Question:
I went to Vancouver this weekend to see an old friend. When I arrived
at Canadian immigration I handed over my British Passport. They asked
me what my status in the US was, and when I told them, they asked to see
my green card. After leaving the counter I found that they had not
stamped my passport. This leaves me with 2 questions:
1. Does having LPR status in the US enable you to travel to Canada
without time limit? If not then...
2. What business is it of Canadian immigration what my status in
the US is?
Answer:
There still is a 6 month time limit. However, now that you're a PR, you
are afforded the same priviledge to cross the US/Canada border as a USC
- and that means no stamp in your passport.
You're travelling on a UK passport - a clear indication that you're
neither a US nor Canadian citizen. In these days of heightened security,
they likely want to know more about your situtation than they might have
cared about several years ago.
Yes, US PR's have special privileges when visiting Canada.
Sometimes they can tell you "If you enter Canada, the US won't let you
back in."
Canada wants to be sure that you can return to the US and not become
their problem. Hence the need to see your green card. Happened all the
time to my Canadian husband when entering Canada.
I will be travelling to Vancouver at the end of the year to visit my
parents. In the past I had to get a Visa to enter Canada, as I am a
South African Citizen. Now that I am a conditional PR the Canadian
consulate website claims that I no longer need a visa to enter Canada. I
also emailed the Canadian consulate in L.A and they said the same thing.
I just hope they are right......
So do you miss our rugby and cricket as much as I do? I guess not
needing a visa for EVERY country that we now plan to visit since
recieving LPR status does put a smile on the face ;)
I just checked on this last week (I am a dual US/Can citizen and my
husband is from a country that needs a visa to visit Canada normally)
and here is the quote from the Canadian consulate website..
persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence
who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or
can provide other evidence of permanent residence. "
Yeah, drinking large amounts of beer and watching a live rugby or
cricket match was a very rewarding experience for me. I was not aware
you where from SA. I am from Durban. (Ja, dis lekker by die see).
Getting visa's to enter other countries is a real pain, esp. if you try
and get them abroad. So far i was not required to get a visa for Western
Samoa and Mauritius. I went to Zimbabwe and even they required a visa,
i was pretty miffed about that. Not sure if having LPR status in the US
exempts us from obtaining visa's though. I think it only works for
Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands.
hehe, Well as long as we are travelling on our Safer PP, we will still
need visas for the majority of countries, Miff indeed. But hey, at least
with LPR status here in the US, it is 2 or 3 fewer countries that we
require visas for - moving up in the world man! LoL
