Need advice! Returning to Canada by car/bus with expired PR card.

[tiffw]

Hello everyone! Looking for some urgent advice!

So here's the situation:
My mom is a PR here in canada and has lived here for like 20 years. Her mom (who lives in Hawaii) passed away suddenly so we had to book flights last minute for the funeral. The only problem is that we didn't realize her PR card was expired til the night before. Would it be worth it to fly back to Seattle and drive into Vancouver? It would then be a very quick trip as well. The plan would be to then fly from Vancouver to Hawaii tomorrow morning. Go to the funeral the day after and then fly to Seattle that night. Arrive in the morning and drive back? I've heard that it really depends on the officer you get. Any feedback? Is it worth it to go and try? Would they put into consideration why she had to go to Hawaii in the first place? Thank you all.

 

[dpenabill]

Hello everyone! Looking for some urgent advice!

So here's the situation:
My mom is a PR here in canada and has lived here for like 20 years. Her mom (who lives in Hawaii) passed away suddenly so we had to book flights last minute for the funeral. The only problem is that we didn't realize her PR card was expired til the night before. Would it be worth it to fly back to Seattle and drive into Vancouver? It would then be a very quick trip as well. The plan would be to then fly from Vancouver to Hawaii tomorrow morning. Go to the funeral the day after and then fly to Seattle that night. Arrive in the morning and drive back? I've heard that it really depends on the officer you get. Any feedback? Is it worth it to go and try? Would they put into consideration why she had to go to Hawaii in the first place? Thank you all.

At a land crossing PoE all that matters, foremost, is the PR be able to establish identity (passport works) and preferably also status (expired PR card is good for this; alternatively the CoPR or Record of Landing; Canadian ID can help). That gets the PR into Canada.

The only other issue would be IF there is a question about Residency Obligation compliance. For a PR well-settled and living in Canada, in the circumstances you describe (living in Canada for years), there should NOT be any RO concern. So this should not be an issue.

Even if the border officials question a PR about RO compliance, the very WORST that can happen is the PR is reported BUT STILL ALLOWED INTO CANADA. If that happened (which is NOT likely, since there is no reason to think a PR living in Canada for many years will be questioned about RO compliance at the PoE), the PR would need to timely make an appeal, which should be easy to win (for a PR who, again, has been living in Canada for years).

All the PR needs to do is honestly answer the questions asked. No need to try to explain the reason for the trip (unless that is what the border officials ask about). Almost always best to keep PoE responses as simple and direct as feasible.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hello everyone! Looking for some urgent advice!

So here's the situation:
My mom is a PR here in canada and has lived here for like 20 years. Her mom (who lives in Hawaii) passed away suddenly so we had to book flights last minute for the funeral. The only problem is that we didn't realize her PR card was expired til the night before. Would it be worth it to fly back to Seattle and drive into Vancouver? It would then be a very quick trip as well. The plan would be to then fly from Vancouver to Hawaii tomorrow morning. Go to the funeral the day after and then fly to Seattle that night. Arrive in the morning and drive back? I've heard that it really depends on the officer you get. Any feedback? Is it worth it to go and try? Would they put into consideration why she had to go to Hawaii in the first place? Thank you all.

Hi

It doesn't depend on the officer. She is a PR and has the right of entry. She can show her expired PR card and explain it was a sudden trip and she didn't realize her card was expired. She'll be fine.