AINP - SRS H1B Landing Experience and post landing related activities.

[kapilkumar]

First of all i would like to thank everyone for posting valuable information regarding all landing activities. Here is my complete experience.
First i want to answer few repeated questions in this forum
1. Even though you are a provincial nominee of alberta,you can land any where in canada and apply SIN card. You don't have to go to
alberta for that, do it in a state that nearest to you.
2. You can apply SIN card in any place and give your friends address, they will post SIN Card to whatever address you gave.
3. US Bank statement will be good enough for proof of funds
4. No need to fill application for permanent resident card IMM5444E, immigration officer at landing will do that online, he will take only address from you that where card to be sent

My landing experience:
Since i have expired visa, i did canadian landing and my american visa stamp in a single shot.
We drove from boston to ottawa, first when we started to land at cornwall (from new york state) border it is midnight, there is no immigration section at nights at that border (they only work from morning 8 to night 12) they told us to wait until morning 8 am or go to alexandria bay (another port of entry to canada) where there will be 24 hrs immigration. So we decided to drive another 2 hrs to do our immigration at alexandria bay
Note: some port of entry's works only limited hours for immigration, enquire before you go which border you are crossing and what are the landed immigration timings. Some port of entry's open 24 hrs for landed immigrants. So do not plan to land at mid nights since some of the port of entry's does not have 24 hrs service, if you plan to land at midnight plan only to those which open 24 hrs for immigration section.
At alexandria bay,
Lady officer asked
A) where you coming from
B)are you moving today permanently
We said yes (even though we are not moving)
and some security questions like whether you are carrying any weapons etc...

make sure to tell them how much money you have all together whether it is a check or cash

She asked us to go and see the officer inside, we parked the car and went to inside. We showed our passports and COPR's
He asked few questions
a) are you guys moving today
again we said yes
b) what about your job in usa
I told him, i came to look for job right now as soon as i got job i will quit my job in usa and move permanently
c) do you have any bank statement for funds
i showed him $14000 draft in canadian currrency and as well as bank statement
d) do you have a place to stay
We said yes, in windsor,Ontario
e) whose house is that and what is your relation
we replied, it's our friends house, he owns it

After that he took that address and came back after 20 minutes, asked us to sign COPR forms infront of him and told us that our PR cards will arrive in mail after few weeks.

Next we went to customs, handed B4 and B4A goods to follow , make 2 copies of each they will stamp all and will return 1 copy each to you, and if you have any jewelry take photos , they will take photo copies of jewelry.

Next day we went to service canada in ottawa, applied SIN and gave windsor address - whole process is 30 minutes

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me

Which address you gave to the Immigration Officer for PR Cards? Windsor, ON address or some address in Alberta?

 

[rpenumat]

Hi Kapil,
I gave windsor address, but for safe side you just keep alberta address also since every officer is not the same

 

[kanadatrustee]

Here is our landing experience:

Did our landing on Canada Day, we reached at the Thousand island border around 3:30pm.

IO at the booth: What's the purpose of the visit?
KT: We are doing our landing.
IO at the booth: Asked some questions about what we are carrying etc and then gave us a yellow slip and told us to go to door 1.

At the Door 1 , we waited a few minutes before the immigration officer showed up and asked for our documents.

IO for Landing: Documents please.
KT: We gave him all the documentation including COPR.
IO for Landing: Asked us are we moving permanently today?
KT: We said no we are going back to USA on the 4th and will be moving once we find Jobs in Alberta, as we are nominated by AINP program.
IO for Landing: Looked confused and asked did Alberta issued our PR?
KT: no, CIC but we were nominated by Alberta and its a special program.
IO for Landing: Still had a blank look at his face, asked us to sign the COPR forms.
IO for Landing: Told us to wait there while he updates the system.
<came back after 15 minutes, with COPR stapled to our passport and told us to go to the declaration queue for goods to follow>

Officer at Import/Export counter: Asked for the forms, looked at it and said you have filled it wrong. Gave us new forms and asked to fill them up.

As we did not have our car title we had taken our Registration. We showed him the registration as proof of VIN of the car. The officer was nice enough to understand that we are not moving today and dont have title as the car is financed and allowed us to add the car to goods to follow list.

Once we got done at the Import/export counter we went back to IO for PR card and asked if we could apply for our PR cards. He said we cannot as we are not moving permanently today and told us to apply when we move permanently.

We took our rental car and drove to Ottawa. On Saturday when we explained the whole experience to my sister she told us that we could apply for PR card at Ottawa office and should do that. After doing some Google search we found that we can go to the Ottawa International airport,which has a border agency office open 12 hours a day. My wife called up the airport's border agency office and explained them whole story how we could not apply for PR card would it be possible for us to come down and apply for our PR cards they said yes come down anytime.

We went to the airport and walked to the border agency office. Waited few minutes before an officer showed up and asked what was the purpose of our visit. We again explained him that we have done our landing would like to apply for our PR cards. He looked at our passports and the stapled copr form, and told us that we dont need as the first page of the form with photo will automatically be used for PR card. We told him that the officer at the border never took an address to mail the COPR cards. He asked for the address that we wanted to get the PR cards on, we gave him my (distant)cousins address in Calgary. He came back after 15 minutes and said we are all set and should receive our PR cards in 6 weeks. Told us if we dont receive the cards then call at a 800 number that he gave us with file number he provided for tracking.

That's it.

We did not use AVR as both me and my wife have valid H1B on our passport.


KT= Kanadatrustee

 

[cooldeepforyou]

Hi
First of all thanks to all on this forum for theire help, this is a greate forum.
I completed my landing and came back to US will be planning to move permanently in near future.
Just want to help others by posting my experience, will not post any redundant info which is already here.

1) how they come to know about the days that how long you will be there.
In plan they give u a form to fill where you have to submit this information.
2) You can land anywhere it legaly does not matter. but practicaly its good to be in province which nomineted you.
3) Calgary looked expensive to me ,but its small beutiful city lots of greenary and greate national park (banff)
4) People are kind of raw, courtieas not as fast as people in US. so its mixed experience.
5) They gave canadian flag for my son, and somehow in hurry i kind of placed it in stroller ( not in upright position) which was immidiatly pointed by one of the officer there. so repect the flag.

Overall i think my effort payed off.
Good luck to all who still waiting for PR.

Thanks

Cuterash,

How did the officer know that you are going to stay in Calgary for only 6 days? Did you mention it to him. Is there anyway of knowing how long you are going to stay?

 

[enna]

Hi cooldeepforyou,

1) how they come to know about the days that how long you will be there.
In plan they give u a form to fill where you have to submit this information.

can you just put permanently so that you will not be questioned

thanks,

enna

Hi
First of all thanks to all on this forum for theire help, this is a greate forum.
I completed my landing and came back to US will be planning to move permanently in near future.
Just want to help others by posting my experience, will not post any redundant info which is already here.

1) how they come to know about the days that how long you will be there.
In plan they give u a form to fill where you have to submit this information.
2) You can land anywhere it legaly does not matter. but practicaly its good to be in province which nomineted you.
3) Calgary looked expensive to me ,but its small beutiful city lots of greenary and greate national park (banff)
4) People are kind of raw, courtieas not as fast as people in US. so its mixed experience.
5) They gave canadian flag for my son, and somehow in hurry i kind of placed it in stroller ( not in upright position) which was immidiatly pointed by one of the officer there. so repect the flag.

Overall i think my effort payed off.
Good luck to all who still waiting for PR.

Thanks

 

[cooldeepforyou]

Hi Enna,
I did wrote 180 days.

Hi cooldeepforyou,

1) how they come to know about the days that how long you will be there.
In plan they give u a form to fill where you have to submit this information.

can you just put permanently so that you will not be questioned

thanks,

enna

 

[kevinctech]

Guys.. can we apply for Health card in Calgary without renting any apartment? Somebody pls answer..

Kevin

 

[BZ Mom]

Guys.. can we apply for Health card in Calgary without renting any apartment? Somebody pls answer..

Kevin

When you apply for Health Card, they will ask for a proof of residence. If you don't have this, you cannot get a health card.

 

[kevinctech]

When you apply for Health Card, they will ask for a proof of residence. If you don't have this, you cannot get a health card.

Thanks BZ Mom.. what can we provide for Residence Proof?

 

[josephdadreamer]

kevinctech,

Passport with the canadian immigrant visa and the COPR. They will right away issue you the health card.

Thanks BZ Mom.. what can we provide for Residence Proof?

 

[freeradical17]

kevinctech,

Passport with the canadian immigrant visa and the COPR. They will right away issue you the health card.

Joseph,

I am planning to complete the landing formalites at Niagra POE. Can I apply for SIN & healthcard there?

 

[josephdadreamer]

freeradical17,

Honestly i really don't know people are getting mixed experience with that topic. Goodluck!!

Joseph,

I am planning to complete the landing formalites at Niagra POE. Can I apply for SIN & healthcard there?

 

[DBat]

Hi All

Its good all the good information.
I would like to is it really necessary I have to land in Alberta for landing formalities or anywhere( nearest border ) CANADA.

Also can I give the address of my friend for the PR cards

Please let me know,

Thank you
Dhanu

 

[lifegiver1978]

Hi All,
I'm planning on landing in Calgary on Aug 2nd, so if anybody know a place to stay please let me know. I need temp accomodation for 10 days, I'm travelling with my family of 4 (2 adults + 2 kids).

Please let me know if any of you know any accomodation. Also I need an address in Calgary for my PR cards.

Thank You!!

 

[bloretoalberta]

I too am landing in the first week of August and am looking for accommodation in Calgary for a few days. Any good hotel, or any accommodation suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!