PR Visa ready to be issued. But complex situation...

[happyrobbie]

Hi. I applied for Canada immigration via the Quebec selected workers program. Now my process is nearly finalized. The other day I got a letter from the visa office from Paris that my PR visa is ready to be issued, and they ask me to send them my passport to get the visa stamped (I am in Switzerland and it is not very convenient for me to go to Paris personally). They also mention that my visa will expire in July 2015 (one year from now). They ask me to give a reply in 30 days otherwise my file will be closed.

However, I have two questions that might be tricky. I will contact the visa office to get their official answer but I would like to hear some advice from you...

Question 1: I need my passport with me until end September for various reasons (international vacations, visa process of another country...) Is it possible that I send my passport in October, or do I have to send it in 30 days?

Question 2: This is more complex. I delayed my plan to immigrate to Canada until 2016, but my PR visa will be expired in July 2015. Is there a solution? What I could imagine, is that I enter Canada with my PR visa before July 2015 to activate my PR status. Then I return to Switzerland, and finally I immigrate to Canada in 2016. Is this possible? My particular concern is that, how can I smoothly get my PR card in this case? I checked online and it seems that it takes a long time (>2 months) to process the PR card upon my arrival in Canada, and that I have to be in Canada to receive this card. Is this correct? My problem is that I won't have 2 or 3 months to stay in Canada to wait for my PR card (probably I will only have 2 or 3 weeks). Is there a solution?

Thank you very much in advance for any suggestions...

 

[glowingheart]

Hi. I applied for Canada immigration via the Quebec selected workers program. Now my process is nearly finalized. The other day I got a letter from the visa office from Paris that my PR visa is ready to be issued, and they ask me to send them my passport to get the visa stamped (I am in Switzerland and it is not very convenient for me to go to Paris personally). They also mention that my visa will expire in July 2015 (one year from now). They ask me to give a reply in 30 days otherwise my file will be closed.

However, I have two questions that might be tricky. I will contact the visa office to get their official answer but I would like to hear some advice from you...

Question 1: I need my passport with me until end September for various reasons (international vacations, visa process of another country...) Is it possible that I send my passport in October, or do I have to send it in 30 days?

Question 2: This is more complex. I delayed my plan to immigrate to Canada until 2016, but my PR visa will be expired in July 2015. Is there a solution? What I could imagine, is that I enter Canada with my PR visa before July 2015 to activate my PR status. Then I return to Switzerland, and finally I immigrate to Canada in 2016. Is this possible? My particular concern is that, how can I smoothly get my PR card in this case? I checked online and it seems that it takes a long time (>2 months) to process the PR card upon my arrival in Canada, and that I have to be in Canada to receive this card. Is this correct? My problem is that I won't have 2 or 3 months to stay in Canada to wait for my PR card (probably I will only have 2 or 3 weeks). Is there a solution?

Thank you very much in advance for any suggestions...

this are my thoughts

question 1 no you must do it within the date they say
question 2 you can do the landing and you need to have a address in canada for the PR cards to be mailed to you
lots of people land and put a friends address so they can receive them and then get them sent to them, you will need them to re enter canada

you can always try to contact the visa office and ask for an extension but you have a 50/50 chance
also not all visas last 1 year

 

[PMM]

Hi

this are my thoughts

question 1 no you must do it within the date they say
question 2 you can do the landing and you need to have a address in canada for the PR cards to be mailed to you
lots of people land and put a friends address so they can receive them and then get them sent to them, you will need them to re enter canada

you can always try to contact the visa office and ask for an extension but you have a 50/50 chance
also not all visas last 1 year

0 chance of extension of COPR.

 

[happyrobbie]

this are my thoughts

question 1 no you must do it within the date they say
question 2 you can do the landing and you need to have a address in canada for the PR cards to be mailed to you
lots of people land and put a friends address so they can receive them and then get them sent to them, you will need them to re enter canada

you can always try to contact the visa office and ask for an extension but you have a 50/50 chance
also not all visas last 1 year

Isn't the PR card mailed by registered mail which requires my signature on delivery?

I have no friends in Quebec, but I have friends in Manitoba. Will I be in trouble if I put a friend's address outside Quebec (in Manitoba) for my PR card?

In Switzerland you can open a post box address in the post office without a physical appartment, is it possible in Quebec? Is it also possible to automatically redirect all mails from an address to another one? I am thinking of redirecting automatically my PR card to my friend's address, or even to my own address in Switzerland...

 

[scylla]

Isn't the PR card mailed by registered mail which requires my signature on delivery?

I have no friends in Quebec, but I have friends in Manitoba. Will I be in trouble if I put a friend's address outside Quebec (in Manitoba) for my PR card?

In Switzerland you can open a post box address in the post office without a physical appartment, is it possible in Quebec? Is it also possible to automatically redirect all mails from an address to another one? I am thinking of redirecting automatically my PR card to my friend's address, or even to my own address in Switzerland...

PR cards are sent through regular mail. No signature is required.

No - you can't use your friend's address in Manitoba. And yes - this will most likely land you in trouble. If you try this, you'll likely be refused landing since the immigration officer will think you have no plans to settle in Quebec.

I can't answer your third question unfortunately.

 

[happyrobbie]

PR cards are sent through regular mail. No signature is required.

No - you can't use your friend's address in Manitoba. And yes - this will most likely land you in trouble. If you try this, you'll likely be refused landing since the immigration officer will think you have no plans to settle in Quebec.

I can't answer your third question unfortunately.

Thank you.

Another question: the starting date from which the 5-year validity of PR card is counted, is the day when my visa is issued, or the actual day when I land in Canada?

 

[scylla]

Thank you.

Another question: the starting date from which the 5-year validity of PR card is counted, is the day when my visa is issued, or the actual day when I land in Canada?

Land in Canada.

 

[aurora2014]

No - you can't use your friend's address in Manitoba. And yes - this will most likely land you in trouble. If you try this, you'll likely be refused landing since the immigration officer will think you have no plans to settle in Quebec.

Your reply contradicts the information given in the thread entitled "DOUBTS? "Can I 'Land' anywhere" matter -Which POE to Choose !!!" in which it is stated:

For Quebec, although any FSW would be allowed to enter thru a Quebec POE, they cannot complete the 'Record of Landing' here. And would have to further drive/fly to another province (any) to report to its Immigration Officer for the 'completion' of record of landing. This is because Quebec needs the CSQ certificate to complete this procedure. Which only is for a Quebec PR applicant. (however, it is not vice-versa... a Quebec PR applicant can do all the formalities in any other Canadian POE).

 

[happyrobbie]

I tried to call the Paris visa office, but the number they gave is an automatic phone service without operators.

I replied their email and ask my questions as mentioned above. But I do not know if this is the correct way to ask questions and I do not know whether I will receive any response.

I have a few other questions...

1. What is the correct way to contact Paris visa office at this late stage in my situation?

2. With regard to sending passports for visa stamping, it seems that I have no choice but to send the passport within 30 days.. How long it will take? I know that regular mails from Switzerland to Paris take 3-4 days to arrive. Then I wonder how long will my passport stay in their hand? I need a rough estimate because I need my passport later for other use...

 

[scylla]

Your reply contradicts the information given in the thread entitled "DOUBTS? "Can I 'Land' anywhere" matter -Which POE to Choose !!!" in which it is stated:

The information you have posted is actually completely wrong (whoever posted it doesn't understand the process and has provided incorrect information) - and also has nothing to do with what I posted.

Someone who has applied for PR through FSW can absolutely land in Quebec and this happens all of the time. In fact, they MUST complete their landing in Quebec if the Quebec is their first port of entry into Canada (when a new immigrant arrives in Canada the airport / border crossing they come to first is always the place where they complete all of their landing formalities and complete the 'Record of Landing'). However typically FSWs landing in Quebec must also demonstrate that they have an onward journey to another province so that the immigration officer can see they have no plans on settling in Quebec.

Similarly, as a FSW, you can't provide a Quebec address for your PR card. You must provide an non-Quebec address. Once again, this is to demonstrate that you plan to settle outside of Quebec per the rules of the FSW program.

 

[scylla]

1. What is the correct way to contact Paris visa office at this late stage in my situation?

2. With regard to sending passports for visa stamping, it seems that I have no choice but to send the passport within 30 days.. How long it will take? I know that regular mails from Switzerland to Paris take 3-4 days to arrive. Then I wonder how long will my passport stay in their hand? I need a rough estimate because I need my passport later for other use...

1. I can't help with this question but suspect the instructions may have been included in the letter / email you received.
2. I would assume the passport is going to be in their hands for at least a couple of weeks.

 

[aurora2014]

The information you have posted is actually completely wrong (whoever posted it doesn't understand the process and has provided incorrect information) - and also has nothing to do with what I posted.

Maybe you misunderstood me. The point I was trying to make wasn't about FSW's landing in Quebec - it was the final part about QSW's landing anywhere they want where it was stated "a Quebec PR applicant can do all the formalities in any other Canadian POE". The OP here wants to send his PR card to a Manitoba address; if, as a QSW, he can land anywhere he wants why not simply land in Manitoba?

Of course, this is moot if the entirety of the post (which I would have linked to if I had linking privilege - EDIT: it appears I now have them, post linked to below) is incorrect and QSWs have to prove intent to reside in Quebec when landing at a POE outside Quebec (the same as FSWs must prove intent to reside outside Quebec if landing at a Quebec POE).

And if that's the case, maybe a mod or someone should add a note to Qorax's post - he's considered rather an authority by the members of this board and it isn't so great to have an authoritative-sounding post like his being taken as legitimate if it's actually not.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/doubts-can-i-land-anywhere-matter-which-poe-to-choose-t35499.0.html

 

[happyrobbie]

Well, what I mean is that I will use my friend's address as the mailing destination of the PR card.

I will definitely land in Quebec, and then do all the paperwork in Quebec. Just when I give the address to receive the PR card, I will use my friend's address in Manitoba. I will only stay in Quebec for 2/3 weeks before I come back to Switzerland, and probably I will stay in a hotel somewhere in Montreal for that 2/3 weeks.

Do not know if this will provoke problems for me...

 

[happyrobbie]

1. I can't help with this question but suspect the instructions may have been included in the letter / email you received.
2. I would assume the passport is going to be in their hands for at least a couple of weeks.

In the letter I received they did not mention explicitly how I should contact them. But they say that in case of family status change I should inform them by their email address. So I guess that they will see my questions I asked in the email sent to them.

As for the processing time, in the letter they wrote that I can go to drop my passport at the visa center in Paris and collect it 2 business days later in person. So it seems to me that it's not too long if I send by mail?

 

[glowingheart]

Well, what I mean is that I will use my friend's address as the mailing destination of the PR card.

I will definitely land in Quebec, and then do all the paperwork in Quebec. Just when I give the address to receive the PR card, I will use my friend's address in Manitoba. I will only stay in Quebec for 2/3 weeks before I come back to Switzerland, and probably I will stay in a hotel somewhere in Montreal for that 2/3 weeks.

Do not know if this will provoke problems for me...

legally you are not supposed to leave canada until you receive the card
so the address in manitoba might not work