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I'm from a visa exempt country, but CIC requested my passport for PPR

frenchie

Full Member
Oct 29, 2012
42
9
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
NOC Code......
2173
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
May 31st 2012
Doc's Request.
included with application
AOR Received.
Nov 8th 2012
IELTS Request
included with application
Med's Request
Feb 2nd 2013
Med's Done....
Feb 14th 2013
Passport Req..
April 4th 2013
LANDED..........
May 3rd 2013
Hi guys,

I'm from a visa exempt country, and I'm the main applicant. I know that CIC is supposed to only request copies of the passport if you're from a visa exempt country, but they requested my passport instead.
My wife is NOT from a visa exempt country though. Could it be why ?

What should I do ? Send both passports ? Or only my wife's passport and copies of my passport ? I need to travel in two weeks and again in three weeks, so I'd like to avoid sending my passport if I can.

Thanks !
 

UHNSlave

Full Member
Dec 15, 2012
23
0
It looks like the Operational Bulletin 348, related to counterfoil elimination for visa-exempt countries, is not applied.
Everyone, no matter the country of origin, has to send the passport at some point

May I ask you if your eCAS showed ''decision made'' BEFORE they requested passport copy or passport itself??
 

frenchie

Full Member
Oct 29, 2012
42
9
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
NOC Code......
2173
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
May 31st 2012
Doc's Request.
included with application
AOR Received.
Nov 8th 2012
IELTS Request
included with application
Med's Request
Feb 2nd 2013
Med's Done....
Feb 14th 2013
Passport Req..
April 4th 2013
LANDED..........
May 3rd 2013
Hi UHNSlave,

I received PPR on Thursday and my eCAS changed to "Decision made" yesterday.
Agreed about OB 348. That being said, my understanding is that they shouldn't request passport at any point if you're from a visa exempt country. I should have to take it with me while landing, obviously, but that's it.
 

VIVISH

Full Member
Aug 12, 2011
25
2
yes it doesn't matter where are you from, at some point you have to send your passport usually is at the end of the process.
 

jes_ON

VIP Member
Jun 22, 2009
12,092
1,421
Category........
Visa Office......
New York
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
06-May-2010
AOR Received.
13-Aug-2010
File Transfer...
01-Mar-2011
Passport Req..
30-Jun-2011
VISA ISSUED...
12-Jul-2011 (received 25-Jul-2011)
LANDED..........
03-Sep-2011
frenchie said:
Hi guys,

I'm from a visa exempt country, and I'm the main applicant. I know that CIC is supposed to only request copies of the passport if you're from a visa exempt country, but they requested my passport instead.
My wife is NOT from a visa exempt country though. Could it be why ?

What should I do ? Send both passports ? Or only my wife's passport and copies of my passport ? I need to travel in two weeks and again in three weeks, so I'd like to avoid sending my passport if I can.
It's because your wife is required to send the passport. I suggest emailing the Visa office and requesting clarification, you may be able to get away with sending her passport and photocopy of yours...
 

frenchie

Full Member
Oct 29, 2012
42
9
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
NOC Code......
2173
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
May 31st 2012
Doc's Request.
included with application
AOR Received.
Nov 8th 2012
IELTS Request
included with application
Med's Request
Feb 2nd 2013
Med's Done....
Feb 14th 2013
Passport Req..
April 4th 2013
LANDED..........
May 3rd 2013
Thanks a lot Jes_ON, that's what I thought : they shouldn't have requested my passport but probably did because of my wife.

I called CIC end of last week, and the lady that helped me told me "I know they shouldn't have requested it, but if they did then send it"; playing it safe I guess.

So I sent both passports on Monday.
Hopefully it doesn't take forever to get them back now :)

Cheers.
 

lilac_yun

Member
Dec 31, 2011
11
0
frenchie said:
Thanks a lot Jes_ON, that's what I thought : they shouldn't have requested my passport but probably did because of my wife.

I called CIC end of last week, and the lady that helped me told me "I know they shouldn't have requested it, but if they did then send it"; playing it safe I guess.

So I sent both passports on Monday.
Hopefully it doesn't take forever to get them back now :)

Cheers.
I have similar sitituation. Would you mind kindly tell me if.they stamped visa on both of yoir passport??
 

lilac_yun

Member
Dec 31, 2011
11
0
Could anyone help me answering my question? if we send in our passport even though it's visa exempt country, Do they still stamp the visa on passport? or they just need passport for verification? Anyone had such experiences?
 

2_of_5

Hero Member
Aug 16, 2012
285
39
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-06-2012
LANDED..........
27-06-2013
lilac_yun said:
Could anyone help me answering my question? if we send in our passport even though it's visa exempt country, Do they still stamp the visa on passport? or they just need passport for verification? Anyone had such experiences?
I can let you know tomorrow. My passport is enroute from Ottawa. I'm from the US, but they asked me to submit my passport along with my wife's, who is not from a visa-exempt country. My GCMS notes stated for me "Visa counterfoil required: NO" but hers was "YES". I'll know more when our passports arrive tomorrow.

It's best to just do what the VO asks you, maybe they have there reasons for having the actual passport to look at. It has been inconvenient for me, as I travel to the US monthly for work. But I figured the temporary inconvenience would be worth it.
 

yosemite

Hero Member
Jul 12, 2011
337
7
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
June 1, 2012
AOR Received.
November 13, 2012
Med's Request
March 29, 2013, RPRF and BIODATA request - April 2, 2013
Med's Done....
April 8, 2013 Recd by CPP-O on April 22, 2013, Ecas updated to meds recd on April 30, 2013
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
May 14, 2013 ( Ecas showed DM on May 5, 2013),PP reached CPPO on May 17 and returned on June 14, 2013
VISA ISSUED...
June 3, 2013
LANDED..........
June 22, 2013
2_of_5 said:
I can let you know tomorrow. My passport is enroute from Ottawa. I'm from the US, but they asked me to submit my passport along with my wife's, who is not from a visa-exempt country. My GCMS notes stated for me "Visa counterfoil required: NO" but hers was "YES". I'll know more when our passports arrive tomorrow.

It's best to just do what the VO asks you, maybe they have there reasons for having the actual passport to look at. It has been inconvenient for me, as I travel to the US monthly for work. But I figured the temporary inconvenience would be worth it.
They will not stamp the immigrant visa on a visa exempt passport. Only the COPR will be issued. But if requested the visa exempt PP also has to be sent in.
 

lilac_yun

Member
Dec 31, 2011
11
0
2_of_5 said:
I can let you know tomorrow. My passport is enroute from Ottawa. I'm from the US, but they asked me to submit my passport along with my wife's, who is not from a visa-exempt country. My GCMS notes stated for me "Visa counterfoil required: NO" but hers was "YES". I'll know more when our passports arrive tomorrow.

It's best to just do what the VO asks you, maybe they have there reasons for having the actual passport to look at. It has been inconvenient for me, as I travel to the US monthly for work. But I figured the temporary inconvenience would be worth it.
Thank you so much!! I will wait for your reply.
 

2_of_5

Hero Member
Aug 16, 2012
285
39
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-06-2012
LANDED..........
27-06-2013
lilac_yun said:
Thank you so much!! I will wait for your reply.
Just got it back, and no, they do not attach a visa counterfoil to a visa-exempt passport.
 

frenchie

Full Member
Oct 29, 2012
42
9
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O
NOC Code......
2173
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
May 31st 2012
Doc's Request.
included with application
AOR Received.
Nov 8th 2012
IELTS Request
included with application
Med's Request
Feb 2nd 2013
Med's Done....
Feb 14th 2013
Passport Req..
April 4th 2013
LANDED..........
May 3rd 2013
Hi lilac_yun,

I confirm there was no counterfoil in my passport either (French passport), just in my wife's (Indian passport). They had requested both our passports though.

Cheers.