+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Few questions regarding landing process - B4 forms and UPS address

bluesaffron

Star Member
Nov 20, 2016
72
7
Hello -

I applied through the express entry program and got my COPR in november, 2017.

Planning to fly from US to Canada (Toronto Airport) for the 'landing process' this weekend.
I will be back to US the very next day.
My final move to Canada will probably in the next year or so..

I have researched a decent amount on the landing process, but still have few questions.
If someone can help me out in this.. that will be great!

1. For my landing process - I plan to carry few items with me.. like Laptop, watch, Cellphone, some clothes etc and then return with everything I have back to US. Basically I will not leave anything in Canada...

So, do I still need to fill out B4 form for accompanying goods, even though there will be no good which will stay in Canada?
If yes.. what am I going to add?... the same items which I will take back the very next day?

2. When going through different threads in the forum, I cam across this thread...
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/should-i-list-my-car-on-form-b4.475531/
In this thread one of the participant says the following
"you do not need to submit B4 (now known as BSF186) at the time of landing. There is no such requirement from CIC. I know I did not, and it worked out fine. You can present it to CBSA when you move to Canada for good."

Which makes sense to me as well, but generally I am seeing (on this forum) people filling out B4 form for 'goods to follow' right on the landing, even though they might not move for many months/years. The value and the number of good someone can bring can change within a year, so not sure if I really need to submit a b4 form for 'goods to folllow'
Thoughts?

3. I have two cars in US.. and unfortunately, have lost registration of one of the car.
If I do end up filling up my car info in 'goods to follow' list, I think only car's make, model, VIN number and value is required..
I do not need the title/registration/insurance info as this is required during the actual import and export of the car and not during initial landing... Correct?

4. How do I determine the value of the car... ? Use sites like kbb I assume

5. I do not have any relative / friend in Canada, so I bought a UPS mailbox address and plan to give that address to the CBSA folks for them to send my PR...(and then I have forwarded the mails to my address in US).
Based on my research this should work, but is there anything specific about this which I need to keep in mind when the officer asks me for address...?... meaning is it okay to tell that this is a UPS address..?
I do not see any other option - but to tell the truth, but wondering if anything specific I need to keep in mind when I talk/mention about this address...

Thanks all for your kind help!
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
1. You will mention these items ( one you are carrying) in both GTA and GTF.

2. You absolutely do not need to submit GTA/GTF at soft/short landing. Take a printout of this page and highlight #9,10 with a marker. If some CBSA agent troubles you then just let them know that you are just "visiting" to finish PR landing formalities and you are not "settling" down in this trip.

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-2-1-eng.html

3. You do not need Registration but CBSA agent might ask for Car Title.

4. I had used KBB.

5. No. You do not need to disclose this information voluntarily and CBSA agent won't know if this is actual address or UPS address ( provided you use Suite #XXX instead of P.O Box No. XXX in the UPS address).

Now here it gets tricky, CBSA prefers that you provide an address where you are going to stay till PR card arrives. If you mention that you are not submitting GTA/GTF since you are returning to USA next day, then CBSA agent might not update MyCIC with your UPS address.

Most probably it would be safer for you to let CBSA agent know that you do not have any address in Canada and you will need 5456B form to update CIC once you have permanent address in Canada. After finishing landing formalities and once eCAS is updated with landing information ( 1-5 days) , you can fax 5456B with UPS address mentioned as your address.
 
Last edited:

smtele

Hero Member
Apr 30, 2015
242
30
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
27-12-2015
Passport Req..
05-06-2016
LANDED..........
29-06-2016
Hello -

2. When going through different threads in the forum, I cam across this thread...
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/should-i-list-my-car-on-form-b4.475531/
In this thread one of the participant says the following
"you do not need to submit B4 (now known as BSF186) at the time of landing. There is no such requirement from CIC. I know I did not, and it worked out fine. You can present it to CBSA when you move to Canada for good."

Which makes sense to me as well, but generally I am seeing (on this forum) people filling out B4 form for 'goods to follow' right on the landing, even though they might not move for many months/years. The value and the number of good someone can bring can change within a year, so not sure if I really need to submit a b4 form for 'goods to folllow'
Thoughts?
Your reasoning sounds correct. Have a look at the requirements for landing by the Canadian Govt. There is no mention of B4 (now known as BSF186). I was not asked for it when I landed.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/prepare-arrival.html

However, I have heard stories from people on this forum regarding submitting B4 at the time of landing. Whether they voluntarily wanted to submit the form or were asked for it by the CBSA officer, I don't know. Every officer can be different. There is this also this ON province guide which mentions that you need to bring the list of items when landing, although I believe they are assuming you are going to settle in ON immediately after landing (as the site is called settlement.org)
https://settlement.org/ontario/immigration-citizenship/landing-and-leaving/landing-in-canada/what-documents-should-i-bring-with-me-when-landing-in-canada-as-a-new-immigrant/

--

So, alll in all, my suggestion is to have a completed B4 in your backpocket just in case you get asked for it at the time of landing. Again, there should be no ask for it, because it is not a requirement but it will just make you play safe. You can keep the list of items in it general -- like mention the basic necessities like clothing, furniture, etc that you can think of moving into Canada and approx costs.
 
Last edited:

bluesaffron

Star Member
Nov 20, 2016
72
7
smtele and APPNOV2014NY
Thanks for your advise and apologies for this late response...
Also many thanks for sharing the Memorandum D2-2-1 info and the link from settlement.org..

So.. today I landed in Toronto and things went smooth except one minor hiccup...

Airport was very light today.. and there was only 1 person behind me when my pr was getting processed.
The whole experience was smooth... actually smoother than I was expecting.
The only document the officer asked me was COPR (apart from passport)
Not even my photograph was asked..
I was super prepared with bank account statements, proof of funds, etc, but was not asked about these items as well.

The second thing the person asked me was the 'address' and I provided the ups address. He then specifically asked me if this is a residential address, and I said no, that this is a proper street address but a ups store mailing address on my name..which I have purchased.

He politely declined accepting the address because it was not a 'residential' address and asked me to update the address at a later time online.
When this happened, I got a bit distracted, and forgot to ask anything about b4 forms, proof of funds etc..(He did not ask me about these forms either - so all these docs remained with me.. which is ok)

He asked me to wait and within 5 minutes he called me to sign the copr and congratulated me.

Thats it..
So - all in all a good experience.. and a lot of this was possible because of guys like you on this forum.. :)
THANK YOU!!
APPNOV2014NY - thanks for the idea of using the ups address on 5456B form... :)

Followup question now.. :)
- Did you guys apply for SIN number and/or bank account when you were here?
Tomorrow is Monday so I can use few morning hrs to get some of these things taken care of...
Wanted to know - what do you guys think will be better to take care now...
SIN/Bank account/ anything else?
Does it really matter if I do get them or not?
Do you see any of these items (having a SIN/bank account etc) could somehow disrupt/affect our US stay (visa/gc process)...I doubt, but better to check than sorry..
 
  • Like
Reactions: APPNOV2014NY

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
Glad it went well for you. Please try to pay it forward on this forum :)

If you have spare time then you can get SIN. It won't take more than 10-60 min.

Bank account would be a long shot since you do not have permanent residential address in Canada. SIN/Bank account won't affect your US stay except that you will need to declare this Canadian account to IRS.

In between online address update for PR card functionality seems to be broken. Hope you picked up 5456B at the time of landing.
 

bluesaffron

Star Member
Nov 20, 2016
72
7
Glad it went well for you. Please try to pay it forward on this forum :)

If you have spare time then you can get SIN. It won't take more than 10-60 min.

Bank account would be a long shot since you do not have permanent residential address in Canada. SIN/Bank account won't affect your US stay except that you will need to declare this Canadian account to IRS.

In between online address update for PR card functionality seems to be broken. Hope you picked up 5456B at the time of landing.

Ok - assuming that you meant that having a bank account in Canada needs to be declared with IRS and not the SIN..

I actually did not pick it up from Toronto as the officer specifically said to update it online.. :(
Anyways I will try to pick up the form from Ottawa airport today during my flight back.. (my flight is back from ottawa to US)
Assuming that the form does not need to be specific to the airport I did landing on, and could be picked up from anywhere...
Please let me know if you disagree in any of my assumptions above...

Thanks again!!

And Yes - I will try to give back to the forum with whatever knowledge I have... :)
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
Ok - assuming that you meant that having a bank account in Canada needs to be declared with IRS and not the SIN..

I actually did not pick it up from Toronto as the officer specifically said to update it online.. :(
Anyways I will try to pick up the form from Ottawa airport today during my flight back.. (my flight is back from ottawa to US)
Assuming that the form does not need to be specific to the airport I did landing on, and could be picked up from anywhere...
Please let me know if you disagree in any of my assumptions above...

Thanks again!!

And Yes - I will try to give back to the forum with whatever knowledge I have... :)
Yes. Only bank account to be declared.

You can try your luck and see if you have access to Immigration Desk/Counter while departing. Other alternative would be to call CIC and ask them to send PR card to specific address.
 

bluesaffron

Star Member
Nov 20, 2016
72
7
Yes. Only bank account to be declared.

You can try your luck and see if you have access to Immigration Desk/Counter while departing. Other alternative would be to call CIC and ask them to send PR card to specific address.
Looks like I will have to call them in few days with the info on new address..
(could not access canada immigration people on the airport in this regard)
Once I have an update - I will update the thread..
Thanks you for the prompt responses ..!
 

bluesaffron

Star Member
Nov 20, 2016
72
7
I called them and got hold of the agent and had the address updated.. card should arrive in 60 days he said.. will keep the post updated on how it goes..
 
  • Like
Reactions: APPNOV2014NY

Ravu

Star Member
Jan 3, 2018
80
23
Hi guys, i am landing in toronto next month with my partner. Just a quick question:

Is it just me who need to fill the B4 forms or my partner as well? I am the principal applicant though.