COPR expiring on 17th July 2020 - travel and COPR extension options

[glimmer_of_hope]

Hi, my spouse and I have an approved COPR for our PR application, which expires on July 17th. We were initially planning to travel to Canada, carry out soft landing for PR card and return back to the US. But with the current COVID situation, a 14 day quarantine has been made compulsory. The mandatory 14 day quarantine makes it very difficult for us to travel right now. I have written to the IRCC a few times asking about the possibility of extension of COPR visa since we won’t be able to travel and undergo quarantine now, but have just received the standard response that the query has been forwarded to the responsible office.

If someone can shed some light on the questions below, it would be great:
- Is it possible to cross the border by land, do soft landing the same day and return back to US?
- Any experience on what questions will be asked at the border while returning to US? There have been rumors about restrictions on H1B workers, so little concerned about that.
- My spouse has applied for a change of status (H1B to H4) and EAD permit and its still in process. He currently has a valid and stamped H1B visa. Is it safe to travel for him to Canada and return to US, before the approval comes in? Could that pose any issues at the border while returning to US?
- Is it ok if just the primary applicant travels to Canada and does soft landing before the COPR expiration date? Will the secondary applicant be able to travel later on and do the soft landing?

Thanks.

 

[canuck78]

Hi, my spouse and I have an approved COPR for our PR application, which expires on July 17th. We were initially planning to travel to Canada, carry out soft landing for PR card and return back to the US. But with the current COVID situation, a 14 day quarantine has been made compulsory. The mandatory 14 day quarantine makes it very difficult for us to travel right now. I have written to the IRCC a few times asking about the possibility of extension of COPR visa since we won’t be able to travel and undergo quarantine now, but have just received the standard response that the query has been forwarded to the responsible office.

If someone can shed some light on the questions below, it would be great:
- Is it possible to cross the border by land, do soft landing the same day and return back to US?
- Any experience on what questions will be asked at the border while returning to US? There have been rumors about restrictions on H1B workers, so little concerned about that.
- My spouse has applied for a change of status (H1B to H4) and EAD permit and its still in process. He currently has a valid and stamped H1B visa. Is it safe to travel for him to Canada and return to US, before the approval comes in? Could that pose any issues at the border while returning to US?
- Is it ok if just the primary applicant travels to Canada and does soft landing before the COPR expiration date? Will the secondary applicant be able to travel later on and do the soft landing?

Thanks.

1. Soft landing and returning the same day should not be possible but someone has posted that they have been able to do it at one of the land borders.

If only the primary applicant lands before COPR expiry the primary applicant will need to sponsor the secondary applicant.

Quarantine doesn’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon. Would think you’ll need to accept that quarantine may be a requirement unless you are able to soft land in a day.