Permanent Residence Cards - Wrong Pictures

[edupolo]

Hello,

I was just informed that the picture we sent for our Permanent Residence card are not valid (strange since I took the specs to the photographer and they looked exactly like the ones they wanted) Never mind, no point in complaining since it will not change anything.

I was told that I should get a form to my home address in Canada. Does anyone know what they ask for in the form? They said that if I do not receive the form I can always send a letter explaining what happened with my address, client ID reference and new photographs, and mail them to the Toronto office.

I was just wondering if anybody has gone through this and if they can tell me what the process is like. Will it take forever to get my cards afterwards. We have already waited 4 months and now they decided to tell us the pictures are wrong!!! I really hope that the other aspects of Canada work much better than immigration... otherwise we have made a big mistake!!!

Thanks.

 

[justina]

My husband's card took 3 months with no explanation. Well, they said they were verifying some data, but would not tell him what sort of data! However, when he landed, the person at the window where he paid the RFPF measured his photos against a sheet he had at the desk (I think some clear plastic thing with the photo size and head outline) to ensure they were the correct size.

If you are close to the Toronto office, see if you can go into CIC with the photos and ask them to check/verify that they are the correct size. I am sure if you explain your problem they wouldn't have a problem doing so!

Hubby also got the photos taken at the passport photo place inside Canada Place, where the CIC office is located (Edmonton). Not sure if you have that options, but if you do, it might help ensure the photos are the correct size.

Then keep calling CIC every couple of weeks to ask how long for your card. Hubby kept calling and finally the day of the last call the card was created (not sure if that helped speed it up or not!) But at least CIC knew it had been too long because he kept calling.

Hope this helps you! Sorry you have had to wait so long, hubby and I understand your frustration so well!

Edit: Just read your older post on the PR card thread, that said you were in England...if that is still the case, maybe the Embassy where you are would have the same way of verifying the photo size.( If you can bear the long waits at that Embassy). I think the Consulate in Barcelona had that capacity, as I was once there and saw someone getting helped whose passport had been stolen. Those are the only two Immigration offices outside of Canada I have any experience with....

 

[edupolo]

Hi, yes I am in England but I have a Canadian address, and the lady on the phone told me that I can send everything via mail if I want to send it with Fedex for security reasons. She was actually very nice and double checked with one of the supervisors that that was the case. She even said that I do not have to wait for the form, which I found very strange but the calls are recorded so i can always ask them to go back to that if I have problems.

Anyway, luckily for me, it is not like I am in a rush to get the PR cards but it would be nice not to have to go through this. I have projects here in England until March, plus I thought it would be better not to move there in the middle of the winter.

Thanks again! Are you enjoying Edmonton? I have a friend there who just moved from Germany and she is loving it! she just gave birth to her first Canadian-born baby girl! very exciting.

 

[justina]

I'm actually the Canadian, and grew up just outside of Edmonton - always saying I would never move back!! However, met hubby here 2.5 years ago, and here we are... I like it better now than I did, but I miss the big cities - living in Vancouver and London (UK) and living in Edmonton don't really compare!! Edmonton is definitely more culturally diverse than it was when I left in 1994, and I really do appreciate that. It's nice being near family since I wasn't for a long time.

Your avoiding moving in the middle of winter is a VERY good idea! I still am not used to the cold here, I was gone too long. You would think 4 years back would fix that!

Glad your friend is enjoying it here! Hubby is very excited that he has a new Canadian-born baby too! We just had our first (a girl) 3 months ago.

 

[edupolo]

Congrats on the new baby!
Yes, out intention will be to move after the winter, even though Toronto does not have as harsh winters and I used to live in the States for a while, so winters there are not that warm either. I am looking forward to the seasons, as you probably know, we do not have many season in England, I call it the land of 'the eternal Autumn'.
I hope my cards arrive soon and that we can start a new life there. Very proud of being a resident of such a vast nation with so much to offer.

 

[justina]

Thanks! I lived in Boston for a while, the east coast gets way more snow but the cold is much more tolerable!

It did snow at least once every year I lived in London, but I can see where the 'eternal Autumn' would make sense! The one week annual heat wave (usually in late May/ early June) always seemed pretty funny.

Welcome to Canada very soon!