syeven

Just a quick one... When I landed on December 1st, the immigration officer said the PR card will arrive in the post in 5-8 weeks. They also mentioned that the confirmation of Permanent Residence letter stapled into my passport is not sufficient proof for travel. I told her that I intended to go to the UK for christmas and she said that I would have to fly into seattle and enter Canada by road - Is this correct? She seemed a bit confused by the whole landing process. Why does it make a difference if I arrive by road or via the airport? Your thoughts please

Andrew Miller

If you hold British passport then no problem with coming back.

syeven

Thanks Andrew!

MarkG

Because an airline may not let you board a plane with a one-way ticket to Canada if you don't have a PR card or an appropriate visa. The Canadian immigration staff will be able to verify your status in Canada when you arrive, but the airline don't know if you're allowed into the country as the COPR isn't valid for travel purposes.

With a car, you can just drive across... you don't need to prove to yourself that you're a Canadian resident in order to get in .

JAJ

But a visa waiver passport is valid for travel.

MarkG

Sure, but it doesn't mean you'll get on the plane.

Certainly when I booked my flight over I emailed the airline and they wanted a relevant visa (work permit, PR, etc) to board with a one-way ticket.

JAJ

It's legal as far as CIC is concerned.

Work permits are not travel documents in any sense of the term.

MarkG

Which is what I said above. It still won't get you on the plane if the airline want a proper visa before they'll let you fly with a one-way ticket; but you're free to turn up at the airport and argue with them about it.

Given the roughly three million previous discussions of this subject I really don't understand why this is at all controversial; some airlines will let you on with a one-way ticket and no PR card, some say they won't, but might let you on anyway. Either way, unless you can get them to confirm it before you fly, you're taking a risk.

JAJ

Seems to be ok according to Air Canada's website but obviously there might be more problems with a charter airline:
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...traveldoc.html

babsi

I didn't have one in 2002 on Delta and wasn't able to board the plane.

My PR card expired and there was no time to get a new one so I went to the embassy in Berlin and got a travel visa. It was a hassle to get but I needed it to get back into Canada. I even had hassle at Heathrow with the visa and am near enough sure if I hadn't of had that then I wouldn't be able to board the plane. And this was BA.

syeven

Luckily I am flying with Air Canada so it does seem from the website info that I will be ok to travel.

Rob_999

JAJ this has been argued to death on here. Even Air Canada seem like they don't know. On the link you just posted it clearly states:

Every Canadian permanent resident needs a valid permanent resident card (PR card) to return to Canada by commercial carrier - plane, bus, train or boat. The PR card provides proof of your immigration status. Without it, you won't be allowed to board the carrier back to Canada. Canadian citizens don't need a PR card.

In reality you're unlikely to get more than a bit of hassle on check-in, I would get to airport early in case of problems.

budda

HI Guys,

I know we are kicking the proverbial arse out of this conversation, but i just called Canadian affair and basically what they said was that they reject you at the Airport if there is a question mark about your status and you are going one way. This is beacause if immigration do not let you into Canada at the Canadian end then the airline are responsible for you.

I have my record of Landing and the visa in my passport, which i would say if proof enough of my status.

I am just not sure why they tell you that you need a travel document, when you sometimes you dont. I am going to Scotland and they are telling me I need to fly donw to London and back for a travel document, when perhaps i dont need one