PR Applicant visiting Canada with Canadian citizen Spouse.( Airport Immigration)

[trinirock]

Hi everyone, my husband(PR Applicant) and I (Sponsor) will be visiting Canada this summer. Outland Applicant.

My question is do I join the line for returning citizens alone or join the visitors line with my husband?

Anyone with experience in this situation?

 

[Snowman1308]

it happened to me three times since i applied and i always went through visitors, i m visa exempt though i don t know if it changes anything

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hi everyone, my husband(PR Applicant) and I (Sponsor) will be visiting Canada this summer. Outland Applicant.

My question is do I join the line for returning citizens alone or join the visitors line with my husband?

Anyone with experience in this situation?

I would go with your husband through the visitors line - make sure you both go up to the same CBSA officer at the same time.

I have the same issue flying to the UK with my wife (I am Canadian, she is British). The British border security told us last time that we can go through either line (we normally choose the UK / EU nationals line as it is shorter and moves more quickly), as long as we both present ourselves together at the same time to the same agent.....

Are you expecting to 'land to declare PR' on this trip (i.e. do you expect to have your CoPR by then)?

 

[trinirock]

I would go with your husband through the visitors line - make sure you both go up to the same CBSA officer at the same time.

I have the same issue flying to the UK with my wife (I am Canadian, she is British). The British border security told us last time that we can go through either line (we normally choose the UK / EU nationals line as it is shorter and moves more quickly), as long as we both present ourselves together at the same time to the same agent.....

Are you expecting to 'land to declare PR' on this trip (i.e. do you expect to have your CoPR by then)?

Thanks for your advice! No doesn't plan on landing on this trip... His Application was transfered to his local visa office last month, our timline so far is (Aor1, March) (Sponsor Approved April) and (File transfer to LVO) May) we are going on a Two week Vacation with our daughter (6yrs) old also Canadian citizen. Any recomendations when entering Canada?

 

[Hurlabrick]

Any recomendations when entering Canada?

Nope, other than stay together as a family group and of course go the CBSA agent together!

At a number of the major airports now in Canada they have installed Customs 'machines' that act in place of the old paper forms they used to hand out to you. One person enters all of the details for the family group on one machine. You have to scan your passports etc. At the end it will print out a 'supermarket type' bit of paper you take and hand to the nice CBSA officer. He stamps it (IIRC) and hands it back to you. Keep it handy coz then you walk through to the baggage hall; to collect your suitcases, then you must hand this bit of paper to another CBSA agent at the end of the baggage hall before you can go through to arrivals.

Official stuff about the kiosks here:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pik-bip-eng.html

There is also an Android App for your phone that you can complete in advance and hold a barcode under the scanner to save you time at arrivals. Search for 'eDeclaration' from CanBorder for CBSA.

 

[trinirock]

Nope, other than stay together as a family group and of course go the CBSA agent together!

At a number of the major airports now in Canada they have installed Customs 'machines' that act in place of the old paper forms they used to hand out to you. One person enters all of the details for the family group on one machine. You have to scan your passports etc. At the end it will print out a 'supermarket type' bit of paper you take and hand to the nice CBSA officer. He stamps it (IIRC) and hands it back to you. Keep it handy coz then you walk through to the baggage hall; to collect your suitcases, then you must hand this bit of paper to another CBSA agent at the end of the baggage hall before you can go through to arrivals.

Official stuff about the kiosks here:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pik-bip-eng.html

There is also an Android App for your phone that you can complete in advance and hold a barcode under the scanner to save you time at arrivals. Search for 'eDeclaration' from CanBorder for CBSA.

WoW thank you very much for the information!! we haven't been to Canada for a while and as expected some things will change... looking forward to our vacation!

 

[trinirock]

it happened to me three times since i applied and i always went through visitors, i m visa exempt though I don t know if it changes anything

thank you! how was your experience with immigration? because my husband is technically visiting with "dual intent" with his PR application in process and going on vacation??? di you take any additional supporting documents at the airport?

 

[Hurlabrick]

thank you! how was your experience with immigration? because my husband is technically visiting with "dual intent" with his PR application in process and going on vacation??? di you take any additional supporting documents at the airport?

No.

Only visiting on a two week holiday is not 'dual intent'. Dual Intent applies if he is landing in Canada with a sponsorship application in process AND intends to stay under a visitors visa (i.e. can't work) until the application is approved or declined (i.e. NOT just a simple two week holiday / look around).

Don't confuse the poor CBSA dears at the airport by mentioning dual intent if you really are only there for a two week holiday.

Having said that, just in case, it might be worth taking any official CIC letters you have received (AOR, Sponsor Approval, Screen print of MyCIC etc.) in they highly unlikely event that they may ask. I have always found that the more I prepare, the more I wonder why I bothered, but when I don't bother, I get the book thrown at me!!

 

[Snowman1308]

Honestly i have declared each time that i was visiting my wife which is a citizen. They asked me if i had any plan to settle in canada, told them we were waiting for our sponsorship to be approved and they just smiled and say good luck enjoy your time here.