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I have questions on my soft landing plan---Please give me some advice

TADF chemist

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2018
390
52
I got my CoPR last Friday and the deadline for landing is 10th Feb 2023.

My plan is to land at Vancouver BC this summer, but will just stay for like a week, to apply for a PR card, reactivate my banking account etc.

I have the following questions:

1. Is this soft landing allowed? If the border officer asks me about my travel plan, I will not lie and honestly tell him I will stay for a week and go back home country for like 1-2 years, then I will settle in Canada permanently (such long time sounds not so good, but this is my ideal plan). Is this OK??? I really wonder.

2. I do not have any friends and relatives in BC, is there any way to get PR card overseas? I heard someone suggest giving Canadian PO box address to IRCC, where the PO box will re-send the card to overseas. Is this possible??

Many thanks, nice Sunday
 

amritpal2489

Member
Nov 19, 2021
10
2
I am in the same boat as you... I am thinking of landing in July.. kindly let me also know if you find a solution with respect to the PR Card
 

navid2014

Hero Member
Jul 9, 2014
529
159
I got my CoPR last Friday and the deadline for landing is 10th Feb 2023.

My plan is to land at Vancouver BC this summer, but will just stay for like a week, to apply for a PR card, reactivate my banking account etc.

I have the following questions:

1. Is this soft landing allowed? If the border officer asks me about my travel plan, I will not lie and honestly tell him I will stay for a week and go back home country for like 1-2 years, then I will settle in Canada permanently (such long time sounds not so good, but this is my ideal plan). Is this OK??? I really wonder.

2. I do not have any friends and relatives in BC, is there any way to get PR card overseas? I heard someone suggest giving Canadian PO box address to IRCC, where the PO box will re-send the card to overseas. Is this possible??

Many thanks, nice Sunday
(1) You don't need to give any explanation as officer will not ask you as how long you going to stay, even if Officer questioned you about your stay its better to have a good reason in place

(2) Canada Post do offer PO Box, you may find the information here or you can also call Canada Post Customer Service to see if they offer forwarding of mails.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/receiving/alternative-delivery/post-office-box.page
 
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TADF chemist

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2018
390
52
(1) You don't need to give any explanation as officer will not ask you as how long you going to stay, even if Officer questioned you about your stay its better to have a good reason in place

(2) Canada Post do offer PO Box, you may find the information here or you can also call Canada Post Customer Service to see if they offer forwarding of mails.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/receiving/alternative-delivery/post-office-box.page
Many thanks for the detailed answer.

You mentioned "its better to have a good reason in place " My reason is that I will continue to work in my home country and cannot settle in Canada immediately and it will be 1-2 years time, do you think this is "good"?
 

TADF chemist

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2018
390
52
I am in the same boat as you... I am thinking of landing in July.. kindly let me also know if you find a solution with respect to the PR Card
I have quickly looked at the website navid gave: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/receiving/alternative-delivery/post-office-box.page

I am not entirely sure as it writes "Please note that Mail Forwarding service can only be purchased if your original address is in Canada."

For short stay, I won't have original address in Canada, really not sure

What do you think?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,224
7,751
(2) Canada Post do offer PO Box, you may find the information here or you can also call Canada Post Customer Service to see if they offer forwarding of mails.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/receiving/alternative-delivery/post-office-box.page
I don't believe the IRCC will send to a post office box or allow forwarding, even if the PO box is Canada Post.

[I'm not certain and there may be some special post office boxes like for military for which there are exceptions, but not generally]
 

Kanata2023

Member
Apr 22, 2022
13
1
Hi everyone, related to the soft landing plan, is the fact of having an already booked a plane ticket back and forth a bad idea ? this shows clearly you first don’t settle permanently, or they don’t Check this at activation of PR status?
 

TADF chemist

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2018
390
52
Hi everyone, related to the soft landing plan, is the fact of having an already booked a plane ticket back and forth a bad idea ? this shows clearly you first don’t settle permanently, or they don’t Check this at activation of PR status?
My understanding is that it is totally your freedom to have return plane ticket. This does not matter. Your clock of PR residency starts once you land in Canada, and this does not depend on whether you have PR card or not and whether you go back home country immediately after landing

Someone experienced can check if my comment is right?
 
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armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,224
7,751
Hi everyone, related to the soft landing plan, is the fact of having an already booked a plane ticket back and forth a bad idea ? this shows clearly you first don’t settle permanently, or they don’t Check this at activation of PR status?
There's nothing wrong with doing soft landing and you can do this as above. They won't care whether you have a return ticket.
 
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amritpal2489

Member
Nov 19, 2021
10
2
I have quickly looked at the website navid gave: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/personal/receiving/alternative-delivery/post-office-box.page

I am not entirely sure as it writes "Please note that Mail Forwarding service can only be purchased if your original address is in Canada."

For short stay, I won't have original address in Canada, really not sure

What do you think?
I think the only option is someone to carry the pr card along with them when they visit your home country or wherever you are staying