Leaf25

I activated my PR in December last year (perfect Christmas present) and drove over to Niagara Falls, NY to stay over night and return to Canada the next day to activate my PR. Once I was set with my PR I asked the Canadian border agent about the I-94 and whether they need to take it from me. They advised if I keep it I can cross back without having to go through the whole hassle I'd had the day before. So I thought I might as well keep it, just in case I want to go back.

Well now I'm in the process of renewing my British passport so I saw the slip and noticed it had expired. I checked on the homeland website and it states that I exited the US the day my PR was activated.

So I'm not sure whether to send the I-94 and the documents back to the US or whether to leave it as it is?

On a side note anyone had any experience with renewing their British passport with a PR card? I know they're separate, just wondered if I have to inform CIC or someone of the new number?

Former Lancastrian

Legally the I94 waiver should have been returned/handed in. Now those of us with experience might just suggest ripping it up and binning/burning it and if ever asked about it you handed it in.
As for the new passport no need to inform IRCC as the PR card isn't linked to it in the sense of the old passport expiring.

If you are paranoid and worried about going to jail then follow these instructions
If you failed to turn in your I-94 Departure Record, please send it, along with any documentation that proves you left the United States. As of November 1, 2014, the address is:

Coleman Data Solutions

Box 7965

Akron, OH 44306

Attn: NIDPS (I-94)

USA

(If using U.S. Postal Service)

OR

Coleman Data Solutions

3043 Sanitarium Road, Suite 2

Akron, OH 44312

Attn: NIDPS (I-94)

(If using FedEx or UPS)

NavyBoy

"But I handed it over to the CBSA officer like it says on the card, can't believe they didn't return it to you. Rubbish isn't it"

DigitalGhost

It doesn't help that the CBSA often offer to let you keep it in case you want to go back in the next 90 days. They've made that offer to me in the past and I politely declined but it just seems to be asking for trouble IMHO.

Vulcanoid

Yeah, I once forgot about mine until a mile or so back inside Canada. The first border guard didn't even mention it, just customs, welcome back. Drove back from the highway to the hut, went inside, had to work fairly hard to surrender it, explaining that yes I knew it was valid for another 80 days, I was going back to Britain for at least 200 days, the Yanks had said the Canadians needed to take it, and - "Yeah. *eye roll*. They do say that. Fine, fine". I wouldn't be remotely surprised if it never made it back given her attitude to the whole thing

DigitalGhost

When I was there the CBSA officer had a clear plastic bin bag full of them and in a variety of different languages. What then happened to that bin bag is a mystery (i.e. was it handed back to the American side when it was full or did the Canadians simply incinerate it).

In any case, it shouldn't be Canada's responsibility to police US exits IMHO. If the Americans want those things surrendered upon departure then they should implement exit controls at the border.

DandNHill

We never returned the ones we got in 2015. We went back in 2017 and never got asked why we hadn't returned them. We have ones in our passports at the moment that expire in a couple of weeks actually...

lins and Stef McLachlan

You were very lucky. I live as a PR in Windsor, Ontario and cross reguarly to Detroit for shopping or to eat out. Only once, I took an expired I94 into the US Border Control office in order to get it renewed. As it was expired, I was given a really hard time. The visa validity is 90 days....if it is not handed in before it expires and you then go back to US weeks or months later, they assume that you have never left the US and you get into serious trouble as they can assume that you have overstayed and they can refuse to issue you with another new one and bar you from entry into the US in future. If you get an arse on the day you could also find yourself locked up and then deported.......so avoid the hassle and hand it back before the expiry date, or at the very least take it out of your passport and get rid of it. I dont think they check whether it has actually been sent in.

DandNHill

Hubby worked at Pearson at the time and was told by the US border guards that it wouldn't be an issue. So yeah we took it out and nobody asked any questions.

jamesmc

As above ...ive told my story before....getting a pistol pulled on you by a Us border officer threating to have you arrested and deported is not fun in any way all because of a I94 left in your passport. Note they cant get the fact into their head that you are "coming"south so how are you overstaying in the USA.also make sure if visiting the USA that your I94 will be valid for the time you are in country as it has happened in the not so past to drivers that have broken down and the card gets out of date and then stopped at roadstops been arrested and deported back to iirc wales/uk ,truck was held and the driver had to fly back to MB to his family(banned from the USA for a number of years).