Hi all,
Just wanted provide some information from my own experience getting Outland PR landing interview at the Etobicoke office in Toronto. Just as a preface I wanna say that this was only our experience, it may not be relevant to your specific situation and requirements from the CIC, you should carefully read the documents you get from the CIC for your own application as well as any information on the CIC website.
Some time frame stuff about the application:
I applied in late November 2016 outland spousal sponsorship.
I received an email in late April 2017 saying that the CIC were in the final stages of processing my application and they asked me to send two photos, a photocopy of my passport, and a signed form with my mailing address, as well as a pre-paid Xpress post envelope (without any address written on it) into the CIC at Ottawa. I sent it via express post (they do not accept courier as it's a PO box) and it got to Ottawa the next day.
The pre-paid Xpress post envelope arrived back within a week with my confirmation of PR document and letter.
The letter said I had to confirm my PR through a landing interview or at the border. I called the number on the letter to book a landing interview and was on hold for about 20 minutes. I believe its a toll free call. The person on the phone said I would get a phone call or email from the nearest CIC office to book a landing appointment.
I got the email maybe a week later and the appointment was in two weeks at the Etobicoke office in Toronto. I had mentally prepared myself to go to the Niagara falls border because I had heard the meetings at the CIC were hard to book, but the meeting was quite easy to book.
The appointment was from anytime between 1-3pm and we arrived about ten minutes before 1pm. The guy at the front desk ticked my name off a list and gave me a number. I think I was about the eighth ticket but they hadn't started to count the ticket numbers down yet. At 1pm they started going through the ticket numbers.
My advice is to go a little early, since the person at the front desk gave me a ticket before the start time of 1pm. So you could try to go early and get one of the first tickets they call. We didn't have to wait long and the entire thing was about an hour from start to finish.
When we were called I showed the documents that I had to bring, I had also taken the receipt in to show that I had paid everything up front but they didn't ask for it. When on the phone to the CIC when I was booking the appointment the guy told me to bring everything you can just in case, including proof of address of my sponsor, and that's what we did (obviously you need to bring whatever the letter asks you to bring so please read the CIC info). You don't want to get turned away and made to book another appointment.
The woman was really friendly, she asked questions to my sponsor asking if they were willing to sponsor me, and to be financially responsible for me while I was in the country. Then she asked some questions of me, things confirming that I was married, asking if I had a criminal record/trouble with the police in Canada or overseas, if I had children/dependents in Canada or overseas. Those types of questions. She then asked me to sign and initial at a few spots on the document and she signed and confirmed my PR. She asked what photo I would like to use for my PR card (I had to bring another two passport photos to the appointment). She gave me a list of PR rights, and asked if I wanted to update my social insurance number with the Service Ontario representatives that were at the next window over. We said yes and I suggest definitely doing this, it didn't take very long at all, it only added maybe an extra ten minutes to the process. It was very convenient to be able to get that done there. Then you are told to update your social insurance number with your work and bank and other relevant businesses.
OK, I am pretty sure that was it. Obviously, the above is not detailed and I'm only going from memory so please don't take it anything written above as a guarantee - this was only the way we did it and you should read the documents you get from the CIC for your own application and any official information on the CIC website .
Thanks and good luck everyone!
Just wanted provide some information from my own experience getting Outland PR landing interview at the Etobicoke office in Toronto. Just as a preface I wanna say that this was only our experience, it may not be relevant to your specific situation and requirements from the CIC, you should carefully read the documents you get from the CIC for your own application as well as any information on the CIC website.
Some time frame stuff about the application:
I applied in late November 2016 outland spousal sponsorship.
I received an email in late April 2017 saying that the CIC were in the final stages of processing my application and they asked me to send two photos, a photocopy of my passport, and a signed form with my mailing address, as well as a pre-paid Xpress post envelope (without any address written on it) into the CIC at Ottawa. I sent it via express post (they do not accept courier as it's a PO box) and it got to Ottawa the next day.
The pre-paid Xpress post envelope arrived back within a week with my confirmation of PR document and letter.
The letter said I had to confirm my PR through a landing interview or at the border. I called the number on the letter to book a landing interview and was on hold for about 20 minutes. I believe its a toll free call. The person on the phone said I would get a phone call or email from the nearest CIC office to book a landing appointment.
I got the email maybe a week later and the appointment was in two weeks at the Etobicoke office in Toronto. I had mentally prepared myself to go to the Niagara falls border because I had heard the meetings at the CIC were hard to book, but the meeting was quite easy to book.
The appointment was from anytime between 1-3pm and we arrived about ten minutes before 1pm. The guy at the front desk ticked my name off a list and gave me a number. I think I was about the eighth ticket but they hadn't started to count the ticket numbers down yet. At 1pm they started going through the ticket numbers.
My advice is to go a little early, since the person at the front desk gave me a ticket before the start time of 1pm. So you could try to go early and get one of the first tickets they call. We didn't have to wait long and the entire thing was about an hour from start to finish.
When we were called I showed the documents that I had to bring, I had also taken the receipt in to show that I had paid everything up front but they didn't ask for it. When on the phone to the CIC when I was booking the appointment the guy told me to bring everything you can just in case, including proof of address of my sponsor, and that's what we did (obviously you need to bring whatever the letter asks you to bring so please read the CIC info). You don't want to get turned away and made to book another appointment.
The woman was really friendly, she asked questions to my sponsor asking if they were willing to sponsor me, and to be financially responsible for me while I was in the country. Then she asked some questions of me, things confirming that I was married, asking if I had a criminal record/trouble with the police in Canada or overseas, if I had children/dependents in Canada or overseas. Those types of questions. She then asked me to sign and initial at a few spots on the document and she signed and confirmed my PR. She asked what photo I would like to use for my PR card (I had to bring another two passport photos to the appointment). She gave me a list of PR rights, and asked if I wanted to update my social insurance number with the Service Ontario representatives that were at the next window over. We said yes and I suggest definitely doing this, it didn't take very long at all, it only added maybe an extra ten minutes to the process. It was very convenient to be able to get that done there. Then you are told to update your social insurance number with your work and bank and other relevant businesses.
OK, I am pretty sure that was it. Obviously, the above is not detailed and I'm only going from memory so please don't take it anything written above as a guarantee - this was only the way we did it and you should read the documents you get from the CIC for your own application and any official information on the CIC website .
Thanks and good luck everyone!
