form before for example becoming a PR in this case. This is really no different to submitting a immigration application for Canada, does someone add in those extra points or hours at application time on the basis that by the time the application comes up for processing they will be in the clear, I do not think so.

Just to add that because someone posts on here was not a problem for them does not mean it could not be a problem for someone else.
 
Last edited:

Sen88

Star Member
Sep 16, 2019
121
4
Hi. I'm going through FSW. Am I bound to any specific province or am I able to land anywhere in Canada to activate my PR status? Main applicant and dependents are landing in two different provinces. Is that okay?
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
640
Hi. I'm going through FSW. Am I bound to any specific province or am I able to land anywhere in Canada to activate my PR status? Main applicant and dependents are landing in two different provinces. Is that okay?
If you are not a provincial nominee, you and your dependents can land in any province. Only thing with the dependent is that they can land only after you land.
 

nashcp72000

Newbie
May 14, 2020
4
0
If you are not a provincial nominee, you and your dependents can land in any province. Only thing with the dependent is that they can land only after you land.
I am already in Canada but CoPR hasn't validated yet due to the current situation. My wife and son is landing in Canada on June 2, 2020. Will that be okay that my family's CoPR validated first prior to mine considering I'm already in Canda?