Season's Greetings! I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year of Possibilities.
On the issue of showing our POF at Port of Entry, we have discussed the various options thoroughly. For me however, I have chosen the option of documentary evidence via a bank account AND small cash in hand. Here's what I have done:
I discovered one can open an account online with Royal Bank of Canada(RBC) even before landing (https://online.royalbank.com/cgi-bin/apply/mpa/apply.cgi/getting_started). After filling the online application, I got forms via email a few days later from an Account Manager with further instructions:
•Personal Identification (2 pieces) **
Certified copies of two pieces of personal identification are required for each account holder. The primary piece must be a passport, supplemented by other documents such as birth certificate or driver's license.
** Signature Card, Personal Identification and Verification of Identity forms must be clearly legible, signed and witnessed as a true copy by any of the following:
•A RBC representative from any of our worldwide locations http://www.rbcwminternational.com/locations.html
•You may also refer to the Lawyer Locator http://www.martindale.com. Only firms provided in this list can act as a witness. Note: Any lawyer is acceptable in USA, but we are unable to accept documents witnessed by notaries.
•A representative of a Canadian Embassy/Consulate
You will be notified of your account status within one week upon receiving your completed documents.
A Canadian funds ‘Day to Day Savings Account' will be opened by default. Once the account is opened, funds may be remitted by wire transfer or a third party draft.
The account will be ‘deposit only' until your arrival in Canada and your identification is verified in person.
Note: For joint account holders, all parties must be present together when verifying your identity.
Since I was going to the US (last month), I decided to use the RBC Rep option to certify those documents. I located a RBC office; a REP accepted to certify my Passport and any US issued ID(declined my Naija Birth Cert). I then contacted the RBC Account Manager in Toronto, who advised I use the US visa as the second piece of ID, which the REP agreed to certify. To this end, I sent the package via the post office to CA and 2 accounts were opened - RBC Day to Day Savings(C$) and RBC US High Interest eSavings (US$). Note, you can domicile the account in the province you intend to land and subsequently transfer to a branch nearest to your choice place.
I asked a friend in Alberta that needed to send some money to Naija to deposit the same into the C$ account and I gave the naira equivalent to the beneficiary here. So, I have funds already in the account; I hope to get more from that person (cheaper for me). The Account Mgr had to send me a mini statement, since I cannot access it online until I get to CA and verify my identity. I intend to get more C$ from within CA and wire US$ from Naija. For the landing part, the RBC will send me the statement and letter which I will show at the POE.
Regards
DyDx
