New Permanent Resident Card

[extreme001]

Hello,

I have landed in Vancouver International Airport on January 23, 2016. The customs officer there applied the permanent resident card for me.

Now I see people need to wait over 100 days to get his/her first PR Card.

How long after landing can one see his PR Card is "In Process" from the ECAS? (Another "In Process" to wait...)

Feels like jumping out of a waiting game but falling into another one. Without the PR Card, I cannot even go back to Canada again (I am in the US with my wife now, and the one-time only Immigration Visa has been canceled by the officer at the airport.)

 

[truesmile]

When you return, will you be driving across, or flying?

 

[extreme001]

When you return, will you be driving across, or flying?

Not quite sure yet. Maybe in 1 - 2 months for a job interview.

I am not US citizen/permanent resident. I just study in the US. So I am not visa-exempt in Canada.

How long would a Canadian Permanent Resident Travel Document be valid?

One month? Three months? Half a year? One year?

Thanks.

 

[MidoRafa]

If returning by private car (yours or rental) you can cross with your passport and COPR.
If returning by a commercial means of transport (plane, boat, train, bus), you must apply for PR Travel Document. It is a single-entry permit. Not sure about validity: some people reported six months while others reported three.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=605&t=10

 

[o6ocpaka]

Hello,

I have landed in Vancouver International Airport on January 23, 2016. The customs officer there applied the permanent resident card for me.

Now I see people need to wait over 100 days to get his/her first PR Card.

How long after landing can one see his PR Card is "In Process" from the ECAS? (Another "In Process" to wait...)

Feels like jumping out of a waiting game but falling into another one. Without the PR Card, I cannot even go back to Canada again (I am in the US with my wife now, and the one-time only Immigration Visa has been canceled by the officer at the airport.)

Based on what others have wrote, you can expect to get your PR card in about +4 months from your landing. We still have not received ours.
I am wondering why can't you just use your US passport and COPR, and explain the situation at the border if there are any questions.

 

[Abuelita]

Ho extreme001,

My ECAS never show "in progress" for when Cnada was processing my PR card. I received my card 108 days after I landed. Since you are not visa-exempt in Canada, after you have landed, you can only travel with your COPR (and your passport), between the US and Canada, by land.

 

[extreme001]

Based on what others have wrote, you can expect to get your PR card in about +4 months from your landing. We still have not received ours.
I am wondering why can't you just use your US passport and COPR, and explain the situation at the border if there are any questions.

Because I study in the US, I am not a US citizen nor a PR of US. I am not visa-exempt to Canada.

 

[katia23]

If returning by private car (yours or rental) you can cross with your passport and COPR.
If returning by a commercial means of transport (plane, boat, train, bus), you must apply for PR Travel Document. It is a single-entry permit. Not sure about validity: some people reported six months while others reported three.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=605&t=10

The same was told to me by the immigration officer. As a long as you are crossing by land between USA and Canada, just your passport and COPR are fine. I am in the same situation extreme 001, studying in US , not a US citizen with not visa-exempt to Canada

 

[extreme001]

The same was told to me by the immigration officer. As a long as you are crossing by land between USA and Canada, just your passport and COPR are fine. I am in the same situation extreme 001, studying in US , not a US citizen with not visa-exempt to Canada

My officer did not tell me that, he told me to apply for a PR Travel Document, which is one-time only with only a few months validity.

I guess I could rent a car in Seattle, cross the Canada-USA border by myself, show the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer the CoPR along with my non visa-exempt passport and I think I would be OK to go.

Another question would be, would such a "personal-land-crossing-with-CoPR" waiver of PR Card continue in the near future? Say, would it be changed in 2016 March according to some new rules established by CBSA? (I know they want people from visa-exempt countries to apply Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) online prior to their travel after March 15, 2016, but I'm not sure if some other rules that I don't know yet would be established as well).

 

[MidoRafa]

Just to avoid any confusion, please note that it's not about crossing "by land", it's about crossing "by private vehicle" as opposed to a commercial one. Again, if you take a train or a bus (both of which obviously travel on land) you must have a PRTD. However, if you're crossing in your car, a friend's car, a rental car, a motorcycle, etc. then it's ok to cross with just the COPR.

The eTA requirement will apply to flying into Canada only. There are no changes to land or water arrival rules.

 

[extreme001]

Just to avoid any confusion, please note that it's not about crossing "by land", it's about crossing "by private vehicle" as opposed to a commercial one. Again, if you take a train or a bus (both of which obviously travel on land) you must have a PRTD. However, if you're crossing in your car, a friend's car, a rental car, a motorcycle, etc. then it's ok to cross with just the COPR.

The eTA requirement will apply to flying into Canada only. There are no changes to land or water arrival rules.

Yes, I know. It must be "personal land crossing", which is driving a rented/personal/friend's car or walking through.

Taking a commercial bus/train surely needs PRTD. I have known that.

Of course, thank you again for the future clarification.

 

[extreme001]

Based on what others have wrote, you can expect to get your PR card in about +4 months from your landing. We still have not received ours.
I am wondering why can't you just use your US passport and COPR, and explain the situation at the border if there are any questions.

Hi o6ocpaka, do you see another "In Process" about the PR Card in your ECAS? (assuming you were a primary applicant for PR)

I see there is only "Decision Made" for my PR Application in the ECAS, which has been there for over two months. I am not sure if I would see another "In Process" about the PR Card in some near future.

 

[katia23]

Hi o6ocpaka, do you see another "In Process" about the PR Card in your ECAS? (assuming you were a primary applicant for PR)

I see there is only "Decision Made" for my PR Application in the ECAS, which has been there for over two months. I am not sure if I would see another "In Process" about the PR Card in some near future.

When you enter to ECAS and check Permanent resident card, what identification number do you use? How do you know your card number if you are waiting for it first time

Thanks

 

[o6ocpaka]

Hi o6ocpaka, do you see another "In Process" about the PR Card in your ECAS? (assuming you were a primary applicant for PR)

I see there is only "Decision Made" for my PR Application in the ECAS, which has been there for over two months. I am not sure if I would see another "In Process" about the PR Card in some near future.

Nope, the online page only says -Complete- with the details where and how the applicant has landed. Again, we did not apply for PR card, it gets send to you automatically.

 

[Aquakitty]

Hi o6ocpaka, do you see another "In Process" about the PR Card in your ECAS? (assuming you were a primary applicant for PR)

I see there is only "Decision Made" for my PR Application in the ECAS, which has been there for over two months. I am not sure if I would see another "In Process" about the PR Card in some near future.

For ours, it took months before my spouses ecas showed "completed". That was after the PR card was dispatched.

When you enter to ECAS and check Permanent resident card, what identification number do you use? How do you know your card number if you are waiting for it first time

There is no special number. It's just the same numbers you always use for your ecas (client number, application number etc.).