Travelling to Canada

[jessarien 0]

Hi all, We are almost done with my wife`s immigration process IR 1 . My wife will be getting her I 551 (GC) stamped on her passport on arrival, based on the fact that we have been married for more than two years now. My question is .... Will it be OK to travel to Canada within one or two days after her arrival , so we can go spend a couple of days visiting her brother??? She might not have a social security card or number by then. Will that be a problem entering back into the US??? We are thinking of driving from NY to Toronto.

[trailmix 77]

Not a problem entering back in to the U.S. - however until she has her greencard (I am assuming she is from India based on your flag) she will still need a visa to enter Canada.

[w8inglongtime 29]

Not a problem entering back in to the U.S. - however until she has her greencard (I am assuming she is from India based on your flag) she will still need a visa to enter Canada.

Shouldn't the I-551 stamp take care of that aspect?

[HeatDeath 430]

I would think so. An I-551 passport stamp is supposed to be equivalent to a green card (which is actually labeled a Form I-551) in every way.

Your best bet is to call the specific Canadian PoE you will be using. When in doubt, always make your inquiries as close as possible to the actual people who will actually decide - in this case, the Canadian PoE officers.

[parker101 1]

Green card holder do not need visa to go to canada. just show your valid passport and green card or stamp and you are ok according to Canadian embassy website. and coming back you have no problem when you have stamp (I_551).

[jessarien 0]

thanks guys for your replies. :-)

[trailmix 77]

I actually found this information - that they should accept an I-551 stamp, while I know that the I-551 is a temporary green card, my only concern was that they may not and you can't expect them to, so therefore you should get a visa. But in light of this information (below), I would recommend you print out this page from the Gov. of Canada website and note the URL, in case she is questioned about it:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/imm/visa_temp.aspx?lang=eng

CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE US

Citizens and permanent residents of the US (Green Card holders) do not require a TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA to enter Canada as tourists. They may travel directly to a Canadian port-of-entry to seek admission. They must present proof of their status in the United States.

For permanent residents, acceptable documents to prove this status would include:

Valid Green Card

Valid I-551 endorsement in their passport

Edited April 30, 2010 by trailmix