Going in/out of Canada without PR card, any catch?

[fandv]

Hi guys...

I'm a Canadian citizen who's sponsoring my Indonesian (so, NOT visa exempt) wife. We're almost at the end of the process and are hoping that my wife will get her visa soon *hoping everything's gonna happen smoothly*

Once she's got her PR visa, she's gonna go to Canada as soon as possible.

We have no idea how long it's gonna take for her to get her PR card (I think currently the waiting time is 61 days?! urghhh)

Questions:

1. According to:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=064&t=10

"If you return to Canada in a private vehicle, such as your own car, you do not need a permanent resident card. You can use your Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) instead."

It's very likely that before her PR card arrives, we will be making short trips (for shopping and fun purposes, lol) to nearby US states with my relatives, using a car. The car won't be privately ours.....it'll be my relative's private car. Will that be an issue? Do you guys think my wife will be able to get in and out of Canada by just showing her COPR to the border officer, even though the car won't be privately ours?

2. The above link mentions that if going in/out of Canada by plane or bus, then a PR who doesn't have a PR card needs to apply for a travel document. What's a travel document? How does it look like? Similar to a passport? Or just 1 piece of paper? *just curious*

3. Indonesians need a tourist visa in order to come to the US. Even with a Canadian COPR and PR card, my wife will still need to apply for a US visa in order to be able to enter the US, correct...?

 

[BeShoo]

1. Your relative's car is still a private vehicle. "Private vehicle" contrasts with something like a bus or train or cruise boat, etc.

2. A lot of things are considered "travel documents," even passports and visas, so I'm not sure what they are referring to. I think there might be a specific piece of paper for a PR who doesn't yet have a PR card, but I'm not sure about this one.

3. I'm pretty sure that U.S. visa requirements are based only on citizenship, so she's still an Indonesian citizen until she gets a Canadian passport.

 

[desi_jatt]

For going out of Canada, u don't need pr card or anything, just the passport is enough (with visa to destination, if reqd )
travel documents u r referring is called Returning Resident Permit, its piece of paper with expiry of six months, good for only 1 entry, if u go out of Canada again and u haven't got the pr card , u have to get another 1. Its $75 or $100 fee for that.

Canadian PRs need visa to visit USA, while US green card holders can visit Canada without visa.

 

[truesmile]

Canadian PRs need visa to visit USA, while US green card holders can visit Canada without visa.

Yup. That will chew up about 8 weeks (unless you apply for the US Visit Visa, before she has landed). IF that is even possible.

 

[fandv]

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

1. What's the application processing time of this so called "returning resident permit" a.k.a. travel document? Is it a standalone paper, or is it glued to one's passport?

2. So the processing time for a US visit visa is 8 weeks?

 

[scylla]

I'd recommend that you visit the following forum for any US based immigration questions (including the visitor visa):

http://forums.immigration.com/forum.php

But yes - you should expect the US visitor visa application process to take several weeks.

 

[Rob_TO]

It's very likely that before her PR card arrives, we will be making short trips (for shopping and fun purposes, lol) to nearby US states with my relatives, using a car. The car won't be privately ours.....it'll be my relative's private car. Will that be an issue? Do you guys think my wife will be able to get in and out of Canada by just showing her COPR to the border officer, even though the car won't be privately ours?

With no PR card for a non-visa-exempt traveler, you only need a travel document if it's required to get you to Canadian Immigration upon returning from your trip.

i.e. if you are flying back to Canada, then with a non-visa-exempt passport the airline will demand to see either a visa, or a PR card. If you don't have the PR card and don't have a special travel document visa, then you would be refused boarding on the plane and wouldn't even make it to Canada Immigration. This may be the reason some bus lines also need travel doc, as they may not let you board the bus to Canada without the travel document.

However if you are driving, there is no travel doc needed since you have no obstacles to drive directly to and speak to Canadian Immigration officer. With them, you can simply show your passport and COPR, and they are able to determine your PR status on their computer system. So basically the travel document is only needed based on your mode of transportation, it's not actually needed when talking to Canadian immigration.

 

[screech339]

It is recommended that you apply for US visitor visa after you get your PR card. This way you got proof to show to US agent that you will leave US. Plus you will get 10 year visitor visa with no reciprocal fees. If you apply before you get PR card, you may get visa based on nationality of passport. For example. My wide is Albanian. If she had applied for US visitor visa before getting her PR card, she would have gotten a 1 year visitor visa. Not the 10 year visitor visa.

Screech339

 

[fandv]

It is recommended that you apply for US visitor visa after you get your PR card. This way you got proof to show to US agent that you will leave US. Plus you will get 10 year visitor visa with no reciprocal fees. If you apply before you get PR card, you may get visa based on nationality of passport. For example. My wide is Albanian. If she had applied for US visitor visa before getting her PR card, she would have gotten a 1 year visitor visa. Not the 10 year visitor visa.

Screech339

Wow useful tip....thanks....I didn't know that applying for the US visitor visa after getting the PR card will entitle one to a 10 year (instead of 1) visitor visa .

What's "reciprocal fees"?

 

[fandv]

With no PR card for a non-visa-exempt traveler, you only need a travel document if it's required to get you to Canadian Immigration upon returning from your trip.

i.e. if you are flying back to Canada, then with a non-visa-exempt passport the airline will demand to see either a visa, or a PR card. If you don't have the PR card and don't have a special travel document visa, then you would be refused boarding on the plane and wouldn't even make it to Canada Immigration. This may be the reason some bus lines also need travel doc, as they may not let you board the bus to Canada without the travel document.

However if you are driving, there is no travel doc needed since you have no obstacles to drive directly to and speak to Canadian Immigration officer. With them, you can simply show your passport and COPR, and they are able to determine your PR status on their computer system. So basically the travel document is only needed based on your mode of transportation, it's not actually needed when talking to Canadian immigration.

Ah I see your point.....I used to wonder why travelling by bus still requires the travel document, since one would be crossing the border too as if travelling by car. However there's that "boarding the bus" process just like boarding the plane...and probably bus companies don't wanna deal with problematic people with paperwork issues. Now it all makes sense... =)

Is the "travel document" a loose piece of paper, or is it glued to the passport? (just curious)

 

[screech339]

Wow useful tip....thanks....I didn't know that applying for the US visitor visa after getting the PR card will entitle one to a 10 year (instead of 1) visitor visa .

What's "reciprocal fees"?

Some countries charges visitor fees for US citizens. So US may in return charge that country citizen visa fees as reciprocal for charging US citizen fees.

So if you were to apply for US visitor visa, not only you pay the application fee but also the reciprocal fee based on your country. There is a table on US visa website on that.

Screech339