Hi Qorax,
I'm doing a
short-landing & shall return back to my homeland in a few days [in a week or two]. Could u kindly help me with these queries, I'd be eternally grateful to u for the same:
Question No. 1 :- If i am doing a short landing...which in your opinion is the best mode of POF :- DD, TC, Cash or Scotia Account so that i lose the least amount of money when accounting for taking funds back to
India and getting my rupees back.
Q-1(a) :- In Case of Cash : I feel its unsafe to carry all cash and moreover there is a cost to pay for obtaining canadian currency in India (I am not sure how dealer commission or exchange rate would put me--> to a loss, to a profit or neutral ??)
Q-1(b) :- In Case of Scotia Account: I know it is free for 1 year, convenient as regards POF and also comes with a free credit card for 1 year but I am unsure, whether Scotia Bank will facilitate my funds transfer back to India in matter of 3-4 days after my landing ?? Also what will be their fees for such a transfer and what rates would apply??Question no 2 :- If I am doing a short landing and going back after 9-10 days, obviously there will be no goods to follow...
So whether IO will be accepting my B4 or B4A forms for Goods to follow list if I have not already shipped them ??
Q-2(a): Same question for Jewellery :- If I am not bringing along jewellery at the time of Initial (first time) landing...whether IO will accept the jewellery stated by me as mine or my spouse's (she will be travelling with me)Question 3 :- Do i need just the photographs of jewellery and declare its value by myself (i dont have receipts for all jewellery items) or the IO may insist upon its valuation done by a Govt. approved/authorized valuer in India?? (some one said that if you do self assessment, it should be okay, but can pose a problem in the longer run as Canadian Insurance companies will not honour our assessments if we want to insure the jewellery)
Question 4 :- As I am doing a short landing, shall I apply for Ontario Health Insurance (provincial health insurance ) ?
Question 5 :- My 10 month old baby is accompanying me to Canada. Can we carry him in lap/in a sling while on streets, in public places like malls, shopping areas, buses, subways, trains and tourist attractions like niagara falls etc ?
Question 6 :- I am planning to bring in an external USB hard drive..is it allowed? Whether data contained is subject to screening at POE ?
Question 7 :- Whether a bank draft issued by a nationalized bank in India in my name and payable at Canada qualifies for Proof of funds?
Question 8 :- Do i need to declare funds even while exiting Canada? (i will be taking back my draft unused , cash remaining/ TC's unused back to India after 10 days of landing to have them cancelled and get my money back in the form of Indian rupees)
Question 9 :- I heard that a mailbox rental service in Canada provides a legal address wherein we can get our PR cards (if dont have anyone - friend, relative etc whose address can be given at the time of landing for issuance of PR cards) The mailbox service provider can even forward ship our incoming mail to our home country
http://www.theupsstore.com/products-services/mailbox/Pages/index.aspxIs it okay to go ahead with such a service?? A cousin of my cousin stays in Toronto (cant be trusted for PR cards entirely) is my only contact in Canada...
Question No. 10 :- May I appear for G1 driving test immediately after landing (during the 10 days i have in Canada). I was told my someone that a wait period of 9 months applies to progress from G1 to G2 license and while I am away from Canada, the wait time is ticking...
PLEASE ADVISE..
REGARDS,
xyz
Hi,
Firstly, I don't see any reason why should u inform the BSO at the Canadian POE that u r doing a "short-landing". Neither they'd ask, nor u r required to disclose. It would make matters worse -- as s/he would not action ur PR cards apps, which'd render u applying for it separately sometime later, there's a cost too to it, though minuscule [$50]. But, what about the time & efforts?
Here's my responses to ur queries:1. Any way u choose to bring-in ur settlement funds here - there'd definitely be some sort of "loss" when u transfer/deposit/withdraw/exchange/cancel ur funds back to ur homeland. And as this is unavoidable - it is unto u and u only to see/check with ur homeland reg. their banking rules... I wouldn't know what's the situation/laws of India. However, the easiest way to take ur funds back is vide an
un-utilized bank draft. Just return to ur country - go to the bank and 'cancel' it, bingo
!1(a). No, cash is not that unsafe. As u take care of ur pps+COPR -- u could do so for ur cash as well. I carry a good amount of $$ in cash on my travels everytime.
1(b). Scotiabank is available in many overseas locations... as a 'proper' bank. I know it's there in India as well. As with any intl. bank, if u have an a/c in any of their locs/cities/nations - u could transact with them globally. So, if u've a Canadian a/c with them - u could 'simply' perform any transaction with their Indian branch as well, including withdrawals. Yes, as u'd only be permitted to w/draw in IRs - there'd be an exchange rate involved. But this is something one cannot avoid while travelling internationally and performing any sort of financial transactions. U should now learn to live with that.2. The GTF, form B4, is for ur goods to arrive anytime later [till eternity]. So, even if u aren't getting them soon, but u would sometime later [1-yr, 2, 3 or 10] - u r then required to file it & obtain the CBSA stamps NOW. Else, u'd be paying duties everytime u import them, whatever the later day/date is.
2(a). Ditto for ur Jewelleries. U need to get those pics NOW listed in ur B4 and get them stamped. All the rules for B4 applies to those as well.3. If u've their purchase invoices it'd be better. However if u don't, as I said in my thread on it, just do a self-valuation, as close to the current mkt rates & u r good.
4. U cannot obtain OHIP if u do not reside here [it's illegal]. In any case u can only apply for it after 90-days of ur resid. in Ontario. Even if some Service Ontario location accepts ur form before - it yet would not commence till 3-months.
5. Yes, u can... everyone does so. U got to protect the baby from cold though -- which, I'm sure u would.
6. Yes, it's OK... everyone does so, I've mine all the time in my key-chain. Unless there's a specific info for screening - they wouldn't care. However, it's wise not to load it with pirated SW or *censored word*. U could serve a term for it.
7. Yes, that's the way it'd be by default... for everyone.
8. Not required. There's no procedure for it unless u'd be flying with 100-thousands.
9. Yes, the UPS-Store has that facility and is used by quite a few ppl.
10. Pls read my thread on the D/L matter, u'd then know the complete process. If u've the LOA for 24-month's worth of Indian driving - u'd have complete waiver from the mandatory 'wait-period' and can receive ur Canadian D/L [Ontario full "G"] in 7-10 days... I, and many others in our Friends-Circle, got it in a week.
Hope I helped...QoraxPs.: BTW, r u flying for the 1st time?
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