CIC Eliminates Counterfoils for Approved PRs from Visa Exempt Countries

[yooper]

fyi for all...

I just received a standard 'mail us your passport request' today -- 6 December.  So don't count on the new procedures yet.  (At least I'll get the snazzy counterfoil!)

(Family Class, Spousal; US via Buffalo VO)

[et12345]

I received my COPR from the Canadian Embassy in Germany after December 1st and tried to land at Toronto Pearson Int'l Airport last night. The immigration officers in secondary told me that they cannot have me land since Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries. They referred me to call CIC for further instructions. I will go to my local CIC office today and hope that I will be able to land there without making an appointment.

Although eliminating the need to send your passport to the visa office, this has opened up a major inconvenience since I now might have to wait to get an appointment for inland landing plus I might not be able to get my SIN as an inlander right away (only after PR card has been issued).

So, from my experience so far there is no need to celebrate this new approach by CIC since you might not be able to land at a POE.

[Baloo]

I received my COPR from the Canadian Embassy in Germany after December 1st and tried to land at Toronto Pearson Int'l Airport last night. The immigration officers in secondary told me that they cannot have me land since Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries. They referred me to call CIC for further instructions. I will go to my local CIC office today and hope that I will be able to land there without making an appointment.

Although eliminating the need to send your passport to the visa office, this has opened up a major inconvenience since I now might have to wait to get an appointment for inland landing plus I might not be able to get my SIN as an inlander right away (only after PR card has been issued).

So, from my experience so far there is no need to celebrate this new approach by CIC since you might not be able to land at a POE.

Please keep us up to date on this.

[AmericaninQuebec]

I received my COPR from the Canadian Embassy in Germany after December 1st and tried to land at Toronto Pearson Int'l Airport last night. The immigration officers in secondary told me that they cannot have me land since Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries. They referred me to call CIC for further instructions. I will go to my local CIC office today and hope that I will be able to land there without making an appointment.

Although eliminating the need to send your passport to the visa office, this has opened up a major inconvenience since I now might have to wait to get an appointment for inland landing plus I might not be able to get my SIN as an inlander right away (only after PR card has been issued).

So, from my experience so far there is no need to celebrate this new approach by CIC since you might not be able to land at a POE.

So sorry to hear that. From what I've seen on the Buffalo forum there hasn't been this sort of problem for people landing at the U.S./Canadian border crossings by car. The tracking number on my return package with my passport and COPR activated on Friday, so I'm expecting it and to land via a U.S./Canadian border crossing later this week. Will post on here what the outcome is.

[sahm2boys]

I received my COPR from the Canadian Embassy in Germany after December 1st and tried to land at Toronto Pearson Int'l Airport last night. The immigration officers in secondary told me that they cannot have me land since Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries. They referred me to call CIC for further instructions. I will go to my local CIC office today and hope that I will be able to land there without making an appointment.

Although eliminating the need to send your passport to the visa office, this has opened up a major inconvenience since I now might have to wait to get an appointment for inland landing plus I might not be able to get my SIN as an inlander right away (only after PR card has been issued).

So, from my experience so far there is no need to celebrate this new approach by CIC since you might not be able to land at a POE.

OMG! What a mess!  I hope it gets cleared up quickly for you. Please keep us posted as my husbands VO is Berlin as well and will be going through the exact same thing. He is currently waiting on the COPR.

[ddobro2]

Firstly, that sucks. When you say that the reason to refuse your landing was because, "Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries," I'm sorry but that's incorrect on his part. Part of the notice on this change read, "The Canada Border Services Agency's Border Services Officers (BSOs) and Migration Integrity Officers in Canada and abroad will be advised of this change." BSOs and MIOs serve ports of entry and POEs include airports, so from where I'm standing this response is not consistent with what was published in their operational bulletin.

The other part of the memo says, "BSOs will continue to evaluate individuals at the Primary Inspection Line and determine which persons are immigrating to Canada and refer those new immigrants to Immigration secondary for finalization of permanent residence status. In cases where the new immigrant is not finalized at the port of entry as required, staff should advise the individual to contact the CIC Call Centre for options to correct their status in Canada."

Maybe someone with more knowledge can help me out here, but I'm not clear on why a new immigrant would not be "finalized at the port of entry as required" in the first place. If it's not having all the required documents, that's one thing, but that was not the agent's explanation, but rather that they were not advised of the change.

You're from a visa exempt country and you're attempting to land at a POE, so you should have been allowed to land. This policy is not just for Americans landing at the border. Instead of waiting months for an appointment to land internally, I would try to drive to the border crossing serving Ontario and bring a copy of the operational bulletin. You might also want to bring your experience to the attention of CIC. Let us know what happens.

I received my COPR from the Canadian Embassy in Germany after December 1st and tried to land at Toronto Pearson Int'l Airport last night. The immigration officers in secondary told me that they cannot have me land since Port of Entries have not yet received instructions how to process landing immigrants from visa-exempt countries. They referred me to call CIC for further instructions. I will go to my local CIC office today and hope that I will be able to land there without making an appointment.

Although eliminating the need to send your passport to the visa office, this has opened up a major inconvenience since I now might have to wait to get an appointment for inland landing plus I might not be able to get my SIN as an inlander right away (only after PR card has been issued).

So, from my experience so far there is no need to celebrate this new approach by CIC since you might not be able to land at a POE.

[et12345]

Here's an update on my post this morning:

I went to the local CIC office, told them that my landing had been deferred and asked for advice. They let me write down my experience at the Toronto Pearson POE on a sheet of paper, along with my contact details and I was told that they would forward it to Ottawa (I didn't get any more details on that). I requested an appointment to land inside Canada as soon as possible.

I then went home and tried to call CIC. I gave up after the automatic voice told me that all agents were busy and the system had hung up on me about three times.

Then I got frustrated and angry and took a cab to the border. I flagpoled back into Canada and found that the immigration officer there didn't even shrug her shoulders. She filled everything out, I signed the COPR and was on my way to Service Canada for my SIN that I obtained right away. I went back to the CIC office one more time and informed them that I had landed and that they could now disregard my request.

Bottom line: the Toronto Pearson immigration office wasn't up-to-date. And I was already wondering why I had not found any other reports on landing problems since they introduced that new regulation.

All is well now and I'm a permanent resident

[ddobro2]

Great, that's precisely why I suggested just going the flagpoling at the land border route. Congrats.

Here's an update on my post this morning:

I went to the local CIC office, told them that my landing had been deferred and asked for advice. They let me write down my experience at the Toronto Pearson POE on a sheet of paper, along with my contact details and I was told that they would forward it to Ottawa (I didn't get any more details on that). I requested an appointment to land inside Canada as soon as possible.

I then went home and tried to call CIC. I gave up after the automatic voice told me that all agents were busy and the system had hung up on me about three times.

Then I got frustrated and angry and took a cab to the border. I flagpoled back into Canada and found that the immigration officer there didn't even shrug her shoulders. She filled everything out, I signed the COPR and was on my way to Service Canada for my SIN that I obtained right away. I went back to the CIC office one more time and informed them that I had landed and that they could now disregard my request.

Bottom line: the Toronto Pearson immigration office wasn't up-to-date. And I was already wondering why I had not found any other reports on landing problems since they introduced that new regulation.

All is well now and I'm a permanent resident

[toby]

Here's an update on my post this morning:

I went to the local CIC office, told them that my landing had been deferred and asked for advice. They let me write down my experience at the Toronto Pearson POE on a sheet of paper, along with my contact details and I was told that they would forward it to Ottawa (I didn't get any more details on that). I requested an appointment to land inside Canada as soon as possible.

I then went home and tried to call CIC. I gave up after the automatic voice told me that all agents were busy and the system had hung up on me about three times.

Then I got frustrated and angry and took a cab to the border. I flagpoled back into Canada and found that the immigration officer there didn't even shrug her shoulders. She filled everything out, I signed the COPR and was on my way to Service Canada for my SIN that I obtained right away. I went back to the CIC office one more time and informed them that I had landed and that they could now disregard my request.

Bottom line: the Toronto Pearson immigration office wasn't up-to-date. And I was already wondering why I had not found any other reports on landing problems since they introduced that new regulation.

All is well now and I'm a permanent resident

Good initiative.  Leave it to the bureaucrats to mess up a good idea, leaving it to the citizens to pay the price for their ineptitude.

Lesson to learn:  When a new policy is issued, don't assume the workers will know what their new job is, so print out the policy manual and be prepared to show them what their new job is.  If the worker in front of you still does not do the job, get name, time, place, and date, and report accordingly.  Sometimes the fact that he or she is going to be spotlighted will be enough motivation to do the job and avoid trouble.

[AtHomeInMontreal]

Just an FYI...

I landed "Post Dec 1" with no counterfoil, by land, and had no issue.

I suggest that anyone landing "Post Dec 1" bring a copy of the letter they received when their COPR was received.  In paragraph 2 it states that, "Please note that as of December 1, 2011, citizens of visa-exempt countries will not have a Permanent Resident Visa affixed to their passport.  These applicants will only be issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)."

Have them make a phone call of two to get up-to-date.  They should not be deferring anyone's landing at this point.

Also - you should bring the letter when you apply for your health card and SIN.  I had no issues there; however, in both cases the person assisting me did mention that "new procedures were in place, it might take me a minute".  I was glad I had that letter in hand.

In Quebec you will be asked for residency evidence when you apply for your health card.  Bring a complete copy of your lease or a bill from Hydro Quebec, Videotron, or another service provider.  Bank statements will not be acceptable.  They will give you a fax number to send things in to (in QC) if you don't have evidence with you.  I assume this would be true in other provices (with a different fax number, obviously).

I hope this helps!

[MandyUK]

Im already in Canada and have the option of "landing" at Canada Place in Edmonton, so thats what I am going to do. All I have to do is take my passport, the form that they sent me with all my info and picture on it, any landing recoords I have and my sponsor.
The only drawback if you are wanting to get it over with quicker is that I had to phone the CIC call centre who then inform the nearest immigration office in a the city near to you. They then call and make an appointment for you to go in, Canada Place did call me the very next day, but my appointment isnt till the 24th January. Which is ok for me, it would be just the same if I neede dto go to a port of entry as I need to organise that and pay for the expense of getting to the nearest border which is about 6 hours(ish) away from me, this way it costs me nothing as my parents in law are taking us and I get a free lunch out of it to celebrate, cant be bad  I will let you all know how I get on.

[AmericaninQuebec]

Just an FYI...

I landed "Post Dec 1" with no counterfoil, by land, and had no issue.

I suggest that anyone landing "Post Dec 1" bring a copy of the letter they received when their COPR was received.  In paragraph 2 it states that, "Please note that as of December 1, 2011, citizens of visa-exempt countries will not have a Permanent Resident Visa affixed to their passport.  These applicants will only be issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)."

Have them make a phone call of two to get up-to-date.  They should not be deferring anyone's landing at this point.

Also - you should bring the letter when you apply for your health card and SIN.  I had no issues there; however, in both cases the person assisting me did mention that "new procedures were in place, it might take me a minute".  I was glad I had that letter in hand.

In Quebec you will be asked for residency evidence when you apply for your health card.  Bring a complete copy of your lease or a bill from Hydro Quebec, Videotron, or another service provider.  Bank statements will not be acceptable.  They will give you a fax number to send things in to (in QC) if you don't have evidence with you.  I assume this would be true in other provices (with a different fax number, obviously).

I hope this helps!

I just came on here to say I had to fight with the people at Service Canada to give me my social insurance number. They kept telling me that I needed to wait for my permanent resident card since I had no visa in my passport. Finally I directed them to the Service Canada website that states clearly that permanent residents from visa exempt nations need only a copy of their COPR and their passport to obtain a social insurance number now. Once they saw that they gave it to me without anymore arguments. Should have brought the document from the government that I'd gotten with my COPR though.

Btw, did you go into the RAMQ office or did you mail your stuff? It looks like they want the actual original of the CSQ, which makes me nervous that if I mail it I'll never get it back. If you went into the office, did they do everything for you in one go and let you keep your original documents? Just wondering if it's worth going into Montreal for all of this, or if they'll keep my original CSQ anyway. I also don't have any proof of residence other than bank statements (which like you said they won't take), so I guess I'll get my husband to do a solemn declaration that I live with him at our address. Not certain what else I could do otherwise without having to wait a couple of months to do my application.

[AtHomeInMontreal]

Btw, did you go into the RAMQ office or did you mail your stuff? It looks like they want the actual original of the CSQ, which makes me nervous that if I mail it I'll never get it back. If you went into the office, did they do everything for you in one go and let you keep your original documents? Just wondering if it's worth going into Montreal for all of this, or if they'll keep my original CSQ anyway. I also don't have any proof of residence other than bank statements (which like you said they won't take), so I guess I'll get my husband to do a solemn declaration that I live with him at our address. Not certain what else I could do otherwise without having to wait a couple of months to do my application.

AmericaninQuebec,

It is worth doing this in person if you want it done in a single day.  Less stress!!!

For the Quebec health card, I went to the Régie de l'assurance maladie at 425 Boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest (3rd floor, suite 300) in Montreal.  They need originals of all documents and will look at them (including your COPR and CSQ) but will not keep them.  I brought my entire file including birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. - you never know what they might ask to see).  There is a parking lot across the street from the building (just past, on the left) - max $15 (plan on waiting an hour plus 15 minutes processing time; it will be $15 anyway).  They take your photos ($8 fee in cash) and then you will be 100% done.  If you don't have proof of residence they will give you a fax number to submit this information and a due date.  If you go past the due date it means the 90 day wait is extended by a day for each day you are late.  Get there early (they open at 8:30AM) or you will wait a long time!  After 11AM is a nightmare.

Acceptable proofs of residence for the health card in Quebec can be found here:

http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citoyens/assurancemaladie/arriver/preuves_residence.shtml



For the SIN and for the record (since you already had this done), I went to Services Canada at the Guy-Favreau Complex, Suite 034, 200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West in Montreal.  There is a parking lot about a block away in Chinatown at the corner of René-Lévesque and Saint Lorent in Chinatown (again, $15 Max).  They will want to see your COPR, but my agent didn't want to see anything else.  He did mention that "new procedures were in place" and I literally had the letter explaining the lack of a counterfoil in my hands...   ...but this was never requested and he finalized everything (and gave me a SIN, as well as a temporary document that I can produce until I receive my card).  Total wait: maybe 30 - 45 minutes.  I really liked the guy that helped me - these are good people!

I wish you the best of luck, as always.  Feel free to post or PM if you need any other data.