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PR Stamping: Passports Seized by Canada Customs

M

manag

Member
Apr 11, 2017
18
8
Hi,

I am hoping someone has a solution to offer. I am an Indian national residing in the US. We received the request to submit our passports for PR stamping from the CPC Ottawa office. Accordingly, we mailed the required supporting documents, pictures and original passports to the CPC Ottawa office via UPS.

However, today we received a call from the Ottawa office, that our envelopes were opened by CBSA and when CPC received them, our passports and photos were missing. The envelope only contained our supporting documents.

Has anyone faced a similar situation? We have contacted UPS and they have opened an investiagtion. They said they will attempt to recover the documents as part of the investigation. However, I am not very confident if CBAP will return the passports or if they even has them (they may have been destroyed).

Thanks.
 
M

manag

Member
Apr 11, 2017
18
8
bellaluna said:
Maybe you can try this form

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/bsf699-eng.pdf
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick respond. But that is the whole issue - we don't have any communication from the CBAP on what was wrong. The UPS tracking information states that the envelope was on hold with customs for 3 days but then it was cleared and send onwards to the CPC office. Only when the CPC office received it, the passports were missing. I don't understand why some documents would be sent on and others held back.ac
 
M

manag

Member
Apr 11, 2017
18
8
canada_pr_wanted said:
@manag

Hi Buddy,

Not rubbing salt on your injury, but mailing Passports across the border is a Crime.
Click to expand...
It's a crime to mail any passport outside of India. The same restrictions do not apply in USA and Canada. Applicants residing in North America do not get the option to visit a local Canada consulate for PR stamping. We have to mail our original passports to the CPC Ottawa office. There are any number of NRIs on this forum who have safely received their passports back after stamping.
 
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B

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,385
1,771
^ Yeah, I agree with this, CBSA does not uphold Indian law.

Yeah, you should try to get some information from CBSA somehow, because from my quick research, the only reason passports are seized like this is if they are suspected to be fraudulent. Have you tried calling them?
 
M

manag

Member
Apr 11, 2017
18
8
So talked to UPS and they have opened an investigation. They want to pick up the package from CPC Ottawa office and need a contact person and number in order to do so - another headache as CPC does not share this information. Neverthless I have reached out to the individual looking into my case for help.

As per what I understood, we can't assume the passports have been seized because they issue a seizure notice in such cases and there was none. So currently, the passports are only "missing".

I did try contacting CBSA but their helpline (1-204-983-3500, 1-506-636-5064) does not seem to handle such cases. Anyone who could share an alternate number, I would appreciate it.
 
A

amodyt

Member
Jul 15, 2017
11
6
manag said:
Hi,

I am hoping someone has a solution to offer. I am an Indian national residing in the US. We received the request to submit our passports for PR stamping from the CPC Ottawa office. Accordingly, we mailed the required supporting documents, pictures and original passports to the CPC Ottawa office via UPS.

However, today we received a call from the Ottawa office, that our envelopes were opened by CBSA and when CPC received them, our passports and photos were missing. The envelope only contained our supporting documents.

Has anyone faced a similar situation? We have contacted UPS and they have opened an investiagtion. They said they will attempt to recover the documents as part of the investigation. However, I am not very confident if CBAP will return the passports or if they even has them (they may have been destroyed).

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, me and my wife are in a same situation as well. We received a call from cic today(26th sep) that they have received the documents but out passports are missing. We had used FedEx and have raised a case with them to recover our passports.

Would you mine connecting over phone or email to discuss about the issues? I think any knowledge we can share with each other would help us with our problem.

I hope you find your passport soon.

Thanks,
Amod
 
legalfalcon

legalfalcon

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@canada_pr_wanted & @manag

Please do not post incorrect information. Shipping Indian passport is not a crime, even in India. I made a post on this long ago to settle this absurd myth, which unfortunately has somehow again crept in.

You can read my post on mailing the Indian passport here - https://goo.gl/ArvZfK


As regards CBSA confiscating the passport, it is due to the customs and declaration which was made. Hundreds, of applicants ship their passports to Canada every day without any issue. The issue here is with regard to some customs declaration and to know more, you should immediately get the documents from CBSA and find what happened.

Also, what you wrote on the declaration form is important and the value of you put for the documents. Once you have the details, you can let me know and I will be happy to look into it and work with you to get this resolved ASAP.

To resolve the situation quickly, here is the solution:

1. Apply for fresh passports with the Indian embassy in whose jurisdiction you are in. Do it ASAP. Repost the old ones as missing / Lost.
2. Inform IRCC of the lost passport and seek an extension, which in your case should not be an issue.
3. Send the new passports, and be careful in what you write on the customs declaration. Instead of UPS or fedex use USPS international priority standard shipping envelope. In the customs declaration just mention documents and give a value of $5 or less.
 
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canada_dreamer

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amodyt said:
Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, me and my wife are in a same situation as well. We received a call from cic today(26th sep) that they have received the documents but out passports are missing. We had used FedEx and have raised a case with them to recover our passports.

Would you mine connecting over phone or email to discuss about the issues? I think any knowledge we can share with each other would help us with our problem.

I hope you find your passport soon.

Thanks,
Amod
Click to expand...
What value did you enter for you passports? I heard if you put a value greater then $20, they need someone they can contact in Canada before they can release the items.
 
L

LalluBhaiya

Star Member
Jun 28, 2017
138
7
manag said:
Hi,

I am hoping someone has a solution to offer. I am an Indian national residing in the US. We received the request to submit our passports for PR stamping from the CPC Ottawa office. Accordingly, we mailed the required supporting documents, pictures and original passports to the CPC Ottawa office via UPS.

However, today we received a call from the Ottawa office, that our envelopes were opened by CBSA and when CPC received them, our passports and photos were missing. The envelope only contained our supporting documents.

Has anyone faced a similar situation? We have contacted UPS and they have opened an investiagtion. They said they will attempt to recover the documents as part of the investigation. However, I am not very confident if CBAP will return the passports or if they even has them (they may have been destroyed).

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I am so sory to hear that brother. I prey that all will get resolved. I am also an Indian ctizen working and living in US. Can you plz advise when did you send the passport and when CIC got them an when you got cal from CIC? thanks.
 
E

email.6633

Star Member
Dec 17, 2016
149
68
Sorry to hear that bro.... I would recommend the suggestion given by legalfalcon.... Apply for new passport....
In the mean time, please follow up with CBSA on this process. If we get the passport back, it will be good.....
 
L

LalluBhaiya

Star Member
Jun 28, 2017
138
7
amodyt said:
Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, me and my wife are in a same situation as well. We received a call from cic today(26th sep) that they have received the documents but out passports are missing. We had used FedEx and have raised a case with them to recover our passports.

Would you mine connecting over phone or email to discuss about the issues? I think any knowledge we can share with each other would help us with our problem.

I hope you find your passport soon.

Thanks,
Amod
Click to expand...
Hei Amod, I hope the issue gets resolved soon and I am very sorry to hear about the inconvenience. Can you plz advise the timeline of this? When did you send the passport , when CIC got the package and ehn they called you? I sent passport 1 month back and still no data available in system for my case, I am blind here and fearing if my passport also did not reach CIC. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
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