lcar

Hi.
We landed in November, and our PR cards arrived with our friend in St Thomas last week. She's sent them on to us, but they haven't arrived in the UK yet.
My OH has to return to Toronto this Thursday (2 days time) for a job interview.
What should he do if his PR card doesn't arrive between now and then? Can he re-enter on his passport and confirmation of permanent residency?
Thanks

Novocastrian

Yes. He's in the system. There'll be no problem.

lcar

Brilliant, thanks.
What does he fill in on the immigration form on the plane, and which immigration line does he go through?

Northernlass1

Although on the system he needs to be prepared for the IO being less than nice about him not having his PR card. He'll have to explain why he has no card even though he's on the system!
There's just one queue for all at Pearson so he just chooses the shortest. Customs form...he fills out as a PR...needs an address so I guess he could put the one the PR cards went to.

rich07

If he doesn't have a return ticket the UK the airline may not let him travel. My oh came back in without her Pr card and they let her in, but the IO was not impressed that she had travelled without it, we hadn't even had ours sent out. They pointed out that the visa in the passport says 1 time entry only, and the piece of paper they staple into the passport says not for travel. If you want to be on the safe side, contact the Canadian embassy in London and they will give him a travel document.

How did you friend send the cards to you? Was it a courier or Canada post, if the latter there is every chance it won't arrive before he needs it's, they are so slow!

lcar

fair enough - thanks!

lcar

I don't think the cards will arrive now - only 1 day to go, and I think they were sent Canada post.
He has a return ticket, so that bit shouldn't be a problem.
I will try contacting the Canadian embassy and see if they can advise.
Thanks for all your help.

Northernlass1

As long as he has a return ticket the airline will board him....no travel docs required. He can enter without PR card its just that they will be annoyed.
We landed in July and hubby and son returned to UK for work and uni reasons....no PR cards as immigration forgot to get all 5 of us to sign something on landing!! I flew back to UK on a return ticket in Oct for family reasons but needed to book a further flight back to UK so the airline would board us..no problems. At Pearson I had to give a long explanation as to why I didn't have the PR cards...she double checked all my papers including letter from my IO in Barrie regarding immigration's mistake and eventually let me through. When hubby and son flew in at xmas the IO said that immigration would never make such a mistake and that they should bring back the rule that once you land you have to stay in the country for 6 months!! She still let them in. When I told the IO in Barrie what had happened (she had said we could re-enter without PR cards) she explained that IO's see some terrible things such as drugs being brought into the country in dead babies???!!!! and thats why they can be a bit annoyed!!!!...glad she cleared that up for me!!
He'll have no problems its just that he needs to be prepared for the wrath of the IO!!

lcar

I did speak to someone at the embassy, who was not entirely helpful and said that my husband has to pick up travel doc from London, or change his travel arrangements and fly later.
As that isn't an option (as he's been lucky enough to get an interview, which he can't afford to turn down), and he can't get to London tomorrow and is flying out early Thursday, he will have to risk the wrath of the IO and fly without his card.

JonboyE

Just a thought but I think, technically, you are not supposed to send PR cards in the mail. If he does encounter a wrathful IO it might be an idea to say that the PR cards were sent to his friend in Canada (which is true) and not mention about them being lost in the mail somewhere over the Atlantic.

Powermantic

i am in same situation - all you have to do is to apply for a travel document - its a visa that is issued by canadian embassy and it allows one entry to Canada. It costs $50 per person and you get it in your pasport on the day of application - took me 1.5 hours. The application is straight forward - just show your proopf of landing or a proof of permanent residentce, picture for each applicant, your passports and, if you have, your flight tickets - although they are not a must.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...ons/travel.asp

I think you should apply for it in order to avoid confusion at the airport really as immigration officer in Canada will have acces to your recortd but staff at the UK airport may not know your situation and you definitely do not want to buy another flight tickets to fly some other time if you are turned down.

lcar

I have to say I think the travel document rule is a bit ludicrous - we've already spent enough on the visas, not very happy to spend even another $50.
For those who are able to stay in Canada when they land, the issue does not arise, and we could still be there now. If the cards had arrived, there would be no issue. If he were just a british citizen visiting the country for the weekend there would be no issue.
But because circumstances dictated that he had to return to the UK after landing, and he has to return to Canada before the cards have arrived, he has to organise a further travel document, even though he's completed all documentation and satisfied all conditions. Stupid, in my opinion.
Anyway, he's gone and I'll find out in about 8 hours what happens.

lcar

Well, life's like that isn't it.
His PR card arrived in the post this morning, about 7 hours too late.
Typical.
The rest of the cards haven't arrived - problem with the photograph apparently, and we have to attend CIC in London, Ontario for a new photo before 20th June.
Small problem - we don't have PR cards so can't travel.
I'd cry if I wasn't laughing at the stupidity of it all.

misplacedheidi

We flew (admittedly fron CA to UK and back return) before getting our pr cards through.
I was concerned but rang our immigration lawyer asap.

The company paid immigration lawyer in Montreal (Lessards Tremblay) said that we would be fine without the card as we would normally be allowed to enter CA anyway. She told us that the travel documents were liked for people coming from other countries where visitors require visas etc.

She said we would have no trouble and we didn't. I know of at least 4 other people in my husband's company who were in the same situation (they frequently travel) and this hasn't been an issue for anyone.

Hope that helps, and don't worry.

Steve_

It depends on the airline. If you travel from a country that doesn't require a visa to enter Canada then they'll usually let you on the plane anyway, however legally they're supposed to check your immigration status and if you don't have a PR card (as a permanent resident) they're not supposed to let you on the plane according to the transportation regs.

If you can actually get to a Canadian POE and talk to CBSA then they will let you in because you're in their system. One way around it is to fly to the US and drive to Canada if the airline won't allow boarding.

However the recommended method is to go to the Canadian High Commission and get a one-time entry visa, but getting one inside of a week is going to be tough.