Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card?

Canada Immigration Forum (discussion group)


 
       
Subject: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card?
  Hey guys,

I´m a Canadian PR Card holder. My PR Card expired in June 2008. I applied for renewal in May 2008 and after that I went to USA to take care of some family stuff. I still have my expired PR Card with me.

Now the renewal of my PR card is approved and I´ve to go back to Canada to pick my new PR Card. So my question is how can I travel back to Canada?

My understanding is that if I have to travel by plane I need to apply for Travel Document.

But I´ve not found a clear explanation about what do I need if I want to travel to Canada by Car from USA. I don´t have IMM 1000 document. I do have my expired PR Card, SIN Card, Canada Driver License, Canada Bank Cards, some mails and letter from CIC stating that my PR Card is approved. Can I travel to Canada with these documents or I can not enter Canada??

Please let me know what would be right solution for this problem.

Thanks,
Sam

[24-07-2008,18:32]
[***.155.18.65]
Sam
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
You will arrive at the border in a car so yes you can travel that way.

Should not the question be will they let you across? LOL

Here is how it works. Tell it in more detail then what you posted here. Get even more evidence and WELCOME BACK.

Since you probably have no right to return they will let you in and if they write a report cross that bridge when you get to it.

Roy
www.cvimmigration.com

[24-07-2008,18:42]
[**.55.218.244]
Roy
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
Yes the question is Can I enter Canada in my Car with my expired PR Card and other documents (SIN Card, Canada Driver License, Canada Bank Cards, some mails and letter from CIC stating that my PR Card is approved).

What do you mean by I don´t have any right to return? As I said my request for the renewal is approved. so why would you say that?


[24-07-2008,19:14]
[***.155.18.65]
Sam
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
Aggression I can live with that. Good for the soul.

I´m assuming from your posting that your not a US citizen and therefore would be left on the bridge because the Americans would not allow you to return because you have no authorization to return to the US and therefore your status in Canada has to be argued.

Now if you have been working in the states IRS will inform Rev. Canada so quickly pay your Canadian Taxes.

Logical?

Roy
www.cvimmigration.com

[24-07-2008,19:57]
[**.55.218.244]
Roy
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
Yes you are right I´m not a US Citizen. So according to you if a person is not a citizen he must be living illegally. Well sir you are wrong here.

I´m in US with a valid status.

Now lets go back to my question. :)

Can I enter Canada in my Car with my expired PR Card and other documents (SIN Card, Canada Driver License, Canada Bank Cards, some mails and letter from CIC stating that my PR Card is approved).

[24-07-2008,20:07]
[***.155.18.65]
Sam
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
it will depend if the border guard believes your story so make sure you have everything well documented. Can you prove you have lived in Canada 730 days out of the last 5 years?
[24-07-2008,20:16]
[**.155.160.37]
Sharon
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
I have the approval letter for new PR Card from CIC. I did not stay 730 days in Canada. I´m staying in US with my wife She is a Canadian citizen and based on that my PR card renewal was approved).

Can anyone say for sure if I would have any trouble at the border or not?

Thing is I can apply for Travel document but that will take 4 weeks and I have to be in Canada soon :(.

[24-07-2008,21:50]
[***.155.18.65]
Sam
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
nobody here can guarantee what will happen to ANYONE attempting to cross the border.

I got hassled the other day because the officer thought I should be at work instead of heading to the US for Macy´s one day sale! could not believe I would wait in line for an hour so what was my REAL intent. I have a valid Canadian passport, residency in Canada and I am a white female travelling alone in an economy car - so go figure who peed in his cornflakes that morning.

[24-07-2008,22:16]
[**.155.160.37]
Sharon
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
It amazes me that while you can zip across European borders (EU) without hardly slowing down, here on the great North American continent, the supposed enlightened "new world", crossing the Canadian/U.S. border is like traveling between East and West Germany during the height of the cold war.

My classic examples:

U.S. border officer: "What were you doing over there? You moved there? Why would you do that?"

Canadian border officer: "You can´t bring that car in, it´s a U.S. registered vehicle." "You better import it of next time we´ll impound it."

And these countries claim they´re friends? It´s all pretty backward and uncivilized to me. How hard would it be to take a hint from the EU on how to do this?

[24-07-2008,23:28]
[**.47.173.225]
Richard
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
Sharon pee in cornflakes, ME having Kellogg as a family name, that hurt. LOL

Richard I agree 100% with your comments. You can fly into any country rent a car and zip through border after border. North America the border guards have a mind set that your sneaking in an extra bottle of whiskey.

Now back to the issue at hand.

SAM thinks that because he has been approved to pick up his new PR card CBSA officer should kiss his butt. Well maybe because he is a little guilty of something, eh!

Any person whether they have a visitor visa, student visa or is a Canadian citizen will be questioned at the port of entry and at that time the onus is on them that they have the right to enter Canada.

Has Sam complied with the residency obligations? Well Sam prove it! PROVE IT! You got two minutes.

THESE ITEMS "(SIN Card, Canada Driver License, Canada Bank Cards, some mails and letter from CIC stating that my PR Card is approved)DO NOT PROVE YOU HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY PRESENT FOR 730 DAYS IN ANY FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

SO GET MORE EVIDENCE BECAUSE MANY STAY OUT OF CANADA TOO LONG AND ONLY RETURN THROUGH THE STATES WITH A (UNUSUAL) STORY TO PICK UP A NEW PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD.

Use your agression at the POE it will go over BIG TIME.

Roy
www.cvimmigration.com

[25-07-2008,08:37]
[**.52.219.46]
Roy
(in reply to: Travel to Canada by Car with Expired PR Card? )
I was very curious about the subject matter; as I got dual reply about it from some earlier posts. Some sugegsted that NO. You must have a valid PR card or travel document to enter Canada. But some made me confused by saying that if you are coming from the USA then can enter with an expired card but have to travel by either your own car or commercial vehicle (can´t remember now). So far I didn´t see any official notice for the 2nd opinion. That´s why feelign very curious about it but unfortunately it looks like that nobody is quite sure about it or at least not telling it clearly.

My honest sugegstion for Sam, get a travel document unless you get any solid info, don´t take any chance of going to the border and return back. It is true that the approach of the border officials may be unpredictable, but they can´t give entry to someone above specific instruction of law; like can´t enter without a valid PR card or travel docs. If that is the law then no matter what other docs you provide they wouldn´t let you in. Though they can deny entry to any valid PR card or visa holder at their judgement. But not the other way. Suggestion of story making is not a very good idea.

If I´m not sure about anything then I would declare that in the first hand rather than talking some other unrelated personal subjects. Is there any provision that the border official can let anyone with expired PR card provided a good explanation? I´m not sure, may be. If so then would be enough to relay that to him rather than going into so many unrelated matters. One of my freind enterd 2 months ago from Canada to US with an expired green card, though had to spend half an hour. This may not true for Canada.

Sam already got the official certificate that his PR status is valid, so I don´t know why he is repeatedly being asked to prove whether he stayed 730 days (valid PR status is same no matter how you kept it by 730 days or accompanying your Canadian spouse or business overseas..). ..guilty of something..can´t believe hearing some language like kiss..He didn´t break any US or Canadian law (based on what he says). He just wanted to know something.

Richard,

In my experice, the most harrasing bevahious I get from the British authorities, not even the US immigration. We are now seriously thinking to avoid UK as a transit. Not sure about the other EU countries though. I understand that may be due to our skin and bearing name of a certain religion. After all sand always appear warmer than the sun.


[25-07-2008,09:57]
[***.254.208.246]
DC