Mr Lee

Wow - over a year since I was last on here...

Anyway - question:

I'm off next week and was planning on a trip south of the border for a couple of days. However; I just applied for my Canadian passport and in doing so have had to send off my citizenship certificate.

This effectively leaves me with no physical proof that I am a Canadian citizen.

Now, I fully expect to have to go and see the nice guys at US Immigration on the way into the States to sort out a visa waiver, but what about on the way back at Canadian immigration? Anybody had a similar experience and how did they get around it?

bats

Drivers license? Bills with home address? Stuff to prove you live here. Just explain to them.

scilly

many years ago, before 9/11, OH went to the US and realised that he had forgotten his passport .............

US let him out, but Canadian Immigration were not happy with him


The official said "Your driver's license just proves to me that you can drive. It does not tell me your status in Canada"

He was let back into Canada, but warned very firmly that he should not do it again .........



and remember, this was before 9/11


I presume you will be travelling on a British passport ............. but you are lacking that proof


I would definitely ask Canada Immigration before you leave Canada what would be acceptable to let you back into Canada


TBH ................ I would not risk it

Former Lancastrian

I tend to think that the officers working at the border have access to this newly developed electrical gizmo called a computer. Apparently if they put your name and date of birth and place of birth allegedly some software programme searches a data base and within a couple of seconds will tell them if you are in the system.
Im betting that if they punch in your details they will find that you are a PR of Canada. At this stage they will ask for the PR card and to which you will reply it was taken away when I took the Citizenship oath on such a date. Im betting somewhere you might even have an email or letter telling you to attend such a ceremony.
There again I could be wrong.
Please tell me you have the original record of landing or the COPR form because if driving you could always use that.

Mr Lee

I would like to think that in this day and age, such items as computers and other new-fangled 'gizmos' could be used that would provide said officers with the information required to facilitate a speedy and painless border crossing.

My query was more to whether or not they would actually be arsed to use them.

Let's be honest - any of us who have crossed the border know how 'difficult' some of these people can be without provocation. I was just wondering if anybody had done this and if it was as easy as you so describe or if they hit any problems.

bats

Somebody recently posted about a forgotten PR card but they were let back in after a chat. FL is rathe clued up on this sort of thing so smile nicest at the border, take some bits of paper to show you are resident, tax papers maybe. We'll come and visit if you end up in clink.

Mr Lee

Right. Going to chance it with my COPR (almost 9 years old now ), the letter inviting me to my Citizenship Ceremony (1 year ago) and the receipt from Service Canada mentioning that I'd given them my original Citizenship Certificate with my passport application.

Hopefully those, plus my friendliest smile and a helpful border person who knows how to use a computer, will get me back into the country unscathed.

Otherwise, look out for me in the news...

dgagitw

I travelled to and from the US on my British passport after becoming a citizen and had no problems. The Canadian border agent just scanned my UK passport and waived me through. I've no idea what the specific rules say but, so long as you can prove your identity, the lack of a Canadian passport doesn't seem to be a big problem. Note that some airline staff, incorrectly, will not let you fly on a one way ticket without proof of residence, so be prepared for an argument in that point.

Juggernaut1064

Last october i travelled to the UK for a wedding, i'm a PR but my card is at least two years expired, i presented my UK passport at Calgary airport on my return, showed him my PR card and told him its expired by a while, he looked at me, gave me my card back and said......Next ! I was told to carry my COPR by an immi officer friend just in case but i wasn't asked for it, But also as an ex trucker they have a long record of border crossing for me and also i have a F.A.S.T. card but saying all this your COPR should be enough to get you back into Canada.

mikelincs

Not really the best thing to say to someone who IS one of those people. You never know he might just be the person letting you in, or not...

Juggernaut1064

When i originally came to Canada my surname was spelt incorrectly in their system at Gatwick airport, they explained that if they allowed my to fly to Canada on a one way ticket without the right to stay the airline would be fined up to 60,000 pounds ! a very long call to the canadian consulate in london from the airport clarified their spelling error and i was allowed to board, although i had to run for the plane with a young girl telling someone on her radio to "hold the door" Also i was carrying copies of the immigration paperwork "just in case" I'm assuming that fine system is still in place ?

orly

Would I be right in thinking if OP has done his citizenship oath that he is therefore a citizen and it's impossible for him not to get back in to Canada...?

Juggernaut1064

just for reference, if your from MB you can get an enhanced drivers and i was told dont need a passport for the border if you have one. Not sure how it all works but heres a link for future reference if its not already known about.

Purpose of EDL and EIC

orly

Think other provinces have this too. I'm fairly sure Ontario does and possibly BC.

Juggernaut1064

I heard some others did but not all provinces