CBSA thinks I’m a PR / citizen

[abhishek93]

I had a weird encounter at the airport today. I planned to travel to Canada from the US to be with my wife who is on a work permit. I was denied boarding because of two reasons:

First, the CBSA requires travel authorization even for the people traveling from the US. Their (and IRCC) website says otherwise, and their phone agents are unreliable: the first three times I called to confirm, they had no issues with my travel (I explained them all the details about our statuses). The fourth time, the CBSA agent told me that I am not allowed.

The second one is concerning (and comical to an extent). The airport agent called up CBSA and the CBSA person mentioned that I have applied for Canadian citizenship and became a PR in 2017, which I have never done. To counter this, I showed my current visitor visa (also issue in 2017) and Canadian entry stamps from CBSA (I have visited Canada multiple times in the past 3 years, and sometimes I got my passport stamped). The airline agent also verified that my visitor visa is valid. At this point, I’m pretty sure that I am neither a Canadian citizen nor a PR (although my wife has applied for PR through the EE program in June 2020, and I am an accompanying dependent). However, I am worried that somewhere someone messed up. Neither my wife nor I have misrepresented anything in our Canadian visitor, work, or EE applications.

I’d really appreciate any advice regarding this.

Thank you.

My Canadian Applications/Visas:
Visitor Visa 1: February - March, 2017
Visitor Visa 2: May 2017 - Present
EE CEC Dependent: June 2020 applied

 

[canuck78]

I had a weird encounter at the airport today. I planned to travel to Canada from the US to be with my wife who is on a work permit. I was denied boarding because of two reasons:

First, the CBSA requires travel authorization even for the people traveling from the US. Their (and IRCC) website says otherwise, and their phone agents are unreliable: the first three times I called to confirm, they had no issues with my travel (I explained them all the details about our statuses). The fourth time, the CBSA agent told me that I am not allowed.

The second one is concerning (and comical to an extent). The airport agent called up CBSA and the CBSA person mentioned that I have applied for Canadian citizenship and became a PR in 2017, which I have never done. To counter this, I showed my current visitor visa (also issue in 2017) and Canadian entry stamps from CBSA (I have visited Canada multiple times in the past 3 years, and sometimes I got my passport stamped). The airline agent also verified that my visitor visa is valid. At this point, I’m pretty sure that I am neither a Canadian citizen nor a PR (although my wife has applied for PR through the EE program in June 2020, and I am an accompanying dependent). However, I am worried that somewhere someone messed up. Neither my wife nor I have misrepresented anything in our Canadian visitor, work, or EE applications.

I’d really appreciate any advice regarding this.

Thank you.

My Canadian Applications/Visas:
Visitor Visa 1: February - March, 2017
Visitor Visa 2: May 2017 - Present
EE CEC Dependent: June 2020 applied

You need to contact IRCC and CBSA to sort this out. Would suggest contacting them via email/webform so you have a paper trail. Not much anyone can do from this forum if you are flagged as a PR but I assume there may have been some miscommunication between the airline agent and CBSA.

 

[abhishek93]

You need to contact IRCC and CBSA to sort this out. Would suggest contacting them via email/webform so you have a paper trail. Not much anyone can do from this forum if you are flagged as a PR but I assume there may have been some miscommunication between the airline agent and CBSA.

Thank you @canuck78 for the response. I will contact them ASAP. Would you also recommend requesting for ATIP notes from IRCC and CBSA?

 

[canuck78]

Thank you @canuck78 for the response. I will contact them ASAP. Would you also recommend requesting for ATIP notes from IRCC and CBSA?

Not a bad idea. I assume that there is a pretty decent chance that the airline agent may have misunderstood PR and the fact that you are in the process of applying for PR. You can't count on the fact that the agent gave you the correct story.

 

[abhishek93]

Not a bad idea. I assume that there is a pretty decent chance that the airline agent may have misunderstood PR and the fact that you are in the process of applying for PR. You can't count on the fact that the agent gave you the correct story.

That's quite likely. Also, is it public knowledge that during which stage of the EE process does the IRCC contact the CBSA? I realized that I have the GCMS notes from my EE application from last month, where the status of Eligibility is 'Passed', Criminality is 'In Process', Security is 'Not Started'.

 

[k.h.p.]

CBSA has access to GCMS themselves. I would not be surprised to see them misinterpreting your record, with a UCI that dates back to 2017 and an active PR application.

 

[abhishek93]

CBSA has access to GCMS themselves. I would not be surprised to see them misinterpreting your record, with a UCI that dates back to 2017 and an active PR application.

Strangely, I have 2 UCI numbers: one when I got my visitor status, and the other (10 digit) was generated when I applied for PR as a dependent. I recall adding my original UCI to the EE application, but IRCC issued a new one. I did not think much of it earlier as I associated the former with temporary visitor status and the latter with permanent status. Could this be an issue?

 

[mashulia_26]

I had a weird encounter at the airport today. I planned to travel to Canada from the US to be with my wife who is on a work permit. I was denied boarding because of two reasons:

First, the CBSA requires travel authorization even for the people traveling from the US. Their (and IRCC) website says otherwise, and their phone agents are unreliable: the first three times I called to confirm, they had no issues with my travel (I explained them all the details about our statuses). The fourth time, the CBSA agent told me that I am not allowed.

The second one is concerning (and comical to an extent). The airport agent called up CBSA and the CBSA person mentioned that I have applied for Canadian citizenship and became a PR in 2017, which I have never done. To counter this, I showed my current visitor visa (also issue in 2017) and Canadian entry stamps from CBSA (I have visited Canada multiple times in the past 3 years, and sometimes I got my passport stamped). The airline agent also verified that my visitor visa is valid. At this point, I’m pretty sure that I am neither a Canadian citizen nor a PR (although my wife has applied for PR through the EE program in June 2020, and I am an accompanying dependent). However, I am worried that somewhere someone messed up. Neither my wife nor I have misrepresented anything in our Canadian visitor, work, or EE applications.

I’d really appreciate any advice regarding this.

Thank you.

My Canadian Applications/Visas:
Visitor Visa 1: February - March, 2017
Visitor Visa 2: May 2017 - Present
EE CEC Dependent: June 2020 applied

It clearly states that you need a travel authorization on the website. My brother is flying from the US and he needs one.

 

[abhishek93]

Hi,

Updates from IRCC regarding my concerns. I sent them a webform and an email, and today, I received their email replies.

IRCC email reply regarding Written Travel Authorization:

My enquiry

Dear Officer,

I am writing to you to request for a written authorization to reunite with my spouse who is in Canada on a Post Graduate Work Permit. I am a foreign national, currently living in the United States. Although the IRCC website mentions that I do not require an authorization, the airline, after conversation with the CBSA, asked me to provide one. I kindly request you to issue me a written authorization letter. Following are my details and the relevant documents attached:

IRCC reply

Thank you for your enquiry.

As someone travelling to Canada from the United States, you do not need a written authorization from the Government of Canada.

Upon your arrival to Canada, an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will determine whether you are permitted to enter Canada.

I'm not sure what to make of it -- CBSA requires one and IRCC does not. As @mashulia_26 mentioned that it would be required, do I just email IRCC again?

Regarding 2 UCI numbers:

My enquiry

Dear Officer, I am writing to know if there is a process to verify or correct my personal information with IRCC.

I am a citizen of India, living in the USA since XXXX. I was scheduled to travel from Chicago to Toronto on 17 December 2020, when the airline (Air Canada) agent contacted the CBSA to verify my entry requirements. During the process, the airline agent mentioned that according to CBSA, I have been a Permanent Resident of Canada since 2017, and have applied for Canadian citizenship. However, I have never been a Permanent Resident or Citizen of Canada. I only hold a visitor visa, with a Permanent Residency application (EXXXX; dependent of XXXX) in process since June 2020. Since 2017, I travelled to Canada only on my TRV (issued in 2017) and have passport stamps to indicate the same. The UCI number on my TRV is YYYY, and I was issued a new UCI (ZZZZ) in my Express Entry application EXXXX.

Please let me know how to proceed. I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.

IRCC Reply

Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

To correct the UCI error on your valid temporary residence document (It should be ZZZZ), you can submit an application to amend by mail. We recommend reading the instruction guide first, it will assist you in completing and submitting your application.

In my understanding, IRCC would link the UCIs whenever they update it. However, their reply says otherwise. I am also expecting the GCMS notes in a few days.

 

[abhishek93]

You need to contact IRCC and CBSA to sort this out. Would suggest contacting them via email/webform so you have a paper trail. Not much anyone can do from this forum if you are flagged as a PR but I assume there may have been some miscommunication between the airline agent and CBSA.

Hi @canuck78,

I was told by an IRCC agent to contact the New York Consulate. Today, I got an email from the consulate confirming that based on the UCI, I am a PR and landed 3 years back. I have clarified them I am not and provided some documentation to show my visitor status. However, I am concerned if this issue can jeopardize my current PR application, where I was assigned a new UCI (based on the latest GCMS notes and phone conversation, all stages are passed and final decision is pending.) Should I seek legal help?

Thank you.

 

[k.h.p.]

Yes, a lawyer may help. There is no way you are forgetting a PR application in 2016ish?

 

[abhishek93]

Yes, a lawyer may help. There is no way you are forgetting a PR application in 2016ish?

Thank you @k.h.p. for your reply!

Never applied for PR until 2020; in fact, I'm not even eligible for any PR category on my own (currently I'm an accompanying spouse). My first visitor visa for Canada was issued in February 2017, and I later got a new one on 12 July 2017. Also, I last travelled to Canada in Feb 2020 and never faced any issues. According to IRCC, I landed as a PR on 12 August 2017 but I was in the US from 06 August to 30 October.

Looking into my GCMS notes, I see that:

1. My old UCI is listed in one of the notes from the day we applied for PR.
2. Note on 11 Aug 2020: REVIEW TYPE: Program Assistant APPLICATION #: EXXXXXXXX REGULATION: CEC PARKED CASE NOTES Case parked due to the following: - Other: Data mix-up
3. Note on 12 Aug 2020 (our medicals passed on this date): In the Eligibility review - Spouse Application Promoted: New UCI

I am flagged as PR exactly 3 years before the dates of notes 2 and 3!

 

[k.h.p.]

Thank you @k.h.p. for your reply!

Never applied for PR until 2020; in fact, I'm not even eligible for any PR category on my own (currently I'm an accompanying spouse). My first visitor visa for Canada was issued in February 2017, and I later got a new one on 12 July 2017. Also, I last travelled to Canada in Feb 2020 and never faced any issues. According to IRCC, I landed as a PR on 12 August 2017 but I was in the US from 06 August to 30 October.

Looking into my GCMS notes, I see that:

1. My old UCI is listed in one of the notes from the day we applied for PR.
2. Note on 11 Aug 2020: REVIEW TYPE: Program Assistant APPLICATION #: EXXXXXXXX REGULATION: CEC PARKED CASE NOTES Case parked due to the following: - Other: Data mix-up
3. Note on 12 Aug 2020 (our medicals passed on this date): In the Eligibility review - Spouse Application Promoted: New UCI

I am flagged as PR exactly 3 years before the dates of notes 2 and 3!

The "data mix-up" piece seems to indicate that someone at IRCC is aware there's an issue. The alignment of the dates is probably just a coincidence.

 

[abhishek93]

The "data mix-up" piece seems to indicate that someone at IRCC is aware there's an issue. The alignment of the dates is probably just a coincidence.

Your statement was spot-on!

IRCC told me that because of the data mix-up they assigned my old UCI to someone else, and now they have corrected it internally. Since my visa was issued in 2017 I was told to reapply for it with the new UCI and they would expedite the process.

 

[Cassiano]

Your statement was spot-on!

IRCC told me that because of the data mix-up they assigned my old UCI to someone else, and now they have corrected it internally. Since my visa was issued in 2017 I was told to reapply for it with the new UCI and they would expedite the process.

IT IS WORRY ABOUT THAT
WE CAN EASYLY BE STOLEN OUR IDENTITY