Arriving in Canada with VISA passport

[littlegatter9]

Just last week my husband finally recieved the final "ok" from the Paris office. We have to be in Canada by November, 09, however we are a bit confused as to what this means. The letter stated that the VISA that is now on his passport expires in Novemeber. But we applied for a PR. Is this a temporary VISA until we get to Canada and then they give us the real PR? There is no explaination of this in the letter.

Thanks for any advice,

[MARLENA]

Once you are in Canada PR card will be mailed to you. I think it will take between 4 to 6 weeks after your arrival.
Good luck and welcome to Canada!!!

[ariell]

You are confusing the visa with his status. The visa to get to Canada is temporary. His permanent residence status, as the name implies, is permanent. He will receive his PR card in the mail about one month after he lands.

[MARLENA]

Correct me if I'm wrong once they are his PR, CIC abroad will stamp his VISA on his passport and send it with CORP. Right!!! I'm not sure if he is confused because of the word visa on his passport or in the letter. If he only applied for PR he should be approved for PR and not ONLY VISA.

[ariell]

Sorry Marlena, I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. The visa is returned to the sponsored spouse along with the COPR. The VISA expires in November but his PR status does not. It's permanent, well as long as he lives 2 out of every 5 years in Canada that is.

[MARLENA]

Sorry I thought he was just approved for PR and never landed in Canada.

[ariell]

Right. But she was concerned about the expiry in November. But that is when his VISA expires, but not his PR status.

[MARLENA]

I'm new in this since my husband was approved last week. Is that mean he has to leave his country before his visa expired. I thought they give 6 months to finish all your ties in your country.
My husband date on the letter is March 13, 2010 when they requested his passport. He has to leave before that date right??? or do they use different date once they stamped his visa on his passport

[ariell]

Yes, he MUST arrive in Canada before his visa expires, otherwise the visa is invalid!

They do not necessarily give you 6 months to finish up business in your country. It depends on  when you did your medical exam. The expiry on your visa is usually one year from the date that you did your medical exam, so it will not always be 6 months. For some it will only be 1 or 2 months. He will have to check the expiry date on the visa, not the date of the letter.

[MARLENA]

My husband still in process of picking up his passport which he will receives by Sunday so I don't know what the exact date he will be have but I've noticed when they sent the letter requesting his passport they had indicated visa before March 13, 2010. I remember he did his Medical exam February 17, 2009 and by the time his result came back I guess it was aroudn March -----

Thank you again.

[rorita_76]

Hey, the expiration of the visa is after 1 year from the medical test date, in my case I was given till February, 13, 2010 to land. My medical was february,13-2009. The visa expiration can't be delayed, so you have to land before or in the same date of the expiration. The PR card is valid for 5 years from the date it is issued.

[MARLENA]

Rorita is the expiration of the visa is the one indicated on the letter when they requested my husband passport (March 13, 2010). I remember he did his Medical February 17, 2009
How are you doing. I don't see you or Boncuk as much.
Did you miss Lebanon or not yet!!!

[rorita_76]

As far as I know, the expiration of the visa is written on the email sent, which is 1 year after the medical test.
I am doing just fine, and everything is well, next week I will start my driving courses...God they are so expensive, 400$...but it is what it is, they say by going thru a school, I might be able to get the G2 license, specially that I brought with me an authentication from the ministry of transportation in Lebanon, providing on it my driving experience, along with my International driving license and a translation of my Lebanese license, and get a discount on the car insurance, Provided I pass the exam...)

[MARLENA]

authentication from the ministry of transportation in Lebanon.... where the location  I have to remind my husband to do the same.

[rorita_76]

Tell him that he has to have an international driving license, which will allow him to drive for 60 days in Canada, he has to translate his own Lebanese driver license, of course with the stamping required, and he need a authentication from the ministry of transportation (al Nef3a) it is located in Dikwaneh, in the authentication they will mention his driving experience, from what year, and for what year his Lebanese driving license is valid. Let him bring his original Lebanese driving license, because he might use it. I will have to let my parent send it to me by FedEx. The lady in the driving school said that sometime, they won't accept these kind of authentication done in Lebanon, we have to send my original Lebanese driving license to the embassy in Ottawa , an make them translated...I will ask about it later.