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Sending passport from USA to Canada

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
Hi everyone,

I received PPR email on Feb 28 and I live in US. I chose USPS to send my passport to Canada and included FedEx return label to get it back.

Shipped on March 18 with USPS and tracking shows no update. I called USPS and opened an inquiry with them but I am worried what happens if my passport don’t reach CPC-Ottawa within 30 days time from PPR email. Please suggest on how to reach CPC I have tried email and no response from them.

Also, US applicants please suggest if anyone faced the same issue with USPS and what can be done.

Thank you.
 

hakweye

Star Member
Nov 16, 2016
197
59
Hi everyone,

I received PPR email on Feb 28 and I live in US. I chose USPS to send my passport to Canada and included FedEx return label to get it back.

Shipped on March 18 with USPS and tracking shows no update. I called USPS and opened an inquiry with them but I am worried what happens if my passport don’t reach CPC-Ottawa within 30 days time from PPR email. Please suggest on how to reach CPC I have tried email and no response from them.

Also, US applicants please suggest if anyone faced the same issue with USPS and what can be done.

Thank you.
What is the last status update?
 

hakweye

Star Member
Nov 16, 2016
197
59
In transit to a sorting facility. This was on March 18 it’s been 4 days and no update since then. I am sure it must’ve been scanned when it reached next point which never happened in 4 days
Need more specific details. Did it reach any distribution centre? Usually international packages will have little to no updates during transit from one distribution centre to another. I have faced this issue while sending some documents to canada.
 

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
Need more specific details. Did it reach any distribution centre? Usually international packages will have little to no updates during transit from one distribution centre to another. I have faced this issue while sending some documents to canada.
Ok, I have shipped on March 18 and last update says package was in transit from USPS acceptance facility to USPS sorting facility. No update after that, I am guessing they should’ve updated if it ever reached that sorting facility . My scheduled delivery is showing up as March 25 Monday 8:00 PM.

So there will be no updates in the transit for international packages ? And we get update once it’s finally delivered?
 

hakweye

Star Member
Nov 16, 2016
197
59
Ok, I have shipped on March 18 and last update says package was in transit from USPS acceptance facility to USPS sorting facility. No update after that, I am guessing they should’ve updated if it ever reached that sorting facility . My scheduled delivery is showing up as March 25 Monday 8:00 PM.

So there will be no updates in the transit for international packages ? And we get update once it’s finally delivered?
Hmm atleast it should have reached some regionals distribution centre by now. For me it reached a distribution centre and took four days to reach next one, in between no updates. Followed by few more days to clear customs. After that it took another week to reach destination. Net it took around 14 days. I would say wait till Sunday and call USPS on Monday .
 

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
Hmm atleast it should have reached some regionals distribution centre by now. For me it reached a distribution centre and took four days to reach next one, in between no updates. Followed by few more days to clear customs. After that it took another week to reach destination. Net it took around 14 days. I would say wait till Sunday and call USPS on Monday .
I have called USPS already and they said it’s unusual and opened an inquiry.

Have you used USPS international express mail ? Mine is express service and a guaranteed delivery within 3-5 business days.

Any idea if I can reach CPC-Ottawa to request them extend my due date to submit passport?
 

Mthornt

Hero Member
Dec 28, 2015
817
207
Canada
I have called USPS already and they said it’s unusual and opened an inquiry.

Have you used USPS international express mail ? Mine is express service and a guaranteed delivery within 3-5 business days.

Any idea if I can reach CPC-Ottawa to request them extend my due date to submit passport?

I used USPS First Class Package International shipping to CPC-Ottawa, and it took about 10 days to get there. The updates on when it arrived at certain points, and when it was finally delivered were delayed constantly, so it was difficult to determine when it had actually arrived at certain places until days later when it updated. This may also be the case in your situation, and it's very possible that it has already arrived. Wouldn't hurt to reach out and find out options, and alert them of the situation, especially since it says on the PPR letter "If for any reason you are not able to meet this deadline, please inform us immediately by email to: CPC-CTD-Ottawa@cic.gc.ca with details concerning your situation."

You have a full week left (28 Days in Feb) so I have no doubt it will arrive soon if you sent it on the 18th, as yours is express and mine was not. Best of luck.
 

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
I used USPS First Class Package International shipping to CPC-Ottawa, and it took about 10 days to get there. The updates on when it arrived at certain points, and when it was finally delivered were delayed constantly, so it was difficult to determine when it had actually arrived at certain places until days later when it updated. This may also be the case in your situation, and it's very possible that it has already arrived. Wouldn't hurt to reach out and find out options, and alert them of the situation, especially since it says on the PPR letter "If for any reason you are not able to meet this deadline, please inform us immediately by email to: CPC-CTD-Ottawa@cic.gc.ca with details concerning your situation."

You have a full week left (28 Days in Feb) so I have no doubt it will arrive soon if you sent it on the 18th, as yours is express and mine was not. Best of luck.
Thank you . I hope they don’t miss my package in transit. I shall keep you updated on how it goes.
 

black-bimmer

Member
Oct 21, 2018
10
2
Can we submit the passport to VAC within USA instead of sending it to Canada? Feeling little apprehensive to send the passport to another country.
 

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
Can we submit the passport to VAC within USA instead of sending it to Canada? Feeling little apprehensive to send the passport to another country.
Use FedEx international ground it takes 3 business to deliver and most cost affective way for 22$. To submit to New York VAC you need to send an email to CPC-Ottawa and get updated instructions from them.
 

Mthornt

Hero Member
Dec 28, 2015
817
207
Canada
Use FedEx international ground it takes 3 business to deliver and most cost affective way for 22$. To submit to New York VAC you need to send an email to CPC-Ottawa and get updated instructions from them.

Did your passport end up arriving on time?
 

k.kshore

Member
Mar 3, 2019
15
8
Did your passport end up arriving on time?
Yes it did finally. Although USPS tracking is still showing up at initial acceptance facility and no update. USPS case investigation is still going on. Meanwhile, I was lucky enough to get hold off an agent at CPC-Ottawa who confirmed they did receive my passport on March 27. That was huge relief for me.
 
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ziszee

Full Member
Oct 18, 2018
48
1
Hi Akki045,

Congratulations!!
I am in a similar boat as yourself (Indian residing in US). It seems many people do send their passports out of the country. Sharing my experience below:

I personally used FedEx. In brief: I created an online fedex account ( a personal account), and using the FedEx Ship Manager (not the Ship Manager Lite), created a shipment which included a return label. I also opted for the commercial invoice to be generated for both onward and return packages as I had heard that some people (who had sent their passports to Ottawa from US) had reported that they were asked by CIC to provide a new shipping label with a commercial invoice.

You can use the passport processing tracker on myimmitracker here: https://myimmitracker.com/en/ca/trackers/passport-processing-tracker
to get an idea of the kind of wait times experienced by ppl.

TLDR:
The shipping labels created with selecting a package type of an envelope, along with a document type of immigration papers declared at value of $1 for both onward and return packages. I had purchased one large bubble-wrap envelop (which could take 11" x 17" sized docs) for the onward package and a medium bubble wrap envelope (which could take a 11" x 8.5" doc). For the package type, I measured the bubble wraps envelopes that I had and put those dimensions in as custom. I collected all docs (pport, photos, annex a, return envelop), took everything together and wrote a simple cover letter explaining the documents and artefacts included.

The Fedex shipment gave me quite a few documents printed out.

4 labels for the onward shipment, 2 commercial invoices for the onward shipment. I made sure everything on the onward label was correct, and signed the two commercial invoices and included them in the standard fedex ziploc pouches that affix on top of the envelope (they just give you a couple of those at the fedex locations if you ask for them).

I affixed a similar ziploc pouch on the return envelope. I put the 3 return labels within the pouch.

I took:
Coverletter
The passports
Photographs
annex A
fedex return shipment instructions
fedex return commercial invoice (separate from the labels that were put into the return envelope's pouch since they had to be signed by the person returning)
return envelope with return labels within the pouch,​
and put all of the above on the onward and sent the package. The cover letter that I wrote , explained exactly what each thing was.

Hope that helped even though am a bit late.
Hi, how long does it take to get passport to Ottawa via Fedex ground shipment ?and how long does it take to get visa stamped and get the passport back ?
 

ziszee

Full Member
Oct 18, 2018
48
1
Yes it did finally. Although USPS tracking is still showing up at initial acceptance facility and no update. USPS case investigation is still going on. Meanwhile, I was lucky enough to get hold off an agent at CPC-Ottawa who confirmed they did receive my passport on March 27. That was huge relief for me.
Hi, how long did it take it for you to get the passport to CPC Ottawa ? And how long did it take it for you to get the visa stamped and get the passport back ?