My wife hasn't left Canada in 10 years, she is a British citizen, she came here as a child with her parents in the sixties. She never bothered to get Canadian citizenship, just went with the British passport and landed immigrant papers. Her passport has expired and she is in the process of getting it renewed. We would like to go into the U.S. for some trips and are wondering if there is any problems for people getting back into Canada that are not Canadian citizens. She has heard about a re-entry card and we were wondering if that applies to travel by car(RV) or just air travel.
For what it is worth, when we returned home to Canada last xMas, the Canadian inspector did not even look or otherwise touch our Canadian passport in spite of having it at his disposal. I just assumed at the time they want to give us the impression it is the US who are clamping down, not Canada. Then maybe his seeing from the cover that it was a Canadian passport it would not be an issue in any event.
At my workplace in Canada, we have several Brits working with us (landed immigrants with British passports). No problems returning to Canada from any of their road trips south last year; they have been asked to show their passports on occasion.
Now, once upon a time I had a boss who came over from the UK. I have this memory, that because he came prior to 1966 he is a British Subject with full citizenship privileges.
He took out Canadian citizenship because it made a difference to the children born in Canada after 1966.
So, that date could be significant. If she has papers showing 'date landed in Canada' as British subject, they would be important, I think.
The new card for getting back in is called the "permanent resident card". Came in a couple of years ago. You have to go in their office with your old "landed immigrant card" and get one of these new cards. Keep the old IMM 1000 though, you need that for some things like applying for old age pension.
BFL is right. I've been thinking of this ever since I read this first thing this morning. I ran into this a few years ago, trouble is that it coincided with some changes to the US border crossing, and it got a bit confusing.
Prior to all these changes, when crossing both borders I used to show my folded up IMM 1000 folded into my British passport. Then the US changed the rules and they no longer accepted the IMM 1000 and was treated like any other British citizen entering the US. I had to go into the office and apply for a visa waiver that cost $6 and lasted a few months, I was photographed and fingerprinted.
At the same time Canada said that the IMM 1000 had to be replaced by the Permanent Resident Card. I don't think you could just walk into an office and get one, there was an application and certified pictures and declarations etc. From what I could rememmber I would still have to go through the rigmarole at the US border.
As a result I just applied for Canadian citizenship. Luckily for me , a few weeks before my citizenship 'exam' they dropped the age for being able to get away with not doing it!
Getting back to Canada is one thing but I seriously doubt that without a valid passport ( as a non Canadian citizen) she will be allowed to enter the US.
Hi,
You need a PR card to gain entry to Canada if you travel by any commercial transportation, I don't think you needed a PR card to re enter Canada when driving in from the U.S.(last year) but best to get a PR card anyway you will need one at sometime soon it took me about 5 months for mine.
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