Update:
Just did a successful landing and AVR return from Peace Bridge today
There is no mandatory Quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers and no take home tests if you are coming from the US and just turning around. Even if you plan to stay in Canada and you get randomly selected for the test, you are free to stay or travel wherever in Canada you wish.
Me and my wife did a rapid PCR test at Buffalo airport, results came in 30 min. After that we took a rental car and drove it at 12 am in the night across the Peace Bridge. It was funny dealing with the border agents since they had a lot of time with no traffic at all and were jesting/breaking balls.
At Canada Border:
Agent at the entry asked for COPR and Passport and the Copy of the Covid Test. Standard quiz questions, "Why are you here? Why are you not moving to Canada right now ( short term trip, deadline and omicron and wrapping up things in the US)". Also he started a strange whine, "Why are you landing in the middle of the night, we are so short staffed ( I looked around, just two cars in the parking lot, made a pikachu face)". Then said, "Sorry this landing procedure will not get completed today ( just ball breaking)". Waited 30 seconds before handing me the yellow slip and telling me to go inside the building. Inside a very polite lady officer greeted and did the formalities very quickly in 10 minutes. They asked for GTF, GTF-a form so fill that one and carry with you. Signed it.
Also she didn't mail the PR card to my friends address saying card delivery needs a signature from you so they wont send it but to come to Canada in the future:
By Air: Just apply for that temporary PR card document.
By Road: The signed copy of COPR in your passport is enough to cross a land border repeatedly.
At US Border (which i was dreading), turned out the guards were very pleasant and were joking around. I was the ONLY car at this time
Guard at the post: "What nationality?", "Why are you here, landing? did the Canadians reject you? ( cracking up my wife, I am still nervous). "So you dont have a visa in your passport you need a visa" ( handed him the I797s, he absolutely knew what AVR is, just ball breaking). He quietly looked at it, typed something at this computer and then kept the passports and I797 and said, "go to that officer and park the car near that building". So parked and went inside. One guy on a computer, asking standard questions: "Who had a F1 visa before? ( pointed to my wife)" "Did you graduate" ( my wife said yeah I did). To me, "When did you last cross the US border on H1B?", I said March 2019? and he said to my wife "So you never crossed on your H1B visa after you graduate ever", (she said no). Then he asked me, "Why did you go to canada?" ( I said to "land" and become a resident) to which he said, "Which plane did you land?" and all three guards started laughing along with my wife (pikachu smiling face on me).
So he only checked the I797s nothing else and let us go.
So guys fretting about the AVR, please dont. As long as you have a valid I797s and not attended a visa interview in Canada(?) AVR works every single time. Even if by chance the border agent doesnt know about it, they will eventually send you inside the building and you will get processed. So dont be nervous.
All the best
PS: Hey moderators, approve this message?
