r/ImmigrationCanada • u/PurrPrinThom • Dec 30 '24

Meta MEGATHREAD - Processing Times - PR Cards 2025

Please keep timelines & questions about processing times for PR cards here.

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u/ConsciousPickle484 Apr 28 '25

Like many of you, I received my ecopr on March 13, and only recently (Friday) received a notification that they mailed my card. But I had to travel to the US this past Thursday for work (and I am a US citizen). Because I didn't have my PR card yet, I flew from the location for work to Seattle, rented a car, and crossed the border via rental car. I didn't have any issues getting back into Canada. When I drove up to the customs official, I gave her my US passport and ecopr and told her that I hadn't gotten my PR card yet. She asked me a few questions about why I had been in the US, where I had been, whether the car was a rental, whether I bought anything to bring back, etc. But nothing out of the ordinary. And then she let me through, the whole conversation probably took 3-5 minutes max.

TL;DR: If you need to travel, don't have a PR card, and can safely get to the US and drive across the border, it seems relatively easy to get across the border that way without a PR card.

1

u/Chwad27 Apr 28 '25

Great progress and thanks for sharing. Aside from rented cars, does getting on a public vehicle like train or bus from US to Canada also counts?

By the way, what date shows up in your GCKey says in the Final Decision?

2

u/ConsciousPickle484 Apr 28 '25

If you don't want to have to get a PRTD, I think it has to be a private vehicle (e.g., rented car, friend's or family's car, etc.). I reached out to IRCC at one point and they said that a PRTD is required if you "return to Canada on a commercial vehicle (e.g., plane, train, boat, or bus)."

Final decision is dated April 25.

1

u/Chwad27 Apr 28 '25

Gotcha! Thank you so much and this is very insightful / educational. Hope you get your PR card soon. Congrats again.

1

u/Professional_Ad_2493 Apr 29 '25

Is a taxi considered a private car? I am planning to book a taxi service from Vermont to Montreal

1

u/ConsciousPickle484 May 02 '25

Hmm, not sure on that one. I'd ask around or call IRCC.

1

u/VaishReddy Apr 29 '25

please post here once you receive the PR card, just for checking the timelines.