Questions on Landing

This forum deals with all aspects of immigration to Canada, landed immigrant status, work permits, etc.

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foreigner
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:24 am

Questions on Landing

Post by foreigner »

Hello everyone!

I recently received a letter from the immigration office in Buffalo, NY (I am presently in the US on H1B status) that my application for permanent residency is complete and they have requested my passport so that they can stamp it with an immigration visa. I understand that this visa will have an expiration date, which is one year from the date of my medical exam.

I have some questions regarding the landing process, answers to some of which I have found on this immensely useful message board (many thanks to its manager, administrator and members). So here are my questions:

1. I read that I will have to apply for a PR card, and some other documents at the port of entry (Toronto in my case). What are the other documents and how long do I have to stay in Canada to complete the landing process? Someone on the message board said that they were out of the 'building' in 25 minutes. Is that all?

2. I cannot relocate to Canada for at least one year due to professional and personal commitments in the US. I also do not have an address in Canada where I can have my PR card and other documents mailed. Can I got to Canada again and personally pick up these documents when they are ready? Or is it better to apply for these documents when I am ready to relocate?

3. What happens if I don't enter Canada before the expiration of the immigration visa? Based on the date of my medical exam, I will have to enter in the next couple of months, which is not very convenient for me.

4. Another question comes to mind - can I tell the immigration office at Buffulo that I am not ready right now, and request them to keep my application on file. I am not sure if they will consider this request though.

Any thougths and advice will be greatly appreicated.

Thanks.
nitman
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:04 pm
Location: North York, ON, Canada
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Post by nitman »

This post may answer some of your questions:
http://forums.serbinski.com/viewtopic.php?t=1119

I think Ron or forum admin ought to put some kind of a board or a sticky anouncement where these "usual questions" have already been answered. It's amazing, I've seen people asking these same (if not exact) questions in every Canada Immigration forum I've been to....


-Nitin
:roll:
Linux: You are already there!
helenek228
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:34 am

Post by helenek228 »

The link in nitman's post no longer works. Has this topic been moved?

I've just sent my passport for my permanent residency visa, and I have many of the same questions.

Many thanks.
nitman
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:04 pm
Location: North York, ON, Canada
Contact:

Post by nitman »

Well, I'll try ot answer the questions:

1. When you enter Canada, you will have to inform the Immigration officer that you are Landing. They will then either start the Landing process, or direct to another designated officer. The whole Landing process can take few mnutes to couple of hours.

2. You don't have to re-locate when you land, you can do that later. However, after you land, you must accumulate two years of physical presence in Canada in every five-year period.
When you first land, you are already entitled to a PR card, you have to provide an address. If you don't have an address in Canada at the time of landing, you can provide one on a later date (within 180 days) to the CIC. Check out this posting of mine:
http://forums.serbinski.com/viewtopic.php?t=1714
You can leave Canada after you have landed. If you leave without your PR Card, then you will have to go to a Canadian Cosulate, and apply for a one-time travel document to re-enter Canada.

3. If you don't enter Canada before the immigration visa expires, then you have to pretty much go through the whole application process again.

4. I don't know the answer of the last question. The application process moves on CIC schedule, not on the applicants schedule. I'd suggest to refrain from such questions, as it may have adverse effects on the application for obvious reasons.

HTH,
Nitin :)
Linux: You are already there!
helenek228
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:34 am

Post by helenek228 »

Many thanks, Nitin!
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