Permanent resident with expired PR card visiting Canada

[anna2200]

Hello
I have an urgent question. I hope anyone could help me here.
I booked a flight for tomorrow afternoon to pick up my PR card in Canada. My PR card was expired last November and I was going to use my Korean passport for airline check-in and present my expired PR card and appointment letter from the immigration at the entry of Canada.
But I just found out I will need a permanent resident travel document since I have expired PR card and new eTA closed old loophole.
Should I take a chance hoping airline will let me go though? I have to drive two hours to airport and drive back for another two hours if boarding denied.

How strict airlines are? Since I have all documents with me (original landing document, expired pr card, appointment letter from immigration), airline might let me on? Should I go to airport and try anyway? Or there's no doubt I would be just wasting time driving for four hours?

Please advise me. Thanks in advance!

FYI, I have been maintaining my pr card for the past 7 years accompanying Canadian spouse in America. (I have a green card as well.) This was my second PR card renewal.

 

[spyfy]

Hello
I have an urgent question. I hope anyone could help me here.
I booked a flight for tomorrow afternoon to pick up my PR card in Canada. My PR card was expired last November and I was going to use my Korean passport for airline check-in and present my expired PR card and appointment letter from the immigration at the entry of Canada.
But I just found out I will need a permanent resident travel document since I have expired PR card and new eTA closed old loophole.
Should I take a chance hoping airline will let me go though? I have to drive two hours to airport and drive back for another two hours if boarding denied.

How strict airlines are? Since I have all documents with me (original landing document, expired pr card, appointment letter from immigration), airline might let me on? Should I go to airport and try anyway? Or there's no doubt I would be just wasting time driving for four hours?

Please advise me. Thanks in advance!

FYI, I have been maintaining my pr card for the past 7 years accompanying Canadian spouse in America. This was my second PR card renewal.

I wish I had better news for you but:

The airline will not let you through. If you don't have an eTA, they will scan your passport at checkin and it will show a DO NOT BOARD message. They can only override that do not board message by entering a number of a Canadian visa, PR travel document or PR card (which needs to be valid).

In rare circumstances the checkin agent doesn't care, but then the furthest you will make it is the gate. The agent at the gate will again get a DO NOT BOARD message when scanning your boarding pass unless you provided that visa number at checkin. Airline agents are very strict about these do not board messages because the airline can be charged a hefty fine if they let someone on board that isn't authorized to do so.

Your PR obligation might not be in question, but the airline agents can't judge that. For them you are just a PR with an expired PR card that has no eTA. They can't tell if you are within your residency obligation or not. They will also not be swayed by your words. After all anyone will say "but I'm one of the good ones".

I have personally flown to Canada with many different airlines, both Air Canada and other airlines and I intentionally tried to make it through without my PR card just to "test the system". I never made it through. There was always some point at which I didn't get any further without my PR card.

I'm sorry for the hassle that this will produce for you. Note that you could instead book a flight to a US city and then travel to Canada with a rental car. Possibly your airline would allow you to rebook onto a flight to the US. For that you only need a Korean passport and an ESTA which you can get.

 

[anna2200]

Thank you very much for your kind quick advice. I thought so. I guess I shouldn't even bother to leave tomorrow. This is bad. I wasted lots $$ on the flight and hotel in Canada and rental car. It might be worth to try anyway? I guess not.... Thank you!!

 

[canuck78]

If you have already reserved all these things and will always wonder go for it you only have a day to lose. I sense you will likely try just in case

 

[bricksonly]

If you have already reserved all these things and will always wonder go for it you only have a day to lose. I sense you will likely try just in case

She will still lose money because she's NOT OK to let in Canada without a proper document. She will pay more for return tickets! The best way is to fly to US and drive a car into Canada.

 

[canuck78]

She will still lose money because she's NOT OK to let in Canada without a proper document. She will pay more for return tickets! The best way is to fly to US and drive a car into Canada.

The indication was the reservations were non-refundable. Wouldn't be able to get on the plane at the airport if they are refused. Only money wasted would be time and gas money.

 

[evdm]

The indication was the reservations were non-refundable. Wouldn't be able to get on the plane at the airport if they are refused. Only money wasted would be time and gas money.

Non-refundable doesn't necessarily mean that the tickets cannot be changed (for a fee).

Maybe you could change the dates on the ticket still, and apply for a PRTD to allow you to travel by air to Canada.

 

[bricksonly]

Non-refundable doesn't necessarily mean that the tickets cannot be changed (for a fee).

Maybe you could change the dates on the ticket still, and apply for a PRTD to allow you to travel by air to Canada.

She could be allowed to take the flight as she carries a passport which is visitor-visa-waived. To obtain an eTA in advance is her responsibility and not all airlines check it. In this situation, she take the risk to have to take the next return flight (new money spent) or she just be warned and let in. Her name will be put on a list anyway so every time she enters in the future could face a secondary screen.

 

[Rob_TO]

She could be allowed to take the flight as she carries a passport which is visitor-visa-waived. To obtain an eTA in advance is her responsibility and not all airlines check it. In this situation, she take the risk to have to take the next return flight (new money spent) or she just be warned and let in. Her name will be put on a list anyway so every time she enters in the future could face a secondary screen.

Wow you are posting lots of wrong info.

If she can make it to Canada, CBSA doesn't care if you don't have PR card. With simply your passport, expired PR card or COPR, they can easily determine your PR status. They would not be flagged or face denial to Canada, entry into Canada is guaranteed as long as you're a PR. Entering Canada via USA land border or Canadian airport, is no different. It's getting there in the first place that is the only issue.

Airlines don't check eTAs. They scan passport, and a BOARD or NO BOARD notice pops up based on info Canada fees to them. The board or no-board will be based on the eTA, but the airline has no way to check if a traveler has actually applied for eTA or not.