Travel from USA and 14 day Isolation

[Itsmsk66]

Hi,

Friends in USA with Kids, Please advise and please share your experience. I am in US too with Kids. Debating what should I do, I have 3 options.

1. All Family Members apply for Extension. Will it get approved since USA is not total lock down, but highly recommended not to travel.
2. Only I travel to Canad Isolate for 14 days, apply for extension for other family members.
3. All family Members travel, which is very difficult with kids and risky.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hi,

Friends in USA with Kids, Please advise and please share your experience. I am in US too with Kids. Debating what should I do, I have 3 options.

1. All Family Members apply for Extension. Will it get approved since USA is not total lock down, but highly recommended not to travel.
2. Only I travel to Canad Isolate for 14 days, apply for extension for other family members.
3. All family Members travel, which is very difficult with kids and risky.

First, whats your status in Canada? Do you have PR visa or PR status currently? What are you planning for and we need to know the problem before we provide answers?

1. Apply for extension asap, irrelevant of it being approved by your departure date. When is your/family departure date?
2. For what you want to travel to Canada? For landing?
3. Yes, not good and should be avoided for anyone's travel, not just kids/family, its risky for you too.

 

[Itsmsk66]

I have COPR expiring on June 5th. Planning for Landing to validate PR.

1. Apply for extension asap, irrelevant of it being approved by your departure date. When is your/family departure date?
No Date yet, plan was Mid May.
2. For what you want to travel to Canada? For landing?
Yes Landing mainly and validating PR.
3. Yes, not good and should be avoided for anyone's travel, not just kids/family, its risky for you too.

Please advise.

 

[harirajmohan]

I have COPR expiring on June 5th. Planning for Landing to validate PR.

1. Apply for extension asap, irrelevant of it being approved by your departure date. When is your/family departure date?
No Date yet, plan was Mid May.
2. For what you want to travel to Canada? For landing?
Yes Landing mainly and validating PR.
3. Yes, not good and should be avoided for anyone's travel, not just kids/family, its risky for you too.

Please advise.

1. Submit the request in webform stating that its risky for you and your family's life if you travel in the next few months while there is no cure/treatment methods are available. Tell that you would like the extension of 1 year(just ask without hesitation as its the truth anyway - they may give 3 or 6 months or reject).
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/immigration-applicants.html#approved-before
2. Dont travel in May.
if you really want to travel then travel in June. But wait for the word from cic. If you are close to border then travel via road rather than hitting airports.

Frankly, you should decide if this travel is worth the risk. Cure/Treatment only after months during fall/winter and vaccines after a year hence situation is not good. Hopefully the cic gives extension. But not sure why you are still waiting to apply for extension from cic. Just ask today and tell clearly that its danger for life and you really really need extension for this year end or for 1 year. First apply for extension rather than planning to land. Landing is a simple job.

No one knows if cic will give you extension. So no idea how others can suggest at this situation. Its your call whats is worth and priority for you.

 

[ryeCatcher]

1. Submit the request in webform stating that its risky for you and your family's life if you travel in the next few months while there is no cure/treatment methods are available. Tell that you would like the extension of 1 year(just ask without hesitation as its the truth anyway - they may give 3 or 6 months or reject).
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/immigration-applicants.html#approved-before
2. Dont travel in May.
if you really want to travel then travel in June. But wait for the word from cic. If you are close to border then travel via road rather than hitting airports.

Frankly, you should decide if this travel is worth the risk. Cure/Treatment only after months during fall/winter and vaccines after a year hence situation is not good. Hopefully the cic gives extension. But not sure why you are still waiting to apply for extension from cic. Just ask today and tell clearly that its danger for life and you really really need extension for this year end or for 1 year. First apply for extension rather than planning to land. Landing is a simple job.

No one knows if cic will give you extension. So no idea how others can suggest at this situation. Its your call whats is worth and priority for you.

I am in a similar situation as the original poster.
The problem is currently that IRCC is NOT responding with any specifics, there is a generic response that everyone is getting on raising a webform. Roughly along the lines of "if you can't travel raise a webform to inform us. We will put a note on your file, then inform us again when you can travel and we will reopen your file and let you know how to proceed". The problem is they have not been clear about :

1. What the process will be once they reopen the file, most likely medicals again and possibly PCC, but that is not clear.
2. But more importantly, it is unclear if they will grant the request on reevaluation if you could travel to Canada but chose not. Since there are no restrictions on traveling from US to Canada, it is unclear at this point if they will grant an extension.

My COPR expires in July, I would love to NOT have to travel till Covid subsides (who knows when) but I cannot be certain whether IRCC will grant me an extension once I contact them when I feel comfortable traveling. They could easily say when they reopen my file, that I should have traveled from US to Canada. Their guidance is clearer to those living in countries with travel restrictions (like India and China)

 

[harirajmohan]

I am in a similar situation as the original poster.
The problem is currently that IRCC is NOT responding with any specifics, there is a generic response that everyone is getting on raising a webform. Roughly along the lines of "if you can't travel raise a webform to inform us. We will put a note on your file, then inform us again when you can travel and we will reopen your file and let you know how to proceed". The problem is they have not been clear about :

1. What the process will be once they reopen the file, most likely medicals again and possibly PCC, but that is not clear.
2. But more importantly, it is unclear if they will grant the request on reevaluation if you could travel to Canada but chose not. Since there are no restrictions on traveling from US to Canada, it is unclear at this point if they will grant an extension.

My COPR expires in July, I would love to NOT have to travel till Covid subsides (who knows when) but I cannot be certain whether IRCC will grant me an extension once I contact them when I feel comfortable traveling. They could easily say when they reopen my file, that I should have traveled from US to Canada. Their guidance is clearer to those living in countries with travel restrictions (like India and China)

I know that people like us have been waiting for the PR for years and suddenly this situation put us in a difficult situation to choose which is worth/priority. Well, its life, always it throws difficult situation once in a while or sometimes often.

CIC/Canada doesnt care about whether we get into health issue or not. CIC/Canada doesnt support you or your family if there is any major problem in health. What i want others(whoever trying to land this year) to let them know is "One should take this into account and decide". Sorry for being pessimistic/negative but its the reality which one should account for.

I am certainly not in this kind of situation hence one can say that i can easily provide above statement but even if am in above situation i would avoid travelling. To me, life is not just PR/education/money. Of course my priority would be different than others hence you (and others in this situation) please be careful.

 

[Itsmsk66]

Thanks for the feedback.

I will raise a Web Form anyways First. Can we ask specifically if we will get an extension and will not get denied based on the fact that we are from a country where there is no travel ban but recommend not to travel.

Quick Question on the Guidance you mentioned -> Their guidance is clearer to those living in countries with travel restrictions (like India and China) . Is this mentioned any where on IRCC website. I only see the below does not say anything about living in countries with travel restrictions.

If we already approved your permanent resident application but you can't travel to Canada before your documents expire, use the Web form to tell us why you can’t travel.

Once it’s possible for you to travel, use the Web form to let us know so we can tell you what to do next.

 

[ryeCatcher]

Thanks for the feedback.

I will raise a Web Form anyways First. Can we ask specifically if we will get an extension and will not get denied based on the fact that we are from a country where there is no travel ban but recommend not to travel.

Can definitely ask, but looking at this forum 99% of responses are getting generic responses.
If you have better luck, please do update/share

Quick Question on the Guidance you mentioned -> Their guidance is clearer to those living in countries with travel restrictions (like India and China) . Is this mentioned any where on IRCC website. I only see the below does not say anything about living in countries with travel restrictions.

If we already approved your permanent resident application but you can't travel to Canada before your documents expire, use the Web form to tell us why you can’t travel.

Once it’s possible for you to travel, use the Web form to let us know so we can tell you what to do next.

I said that based on two things :

1. Previously there was some specific guidance for those living in China (before Canada stopped travel from pretty much everywhere)

2. Folks have posted on this forum and facebook groups, that those living on India have received more specific responses from the visa-office in India that anyone in India should not worry about losing their COPR. I am 99% sure they will do the same for those living in the US (and choosing not to travel because of Covid19), but that 1% risk is making me nervous

 

[Itsmsk66]

Thanks for the Quick response.

Just want to confirm, Soft Landing is out of picture right.

Also on a different Note do you know if AVR can be used to re-enter USA. H1-B expires June 30th and company already filed for extension. Can I Travel back to US around June 15th.

 

[ryeCatcher]

Thanks for the Quick response.

Just want to confirm, Soft Landing is out of picture right.

Also on a different Note do you know if AVR can be used to re-enter USA. H1-B expires June 30th and company already filed for extension. Can I Travel back to US around June 15th.

As far as I understand soft landing is not being officially allowed. Though two people have recently reported that they were successful, you can follow that thread yourself here if you like : https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/copr-and-coronavirus.681880/page-178

As for renewal/extension etc. I unfortunately do not know about how that affects or doesn't AVR.

 

[canuck78]

Soft landings are still possible. I just read a story that someone landed at an airport as a PR this week.

 

[ryeCatcher]

Soft landings are still possible. I just read a story that someone landed at an airport as a PR this week.

Did they then return immediately?
I have also read the occasional successful story, but at least if you call CBSA and try to cross over land they are strong discouraging it saying they will not process COPR and allow you to cross unless you are "coming permanently" and "self isolating"

 

[sureshkp]

From my experience on reading various posts , if you are telling the officer that you are here for soft landing they would not like that , they may not process it ,so you really can not tell upfront everything . however coming back to US on the visa (via Road )is tricky and if asked what was essential to travel to canada will put you in a difficult spot .
per news US - Canada border is not opening soon , and US wants to open everything in Phases 1,2 &3 , non essential travel is in phase 3.
and most probably at least until May end border will not be opened for non essential , there is a hope in June ..
at the same time if medical is only thing they will ask us to do again in order to reprocess the case and give extra validity of visa then it's all up to individual choice and it comes down to $ vs Health ...
my copr expires on Jun 11.

lets keep each other informed and stay safe.

 

[Itsmsk66]

From my experience on reading various posts , if you are telling the officer that you are here for soft landing they would not like that , they may not process it ,so you really can not tell upfront everything . however coming back to US on the visa (via Road )is tricky and if asked what was essential to travel to canada will put you in a difficult spot .
per news US - Canada border is not opening soon , and US wants to open everything in Phases 1,2 &3 , non essential travel is in phase 3.
and most probably at least until May end border will not be opened for non essential , there is a hope in June ..
at the same time if medical is only thing they will ask us to do again in order to reprocess the case and give extra validity of visa then it's all up to individual choice and it comes down to $ vs Health ...
my copr expires on Jun 11.

lets keep each other informed and stay safe.

Did you apply for extension . What kind of response you got from IRCC.

 

[Bs65]

As far as I understand soft landing is not being officially allowed. Though two people have recently reported that they were successful, you can follow that thread yourself here if you like : https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/copr-and-coronavirus.681880/page-178

As for renewal/extension etc. I unfortunately do not know about how that affects or doesn't AVR.

In fact it is page 179 for an airport soft landing. There is a US land border soft landing/immedidate return post but cannot locate it but as recall that landing was not that easy and was discouraged by CBSA as non essential without a 14 day isolation. The poster persisted and was lucky but maybe given one of the travellers was a US citizen with sponsored spouse swayed the decision.

Sure it was stated as a soft landing but was a landing for 3 weeks so time included for 14 days of isolation which may well be acceptable to CBSA. It is the people who plan to either arrive and depart same day or less than the required 14 day isolation that are discouraged.

Ultimately though soft landings are attempted at own risk and dependant on the CBSA agent at the time

Note that if CBSA determine anyone who is not a citizen or PR is showing signs of COVID they will be refused entry into Canada. Having a COPR does not of course mean someone is a PR until landed so keep this in mind, although hopefully anyone with symptons would not make it to Canada anyway.


https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/copr-and-coronavirus.681880/page-179