Re-entry without PR card
 

We have recently been granted PR after living in Quebec fot the past 2 years on work visas.
The whole family except my son now has their PR cards.
I have to travel to UK next week with my children so how can he re-enter without a card?
I don't have his 'confirmation of PR' paper either as we had to send it off for renewal of health cards.

Any ideas?????

Thanks

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

You need to get COPR back - why did you send original in the first place??? Without it your son can't apply for PR Card nor Travel Document. Why your son doesn't have PR Card? What is your son's nationality?

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Because it had to be the original. He has applied for PR card, it just hasn't arrived yet. He is british.

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Nobody can take (except CIC) original of your COPR, it is needed for citizenship application and you must keep it for your record.

If you can't wait for the card then he may return to Canada with British passport - it is not a problem entering Canada without PR Card - it is a problem boarding a plane to Canada if one needs a visa. Brits don't need visa

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

They will return the COPR once the application has been processed and I'm sorry but it did have to be the original. Maybe in Quebec things are different to elsewhere.

Because he has applied for PR card and has a visa in his passport that was good for only one re-enter into Canada which has now been used he cannot now enter as a tourist.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

I just came in through the US border and the officer took the first 2 copies of the COPR. We just have 1 copy of the COPR with us. Strictly speaking what we have is not the 'original' but a 'copy'. He said that it was good enough for us to 'drive' through the US border in a private vehicle, as many times as we wish to, till we get our PR using the 'copy'.

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

interesting thread .. i will be in a similar predicament soon...plan to get my passport stamped before the visa runs out and return to the UK after two weeks ...i know in that time, the PR card will not be ready ... re-assuring to know that I can enter without any problems given that us Brits dont require a visa ..... ;)

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

How long will you be in the UK for? Is there any chance for someone to send the PR card from Canada to your son while he is in the UK?
People often seem to land then return to UK and ask a friend or relative in Canada to forward the PR card/s to the UK as and when they arrive at the Canadian address given.

Hope you can sort it out OK, how old is your son? :)

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

I would check with the airline who is taking you back to Canada. JAJ always says Air Canada do not require PR card. We flew ThomasCook (Canadian Affair charter) and when they saw Mr B only had a one-way ticket they insisted that he show his PR card. He had it, wasn't a problem, but I don't know what they'd have done if he hadn't.

Can you get your son a 50 CAD Travel Document from the High Commission when you're in the UK just in case?

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Not without COPR

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Surely an explanation of where the child's COPR is, along with copies of parents COPR/PR cards would enable an eClient confirmation (or whatever they use internally at CHC) that the child had indeed landed and was a PR and could therefore be issued with a travel document?

I read police report of loss is acceptable in lieu of COPR but obviously in this case it's not lost, just inaccessible.

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Thanks Biiiiiink (is that enough i's?) and yep, we are flying one way back to Canada on Thomas Cook. I would have thought immigration at Montreal would want to see it too?

I'm 99% sure his PR card won't arrive in time (when I called it apparently says 'in progress' but before they will look into it they are sending me a 'solemn declaration' form that I have to complete and send back).

What I 've got my fingers crossed for is supposedly the papers from the Regie de Maladie are being sent back to us which includes the COPR so fingers crossed they arrive in time and then I'll go to London and get a temporary travel doc. before coming back.

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

Unless there is a specific CIC rule insisting that visitors have return/onward tickets (and I've never seen any evidence of this) then it sounds like the check-in staff may have been out of order.



Jeremy

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

If an airline allows a passenger to board a flight without proper travel documents (either proving return or onward ticket or right of residency if on a way way), then they are held responsible if the passenger is turned around and sent home at port of entry. They pay the cost of the seat if a passport officer sends someone back. Have you not seen those Airport shows on TV?

Sure passengers change their mind, cancel return tickets etc, but it is a red flag to any passport control officer of any country if you land with a one ticket without proof that you are leaving or proof that you have a permit to stay (PR or work permit).

Ozinca

Re: Re-entry without PR card
 

I guess they're just covering themselves - if someone states they're a PR with a one-way ticket but when they land it turns out they're not, the airline won't want the cost of repatriating them, or a fine. They probably have a no PR card/Canadian passport, no one-way ticket policy, their prerogative, not CIC's. We also got an enclosure with the booking confirmation stating the same, so it wasn't a surprise to be asked for PR card at the airport.

It says on the CIC website ( http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pr-card/prc-issues.html ):-

"The card became mandatory for permanent residents returning to Canada by commercial carrier as of December 31, 2003. Since that date, permanent residents returning to Canada by airplane, boat, train or bus must show their PR card to carrier personnel when boarding to prove their permanent resident status in Canada."

That led me to believe that the airline were obliged to ask for it, and implied that Mr B could be denied boarding if we didn't have it.

So, if a PR has a return ticket but no proof of PR status, ThomasCook will carry them (with a valid UK passport). This still confuses me as to whether you can enter as a tourist simply because you don't have proof of PR status? What happens at Immigration control?

Just interested for future reference as Mr B doesn't tend to keep important stuff in safe places ;)

Edit: Ozinca: that's what I thought too. Not necessarily an entry requirement of the respective country, but a red flag to the airline if no supporting evidence of right to remain can be shown.