RAMQ requests to send the passport by mail ???

[mikaeru]

Hello,

after my wife received the COPR and landed in QC, we went to a CLSC to submit documents in order to get her RAMQ card as soon as possible. At that time, we presented the original of all CSQ, passport and such to them and everything seemed alright, but today we received a letter asking to send the original passport by mail, and that they will send it back to us later.

What the hell ? In my opinion, this can't be safe at all because:
1- An employee at the RAMQ might just not care and lose it
2- A police officer could ask her in the meanwhile for her passport
3- Post Canada could lose it
4- We won't ever know when we'd get it back

I can't call them now since it's past 17h, and I was looking for a piece of advice

thanks!

 

[Alurra71]

Hello,

after my wife received the COPR and landed in QC, we went to a CLSC to submit documents in order to get her RAMQ card as soon as possible. At that time, we presented the original of all CSQ, passport and such to them and everything seemed alright, but today we received a letter asking to send the original passport by mail, and that they will send it back to us later.

What the hell ? In my opinion, this can't be safe at all because:
1- An employee at the RAMQ might just not care and lose it
2- A police officer could ask her in the meanwhile for her passport
3- Post Canada could lose it
4- We won't ever know when we'd get it back

I can't call them now since it's past 17h, and I was looking for a piece of advice

thanks!

I too would also be wary of doing this. Not only for the reasons you suggested, but why would they need her passport to issue her RAMQ? They have her CSQ and also her COPR the passport is of little to no concern regarding her resident status I would think. I would wait and call them to find out exactly what they are looking for. Offer to bring the passport to a local office to let someone look at it, but I would not send it in to them.

 

[Aniabella]

Hello,

after my wife received the COPR and landed in QC, we went to a CLSC to submit documents in order to get her RAMQ card as soon as possible. At that time, we presented the original of all CSQ, passport and such to them and everything seemed alright, but today we received a letter asking to send the original passport by mail, and that they will send it back to us later.

What the hell ? In my opinion, this can't be safe at all because:
1- An employee at the RAMQ might just not care and lose it
2- A police officer could ask her in the meanwhile for her passport
3- Post Canada could lose it
4- We won't ever know when we'd get it back

I can't call them now since it's past 17h, and I was looking for a piece of advice

thanks!

My spouse had the same problem and he's a Canadian citizen who returned back to Canada after 6 years. He went to CLSC brought all papers, including his passport, everything was fine. After couple of weeks he had to go to the doctor so he called to RAMQ to ask for some temporary card of proof, apparently they had sent a request to ask a better proof of residence. Once he faxed them his lease, he called back to confirm if it's fine. Then they said that they are missing his passport on their file. At this point my spouse got enough fed up and went downtown Montréal to their office with all the papers possible and his passport. In 5 minutes it was done. I wouldn't send a passport in the mail, if the RAMQ office is not close (I think they're only in Québec city and Montréal), I would call them tomorrow and ask if it would be alright to go show it to them at CLSC since you don't want to send it in the mail. Just make sure they make a copy of it.

 

[mikaeru]

Yeah, I just called them now and here is what they told me:
-Even though the CLSC saw the original passport, it doesn't count as a "real validation" to the eyes of the RAMQ, because the CLSC is just a kind of third party..
-I have to send it by post, or go to their office either in Mtl or QC.

So just like you suggested, we'll go there ourselves!
thanks

 

[blueangel371115]

I have a related question, do I have to go to my local CLSC and go through all that baloney of them needing it in Montreal or QC or can I just go to Montreal right off?

 

[Aniabella]

I have a related question, do I have to go to my local CLSC and go through all that baloney of them needing it in Montreal or QC or can I just go to Montreal right off?

Yes you can and I recommend it, because if they need more attachments to your application, it will be stuck in snail mail for 2-3 weeks. Much faster done if you head right to their own office. If I remember correctly, they can even do the photo's for you for a fee.

All the info's are here and the addresses as well:
http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrants-foreign-workers-students/health-insurance/Pages/registration.aspx

You're probably going to have to wait the 3 months period to get it. Even my Canadian spouse would have had to if he hadn't been living in a country with which Québec has an agreement with.