Quote from: dhdesigns on September 21, 2010, 22:16:10
Hi all,
Just wanted to report in on our experience today going to Buffalo to pick up our passport.
We got to the office about 7:15 and were told to wait downstairs and that a guard would come and get us in a bit - there was nobody else down there! Anyway, it didn't take too long (15 minutes?) and the guard came, there were a few people waiting up by the security desk where they give you a security badge numbered in order of people waiting - so I'd recommend if you are there before 7:30 unobtrusively hanging around till they start giving out tags so you can see whats going on (its a huge lobby).
We were given #7 and sent up to the 30th floor and told to go to a wicket where they took the passport/pics/letter and said it would be about an hour. Well, it was 2 hours, but they called up most of the people that were doing PR visas, and gave them back. A few instructions and we were on our way. She didn't tell us to wait a couple hours to cross, but we told her we would be deferring landing because of a trip to Europe on Saturday, so she may not have bothered.
There was not wait at the border (as there hadn't been the night before) and the IO had not issue with us deferring, but was surprised to find out that Buffalo is the major processing centre for PR applications for Americans (he was wondering why Buffalo was processing an application for someone in Vancouver).
Anyway, wanted to say that if there is any way you can do it in person, we highly recommend it!!!
Best of luck to all! Being right in the middle of those who were processed quickly, and those who are still waiting, we can definitely say it is worth the wait!
Quote from: Nej on August 03, 2010, 22:36:4
The paper I recieved said I had roughly 6 weeks to send in my passport for the visa or pick it up in person. If I remember correctly, if you send it in it takes 3-4 weeks from the time they recieve it to issue the visa. The paper will have specific info on how to send it. The time you have to land depends on when your medical expires (The medical is good for one year). In my case it was Feb 22, 2011.
I recieved the PPR via email. Here are some links they included:
Passport Submission
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/submit_soumettre.aspx
Passport requirement:
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/passports_passeports.aspx
Photos, height, eye colour http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/Photographs_Photographies.aspx
For family members:
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/notice_avis.aspx
Started by alisa,
Hi guys,
I just landed yesterday at rainbow bridge Niagara falls. I wanted to land earlier but I planned to go to Mexico at the time I got passport request so I decided that it would be better to do it after coming back from Mexico. Landing process was so easy. I left home around 6am and drove from Toronto to Niagara Falls, dropped my husband at Starbucks with all luggages as we were heading to Chicago by car after landing. I was not sure if the officer will check all luggages during the landing process or not so I didn't want to waste time for that if my husband went with me. I drove pass US border and told officer that I wanted to flagpole, crossing the border and return to Canada to land as a permanent residence. I told him I had multiple I-94 in my passport. He seems new for this flag pole thing so he discussed with another officer and later he told me I had to park the car and go in the building. I asked him again if I really have to as multiple I-94 should be enough to enter and I can just drive back to Canada border. He insisted I have to...
I parked my car, went inside the building and went upstairs on the 2nd floor. There was 2 families waiting upstairs. I sit and wait. The process there was slow. After a while, there were few more families coming and they all waited. I arrived there at 8.10am. No one got called (Except 2 families that arrived before me). At 8.35, I saw an officer came upstairs with a stack of passport so I was thinking they will call me soon. Unfortunately they called other 3 families before me. I was so annoyed as I arrived probably 10 min before all of them. The cashier woman saw me and remembered that I was there for a long time asked me why I hadn't finished yet. I told her I hadn't got called and ppl who arrived later were all got called. She went inside and check for me. She came back and told me they missed my passport!!!!!!!!!!!!! My passport was still with that officer at the border. One officer went downstairs to check and finally came back. At 8.50am, one office called my name and told me I didn't need to come upstairs as actually I had I-94 which I can just enter and return back to Canada. He said sorry to me that the officer downstairs made a mistake. I was so annoyed but whatever...
I went back to the car and drove back to Canada border. At the border, I told the officer I wanted to land as a permanent residence. She asked me couple questions like how much did I buy the goods from US, did I carry money more than $10,000....etc. After that she gave me a yellow paper and told me to park the car and go inside the office. I went inside and there were 2 persons waiting before me. I waited for 5 mins and then I gave my document to the officer. She asked me couple questions about my husband, current address and phone number. After that I signed the paper and she said the process was done. It was really fast as it took only 15 min in total for Canadian side. I drove back to Starbucks to pick up my husband.
