Stumpylegs

Random question, but if I was to go over on my soft landing to activate PR collect my card etc, but in my time in the country wanted to drive over the border into the US? is that a doable thing, or would I hit problems trying to re enter the country whilst not in possession of my PR card? Did a search online but couldn't find much for land crossings.

just have 2 weddings in the US to potentially attend over the summer, one i feel i need to go to, the other less so, but given that I'd be sat the other side of the border on my lonesome waiting for a PR card to arrive, it'd be rather fun to drive down and surprise a few folk.

Snowy560

You can present yourself at the land border without a PR Card if you're in a non commercial vehicle and have suitable ID (passport etc). Bring your landing document.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpce...num=064&top=10

Stumpylegs

Thanks, i read that link when i googled - and it wasn't the clearest as it refers to a canadian passport (which is for citizens)

there was this bit "Permanent residents of Canada who are members of the NEXUS or FAST programs must travel with a passport and proof of permanent residence, and may be asked to present these documents to the officer upon arrival at the border."but i won't be a member of NEXUS or FAST, everything else refers to citizenship with the only other possible thing being a driving license, but I doubt I will sort that on my soft landing unless we are further along than i envisage being.

you then follow the IRCC link and it doesn't state what you need for non commercial vehicle entries.

Snowy560

I'm sure FL will be along in a minute but in my opinion a passport and landing document will be fine.

Hurlabrick

My understandibg as well. CBSA can eadily confirm your status on their systems (whereas an airline cannot).

Former Lancastrian

As long as you are eligible for the Visa Waiver Programme in the US and pay the $6 US fee then going over on your UK passport and taking with you the COPR form then you will be fine entering back into Canada. ESTA not required for a private vehicle.

Stumpylegs

Thanks for confirming - if it makes any difference it wouldn't be on VWP, would be on a B2 visa.

Siouxie

Ummm... on a soft landing you won't be getting your PR card straight away as you know it takes around 6=8 weeks for it to be sent to your Canadian address... or do you mean that you are going to remain in Canada (a 'normal / hard' landing)
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Landing_as_PR-Canada

Stumpylegs

I guess the current plan is somewhere between the 2, i would be landing, declaring PR with my other half - she would then fly home a few days later. I would then remain in the country but wouldn't be doing the settling thing, i.e I'd be living out of an airbnb, wouldn't be changing my driving license etc. wouldn't be actively seeking employment (although would be approaching businesses explaining my situation and of course if they were either wanting help whenever, and were happy I would be disappearing for a couple of months in a few weeks, or had a short term gig for a couple of weeks i would of course take it) might take a couple of short courses dependant on what is available.

I would hang around for my card to arrive, once i had it would fly home, to hopefully find my partner has sold the couch, the tv, bed frame etc, but not the dogs (they're coming with) or my tools (as she doesn't know what they are worth - she can't do, as i didn't tell her the truth when she asked "how much did that new drill cost") sell whats left, paint the house, get that on the market and arrange flights for the dogs and ourselves back over.

I've potentially got 7.5 + weeks in the country on annual leave from work, but there is the option of me handing my notice in once i get my CoPR stamped and not needing to return to work.

This could all change (whether that be to a soft landing and having cards posted back by friends, a hard landing ) as obviously its a waiting game to see when/if we got PR.

EDIT: maybe I am getting the definition of soft and hard landing skewed, to me it seemed to be a hard landing was you tie up all/most loose ends fly over, land as a PR and crack on with Canadian life. A soft landing to me was you land for an indefinite period of time, don't sort out driving licenses/places to stay and still have to go back home and sell up/move stuff.

Hurlabrick

Hard and Soft landings are not official CIC or CBSA terms, but they generally meam what you said here. The difference is that a SOFT landing is where you land purely to declare PR and activate / exercise your CoPR ONLY.

A HARD landing is when you 'Land as Settler' (official CBSA term that is clearly defined), where you land with the intention of settling for good, you would ask for your 'goods accompanying / goods to follow' customs forms to be processed on this landing.

Many people 'land to declare PR only' first, stay a few days or weeks then return home to sell up and land later to 'land as settler' (we did). Just careful not to leave your landing as settler too long as there is a residency obligation that starts from when you land as PR that you must live in Canada 2 years out of every 5 on a rolling basis (I have seen many stories of people falling foul of this on another forum!).

You can also of course do one single landing where you do both at the same time, entirely up to you.

HTH

Revin Kevin

My daughter crossed in and out of Canada several times by private car while working in the US near the border, her British passport was all she showed them.