Checklist for landing in Toronto

[armenaz777]

Hello. I (primary applicant) will be soft-landing with my wife in a month in Toronto.

Can someone please list all the documents and forms that needs to be ready by the time of landing?

Also a couple of questions:

• Should these forms be filled in by both applicants or primary only?
• We're going to carry cash as PoF. Should I have this all and declare it or we split between me and my wife and none of us declare anything (because it would be less than 10K)?
• What forms do we get in the airplane before landing in Canada?

Thank you in advance.

 

[northern sunshine]

Just recently did my own landing. You'll need the following:

• Passport (with entry visa if applicable)
• CoPR
• PoF
  
• List of goods accompanying you that are staying in Canada if you have any (just in case-- they seem not to care about this any more but I would bring a list anyway)
• List of goods following if you will be doing your goods list at the time of your landing (you can technically do this later when you move permanently, but you may choose to do it at the time of landing)

See this link from IRCC for more information.

The only form you need to fill out before landing is the customs declaration form, which you should receive on the plane on the way in. It looks like this. It is one form per family, not per person, so if you and your spouse live together you should list both of you on one form. This would also mean that your money will be declared jointly, as you, as a family, have more than $10k CAD. Not a big issue, just make sure you declare it. You can find more information on this from settlement.org and CBSA.

 

[armenaz777]

Just recently did my own landing. You'll need the following:

• Passport (with entry visa if applicable)
• CoPR
• PoF
  
• List of goods accompanying you that are staying in Canada if you have any (just in case-- they seem not to care about this any more but I would bring a list anyway)
• List of goods following if you will be doing your goods list at the time of your landing (you can technically do this later when you move permanently, but you may choose to do it at the time of landing)

See this link from IRCC for more information.

The only form you need to fill out before landing is the customs declaration form, which you should receive on the plane on the way in. It looks like this. It is one form per family, not per person, so if you and your spouse live together you should list both of you on one form. This would also mean that your money will be declared jointly, as you, as a family, have more than $10k CAD. Not a big issue, just make sure you declare it. You can find more information on this from settlement.org and CBSA.

Hello, thanks for your reply; Appreciate it.

I checked the E311 form you mentioned. Can you please double-check here specifically for my case:

• Part A is clear, I will mention me and my wife along with citizenship and DOB
• Home Address would be where I'm residing now right? Not an address in Canada
• As a soft-landing immigrant, I would mention "personal" for "purpose of visit"
• For the question "bringing into Canada", I mention over 10K and that I have unaccompanied goods
• Part B I will leave blank as we're not visitors (even though we're doing soft landing) right?
• Part C I will leave blank because we're not residents of Canada yet right?
• The rest is self-explanatory...

In addition, for "List of goods accompanying you" and "List of goods following" are there are forms to be filled?

Another question, since we're soft-landing this time and will do relocation next year, isn't it better to do the "list of good following" next time and this time simply say "no" to "unaccompanied good" ? WDYT?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[northern sunshine]

Hello, thanks for your reply; Appreciate it.

I checked the E311 form you mentioned. Can you please double-check here specifically for my case:

• Part A is clear, I will mention me and my wife along with citizenship and DOB
• Home Address would be where I'm residing now right? Not an address in Canada
• As a soft-landing immigrant, I would mention "personal" for "purpose of visit"
• For the question "bringing into Canada", I mention over 10K and that I have unaccompanied goods
• Part B I will leave blank as we're not visitors (even though we're doing soft landing) right?
• Part C I will leave blank because we're not residents of Canada yet right?
• The rest is self-explanatory...

In addition, for "List of goods accompanying you" and "List of goods following" are there are forms to be filled?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Yes, that's exactly how I'd fill it out! I checked "personal" for purpose of visit and I left the visitor and resident sections both blank. I was not asked to change or fill any of those when the officer looked at my card.

There are forms you can fill for the list but I was not sure how they wanted it when I made my list, so I just prepared a list of my items and their values (along with a total at the end) in excel. The officer filled out a BSF186 for me when I presented the list to him. Basically he just crossed out the irrelevant sections and wrote "see attached" in the goods portion, then attached my list. Specifically, the link I posted in the last paragraph says the following:

You can make the process easier by filling out a BSF186, Personal Effects Accounting Documents form before you travel and giving it to the officer when you arrive.

So you don't necessarily have to do it, but you can.

Here's the other link that describes things you should bring with you, including a description of the "settler's effects list" which is your goods. I don't know why these pages are so hard to find sometimes! The "health documentation" and "other documentation" is more for when you move permanently because you'll have to provide medical information to doctors for you and your family members.

 

[armenaz777]

Yes, that's exactly how I'd fill it out! I checked "personal" for purpose of visit and I left the visitor and resident sections both blank. I was not asked to change or fill any of those when the officer looked at my card.

There are forms you can fill for the list but I was not sure how they wanted it when I made my list, so I just prepared a list of my items and their values (along with a total at the end) in excel. The officer filled out a BSF186 for me when I presented the list to him. Basically he just crossed out the irrelevant sections and wrote "see attached" in the goods portion, then attached my list. Specifically, the link I posted in the last paragraph says the following:



So you don't necessarily have to do it, but you can.

Here's the other link that describes things you should bring with you, including a description of the "settler's effects list" which is your goods. I don't know why these pages are so hard to find sometimes! The "health documentation" and "other documentation" is more for when you move permanently because you'll have to provide medical information to doctors for you and your family members.

Thank you so much. You've been very helpful; Appreciate it.

 

[Tiwana350]

Hi,
I am coming from India and I wish to do soft landing for PR but there is a great chance that I will be in USA on visitor visa before that.

My question is can I enter Canada from land border and get the formalities done at the land border itself or I will be required to go back to India and take a flight back to Canada.

Kindly help in clarification.

Thanks

 

[armenaz777]

Hello. I'm preparing my list of good accompanying AND other list as well.

I'm a little bit confused. What is exactly considered "goods"? Can you give me some examples? What should be the monetary value of a goods?

I don't want to ship over TV or washing machine etc. I have clothes, books, etc.

 

[northern sunshine]

Hello. I'm preparing my list of good accompanying AND other list as well.

I'm a little bit confused. What is exactly considered "goods"? Can you give me some examples? What should be the monetary value of a goods?

I don't want to ship over TV or washing machine etc. I have clothes, books, etc.

"Goods" are anything you would buy or sell (doesn't matter if you actually did or not). Clothes, books, furniture, kitchen utensils, appliances, craft supplies, etc. are all things that are sold and bought. Things like personal documents and files are not goods because you do not buy or sell them.

I believe the monetary value of your goods is the approximate value you would receive if you sold all your items as they are right before you entered Canada, but I can't remember where I read that bit.

More information from CBSA
More information from IRCC

 

[armenaz777]

"Goods" are anything you would buy or sell (doesn't matter if you actually did or not). Clothes, books, furniture, kitchen utensils, appliances, craft supplies, etc. are all things that are sold and bought. Things like personal documents and files are not goods because you do not buy or sell them.

I believe the monetary value of your goods is the approximate value you would receive if you sold all your items as they are right before you entered Canada, but I can't remember where I read that bit.

More information from CBSA
More information from IRCC

OK I understand. And you also said since I'm soft-landing this time, I can skip doing this declaration and do it when moving permanently?

 

[northern sunshine]

OK I understand. And you also said since I'm soft-landing this time, I can skip doing this declaration and do it when moving permanently?

Yes since you're technically not "settling for at least a year", but be prepared to convince the officer of this. You can refer to this section below if needed, or email CBSA yourself and ask them about it and then show that email to the officer(s) you encounter.

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

Variation Between Customs/Immigration Legislation
9. A person's status for customs purposes is not always the same as their status for immigration purposes.

10. As an example, a person can become a permanent resident without the intention of residing immediately in Canada. However, this person is not determined to be a settler as defined in the customs legislation, and be eligible for the provisions of tariff item No. 9807.00.00. In this case, since the person does not have any intention of remaining in Canada at that time, and will live outside Canada for an undetermined period of time, that person is considered a non-resident of Canada and not a settler, for the purpose of the Customs Tariff, and is eligible to temporarily import goods under tariff item No. 9803.00.00.