Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[R151NG5UN]

Hey guys,

Just to let you know, I landed in Calgary last Wednesday and was ushered to the immigration hall, where I met with a CBSA official. It was a relatively painless process and they were very polite, through and tried to get me through the process as quick as possible. It took about 35-45 minutes to see a CBSA official and fill out the relevant paperwork and I was then showed the way to a customs official who verified my goods that I shipped and gave me some bar codes that she attached to my B4 paperwork. My goods arrived in Calgary the day after I flew on to Edmonton, Customs wont release the goods without me heading back to Calgary with the official paperwork and those bar codes issued to me by the customs official. So I have a day trip tomorrow with my FIL to go and try and collect these goods, fingers crossed.

As for SIN, Driver licence, Alberta health care, Opening a Canadian bank account. First thing you need to do is to head for the nearest Canada services centre to receive your SIN (this seems to be the very first thing you need and the others cant be done without this unless you have been living in Canada previously). Once I received my SIN, I headed for my local Alberta registration centre, where I surrendered my UK driving licence and had it exchanged for a AB licence. They needed the SIN number to do this because this was my ONLY form of paperwork that showed my residency barring my COPR paperwork. Once you have that SIN showing your residential address you can also apply for Alberta healthcare (those heading in to AB obviously) and I believe it is immediate, I am going to do this later on today. I believe opening a bank account is relatively straight forward also but you will need your COPR at the very least.

I was told by Canada services that the paperwork you are issued by CIC when they grant your COPR is very very important as it is the ONLY document that tells you EXACTLY when you entered the country and when you go to receive your pension in the future this piece of paperwork is the only piece that has exactly the date you entered and thus they will know exactly what you are entitled to. Even the PR card "apparently" only has year of entry and not the exact dates. I was told that this paperwork will be needed in say 30 years time so make sure even when you receive your PR card that you store the original PR paperwork safely.

Fingers crossed for you guys and hope to hear some happy news in the coming days

 

[Canooknic]

Hey guys,

Just to let you know, I landed in Calgary last Wednesday and was ushered to the immigration hall, where I met with a CBSA official. It was a relatively painless process and they were very polite, through and tried to get me through the process as quick as possible. It took about 35-45 minutes to see a CBSA official and fill out the relevant paperwork and I was then showed the way to a customs official who verified my goods that I shipped and gave me some bar codes that she attached to my B4 paperwork. My goods arrived in Calgary the day after I flew on to Edmonton, Customs wont release the goods without me heading back to Calgary with the official paperwork and those bar codes issued to me by the customs official. So I have a day trip tomorrow with my FIL to go and try and collect these goods, fingers crossed.

As for SIN, Driver licence, Alberta health care, Opening a Canadian bank account. First thing you need to do is to head for the nearest Canada services centre to receive your SIN (this seems to be the very first thing you need and the others cant be done without this unless you have been living in Canada previously). Once I received my SIN, I headed for my local Alberta registration centre, where I surrendered my UK driving licence and had it exchanged for a AB licence. They needed the SIN number to do this because this was my ONLY form of paperwork that showed my residency barring my COPR paperwork. Once you have that SIN showing your residential address you can also apply for Alberta healthcare (those heading in to AB obviously) and I believe it is immediate, I am going to do this later on today. I believe opening a bank account is relatively straight forward also but you will need your COPR at the very least.

I was told by Canada services that the paperwork you are issued by CIC when they grant your COPR is very very important as it is the ONLY document that tells you EXACTLY when you entered the country and when you go to receive your pension in the future this piece of paperwork is the only piece that has exactly the date you entered and thus they will know exactly what you are entitled to. Even the PR card "apparently" only has year of entry and not the exact dates. I was told that this paperwork will be needed in say 30 years time so make sure even when you receive your PR card that you store the original PR paperwork safely.

Fingers crossed for you guys and hope to hear some happy news in the coming days

Welcome to Canada, and (more importantly) Welcome to Edmonton !! So pleased everything went smoothly for you xx

 

[R151NG5UN]

Welcome to Canada, and (more importantly) Welcome to Edmonton !! So pleased everything went smoothly for you xx

Thanks canooknic, I appreciate that and all the support of the others here. Hope they also have great news in the coming days and weeks. I am just trying to tie up everything so I can enjoy the festive season next week with my family and then as soon as the new year comes, I am ready to go job hunting.

 

[Canooknic]

Thanks canooknic, I appreciate that and all the support of the others here. Hope they also have great news in the coming days and weeks. I am just trying to tie up everything so I can enjoy the festive season next week with my family and then as soon as the new year comes, I am ready to go job hunting.

Best of luck to you. Enjoy the holidays (but avoid WEM at all costs, it's insane today!!)

 

[frege]

I believe opening a bank account is relatively straight forward also but you will need your COPR at the very least.

Most banks want the COPR, but not all. Basically, there's a law that says that anybody who walks into a bank with certain pieces of ID is entitled to open a bank account. With a COPR, you're fine, but a visitor record will do too. That's a minimum, and it doesn't mean that all banks have to be that strict. My wife and I opened a joint account at CIBC when she was still just a visitor. All she needed was her UK driver's licence and UK passport. CIBC and Royal Bank are good for this kind of thing, but not other banks, it seems.

In any case, welcome to Canada!

 

[sfeire]

It seems as if COPRs have slowed down again in the last few weeks...or am I the only one thinking that?

I'm lucky enough to be in Canada already with my spouse but obviously not able to work and still times drags...

I got sponsorship approval in October so at this rate it looks like it will be March before I hear anything...

I agree, I haven't seen much change recently. I really was hoping to have heard something by now, based on times of prev applications processed. I had a feeling it would slow down toward Christmas but I was hoping I was wrong

I hope to God mine comes in January. I'm 6months out of work now and so fed up! It's a lot of pressure on my husband too. Hopefully something soon...

 

[Sweden]

Most banks want the COPR, but not all. Basically, there's a law that says that anybody who walks into a bank with certain pieces of ID is entitled to open a bank account. With a COPR, you're fine, but a visitor record will do too. That's a minimum, and it doesn't mean that all banks have to be that strict. My wife and I opened a joint account at CIBC when she was still just a visitor. All she needed was her UK driver's licence and UK passport. CIBC and Royal Bank are good for this kind of thing, but not other banks, it seems.

In any case, welcome to Canada!

Same here - I applied on my own (without my partner) at BMO and all I needed was 2 pieces of ID and a canadian address, and I was given a bank account + debit card right away. I was still on a tourist visa. I had told the bank that I would be getting my PR anytime soon, but they just took my word for it, and didn't ask for any proofs. I could not apply for a credit card (also because I don't have a job).
Most bank have a package deal for new immigrants where you can get one year free of their best bank plan, so if you go and open a bank account, might be worth mentioning that you will have your PR soon, and so you don't have to pay for bank fees for one year!

Welcome to Canada indeed!

I agree, I haven't seen much change recently. I really was hoping to have heard something by now, based on times of prev applications processed. I had a feeling it would slow down toward Christmas but I was hoping I was wrong

I hope to God mine comes in January. I'm 6months out of work now and so fed up! It's a lot of pressure on my husband too. Hopefully something soon...

Fingers crossed you'll hear in January!
Sweden

 

[frege]

Same here - I applied on my own (without my partner) at BMO and all I needed was 2 pieces of ID and a canadian address, and I was given a bank account + debit card right away. I was still on a tourist visa. I had told the bank that I would be getting my PR anytime soon, but they just took my word for it, and didn't ask for any proofs. I could not apply for a credit card (also because I don't have a job).

We got turned down by BMO. The woman was nice, but was convinced it would be against the law for them to open an account for us. What was the ID you gave them?

 

[Sweden]

We got turned down by BMO. The woman was nice, but was convinced it would be against the law for them to open an account for us. What was the ID you gave them?

Passport + national driving licence (not canadian one, I don't have one yet), and I had to explain that my PR will come through anytime soon, and the guy didn't seem to think it was a problem, as long as I was able to show my PR (especially for getting the free one year plan) within a reasonable amount of time...

 

[mic_midd86]

Hi, hoping someone can help? We got stage 1 on 6/12/12 and can log on to ecas, on this it says
Sponsorship application- decision made
Permanent resident application - application received and medicals received.
My question is, is this confirmation that London has my file? Also the date on sponsorship app is the same for Pr app?

 

[frege]

Passport + national driving licence (not canadian one, I don't have one yet), and I had to explain that my PR will come through anytime soon, and the guy didn't seem to think it was a problem, as long as I was able to show my PR (especially for getting the free one year plan) within a reasonable amount of time...

Well, you were luckier than we were. The foreign driver's licence isn't on BMO's list of acceptable ID.

http://www4.bmo.com/popup/0,4529,35490_7316768,00.html?pChannelId=7316768

Looks like they really wanted you as a customer!

 

[tamarindball]

I guess I can say my experience was the opposite as it relates to trying to open an account as a visitor. I went to BMO with my husband and they told me that I needed to have two Cdn IDs so they refused to even put me on his account much less to open one in my name alone. I hadn't yet applied for PR at the time so didn't tell them that and didn't even know I could so perhaps now I could try again and see what they said. Otherwise, I could try another bank - perhaps CIBC? Tx for sharing that info. As we say in Ja. puss and dog don't have the same luck but I will still try anyway.

 

[Sweden]

Hi, hoping someone can help? We got stage 1 on 6/12/12 and can log on to ecas, on this it says
Sponsorship application- decision made
Permanent resident application - application received and medicals received.
My question is, is this confirmation that London has my file? Also the date on sponsorship app is the same for Pr app?

Hey!

Welcome to the thread.
Yes - pretty much that's the only confirmation that you will have from London. It means that they have matched your file and your medicals, so it'a good sign...
the date is always the same - it's the date it reaches CPC-Mississauga, and it won't change to the date that London received your application etc.
Now - all you need to do is wait... seems like they're working on mid to late august applicants, so you have quite a bit to go... if you want to add yourself to the spreadsheet, the link is in my signature, feel free. If you're not sure what to do, let me know and I'll add you.
Good luck,
Sweden

Well, you were luckier than we were. The foreign driver's licence isn't on BMO's list of acceptable ID.

http://www4.bmo.com/popup/0,4529,35490_7316768,00.html?pChannelId=7316768

Looks like they really wanted you as a customer!

that's strange! the BMO branch I went to gave me a printed list of ID and Driving Licence (foreign) was on it... oh well - I probably got really lucky.

I guess I can say my experience was the opposite as it relates to trying to open an account as a visitor. I went to BMO with my husband and they told me that I needed to have two Cdn IDs so they refused to even put me on his account much less to open one in my name alone. I hadn't yet applied for PR at the time so didn't tell them that and didn't even know I could so perhaps now I could try again and see what they said. Otherwise, I could try another bank - perhaps CIBC? Tx for sharing that info. As we say in Ja. puss and dog don't have the same luck but I will still try anyway.

Good luck! sometimes being "sure" of your facts ( somebody I know opened a bank account etc etc) can help my partner has a BMO account, but he was not with me when I opened the account, and they also took my word for it...

Sweden

 

[frege]

I guess I can say my experience was the opposite as it relates to trying to open an account as a visitor. I went to BMO with my husband and they told me that I needed to have two Cdn IDs so they refused to even put me on his account much less to open one in my name alone. I hadn't yet applied for PR at the time so didn't tell them that and didn't even know I could so perhaps now I could try again and see what they said. Otherwise, I could try another bank - perhaps CIBC? Tx for sharing that info. As we say in Ja. puss and dog don't have the same luck but I will still try anyway.

Here are the lists of acceptable ID for CIBC and RBC:

https://www.cibc.com/ca/acceptable-identification.html

http://www.rbc.com/canada/_assets-custom/includes/pop-up/list-of-valid-identification.html

If you don't have U.S. or U.K. ID, and don't have an IMM 1442 visitor record, then RBC seems easier than CIBC. In that case, you need a member of the community "in good standing" to vouch for you, or a letter of introduction from your previous bank.

 

[tamarindball]

Hi Sweden
I hope you can help. I posted this somewhere before b ut hadn't got a response. Having got AOR and UCI # i tried to access ECAS and after putting in bio info the next page said:
If you want to see the details of an application, click on the underlined status.

Please remove the ability for me or anyone else to view the status of my application and address information on this Web site.
Note: Once you withdraw your consent, your application status and address information will no longer be available on the Internet. Learn about other ways of receiving information about the processing and status of your application and updating your address information by contacting us.

We don't want to remove the ability to view so we bypassed that and just clicked on submit but it took us back to the above page. Just wondered if anyone else had that experience and if so, what are we to do or why that is so?