Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[buffalo-toronto]

quakingaspen....your query was not at all dumb actually everyone would want to be 300% sure. I would ask the same Qs to clarify any doubts too if I was in your place. But as Fleeting said and as per what you posted later, I think they have pasted the visa on your passport and as they said it will be mailed to you soon which means that they have the passport and will mail it out soon.

 

[kerianne]

what does your tracking say? Are you able to follow its progress to Ft. Erie? Mine had several updates....went to Richmond first, then Mississauga and then Ft. Erie. A week seems rather long as mine took two days from Vancouver. Where did you mail it from? Maybe you should call Canada Post.

I called CanadaPost... Saturday is not a counted as a business day, so my tracker was not updated. I actually didn't get an update until Wednesday when my passport had arrived home! : I had the same route as you..Richmond, and so on. But nothing on my return. I have my visa finally I was so excited I had my boyfriend take a picture of me with it...I was gonna post it but then realized all my info is viewable on my visa lol Prob not good to post online!

As for landing, somebody was asking earlier about it because they're planning a trip to Vegas..my visa expires August 5, 2011 it also says that my visa was issued March 30, 2011. I got my PPR on March 21, and mailed in my passport and it was recieved April 6th...so I don't know what CIC's definition of visa issuance is..

I have about 5 months to land. I am not sure if this is the case for all visas... (Maybe that's when my medical expires?? Which seems weird because technically it should have expired Feb 2011) I was also reading a paper that was sent with my Passport, I would need a travel document to go back to the USA if I don't have a PR card yet...so I had to cancel my trip for this weekend ;(

I will probably wait to land until after my camping trip to Oregon in Mid May (which will mark mine and my partner's 3 year anniversary.) Sucks but I don't feel like applying for a temporary travel document...Does anybody have any experience with a travel document prior to receiving a PR card?

 

[quakingaspen]

That's a great question. I'm hoping to go visit my family in June. I can easily be landed by then, but I won't have my PR card yet. Can I travel between Canada and the US just as a US citizen, rather than as a Canadian PR?

 

[kerianne]

That's what I was wondering as well. I am reading on up CIC's website, but it's so unclear. All their fancy wording is a bit difficult to understand. It says you need a travel doc if you are traveling by plane, train, boat or bus...so does that mean if I cross by car or foot that I don't need one?

Same thing, I live 10 minutes from Washington/BC border..I could land today if I wanted to, but I won't have a PR card in time for my trip. (Which we have already paid for..) It's $50 to apply, but I really don't feel like dealing with yet ANOTHER application through CIC and MORE waiting..lol

 

[quakingaspen]

I know! I was just looking at the forms too, and they want more passport pictures, and they want you to give them your passport. :S I don't think you could pry my passport out of my cold dead fingers by the time I finally get it back in my hands. And, none of the situations they mention seem to apply to going across the border for a weeks vacation.

If it would work to cross and come back just as an American citizen, with no special consideration because of my PR, that would be fine. Otherwise, I might have to wait to land until I come back too... and I'd really rather get my SIN number, apply for health care, and start applying for jobs.

 

[kerianne]

My thoughts exactly! I really don't feel like dealing with that..and I want a job dammit! lol

 

[kerianne]

How long does it take to get PR card? Wasn't it like 45 days after receiving a visa? I remember some people (like last summer/fall) had to wait like 2 months to get it..

 

[Ganapatiom]

Just received AOR today! We were on the same time line as Sparkle, so here's hoping you hear very soon. We have a move in date at our apartment in Toronto on June 4th. I might actually make it!

Good luck to everyone.

 

[kerianne]

AH HA! though this doesn't help with my decision of visiting before hand. I'd rather have as minimal contact with the border as possible. For the least amount of issues.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/pr-card/pr-card-faq12.asp

Ganapatiom--Congratulations! Hope you get news sooner than later!

 

[quakingaspen]

I have another question. Do you just need a SIN number to work, or do you need your actual PR card?

hehe Now that I'm getting close, I'm starting to question some of the things I thought I "knew".

 

[kerianne]

OH jeez me too! I thought that I was so prepared. Go figure there's a stick thrown in my path lol :

I believe you only need a SIN number. That is what I read when I filled out the app for my SIN. Under some law they can hire you as long as you have a SIN number. I didn't see anything regarding PR card.

The call centre guy said that I will not need a travel document if I am re-entering by car from the US. I just need to bring COPR and any other supporting documents that would prove I am a PR of Canada. The PR card is issued 35 (give or take a few) business days AFTER landing.

 

[TreeLover]

So I landed today! I'm now officially a permanent resident of Canada!

It went really smoothly. No problem exporting the car. There was no line at the Canadian border (everyone was going the other way into the US which was a REALLY long line) and it took like 5 minutes. Although she forgot something when she gave me back my passport as she didn't ask me about my car. We had already gone back to the car and were getting in when I realized that I didn't import my car! So I went back in and this time ended up with someone different and he said yes, I need to file papers for importing my car. He just asked me if I was bringing in goods with me and I said yes (the first woman didn't ask me about that), and he asked me to guess at the value (excluding the car) and I told him. Didn't have to do a list of goods. I had done one on my computer but forgot to print it out and was prepared to write it down, if asked, but no one seems concerned with that and didn't even ask me what I was bringing with me. So add this to the inconsistencies with this process! LOL Also, I was told that I HAD to import my car when I landed, but based on my experience, it wouldn't appear so, unless the first person I had just forgot about it. There is an RIV office right there just over the border, so I paid my fee ($218) and now just need to do the inspection, etc.

So it's over! Yeah! Well, I still need to do the health care thing and the get my SIN number and just wait for the PR card. Funny, that they only used one photo. They didn't want the second one at the border and just gave it back to me. Wonder why they ask for two in the first place then?

 

[amethystfaire]

Fantastic news despite how down we've been lately and the lack of info on our CAIPS notes...

WE GOT OUR PPR! XD Heading up to Buffalo in 1.5 weeks to finalize. So happy! XD

 

[quakingaspen]

Wow! Congrats to Tree on the landing, and to Amethyst on the PPR.

 

[puzzle69]

Congrats Treelover on landing! Sounds like it was a quick, but interesting experience. I have a quick question if you don't mind me asking. Was the car you imported a newer one? We will be importing 2 cars when we come over. One is a 2008, the other 2009. I'm just trying to estimate how much of a fee I'll have to pay at the border. Did you do anything ahead of landing to expedite the import process? Congratulations again. I can't wait to get to Canada myself!