Stu Barton

I see that there has been a fair amount of discussion on this but I'm still
a little concerned/confused so bear with me.

I am a Permanent Resident who is planning to travel to the United States in
January (and return to Canada that same month). I have applied for the
(inane) Permanent Resident card but do not expect it to be available before
I leave the country.

Anyone who could provide clarification/guidance on the following would be
greatly appreciated.

1. I understand that the carrier (Air Canada in my case) will not prevent
me from LEAVING Canada without a PR Card after Dec 31st, 2003. They will
prevent me from boarding on my RETURN TRIP if I do not possess this card.
a. Has anyone heard any different?
b. How strict/lenient should we anticipate this requirement to be
adhered to? (assuming that I am not the only person in this position and
that there may be a fair number of people faced with this scenario,
especially early in the new year)
c. Potentially, could the carrier allow me to board and then have
Immigration "process" me once I return?

2. For those residents who do not possess a PR Card they apply to the
nearest Canadian Consulate whilst abroad to obtain a "Limited Use Travel
Document" (for a $50 fee).
a. Can you obtain this document before you travel (leave Canada)?
b. Do you need to present yourself in person to a Canadian
Consulate or can this be done by fax/mail/phone?
c. What is the potential processing time for this document?

Essentially I don't want to end up in the situation of arriving at the
airport to return to Canada and having to miss my flight because I do not
have the correct documentation. I would like to pre-arrange as much in
advance as possible (conceding of course that I should have applied for the
PR Card earlier).

What is the worse case scenario if I do not have a PR Card?

Thoughts/comments/suggestions/advice/etc are appreciated.

Thanks,

Stu Barton