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Oct 18, 2014
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Hi folks

I landed as PR in BC in mid-January and left a week later. I went to Canada for a job interview and decided to land at same time. I have a permanent address there, so my PR card will be sent there eventually.

I'm now back in the UK because of work commitments, and I'm taking another short trip over to Canada at the end of this month (and then back again; aim to settle in Canada by the summer).

But I don't have my PR card yet, and likely won't have it by that time even if it gets FedExed to me in the UK.

Question: can I simply re-enter Canada on my UK passport as a visitor? If not, can I re-enter as a PR without my PR card?

Reason I'm asking is that I don't have the time to travel to London to get this Travel Document done (I believe you need to go there in person). Government websites say that Travel Document definitely required, but googling some forums would suggest I can get away with it. I'm trying to get a definitive answer as to whether I can get away with it, don't want to be turned back at the airport on the far side...

Thanks in advance,
 
You can use your visa-exempt UK passport to fly back to Canada. Then you can use you visa-exempt UK passport and a explanation to CBSA (that you don't have your PR card on your) to re-enter Canada as a PR.
 
You can't enter Canada as a visitor, because you are a PR. When talking to CBSA, you should tell them you're a PR and they will be able to determine your PR status simply by your passport and if you want to show it, your COPR. This is exactly what my wife did when re-entering Canada before she got her PR card in the mail, and they found her status in just a few seconds.
No problem at all to enter as a PR if you don't have your PR card yet.
 
As mentioned above, the CBSA should be able to determine that you're a PR if you carry your COPR with you.

However the only potential hiccup is being able to board a plane. Some airlines require that you have a return ticket if you're traveling on a tourist like visa (exempt or not). Reason being, if you get denied entry, the airline is responsible for returning you to the country you entered from. However given this is from the UK to Canada, I doubt this would would happen to you - it is more likely to happen on an airline flying from a country with a high percentage of refused visitors.
 
Rob_TO said:
You can't enter Canada as a visitor, because you are a PR. When talking to CBSA, you should tell them you're a PR and they will be able to determine your PR status simply by your passport and if you want to show it, your COPR. This is exactly what my wife did when re-entering Canada before she got her PR card in the mail, and they found her status in just a few seconds.
No problem at all to enter as a PR if you don't have your PR card yet.

Hello,
Did you have round trip tickets or one way ticket to Canada?
Because I always am asked for status of proof at airline check in counter when I go back to Canada.
I asked and a lady told me I cannot show my status in Canada, airline won't let me take the flight.
 
chinachan said:
Hello,
Did you have round trip tickets or one way ticket to Canada?
Because I always am asked for status of proof at airline check in counter when I go back to Canada.
I asked and a lady told me I cannot show my status in Canada, airline won't let me take the flight.

It was from a vacation, so on the return trip it was a 1-way flight to Canada.
We didn't mention my wife's PR status to the airline, just that she was flying on her visa-exempt passport.