So.....
the plan is to fly to California attend a friends wedding, hire a car and drive up to Vancouver. I've got a PR visa, and my girlfriend will enter Canada on a 6 month tourist visa and attend a yoga instructor course while I will hopefully find some electrical work, and study for my red seal.
Can anyone see any problems with this plan?
I'm assuming we can enter Canada together with 2 different kinds of visa?

Thanks

Bozo

Your girlfriend can't attend a course when she is on a visitors visa. Plus she may not get 6 months. It's up to the border officer how long she gets.

No study permit is required for a short course of six months or less.

But there's also the little matter of getting into the States in the first place. Your GF (unless American) will need a U.S. visa or a return ticket taking her out of North America within 90 days. You might need that as well if you're not already a Canadian PR.

Potentially lots of problems.

Problem 1. Boarding the aircraft on a one way ticket as visitors to the US. Airline may not let you board.

Problem 2. Until you activate your PR visa you are not a PR. If you say you are US immigration will ask for your PR card. Therefore without it you would be admitted as a visitor. Unless you have conclusive proof you are leaving the US on a certain date you may not be admitted.

Problem 3. Canadian immigration, if you arrive with a PR visa to activate and girlfriend in tow. Immigration may not let her in at all if they think she is a risk of not leaving. Without a return flight ticket to the UK, this is a high probability.

[QUOTE=cornmatthew;8726001]No study permit is required for a short course of six months or less.
QUOTE]

Wow, I never knew this. Hopefully the yoga course is less than six months.

OP, does your girlfriend have a return ticket from Canada?

Wow! There are a few potential banana skins here!

The course is 2/3 months so that's ok, I think?

We'll both get tourist visas to the U.S, and book return flights which we won't take. Would that be alright?

Do you think it's a good idea if we cross the border to Canada separately? As not to raise suspicion?
Incidentally my girlfriend has no intention of staying illegally beyond 6 months.
We've been together less than a year, so I can't bring her as my partner. She'll try and get a job (legally) if possible, and we'll cross the residency/immigration bridges as we get to them (again legally).

Bozo

Cant see that happening whilst on a 6 month tourist visa. Her job would need to be validated and then she would need to get work visa. thats before you get to the stumbling block of finding an employer willing to go through the paperwork

You can do this with a U.S. tourist visa but not on the visa waiver program.

If your nationality is part of the U.S. visa waiver program then it may be difficult to get a U.S. tourist visa.

BUT - if you have return tickets, then you can use the visa waiver program for the U.S. Do understand that admission to the United States for tourists is always at the discretion of the Immigration Officer.

Wouldn't it be easier to fly to Vancouver and then drive down to California for the wedding?

That way you take the hire car back to the same place. Can you do one way car hire ending in another country? Not cheaply probably.

You are far too logical seven of nine.

Car rental LA to Vancouver , as opposed to LA to LA for example is only approx £150 more, hence the road trip seemed more fun than flying.
Fledermaus It's along drive, I only wanna go one way; towards Canada.
Is it a big no no flying to America on a return ticket, not using the return, and exiting via Canada? What difference does it make how you leave? As long as you leave, and they know you've left.
And my girlfriend, will they refuse her a 6 month visa, if she enters via America? Is there any way if guarenteeing a 6 month tourist visa?
Zillion questions I know, thanks for the help everyone.

Bozo

Absolutely none at all. It is up to the immigration officer at the crossing you enter through.

Best case scenario would be to tell the truth completely.

If you try and make things up so as not to arouse suspicion, you'll arose suspicion. Your Canadian dreams wilol then be shot forever.

At least then if you are both quizzed seperately then your stories will match because they are the right ones.

IO officers are not stupid.

Seems a waste of money to have a return flight paid for and not use it. Can't you then fly back to LA and go home from there??

Having a plan and some evidence of a plan is the way to go.