PR Soft landing from US - After EO
- Thread starter praveen07cse
- Start date
Did they provide a reason for denying soft landing for your acquaintance? I am traveling to Detroit Windsor this weekend.
Thanks, for sharing. I am going to Detroit Windsor tunnel today. I just flew in to Detroit last night.
I completed my soft landing at Windsor Tunnel today. The Canadian side was very straightforward and the agents were friendly. The CBP officers were also nice and helpful.
I used AVR as I didn’t have a visa stamp. I do not see any stamp on my passport with the admit until date like the once that they do when we fly into the US. Is this normal for AVR via land border? The online i94 also still didn’t update.
I used AVR as I didn’t have a visa stamp. I do not see any stamp on my passport with the admit until date like the once that they do when we fly into the US. Is this normal for AVR via land border? The online i94 also still didn’t update.
Thanks. They didn’t provide a new i94 and the online one didn’t get updated. The travel history got updated though and reflects the departure and arrival dates as yesterday. The secondary officer also told me that I shouldn’t have been sent in at all and that it is a waste of time as I was good to go with the documents I have. Else where on forums, I am told that usually on land borders, they may or may not issue new i94 and that it should be okay if they say that I am good to go and if they update online travel history.
Here is my full soft landing experience from 10/17 at Windsor Tunnel CBSA -
I was at the CBSA port of entry around 11AM.
First Officer (FO) - How can we help you?
I - I want to confirm my PR today and go back to the US right after this process.
FO - Provide your ID.
I - Gave passports of my wife and myself.
FO - COPR please.
I - Provided him the COPRs.
He gave back our COPRs, placed our passports on the windshield with a pink slip and asked to park at the adjacent building where a Second Officer met us and asked us to turn off the engine and stay in the car.
Second Officer (SO) - Are you going to import this vehicle today?
I - No, I just want to complete validating my PR and return right away to the US.
SO - Has either one or both of you ever arrested or convicted for a crime?
I - Yes, I was.
SO - How long ago was this?
I - Back in 2009.
SO - Did you mention it in your PR application?
I - Yes. I have Criminal Rehabilitation letter from CIC that I included in the PR application. I have it here if you need to look at it.
SO - Yes, that would help... Yes, you are good as per this document. Do you have a list of goods to follow for items that you would like to import in the future?
I - Yes. Here it is.
SO - Are you going to import any vehicles in the future?
I - Yes, included in the same list.
SO - Please keep in mind that you will be able to import only vehicles that have been paid off and if you possess the title.
He then went in to enter this info and came back 15 minutes later to have us sign the COPRs. He mentioned that my conviction will not be considered a felony in Canada and hence he indicated N/A for that question on the COPR. He went back to complete the goods to follow form and, came back with my copy of the list and BSF-186 that he filled out.
I - Is it possible to apply for my PR card today?
SO - You will be able to apply for PR card only when you enter with an intent to settle. You have your current US address on your CIC file and you will have to change it to a Canadian address to receive the card. You should only change the address when you move for good (I am not sure if this is true
)
I - Thanks for the info.
He showed us how to get back into the tunnel to the US side and placed a white form on our windshield to let the CBP officers know that I just went to the Canadian side to soft land, and that I didn't actually enter Canada.
On the US side -
FO - What is your purpose of visit?
I - I just visited the Canadian side to validate my PR and came back right away.
FO - Where do you live in the US?
I - Houston, TX.
FO - You came this far and entered Canada just for that?
I - Yes, I thought it is better I get this done before winter hits.
FO - I understand.
He looked through our passports (asked I and my wife hold H1B-H1B or H1B-H4). Told him I am on H1-B and that my wife is on H4. He was searching for visa stamps, told him that my expired visa stamp is in my old passport and that I have new I-797s from extension. He asked if this is the first time we are entering the US on this i-797? When I told him yes, he asked us to park and go for secondary inspection. At the parking there were 2 other officers who asked us to go in for secondary with our documents only and to leave our phones and car keys, and to open the hood and trunk.
Inside the secondary officer asked us to have a seat.
SO - Can I have your documents?
I - Gave him passports and I-797.
SO - You didn't have to come inside. What a waste of time.
Then he realized something and updated our travel history and said we are good to go.
SO - You should apply for a green card.
I - Thanks. I already did. It's in process.
The officers outside told us how to exit and that is it.
We were out of there by 12:15PM.
Overall the officers were nice in the tunnel, not sure if the experience would have been the same if I took Ambassador Bridge instead.
As I mentioned before, the AVR through land was a little confusing. But I understand that they may or may not issue new I-94 and just update the online travel history for my passport, so the I-797 remains to be the current valid I-94 in my case.
Thanks everyone on this forum for your experiences that gave us the confidence to go through this.
I was at the CBSA port of entry around 11AM.
First Officer (FO) - How can we help you?
I - I want to confirm my PR today and go back to the US right after this process.
FO - Provide your ID.
I - Gave passports of my wife and myself.
FO - COPR please.
I - Provided him the COPRs.
He gave back our COPRs, placed our passports on the windshield with a pink slip and asked to park at the adjacent building where a Second Officer met us and asked us to turn off the engine and stay in the car.
Second Officer (SO) - Are you going to import this vehicle today?
I - No, I just want to complete validating my PR and return right away to the US.
SO - Has either one or both of you ever arrested or convicted for a crime?
I - Yes, I was.
SO - How long ago was this?
I - Back in 2009.
SO - Did you mention it in your PR application?
I - Yes. I have Criminal Rehabilitation letter from CIC that I included in the PR application. I have it here if you need to look at it.
SO - Yes, that would help... Yes, you are good as per this document. Do you have a list of goods to follow for items that you would like to import in the future?
I - Yes. Here it is.
SO - Are you going to import any vehicles in the future?
I - Yes, included in the same list.
SO - Please keep in mind that you will be able to import only vehicles that have been paid off and if you possess the title.
He then went in to enter this info and came back 15 minutes later to have us sign the COPRs. He mentioned that my conviction will not be considered a felony in Canada and hence he indicated N/A for that question on the COPR. He went back to complete the goods to follow form and, came back with my copy of the list and BSF-186 that he filled out.
I - Is it possible to apply for my PR card today?
SO - You will be able to apply for PR card only when you enter with an intent to settle. You have your current US address on your CIC file and you will have to change it to a Canadian address to receive the card. You should only change the address when you move for good (I am not sure if this is true
)I - Thanks for the info.
He showed us how to get back into the tunnel to the US side and placed a white form on our windshield to let the CBP officers know that I just went to the Canadian side to soft land, and that I didn't actually enter Canada.
On the US side -
FO - What is your purpose of visit?
I - I just visited the Canadian side to validate my PR and came back right away.
FO - Where do you live in the US?
I - Houston, TX.
FO - You came this far and entered Canada just for that?
I - Yes, I thought it is better I get this done before winter hits.
FO - I understand.
He looked through our passports (asked I and my wife hold H1B-H1B or H1B-H4). Told him I am on H1-B and that my wife is on H4. He was searching for visa stamps, told him that my expired visa stamp is in my old passport and that I have new I-797s from extension. He asked if this is the first time we are entering the US on this i-797? When I told him yes, he asked us to park and go for secondary inspection. At the parking there were 2 other officers who asked us to go in for secondary with our documents only and to leave our phones and car keys, and to open the hood and trunk.
Inside the secondary officer asked us to have a seat.
SO - Can I have your documents?
I - Gave him passports and I-797.
SO - You didn't have to come inside. What a waste of time.
Then he realized something and updated our travel history and said we are good to go.
SO - You should apply for a green card.
I - Thanks. I already did. It's in process.
The officers outside told us how to exit and that is it.
We were out of there by 12:15PM.
Overall the officers were nice in the tunnel, not sure if the experience would have been the same if I took Ambassador Bridge instead.
As I mentioned before, the AVR through land was a little confusing. But I understand that they may or may not issue new I-94 and just update the online travel history for my passport, so the I-797 remains to be the current valid I-94 in my case.
Thanks everyone on this forum for your experiences that gave us the confidence to go through this.
@StartrekkerABC, was your's AVR case as well? Did you have a similar experience as mine, like no new I-94 and no admission stamp on passport, just updated travel history?
Hi,
I am planning to do a soft landing by the first week of November. I will be traveling from SF to Toronto. After reading this post I am confused. Isn't there a mandatory quarantine of 14 days?
Thanks
I am planning to do a soft landing by the first week of November. I will be traveling from SF to Toronto. After reading this post I am confused. Isn't there a mandatory quarantine of 14 days?
Thanks
If you are turning back right after completing the formalities you dont have to quarantine, but if you go into Canada mainland (not the border) you definitely have to quarantine
Hey thank you for the detailed explanation!Here is my full soft landing experience from 10/17 at Windsor Tunnel CBSA -
I was at the CBSA port of entry around 11AM.
First Officer (FO) - How can we help you?
I - I want to confirm my PR today and go back to the US right after this process.
FO - Provide your ID.
I - Gave passports of my wife and myself.
FO - COPR please.
I - Provided him the COPRs.
He gave back our COPRs, placed our passports on the windshield with a pink slip and asked to park at the adjacent building where a Second Officer met us and asked us to turn off the engine and stay in the car.
Second Officer (SO) - Are you going to import this vehicle today?
I - No, I just want to complete validating my PR and return right away to the US.
SO - Has either one or both of you ever arrested or convicted for a crime?
I - Yes, I was.
SO - How long ago was this?
I - Back in 2009.
SO - Did you mention it in your PR application?
I - Yes. I have Criminal Rehabilitation letter from CIC that I included in the PR application. I have it here if you need to look at it.
SO - Yes, that would help... Yes, you are good as per this document. Do you have a list of goods to follow for items that you would like to import in the future?
I - Yes. Here it is.
SO - Are you going to import any vehicles in the future?
I - Yes, included in the same list.
SO - Please keep in mind that you will be able to import only vehicles that have been paid off and if you possess the title.
He then went in to enter this info and came back 15 minutes later to have us sign the COPRs. He mentioned that my conviction will not be considered a felony in Canada and hence he indicated N/A for that question on the COPR. He went back to complete the goods to follow form and, came back with my copy of the list and BSF-186 that he filled out.
I - Is it possible to apply for my PR card today?
SO - You will be able to apply for PR card only when you enter with an intent to settle. You have your current US address on your CIC file and you will have to change it to a Canadian address to receive the card. You should only change the address when you move for good (I am not sure if this is true
I - Thanks for the info.
He showed us how to get back into the tunnel to the US side and placed a white form on our windshield to let the CBP officers know that I just went to the Canadian side to soft land, and that I didn't actually enter Canada.
On the US side -
FO - What is your purpose of visit?
I - I just visited the Canadian side to validate my PR and came back right away.
FO - Where do you live in the US?
I - Houston, TX.
FO - You came this far and entered Canada just for that?
I - Yes, I thought it is better I get this done before winter hits.
FO - I understand.
He looked through our passports (asked I and my wife hold H1B-H1B or H1B-H4). Told him I am on H1-B and that my wife is on H4. He was searching for visa stamps, told him that my expired visa stamp is in my old passport and that I have new I-797s from extension. He asked if this is the first time we are entering the US on this i-797? When I told him yes, he asked us to park and go for secondary inspection. At the parking there were 2 other officers who asked us to go in for secondary with our documents only and to leave our phones and car keys, and to open the hood and trunk.
Inside the secondary officer asked us to have a seat.
SO - Can I have your documents?
I - Gave him passports and I-797.
SO - You didn't have to come inside. What a waste of time.
Then he realized something and updated our travel history and said we are good to go.
SO - You should apply for a green card.
I - Thanks. I already did. It's in process.
The officers outside told us how to exit and that is it.
We were out of there by 12:15PM.
Overall the officers were nice in the tunnel, not sure if the experience would have been the same if I took Ambassador Bridge instead.
As I mentioned before, the AVR through land was a little confusing. But I understand that they may or may not issue new I-94 and just update the online travel history for my passport, so the I-797 remains to be the current valid I-94 in my case.
Thanks everyone on this forum for your experiences that gave us the confidence to go through this.
Couple of questions:
1) did you take your own car? If yes, is it still on loan or have you paid it off fully? Asking because I'm planning to soft land with my car thats still on loan.
2) did you receive COPR before March 18th or after? Asking to check if everyone from US irrespective of COPR date can still travel now.
If you have a car loan, your bank (with whom you have auto loan) should provide a document saying that it is ok with them to export your car to Canada (90% of banks in US mostly wont allow it). I would say you should pay off auto loan or sell your vehicle
1. I took a rental car. They didn’t ask me anything about the car I drove to Canada. They only asked if I will be importing any vehicle in the future when I go to Canada to settle.
2. Yes, mine was issued in February.