Soft Landing Scenarios and AVR - Sep 2021 onwards

Hi,

Me, my wife, and US Born baby, live in the US on H1b with expired visa stamping and valid extended I797. We have our COPRs expiring in a few months, however, with constantly changing travel restrictions we want to land in Canada and return back to the USA to wrap up things here. We are exploring how we can fly into Toronto and possibly return to the US on the same/next day through AVR option.
Our 2 main concerns:

  1. IRCC website says we must “be coming to Canada to settle permanently”, thinking if this means we cannot return back on the same day/week/ or for next 14 days?
  2. Are there risks involved with AVR (Automatic Visa Revalidation) option to fly back into the US.

Has anyone done this recently, it would be great if you can post your experience.

Thanks!

1 → You can definitely return back. I recently did my landing via Land and drove back right away and Customs officer asked the same question(Why you are not coming to settle permanently right now?) and I told him that I will find a job and will move after that. And he was okay with it.

2 → There is no risk with AVR, I used it twice last week and it was like so easy. I am sure it will be same with flight as well.

Hello, good to know that you were able to go back to US with short stay in Canada.

I would like to know how you are planning to get your PR card in this case, as you already left Canada by doing soft landing. Can any friend of yours receive it in mail? I am asking this because, I recently moved to Toronto came by flight waiting for PR card to be mailed, then i will have to travel to US. Please any information will be helpful thanks.

Hi, Me and my husband are in the same boat.
Our COPR expires in December 2021, but we want to do soft landing this month and return back. The line that says “ you should be coming to settle permanently “ is confusing. Will we be able to validate our COPR and return back? Will they issue the PR card as well?

Currently the wait time on PR Cards is 4 months. I am sure you wont be able to wait that long in Canada.
I gave my friends address and he is going to mail it to me, once he gets it. Or I can go and pick up from him using COPR.

Thanks @usa2canada. Is the travel back to US from Canada open via land and air?

Yes. I guess it is open via both land and air.

Thank you for the details on this forum, they are very helpful. We completed the soft landing last week and re-entered US using AVR, by land border. No one seem to have an issue with Soft landing or AVR. The process took about 2 hours and as mentioned in most of the experiences here. They asked for Passports, COPRs, Proof of Funds, and Goods to follow list, along with the address in Canada to mail PR Cards. Does anyone know, where to check the PR Cards status?

@usa2canada Thanks a lot for your inputs. They gave us some confidence that the process works.

@shaanvee Did you receive your PR Cards yet? is there a place you track the PR Cards status?

Hi @Greenmind,

Click " Add (link) your application to your account" hyper link on Account Home page.
And then you can link the PR Card application for all the applicants in your PR.

Yes i did the same process like mentioned in the above post by @usa2canada

Got it, I was able to link it as you suggested. Thank you both!

Is the AVR good for H4 as well? Anyone used it with H4 renewed i797 before?

My wife is on H4 and we both have recently renewed i797s

@usa2canada @Greenmind @shaanvee @JBishnoi

Yes. It is good for H4 too. My wife is on H4 and we both had recently renewed our i797’s.

Hi @usa2canada
i have valid COPR and wanted to do soft landing at Niagara (rainbow or Peace bridge) next week.

  • want to know if landing is allowed 7 days/week and 24hr/day or is there a specific day
    and time it is allowed for activating PR
  • after activating PR i want to return back to US immediately, in this case can i cross border
    in my own car without importing it.
  • any issues i can face if i want to return back immediately to US?

really appreciate any help in this regard

Hi @Greenmind

did you guys fly or crossed land border. what is your port of entry

Hi @sasikbandi,

1 → You can do landing any time. Border is open 24 hours.
2 → Yes. You can return back to US immediately in your own car without importing. I did the same, used my own car to cross border. But don’t forget to add your car on the GTF list.
3 → There will be no issue for returning back immediately to USA.

Hi @usa2canada
When i called CBSA yesterday they mentioned its allowed only on TUE/WED/THU from 8am to midnight (Rainbow/Peace bridge). did you do landing on a different day?

Hi @sasikbandi,

Yes. I did it on monday around noon, not sure if something changed now.

if you dont mind can you share your port of entry and when did you do landing

Rainbow Bridge on 8/30