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Traveling to the US (or home) while your PR application is in progress

Canada • Express Entry • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

An inland applicant asked whether they could visit the US while their PR application was processing and whether IRCC needs a webform about the trip.

  1. Short visits need no notification. The consensus: if you're just visiting — a vacation, seeing family for a few weeks — you're free to leave and return; nobody needs to be updated. (You still need valid documents to re-enter Canada, e.g., a valid TRV or visa for the country you visit.)


  1. What does require a webform: a change of residence. The line members drew: notify IRCC only if you actually change where you live. A 'change of address' webform matters because your residence determines how the final stage is handled — an outland-style PPR (passport request/visa) versus the inland PR-portal process.


  1. For Express Entry, AOR is immediate. One traveler worried about leaving 7 days after applying, before AOR arrived. Members clarified that EE applications generate the AOR instantly on submission, so there's no waiting window to plan around.


  1. Application is locked at AOR. After AOR, travel doesn't touch the application — one member summarized: 'Application gets locked at AOR. Any travel does not need to be informed.'


  1. Principal applicant vs dependent. If the principal applicant travels, same rule applies: temporary trips need nothing; a permanent relocation should be reported via webform so IRCC processes the final stage in the right channel.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Travel freely on short visits during PR processing — no webform needed for temporary trips.
  • Do: Send a 'change of address' webform only if you permanently relocate — it determines whether you get PPR or the inland portal process.
  • Tip: Express Entry AOR is generated instantly at submission, so there's no post-filing waiting period before you can leave.

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