Recieving PR visa by post

[InformationSeeker]

A Canadian citizen has sponsored her British husband's PR application, application sent to London office.

The British husband is meanwhile in Canada visiting the wife. The consulate in London has finalized the paperwork and now wants the British husband's passport to issue the PR visa.

Is it possible for the British husband to simply post his passport to Canadian Consulate in London, have it stamped and then mailed back to Canada?

The idea is for the British husband to save the hassle of flying back to UK simply for one day.

[PMM]

Hi

A Canadian citizen has sponsored her British husband's PR application, application sent to London office.

The British husband is meanwhile in Canada visiting the wife. The consulate in London has finalized the paperwork and now wants the British husband's passport to issue the PR visa.

Is it possible for the British husband to simply post his passport to Canadian Consulate in London, have it stamped and then mailed back to Canada?

The idea is for the British husband to save the hassle of flying back to UK simply for one day.

Yes, consider yourself lucky London is about the only office that will return a passport to an address outside their jurisdiction.  Use recorded delivery and the return envelope.

PMM

[InformationSeeker]

Thank you kindly for your answer PMM. It is mentioned at several places on the internet to send your passport to the Canadian High Commission via a large trusted courier such as DHL. It would then make sense to have the passports sent back to Canada through a trusted courier too. It is common to get a return envelope made by DHL that could be sent to the High Commission in London?

[rjessome]

Yes, ask your courier about a pre-paid return envelope.  DHL trusted?  I've heard Fedex is better.  But it's up to you.  Congrats and good luck.

[InformationSeeker]

FedEx say they can provide an envelope with a return waybill and the sender's (applicant's) account can be charged even for the way back. All that the Canadian Consulate have to do is call fedex and schedule a pickup. FedEx say they've done this with consulates in US and Canada but not sure if the High Commission in London accepts this procedure. Anybody aware of Canada High Commission in London's procedures regarding this?

[mitamata]

Don't know about London, but Vienna will do that for you. Best to mail them and ask, hopefully they'll let you know. Though I'm sure they'd be willing to do it, it's not like it's asking for much.

[InformationSeeker]

Furthering to this topic, the passport was mailed to the Canadian Consulate in London, along with a return envelope as per their specifications, via Canada Post's Xpresspost registered mail. It was received by the Canadian High Commission in London 2 days later and signed for by someone there.

It has been 23 days since it was received by the Canadian High Commission in London. How long should one wait before starting to get impatient? :-)

[ariell]

Not sure what the typical turnaround time is for London, but since you used Canada Post to send it, what did you use for the return envelope??

[Suin]

was your case changed to decision made?

[InformationSeeker]

ariel: the return envelope was a bubble mailer envelope, the one available at Canada Post outlets. The size on each side was about an inch larger than their minimum specified size.

http://www.shopcanadapost.ca/files/products/Medium/242707_md.jpg

suin: the case has been in "decision made" status since over a month now

[Suin]

suin: the case has been in "decision made" status since over a month now

and they send a passport request just recently?

[ariell]

ariel: the return envelope was a bubble mailer envelope, the one available at Canada Post outlets. The size on each side was about an inch larger than their minimum specified size.

http://www.shopcanadapost.ca/files/products/Medium/242707_md.jpg

suin: the case has been in "decision made" status since over a month now

Sorry, I meant what service did you use for the return envelope? Clearly you wouldn't be able to use ExpressPost or any Canada Post service for the return envelope.

[lesintheuk]

UK Royal Mail has been striking recently - last week they were on strike for 2 days, this week they will be on strike for 3 days and there appears no end in site to this strike action.  This, on top of random postal outlet strikes that have been affecting London since August.  To give you an idea of how bad things are, my husband received an email request for his passport in August, they supposedly sent us the letter in the post the same day - we still have not received the hard copy letter.  Thank gawd they sent the email.  I would not send a passport in the regular post, recorded delivery, etc - Use FedEx or DHL if you can.

[MYSG]

Hi Informationseeker.
Firstly, congrats on the PR approval!
Can you tell us your time line?

[InformationSeeker]

Thanks for the replies people.

Suin: They sent the passport request letter about a week after the decision made status.

ariell: The return envelope was not pre-paid. It was a regular return envelope. The letter sent by the embassy did not ask for a pre-paid envelope. We also emailed the consulate in london and got a reply that they do not accept pre-paid courier envelopes. This was their reply:

We regret that we are unable to return passport by a pre-paid courier.  The passports will be returned by international signed for delivery

Based on this we just sent them a self-addressed envelope. I'm not sure how i can send them a prepaid envelope internationally unless its via FedEx courier :-S

lesintheuk: I hope its this strike thats afftecting the delay and nothing else. I also hope this strike doesnt cause any mail to be lost :-S

MYSG: my dates are all messed up :-S but its been 5 months since the app was sent tp cpc-m