Soft Landing via Road

Moving Here
61

@appy22 thank you! Yes I tried using that link for address entry but it does not accept any of my IDs. I have heard that the link doesn’t work for majority cases and only certain ones. Not sure why. I have provided the PR card address using the web form.

62

Hi All,

I am planning for a soft landing along with my family (wife + baby) at Niagara location.

  1. Can I use any bridge to cross?
  2. Can I just walk across instead of in a car? (I am planning to stay in Canada for few days. So I would like to rent a car on other side.)
  3. How long does this take? (Especially because I am walking across)

Thanks.

63

Hello Prag, did you find any difficulty entering Canada again on CoPR via road? I need to do the same next month. Please confirm. Thanks.

64

Hi All
I went thru Windsor border for Soft Landing. I was driving from USA. Everything was smooth except:

  1. The CBSA officer asked me how many days will I be in Canada. I was there for that weekend and so I said 3 days. Soon after he realized I wasn’t moving to Canada in this trip, 2 things happened:
  • Canadian address where my PR cards were supposed to arrive wasn’t accepted. He said they will only accept my address when I move to Canada. Now there is an option where I can update my address online. Should I do it?
  • Coz of that, my GTF wasn’t accepted either. Let’s say I go ahead and update my address online, my PR cards arrive in a couple months… what happens to GTF ? When I actually move, will my GTF be accepted then ?
    Thanks.
    J.
65

One more question:
What’s the best way to move money from US to Canada?

66

Hey Skopark,

I performed my soft landing through land border via Ambassador bridge from Detroit. CBSA officer didn’t accept my Canadian address so I am in the same boat as you. I am in US now. I have a couple of questions, will appreciate your assistance.

  1. What online link you used to update your Canadian address to receive the PR card? The link provided by appy22 in the post above you didn’t work for me either.

  2. Can you please advise if you received an update from IRCC on processing of your card?

Thanks!

67

Hello @guru01
I had similar situation when i did soft landing at Windsor. I guess if you are not moving permanently they do not want to process PR card.
You can look at below post, It has information how i have updated the address.

68

Hi @guru01, sorry for the late reply, completely missed your message and didn’t get an email notification. Yes, the Windsor officer did not take my address for the PR card and said I should get a PR card only when I permanently move to Canada.

  1. The only sure shot way is to call the IRCC in Ottawa and update your address. I used the online address update form but IRCC gave me a confirmation of the address change a full 10 days after submitting the form. In the meantime I just called the IRCC call center in Ottawa and updated the address. It took 5 attempts after which someone answered my call at the call center.

  2. The call center lady was very nice and cordial. My contact person in Canada got my PR card mailed to them in exactly 14 days as the PR card timeframe tracker showed. It was very smooth sailing.

69

First point about not taking down the PR card address is correct and I faced the same situation. I called the call center in Ottawa and updated the address on the call.

Second point about GTF not accepted is bizarre. I did not have this problem and my large GTF list (including my car that will be imported) was accepted easily and signed off. I do not think you get a second chance to submit a GTF list unless the officer tell you that is possible.

70

The officer did mention that they’ll accept my GTF when I actually move to Canada. But again that’s probably true only if I stop by at the CBSA office at the border and process my PR cards then.

71

Hi Team,

I’m planning to complete soft landing into canada at detroit border through Ambassador bridge on Saturday. I have couple of questions which are mentioned below.

  1. Can we complete soft landing on saturday or sunday? If yes what are the timings( ambassador bridge)? I am not able to find enough threads on people completing soft landing on Saturdays.

  2. Right now i am on F1 visa and will be on h1 from 1st of October. So, what documents do I need to carry to re enter to USA?

72

Hi Aditya,

Congrats on your PR! I’m currently on H1B too. My status was changed from F1 to H1B in the US years ago, and my F1 visa expired already. So technically I’m not allowed to re-enter US if I leave. In this case, may I return to the US on the same day after softlanding?

Thanks,
Ata

73

Hey All
When I went for soft landing thru ambassador bridge, the Canadian address I provided was not accepted since I wasn’t really moving to Canada at that time.They did give me an option of updating my address online. When I tried doing that, I got this message. Anybody in the same boat? any ideas?

"We were not able to identify you using the information you provided. There could be three possible reasons:

  • Please be sure the information you entered is correct and then try again .
  • This service is only available to clients with applications in process. We may have received your application but not begun processing it yet. The following link may help you determine if your application is being processed:
    Application Processing Times
  • At this time, you may use this on-line service if you have:
    • sponsored a member of the family class;
    • applied for permanent residence from within or outside Canada;
    • applied for a permanent resident card (replacement or renewal);
    • applied for Canadian citizenship (grant of citizenship);
    • applied for Canadian citizenship for a person adopted by a Canadian citizen (on or after January 1, 1947);
    • applied for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship);
    • applied to renounce Canadian citizenship; or
    • applied to resume Canadian citizenship.

Thanks.
Jay

74

Hello @chsravi
I did my landing on a Friday, reason being I wanted to get my SIN number as that is open only M-F. otherwise, you can do landing even on saturday or sunday 24*7 at windsor/detroit.
Once you are on H1b , make sure you carry I797 with i94 as you will not have valid stmap, CBP uses this for AVR at the border.

Refer to my post that i linked below about my landing experience.

75

Hello @atacama,
Yes, You can comeback on same day using AVR, but make sure you carry your valid current i797 with AVR and all additional documentation related to your previous H1B.

Refer to the below link, if you need more information on how i did mine.

76

Hello @Jayjay

I was in same situation as you, Please refer to my post below on how i updated my address by calling CIC.

77

@mrandmrs, @avj, @usa2can, @akel Please suggest the bridges/borders which process the PR card application during soft landing? I read a post by someone who crossed thru the Peace Bridge and their PR card application was not processed as it was not their permanent move to Canada.

78

Hi Rival,

I went through peace bridge on 19Sep2019, everything went well. They accepted our UPS mailbox address for all of us to ship our PR cards. I think it is matter of luck. Even if the officer does not accept your address during landing you can always call IRCC or raise a request via webform to get it processed. So travel as per the most convenient way, it doesnt really matter.

My experience with CBSA-

Entered Canada through peace bridge, lady officer at booth asked me why I am coming to Canada and gave me yellow slip marked as immigration. She asked me to park my car and go inside the building.

Inside the building one of the officer asked me to handover the yellow slip, passports for all of us and asked us to take a seat. After 15 minutes one lady officer was calling my name. She asked me if I am moving here permanently ? I said yes, but I have to go back to US within next week to wrap my job, clear apartments and other duties in US. She said why didn’t you complete it before? I said since I received my CoPR in Sep and it was expiring in October I didn’t get enough time. She was bit cranky with me and asked for my address in Canada. I gave my UPS address and she started to ask me regarding whose address it was and stuff, I said friends address. Then she asked me for proof of funds, I gave her bank statements. After checking everything she asked me to sign CoPR and said congratulations you are now PR in Canada, please retain them. Then she asked me to go to another counter and questioned about goods to accompany and goods to follow. Another officer asked me same question regarding my car, why are not moving permanently? Where is your title? Why you didn’t export your car. I said I didn’t get enough time to clear off loan and get title from bank,
blah blah… He then asked my car make and model, opened some red book and put $17000 on my GTF form, stamped it and asked me to go another counter to get $0 tax receipt, stapled it to GTF list and I left.

Overall, it took 40 minutes of time but everything was ok. It was like going to DMV to get your license and registering your car. I would say :peace_symbol: peace bridge is ok if it’s near to you.

Good luck

1 Like
79

Thanks @akel. So they accepted the US address? We are planning to drive from NY to Canada! Which bridge/border to use? Rainbow or Peace?Do the office ask if you are planning to stay permanently or will return to US?

80

Not US address, UPS address (Canadian UPS mailbox). Please don’t give your US address .

Yes, they always know if you are moving permanently or not, by talking to you. Just be truthful.

Even if you don’t get Canada PR card issued at Canadian port of entry, you can do it online through webform or calling IRCC.

Just be very clear to them that I will be staying in Canada for next week or two, look for an apartment and will go back to US to wrap up my job, apartment and will coming to Canada next month or so.

Don’t forget to get your GTF list stamped with your car (VIN number) on it. Get that $0 receipt. Don’t get attached to PR card straight away, you will get it someday.

My suggestion would be peace bridge if it’s near to you, just enjoy your trip. Make sure you clean your car , lady officer asked me if I am carrying any tobacco or alcohol products.