Few Questions about supporting documents!

[Zapchae]

Hi all,

I've been helped a lot on this forum and I truly and deeply appreciate it.

Hope I could help other in the future as well.

I am almost done with my application and have last minute questions.

Could you please advise me on these questions please?


1. Does passport copy need to be certified or notarized?

2. For supporting documents, is it ok to send originals? It mentions not to because we cannot get it back but I am ok with not getting my original documents back.

2. When is 'Date of Application'? Is it the date when I mailed my package or when CIC receives it? My Police clearance from my country was issued 8th of March and I am worried it could to invalid because it will be over 3 months when they receive it.

Thank you so much in advance.

 

[kaytea]

My opinion:

1. Does passport copy need to be certified or notarized?
DOn't think it needs to be certified. They just asked for copy of it. If application goes well they will request it later on.
It has English on your passport, right? Otherwise it needs translation and be certifified.

2. For supporting documents, is it ok to send originals? It mentions not to because we cannot get it back but I am ok with not getting my original documents back.
I suggest you do what they tell you to do. It it says 'copy of', send a copy. You should keep the originals just for your records. If they deny you and you have to apply again you might need them. If they say 'original', send the original.

2. When is 'Date of Application'? Is it the date when I mailed my package or when CIC receives it? My Police clearance from my country was issued 8th of March and I am worried it could to invalid because it will be over 3 months when they receive it.
Date of application = date you mail your package or the date you are filling and signing the documents. You don't really know when exactly CIC will receive it.

 

[jsm0085]

My opinion:

1. Does passport copy need to be certified or notarized?
DOn't think it needs to be certified. They just asked for copy of it. If application goes well they will request it later on.
It has English on your passport, right? Otherwise it needs translation and be certifified.

If it's in english a copy is fine. If you are not from a visa exempt country, they will request the passport at a later date for visa stamping.

2. For supporting documents, is it ok to send originals? It mentions not to because we cannot get it back but I am ok with not getting my original documents back.
I suggest you do what they tell you to do. It it says 'copy of', send a copy. You should keep the originals just for your records. If they deny you and you have to apply again you might need them. If they say 'original', send the original.

If you send the originals and your application is later rejected - you wont get the documents back. I'd suggest providing originals where requested and copies where requested. Keep it simple and follow the requests of CIC.

2. When is 'Date of Application'? Is it the date when I mailed my package or when CIC receives it? My Police clearance from my country was issued 8th of March and I am worried it could to invalid because it will be over 3 months when they receive it.
Date of application = date you mail your package or the date you are filling and signing the documents. You don't really know when exactly CIC will receive it.

If it's longer than 3 months it would technically be invalid, but I'm not convinced they would request another one unless it was a lot older... Either way, the worse case scenario is that they would request a new PCC from you.

 

[jes_ON]

2. When is 'Date of Application'? Is it the date when I mailed my package or when CIC receives it? My Police clearance from my country was issued 8th of March and I am worried it could to invalid because it will be over 3 months when they receive it.
Date of application = date you mail your package or the date you are filling and signing the documents. You don't really know when exactly CIC will receive it.

Date of application is the date that CIC receives it. You know the date (a) if you send it by courier (tracking), or (b) when you get your AOR from CIC ("your application was received on...")

as jsm said, CIC may or may not request a new one when the date is so close...

 

[jes_ON]

2. For supporting documents, is it ok to send originals? It mentions not to because we cannot get it back but I am ok with not getting my original documents back.
I suggest you do what they tell you to do. It it says 'copy of', send a copy. You should keep the originals just for your records. If they deny you and you have to apply again you might need them. If they say 'original', send the original.

Agree - send photocopies and keep the originals (except where the original is required - PCCs, IELTS test score...). It happens on occasion that CIC misplaces a document, you may have to resubmit, etc...

 

[kaytea]

Date of application is the date that CIC receives it. You know the date (a) if you send it by courier (tracking), or (b) when you get your AOR from CIC ("your application was received on...")

as jsm said, CIC may or may not request a new one when the date is so close...

hmm...don't think you can be certain of that because, in my case, Canada Post said my documents will arrive to CIC in two days. It actually took 4 days to reach there. Canada Post gave me a refund because of that.
Also, you don't know when you will be getting your AOR. The usual time is around 6 weeks, but if you look at forum of April 2013 applicants, many haven't received their AOR when they should have. And some people got it few days earlier or few days sooner.

So going back to my point, Date of application = date you submit application. That's why it says 'Date of application' instead of 'Date received'.
In almost documents, when you sign, it's usually accompanied by the date you signed it.

 

[seton]

hmm...don't think you can be certain of that because, in my case, Canada Post said my documents will arrive to CIC in two days. It actually took 4 days to reach there. Canada Post gave me a refund because of that.
Also, you don't know when you will be getting your AOR. The usual time is around 6 weeks, but if you look at forum of April 2013 applicants, many haven't received their AOR when they should have. And some people got it few days earlier or few days sooner.

So going back to my point, Date of application = date you submit application. That's why it says 'Date of application' instead of 'Date received'.
In almost documents, when you sign, it's usually accompanied by the date you signed it.

I agree with jes on this one, and my experience was consistent with his post. My date of application, referenced on my AOR, eCAS, and all communication was based on the date received by the CIC, not when I dated the forms.

 

[Zapchae]

Thank you all for answers!

Very much appreciated!

I just found out that the date on police certificate is 18th of March, not 8th. Little bit relieved.

And I asked the post office and it takes 2 days to get to CIC if I send it through xpress post.

Guess it will be not too tight then.

Oh by the way, do other supporting documents such as marriage certificate have validity as well?

 

[jes_ON]

So going back to my point, Date of application = date you submit application. That's why it says 'Date of application' instead of 'Date received'.
In almost documents, when you sign, it's usually accompanied by the date you signed it.

LOL - This is not "guess work," or personal opinion, it is SPELLED OUT repeatedly by CIC in the instructions - e.g. -

"This work experience must have been acquired in Canada within the 36 months preceding the date your properly completed application is received by the CIO."

"...obtained the required work experience within the 36 months preceding the date their application is received"

"...Your test results must not be more than two years old at the time the application is received."

It's called the application "lock-in date." See p. 8 of the OP 25A:

"Visa offices should maintain the application received date from the applicant's initial submission to the CIO and process the application to a final decision. The application received date at the CIO is also the lock-in date."

www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op25a-eng.pdf‎

The point about using a courier service like Fedex (Canada Post isn't a courier) isn't that it is delivered on a certain date, it's that tracking will tell you the date it is delivered. Otherwise you have to wait a few months for the AOR to know your application (received) date.

 

[ondine]

Yep, kaytea, jes_ON and seton are spot on here, there's really no question about this: date of application = date CIC receives it.

 

[jsm0085]

LOL - This is not "guess work," or personal opinion, it is SPELLED OUT repeatedly by CIC in the instructions - e.g. -

"This work experience must have been acquired in Canada within the 36 months preceding the date your properly completed application is received by the CIO."

"...obtained the required work experience within the 36 months preceding the date their application is received"

"...Your test results must not be more than two years old at the time the application is received."

It's called the application "lock-in date." See p. 8 of the OP 25A:

"Visa offices should maintain the application received date from the applicant's initial submission to the CIO and process the application to a final decision. The application received date at the CIO is also the lock-in date."

www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op25a-eng.pdf‎

The point about using a courier service like Fedex (Canada Post isn't a courier) isn't that it is delivered on a certain date, it's that tracking will tell you the date it is delivered. Otherwise you have to wait a few months for the AOR to know your application (received) date.

Jes is correct. I made this mistake just a few days ago and was adamant I was right... I was wrong! It goes on application received date.

 

[kaytea]

sorry for the confusion y'all! I thought the original poster meant What date he/she should put in the application when signing the forms.