Landing Questions and OHIP Questions

[MustLoveCats]

I have been doing a lot of reading and research this past weekend. I tried calling CBSA but they transferred me to IRCC who are not directing calls to a person.

I am American and my husband is Canadian. We live about 2 hours apart. We submitted our spousal sponsorship application January 9, 2019 and Canada Post said it was signed and delivered January 11, 2019. We had an immigration consultant help us with this journey. It has come to my attention that AOR can be received 2 months after being delivered with the medical exam being sent a month after that and having 30 days to get that done. And once the final application has been approved a person has a year from the date of the medical exam to land. I wish I would have known this as I would have held off on submitting the first month of the year.

Here is where it gets complicated. I am a graduate student at a local college and my classes are $3000 each, and I am also an administrative assistant at a local hospital. If my assumption for a timeline is correct, AOR could be in March, and I should be having a medical exam issued sometime in April 2019 and have 30 days to get that done, which means I have to land by April 2020. I cannot move during a semester. My classes end in mid-May. From what I read, I could land by traveling to the US/Canada port of entry by private vehicle to obtain PR, bring no belongings with me and give my forms of goods to follow, give my husband's address to have the PR card mailed there and return home the same day. My goal is to officially move there after the school semester. Preferably in June or at least right at the end of May. I need to give at least two weeks notice to my employer too. So as long as I have my US passport and COPR, I should be able to reenter Canada from a US/Canada port of entry with my Goods to Follow correct?

I am now thinking maybe during spring break (typically in March) if possible I can land by private vehicle and bring some stuff with me if I have my husband and some family members help move some things up and rent a U-Haul and declare what would be with me then, and then use my Goods to Follow form for later. I know I am inheriting furnishings in the future which I will include on the form as well. I would need to do at least 2 separate trips. 1) Bringing my special needs senior kitty (he needs to be up there prior to the final move because he cannot be in a carrier for a long period of time not to mention the stress will raise his blood sugar levels (he is diabetic) and induce an asthma attack) and his brother's ashes enclosed in a locked box 2) The final move with my current belongings in a U-Haul and importing my private car.

I don't see my babies as property but for immigration purposes do I list my kitty, and my other kitty's ashes on the top 2 lines of the Goods to Follow form? Also do I list my personal vehicle there as well?

Basically I just want to make sure that despite a possible inconvenient landing time frame I can land and return home to the states then make those 2 trips back up to Canada by private vehicle with my US passport and COPR.

Also I am confused with OHIP timeline. I have some medical issues that require doctors and medications, and we will start trying to conceive right before the move so I will try to make sure I have medication to spare on hand and depending on the situation at the time, may keep the doctors I have in the states until I am secure with specialists in Ontario since so many doctors will not see you without having OHIP. We are fine paying out of pocket as well until OHIP starts. Does a new permanent resident/immigrant receive OHIP 3 months from the landing date?

Please advise. Thank you.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I have been doing a lot of reading and research this past weekend. I tried calling CBSA but they transferred me to IRCC who are not directing calls to a person.

I am American and my husband is Canadian. We live about 2 hours apart. We submitted our spousal sponsorship application January 9, 2019 and Canada Post said it was signed and delivered January 11, 2019. We had an immigration consultant help us with this journey. It has come to my attention that AOR can be received 2 months after being delivered with the medical exam being sent a month after that and having 30 days to get that done. And once the final application has been approved a person has a year from the date of the medical exam to land. I wish I would have known this as I would have held off on submitting the first month of the year.

Here is where it gets complicated. I am a graduate student at a local college and my classes are $3000 each, and I am also an administrative assistant at a local hospital. If my assumption for a timeline is correct, AOR could be in March, and I should be having a medical exam issued sometime in April 2019 and have 30 days to get that done, which means I have to land by April 2020. I cannot move during a semester. My classes end in mid-May. From what I read, I could land by traveling to the US/Canada port of entry by private vehicle to obtain PR, bring no belongings with me and give my forms of goods to follow, give my husband's address to have the PR card mailed there and return home the same day. My goal is to officially move there after the school semester. Preferably in June or at least right at the end of May. I need to give at least two weeks notice to my employer too. So as long as I have my US passport and COPR, I should be able to reenter Canada from a US/Canada port of entry with my Goods to Follow correct?

I am now thinking maybe during spring break (typically in March) if possible I can land by private vehicle and bring some stuff with me if I have my husband and some family members help move some things up and rent a U-Haul and declare what would be with me then, and then use my Goods to Follow form for later. I know I am inheriting furnishings in the future which I will include on the form as well. I would need to do at least 2 separate trips. 1) Bringing my special needs senior kitty (he needs to be up there prior to the final move because he cannot be in a carrier for a long period of time not to mention the stress will raise his blood sugar levels (he is diabetic) and induce an asthma attack) and his brother's ashes enclosed in a locked box 2) The final move with my current belongings in a U-Haul and importing my private car.

I don't see my babies as property but for immigration purposes do I list my kitty, and my other kitty's ashes on the top 2 lines of the Goods to Follow form? Also do I list my personal vehicle there as well?

Basically I just want to make sure that despite a possible inconvenient landing time frame I can land and return home to the states then make those 2 trips back up to Canada by private vehicle with my US passport and COPR.

Also I am confused with OHIP timeline. I have some medical issues that require doctors and medications, and we will start trying to conceive right before the move so I will try to make sure I have medication to spare on hand and depending on the situation at the time, may keep the doctors I have in the states until I am secure with specialists in Ontario since so many doctors will not see you without having OHIP. We are fine paying out of pocket as well until OHIP starts. Does a new permanent resident/immigrant receive OHIP 3 months from the landing date?

Please advise. Thank you.

AOR takes about 3 months right now. Your app will likely be approved by this summer. You can land and leave. As an American, you return by car or by plane.

No, you will not get OHIP 3 months from landing, as you are not staying. It will 3 months from when you actually move to Canada.

 

[Hurlabrick]

I have been doing a lot of reading and research this past weekend. I tried calling CBSA but they transferred me to IRCC who are not directing calls to a person.

I am American and my husband is Canadian. We live about 2 hours apart. We submitted our spousal sponsorship application January 9, 2019 and Canada Post said it was signed and delivered January 11, 2019. We had an immigration consultant help us with this journey. It has come to my attention that AOR can be received 2 months after being delivered with the medical exam being sent a month after that and having 30 days to get that done. And once the final application has been approved a person has a year from the date of the medical exam to land. I wish I would have known this as I would have held off on submitting the first month of the year.

Here is where it gets complicated. I am a graduate student at a local college and my classes are $3000 each, and I am also an administrative assistant at a local hospital. If my assumption for a timeline is correct, AOR could be in March, and I should be having a medical exam issued sometime in April 2019 and have 30 days to get that done, which means I have to land by April 2020. I cannot move during a semester. My classes end in mid-May. From what I read, I could land by traveling to the US/Canada port of entry by private vehicle to obtain PR, bring no belongings with me and give my forms of goods to follow, give my husband's address to have the PR card mailed there and return home the same day. My goal is to officially move there after the school semester. Preferably in June or at least right at the end of May. I need to give at least two weeks notice to my employer too. So as long as I have my US passport and COPR, I should be able to reenter Canada from a US/Canada port of entry with my Goods to Follow correct?

I am now thinking maybe during spring break (typically in March) if possible I can land by private vehicle and bring some stuff with me if I have my husband and some family members help move some things up and rent a U-Haul and declare what would be with me then, and then use my Goods to Follow form for later. I know I am inheriting furnishings in the future which I will include on the form as well. I would need to do at least 2 separate trips. 1) Bringing my special needs senior kitty (he needs to be up there prior to the final move because he cannot be in a carrier for a long period of time not to mention the stress will raise his blood sugar levels (he is diabetic) and induce an asthma attack) and his brother's ashes enclosed in a locked box 2) The final move with my current belongings in a U-Haul and importing my private car.

I don't see my babies as property but for immigration purposes do I list my kitty, and my other kitty's ashes on the top 2 lines of the Goods to Follow form? Also do I list my personal vehicle there as well?

Basically I just want to make sure that despite a possible inconvenient landing time frame I can land and return home to the states then make those 2 trips back up to Canada by private vehicle with my US passport and COPR.

Also I am confused with OHIP timeline. I have some medical issues that require doctors and medications, and we will start trying to conceive right before the move so I will try to make sure I have medication to spare on hand and depending on the situation at the time, may keep the doctors I have in the states until I am secure with specialists in Ontario since so many doctors will not see you without having OHIP. We are fine paying out of pocket as well until OHIP starts. Does a new permanent resident/immigrant receive OHIP 3 months from the landing date?

US applications do not normally take 12 months from receipt to issue of CoPR, your timescale would be more like 6 months.

Once you have your CoPR, you can 'land and declare PR' by road, but be careful to make sure the crossing you have chosen will process the landing, some of the busier crossings (Niagara region particularly) will refuse to process landings at peak times. Yes, you can then give them your husband's address in Canada for them to send the PR card to. Be aware that it may take 3 - 4 months to get the card itself and you cannot travel by commercial means into Canada without this (i.e. by plane), but you can still cross in your private car by a land border, just show them your copy stamped CoPR.

Note that 'land to declare PR' and 'land as settler' are or can be separate things on different dates. You can either do them both at the same time, OR 'land as settler' on a later date.

You can then turn around and head back to the US, then 'land as a settler' on a different and later date (i.e. declare your goods accompanying and goods to follow, get these stamped etc. Note that you can only 'land as settler' once, so your forms must list everything. Although once you have the lists stamped, you can bring stuff in over a few trips if necessary.

You cannot start brining stuff in BEFORE you have your CoPR and have 'landed to declare PR'. Until that time, you are only entering Canada as a visitor and visitors do not bring furniture and stuff! If you try this, you may well be refused entry to Canada (refer to the 'Mata vs Canada' where a person tried to do this and was refused entry).

You do not AUTOMATICALLY get OHIP, you must apply separately for this. You can only apply once you have 'laded as settler' for good in Canada and have the documentation to prove it (Google OHIP and it will list the supporting documents you need). The earliest you can be covered if you have the proofs is 3 months after landing - you can apply say after 2 months, then your card will arrive shortly after 3 months. You have to apply in person at any 'Services Ontario' office - many locations around Ontario.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Once you have your CoPR, you can 'land and declare PR' by road, but be careful to make sure the crossing you have chosen will process the landing, some of the busier crossings (Niagara region particularly) will refuse to process landings at peak times. Yes, you can then give them your husband's address in Canada for them to send the PR card to. Be aware that it may take 3 - 4 months to get the card itself and you cannot travel by commercial means into Canada without this (i.e. by plane), but you can still cross in your private car by a land border, just show them your copy stamped CoPR.

Certain border crossing restrict landings for those who flagpole from Canada. They do not restrict landings for those are coming from another country.

OP is American and can travel to Canada on the strength of just their passport, so zero issues travelling by commercial carrier as a PR.

 

[MustLoveCats]

What the heck. Was our consultant misinformed and giving me misleading information? He told me several times it would take a year or more for me to be approved and because it says 12 months on the Canada website, my husband and I thought I most likely would be able to move in 2020. This is crazy. You both are telling me it is quite possible for me to living with my husband this summer? My husband is currently working on securing a home for us, currently he lives with his family. His goal is to be in the house by spring this year and we are aware once he moves we need to update his address to IRCC. Maybe I should tell him he needs to be in there no later than April or May? This puts me in panic mode because I did not think on the possibility of moving this year, and was counting on working another year to secure a financial nest for myself when I settle.

Thank you for clarifying the traveling. I am relieved I can still travel by my car with proper documents. When I settle does the car need to be on the Goods to Follow form prior to landing/settling?

I was unaware of landing to declare PR and landing as a settler were 2 different things.

I do not intend to bring anything in until I do declare PR and get the COPR. So when do I make the trip for settling is that when I bring my belongings? I really do not want to bring my kitty and my other's ashes on the same trip with a u-haul. Can I bring him up separately? Or would my kitty have to put put on the Goods to Follow form?

Thank you as well for clarifying the OHIP situation. That is what I thought. 3 months after officially moving/settling.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

What the heck. Was our consultant misinformed and giving me misleading information? He told me several times it would take a year or more for me to be approved and because it says 12 months on the Canada website, my husband and I thought I most likely would be able to move in 2020. This is crazy. You both are telling me it is quite possible for me to living with my husband this summer? My husband is currently working on securing a home for us, currently he lives with his family. His goal is to be in the house by spring this year and we are aware once he moves we need to update his address to IRCC. Maybe I should tell him he needs to be in there no later than April or May? This puts me in panic mode because I did not think on the possibility of moving this year, and was counting on working another year to secure a financial nest for myself when I settle.

Thank you for clarifying the traveling. I am relieved I can still travel by my car with proper documents. When I settle does the car need to be on the Goods to Follow form prior to landing/settling?

I was unaware of landing to declare PR and landing as a settler were 2 different things.

I do not intend to bring anything in until I do declare PR and get the COPR. So when do I make the trip for settling is that when I bring my belongings? I really do not want to bring my kitty and my other's ashes on the same trip with a u-haul. Can I bring him up separately? Or would my kitty have to put put on the Goods to Follow form?

Thank you as well for clarifying the OHIP situation. That is what I thought. 3 months after officially moving/settling.

We generally do not advise using consultants because they usually suck and give wrong information. American apps average around 6 months.

You don't need to move when approved. You can land and return to the US to finish out your school and stuff.

 

[Hurlabrick]

Certain border crossing restrict landings for those who flagpole from Canada. They do not restrict landings for those are coming from another country.

OP is American and can travel to Canada on the strength of just their passport, so zero issues travelling by commercial carrier as a PR.

Ah, thank you - obviously still thinking of flagpoling and our own UK PA experience!

 

[funboy101]

I have been doing a lot of reading and research this past weekend. I tried calling CBSA but they transferred me to IRCC who are not directing calls to a person.

I am American and my husband is Canadian. We live about 2 hours apart. We submitted our spousal sponsorship application January 9, 2019 and Canada Post said it was signed and delivered January 11, 2019. We had an immigration consultant help us with this journey. It has come to my attention that AOR can be received 2 months after being delivered with the medical exam being sent a month after that and having 30 days to get that done. And once the final application has been approved a person has a year from the date of the medical exam to land. I wish I would have known this as I would have held off on submitting the first month of the year.

Here is where it gets complicated. I am a graduate student at a local college and my classes are $3000 each, and I am also an administrative assistant at a local hospital. If my assumption for a timeline is correct, AOR could be in March, and I should be having a medical exam issued sometime in April 2019 and have 30 days to get that done, which means I have to land by April 2020. I cannot move during a semester. My classes end in mid-May. From what I read, I could land by traveling to the US/Canada port of entry by private vehicle to obtain PR, bring no belongings with me and give my forms of goods to follow, give my husband's address to have the PR card mailed there and return home the same day. My goal is to officially move there after the school semester. Preferably in June or at least right at the end of May. I need to give at least two weeks notice to my employer too. So as long as I have my US passport and COPR, I should be able to reenter Canada from a US/Canada port of entry with my Goods to Follow correct?

I am now thinking maybe during spring break (typically in March) if possible I can land by private vehicle and bring some stuff with me if I have my husband and some family members help move some things up and rent a U-Haul and declare what would be with me then, and then use my Goods to Follow form for later. I know I am inheriting furnishings in the future which I will include on the form as well. I would need to do at least 2 separate trips. 1) Bringing my special needs senior kitty (he needs to be up there prior to the final move because he cannot be in a carrier for a long period of time not to mention the stress will raise his blood sugar levels (he is diabetic) and induce an asthma attack) and his brother's ashes enclosed in a locked box 2) The final move with my current belongings in a U-Haul and importing my private car.

I don't see my babies as property but for immigration purposes do I list my kitty, and my other kitty's ashes on the top 2 lines of the Goods to Follow form? Also do I list my personal vehicle there as well?

Basically I just want to make sure that despite a possible inconvenient landing time frame I can land and return home to the states then make those 2 trips back up to Canada by private vehicle with my US passport and COPR.

Also I am confused with OHIP timeline. I have some medical issues that require doctors and medications, and we will start trying to conceive right before the move so I will try to make sure I have medication to spare on hand and depending on the situation at the time, may keep the doctors I have in the states until I am secure with specialists in Ontario since so many doctors will not see you without having OHIP. We are fine paying out of pocket as well until OHIP starts. Does a new permanent resident/immigrant receive OHIP 3 months from the landing date?

Please advise. Thank you.

For OHIP, as an outland applicant you will find a lot of details on when you can apply here, see post #11:

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/important-ohip-eligibility-info-for-all-pr-applicants-residing-in-ontario.56695/

Basically, when you are deemed eligible to apply (something called AFP for outland applicants) you can apply, provided you then meet the 3 month residency requirement for the province. I believe the equivalent for inland is AIP. Not sure what you mean by officially move/settle in but you don't need to have PR in order to apply, though you may need to go through a bureaucratic appeals process as Service Ontario doesn't seem to understand their own rules in this regard.

 

[Hurlabrick]

What the heck. Was our consultant misinformed and giving me misleading information? He told me several times it would take a year or more for me to be approved and because it says 12 months on the Canada website, my husband and I thought I most likely would be able to move in 2020. This is crazy. You both are telling me it is quite possible for me to living with my husband this summer? My husband is currently working on securing a home for us, currently he lives with his family. His goal is to be in the house by spring this year and we are aware once he moves we need to update his address to IRCC. Maybe I should tell him he needs to be in there no later than April or May? This puts me in panic mode because I did not think on the possibility of moving this year, and was counting on working another year to secure a financial nest for myself when I settle.

What Canuck said. Your consultant is an idiot!

Yes, it says that on the website, but that is a 'blanket' turnaround that CIC quote for pretty much everyone regardless of country of origin. It is not a guarantee, it is an average that 80% are processed in 1 year. My own (Canadian / UK) was processed in 8 months and London, England is probably the busiest and most congested visa office. I saw one UK Canadian application that was processed in 2 months once about a year ago, but that probably just makes it a 'world record' for CIC!! Some applications have been known to take 2 / 3 years. But US / Canada ones generally take 6 months.

You cannot ask the Canadian VO to either speed up or slow down. If you don't want to move until 2020, withdraw your application immediately and resubmit 6 - 9 months before you want to move.

 

[MustLoveCats]

Well damn. Thank you Canuck and Hurlabrick. I will tell my husband this information to be prepared in case. My family would tell me to get out of here and be with him so we can finally start trying for a family and for me to get away from my demanding job. I just cannot believe we were so misinformed. We went the consultant route because we wanted to make sure we did all the paperwork right and because we haven't been married 2 years so there were more things for us to do even though this April we will be together 4 years. This fall we will be married 2 years but we didn't want to wait for that to make the application easier. I mean it is what it is. If I do get approved and can move in the summer that would be good because I do not take summer classes and then I can be settled before Fall semester and just cross for school with my passport and COPR until my PR card comes in. And then 3 months from that settling date I can get OHIP. This is a lot to process. I thought I had a lot more time to go through my belongings. Guess I know what I'll be doing on spring break.

 

[kprs_ind]

Hi MustLoveCats,
Since you have a medical condition, which you talked about in your first message, based on your condition you should get yourself insured for 90 days after you land until OHIP kicks in. It will cost you between CAD 150-200. It will help you save some of the doctor's and treatment's fees if you require in those 90 days.It is always good to be safe than sorry. Let us know if you need more information.

Thanks!

 

[MustLoveCats]

Hi MustLoveCats,
Since you have a medical condition, which you talked about in your first message, based on your condition you should get yourself insured for 90 days after you land until OHIP kicks in. It will cost you between CAD 150-200. It will help you save some of the doctor's and treatment's fees if you require in those 90 days.It is always good to be safe than sorry. Let us know if you need more information.

Thanks!

HI kprs_ind! Thank you for letting me know this information. My husband does have private insurance with his employer but we are both unsure if that becomes effective for me right away or not after settling. I have thought about getting private insurance just in case because I do have Hashimoto's Disease (thyroid disease) and some reproductive issues (I did declare all this under serious conditions on the application but my issues are not contagious and/or a threat to public). Because of my thyroid disease and reproductive issues and wanting to try and conceive as soon as I settle it would be dangerous to go without coverage in any form because I will most likely need my thyroid medication adjusted and lab-work done frequently. It's nice to know that the cost does not seem too high per month. I agree that it is better to be safe than sorry especially since this is a chronic disease and we want to try for a baby.

 

[Hurlabrick]

If I do get approved and can move in the summer that would be good because I do not take summer classes and then I can be settled before Fall semester and just cross for school with my passport and COPR until my PR card comes in. And then 3 months from that settling date I can get OHIP.

Yes, you can do that if you want.

The 'official word' on OHIP is here:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card

 

[goldenbrown]

HI kprs_ind! Thank you for letting me know this information. My husband does have private insurance with his employer but we are both unsure if that becomes effective for me right away or not after settling. I have thought about getting private insurance just in case because I do have Hashimoto's Disease (thyroid disease) and some reproductive issues (I did declare all this under serious conditions on the application but my issues are not contagious and/or a threat to public). Because of my thyroid disease and reproductive issues and wanting to try and conceive as soon as I settle it would be dangerous to go without coverage in any form because I will most likely need my thyroid medication adjusted and lab-work done frequently. It's nice to know that the cost does not seem too high per month. I agree that it is better to be safe than sorry especially since this is a chronic disease and we want to try for a baby.

Your husband's insurance most likley does not cover what OHIP covers, which is doctors and hospitals but is probably coverage such as Extended benefits (vision, dental and so on..) so double check that part and you will most likely need to buy private insurance while you await OHIP.

 

[canuck78]

Yes extended benefits usually require you to have OHIP but once you qualify for OHIP you should qualify for the extended health benefits pretty quickly. Finding a family doctor can be pretty tricky depending on where you live. Personally would wait 3 months before trying to conceive and yes you should buy a private policy for the first 3 months. Things go wrong in pregnancy all the time and arguing with insurance companies is no fun if you need to be hospitalized. Read your policy very carefully because pregnancies are not always covered. 3 months is really not a big deal unless you are very close to or over 40. Getting a referral can take months in Canada after you get a family doctor. A family doctor will likely manage your thyroid medication the majority of the time.