背景資料:
擔保人小時候隨家人移民加拿大, 2006尚未取得公民就回台灣求學, 離開時PR Card有效至2008, 之後從未回加拿大直到2016因家人生病需要回加拿大探望, 原本抱著頂多當場放棄的心理準備, 計畫從美國陸路入境姑且一試。策略:
1. 怕老公跟著他一起被卡在關卡, 所以老公在西雅圖多待一晚, 隔天同樣從陸路入境2. 由在溫哥華的家人開車南下到西雅圖接機
3. 選擇晚上11點多12點深夜通關
4. 誠實
準備資料:
1. 過期PR Card2. Landing paper
3. 醫生證明
入境過程:
過海關時先拿台灣護照並告知是PR但PR Card已經過期了, 這次來是因為家人住院需要來探望, 有拿移民紙出來, 但CBSA officer還是要求看PR Card, 醫院證明則沒有用到。海關看完就說:I could have asked you to come in and questioned you but I'm not gonna do that this time。也有問在台灣有沒有family, 最後講了一句話: 想清楚是要待著還是要放棄, 下次一定下車進辦公室, 然後就放行了。
入境生活:
入境後, 挑戰才正要開始擔保人由於沒有任何Photo ID, 也無有效PR Card, ICBC不給申辦駕照。銀行也因為其PR身分卻卻沒有有效Photo ID而不願讓她開帳戶, 自然也不能申請信用卡, 連Costco會員都不能申請。也就是在取得新的PR Card之前, 過著出入只能搭公車, 消費靠現金等近似隱形人的生活。後來發現懷孕, 才決定那不如試著留下來, 於是先後幫老公辦了觀光延簽, 境內依親, OWP, 皆一項一項順利完成。
終於在2018/6, 已住滿了2年又3個月後, 送出了PR Card申請, 開始要"浮出水面"了!有趣的是, 老公在2018/07通過審查取得PR, 但擔保人依舊處於無證件狀態。
最後, 在2019農曆春節前夕, 收到了來自CIC的大紅包--- PR Card。目前已經開始著手準備申請公民, 預計一滿3年(2019/4)就送件。
詳細時間軸
2016/03/06 擔保人自美國陸路入境2016/03/07 PR申請人自美國陸路入境
2016/08/05 遞出線上延簽申請
2016/08/15 遞出境內依親申請
2016/09/02 PR申請人延簽申請體檢通知
2016/09/28 PR申請人延簽申請通過
2016/11/30 PR申請人收到open work permit
2018/06/xx 遞出PR Card申請
2018/06/22 PR申請人收到面試通知
2018/07/01 PR申請人報到成為PR
2018/09/27 PR Card申請補件通知: 護照全頁影本, 原居國出入境紀錄, 其他實際在加拿大居住的佐證
2019/01/11 PR Card寄出通知
2019/01/17 PR Card入手
2019/04/xx 將送公民申請
案例分析
特別分享這個案例是因為它釐清了許多移民圈裡似是而非的錯誤觀點, 也提供了想要搬回加拿大卻猶豫不決的PR一點信心1. PR Card 過期就等於PR Status過期(X)
PR Status不會過期, 只會喪失(自願或經過法定程序)喪失PR Status除了犯罪以外最主要的原因是因為不滿足居住義務(Residency Obligation), 但必須經由法定程序才會被剝奪PR Status, 不是不滿足就自動喪失。
CIC官網也講的很清楚, PR Card是PR的旅行文件, 過期不代表該PR喪失PR Status, 就像護照過期, 並不會喪失國籍的意思是一樣的。如果一直住在境內, 沒有出境, PR Card過期, PR Status有任何問題嗎?答案是: 一點問題都沒有, 還是模範PR哩!!
2. PR沒有住滿兩年, 或沒有有效PR Card不能擔保配偶移民(X)
PR要成為擔保人的條件要求很簡單, 住在境內, 沒有犯罪紀錄, 前次擔保期已結束, 經濟能力, 沒有任何removal order, 並無要求申請當下一定要滿足居住義務條件。舉例來說, 拿到PR Card就回國結婚成家直到剩下一年的時候舉家搬回加拿大並立刻送件, 送件當下確實是無法滿足居住義務的, 但會不會影響其擔保人資格?我個人理解是不會的。除非PR已經面臨inadmissibility的調查, 在跑聽證會等流程, 或者是因為擔保人在申請成為擔保人時候其PR身分受到質疑, 進而被review 居住義務, 否則要成為擔保人應該是沒有問題的. 若真的被review那擔保人申請可能得等到前項調查完畢, 確認PR Status後才會繼續審查, 這會造成擔保申請延遲。
3. CBSA可當場要求放棄PR否則不准入境(X)
常常會有人分享說以前PR Card過期在入境的時候被CBSA恐嚇說看是要當場放棄PR或者是遣返, 為了可以順利入境只好當場自願放棄。這其實是該CBSA非常不道德的作為!根據ENF04 – Port of Entry Examinations Section 11.4 Investigating permanent residents for inadmissibility
…..BSOs must remain cognizant of the fact that s.19(2) of the Act gives permanent residents of Canada the right to enter Canada at a POE once it is established that a person is a permanent resident, regardless of non-compliance with the residency obligation in A28 or the presence of other inadmissibilities…
….BSOs can refuse entry to a permanent resident only when the person has already lost the status in accordance with the provisions of A46 (such as when a final determination has been made outside of Canada that the permanent resident has failed to comply with the residency obligations, or when a removal order comes into force)
也就是說, 只要能證明PR Status仍然有效, 不管居住義務是否符合, 該PR都有權力以PR身分入境。除非, PR Status該PR於海外時候就已經被註銷, 或者已經有removal order
那CBSA的權力是甚麼呢?
During the process of determining that a person is a permanent resident, BSOs will sometimes become aware of evidence of inadmissibility. In such cases, the BSO may refer the individual to Immigration Secondary to ask additional questions to determine if the permanent resident is in compliance with IRPA. The BSO should explain to the person that while it has been established that they have a right to enter Canada, there is some reason to believe they could be the subject of a report under IRPA which could lead to the issuance of a removal order. At this point, the examination remains ongoing and the permanent resident must answer truthfully all questions…
Officers should always remain aware of the principles of procedural fairness in these proceedings. The permanent resident must be given a fair opportunity to know the case to be met; to provide evidence in order to correct or contradict any concerns related to admissibility; and to have the evidence fully and fairly considered by the decision-maker.
In cases where:
permanent resident status is established; and
the BSO believes on a balance of probabilities or reasonable ground to believe, as the case may be, that the person is in non-compliance with IRPA for failure to comply with residency obligation (A28, A41(b)), or inadmissible to Canada for any other reasons outlined at A34, A35, A36, A37, A40, or A41; the BSO at Immigration Secondary may report the person if there is sufficient evidence to support an inadmissibility allegation. In the absence of sufficient evidence to support the writing of an inadmissibility report, the BSO may enter any available information into GCMS (date of entry, last country of embarkation, current address in Canada, etc.) and forward notification of the same to a CBSA inland office in Canada to determine whether an investigation is warranted.
大意就是說, CBSA雖然不能拒絕已經確認PR Status的PR入境, 但如果有足夠的理由懷疑該PR可能有違反PR相關規定的狀況, CBSA可以舉報該PR, 啟動inadmissibility的調查, 也可能直接發departure order, 最終可能導致喪失PR Status。
總結一句話: CBSA沒有權力在POE當場取消PR Status, 也沒有權力拒絕已確認身分的PR入境, 唯一能做的事情是通報該PR違反居住義務, 啟動inadmissibility的調查。
所以我說不道德, 是因為那些CBSA officer佔了這些移民不諳法規+語言能力較差的便宜, 再佐以拒絕入境的威脅, 逼著這些移民自願放棄PR, 剝奪了他們原本應有的權益。
在ENF23-Loss of permanent resident status 7.10也有明確的規定:
7.10 Voluntary relinquishment of permanent resident status under IRPA
The following section provides guidance on the procedures to follow in the limited circumstances when a permanent resident may be allowed to relinquish status voluntarily.
Where a person does not meet the residency obligation, .........Provided the person has made it clear from the beginning and throughout the examination that they are only interested in temporary resident status, and the person truly and voluntarily wishes to relinquish status, the officer may allow the person to complete form IMM 5538B – Declaration: Voluntary relinquishment of permanent resident status. ........This procedure is not to be used in any situation where the person indicates at any time a desire to be considered a permanent resident, even if they subsequently maintain they no longer wish to be a permanent resident.
只要PR在POE Examination過程中的任一時間表明想繼續以PR身分入境, 則自願放棄PR這件事就不應該搬上檯面, 更別提說在CBSA誘導下自願放棄了
4. 給想回流的海外PR
看到這個案例, 對於想要搬回加拿大的PR, 下面是我個人的一點建議a. 心理建設入境只是第一關, 入境後直到取得新的PR Card的2~3年的期間, 真的得想成臥薪嘗膽, 可能連工作都會因為證件受到限制。在這個案例中, 3年看起來好像很快就過去了, 但其中的不便是文章展現不出來的。但如果好不容易入境卻又因為處處受限而萌生歸念, 那不如一開始就不要回流, 在原居國好好打拼就好。所以要回來就要打定主意就此住到拿到公民, 別再一次受到這個居住義務的荼毒了!
b. 計畫周全因為一旦入境就得待上2~3年的時間取得新的PR Card才能離境, 原居國的所有事情都得要先安排好; 同樣的, 入境後的受到限制的生活要怎麼過?食衣住行怎麼安排等等, 有好的計劃才能未來3年不會萌生歸念.
c. 詳讀規定下面幾個連結可以幫助你了解在POE的時候自己的權益是甚麼, 如果CBSA Officer不願意高抬貴手的話, 先知道規則才不會被唬得一愣一愣的, 然後簽了對自己不利的東西。
d. 姿態要放軟在入境的時候, 問題不在於能不能入境而在於如何讓CBSA officer不要舉報你, 讓你平順的入境。所以在對談的過程中, 一定要傳達已經下定決心, 這次入境會好好住下來, 希望給你一次機會的心情。如果inspection booth的CBSA officer不買帳, 還是被請進去secondary immigration, 一樣放低姿態好好解釋, 但一邊也要守住自己的權利, 最壞狀況就是你被上報後入境, 之後會有你違反Residency Obligation的程序要走, 會跑聽證會。這時候就是要委請律師的時候了。
延伸閱讀
Understand permanent resident statusPR的居住義務要求
PR案例分享 - 從連SIN都沒有到重新取得PR Card的挑戰
OP 10 Permanent Residency Status Determination
ENF 04 Port of entry examinations
ENF 23 Loss of permanent resident status
ENF 27 Permanent resident card
