Soft landing in Canada on Saturday - Advice needed on BSF186/BSF186a/Other things

[solo228100]

Hey everyone.

I recently got my COPR and will be travelling to Canada on the 4th of Aptril. I'll be staying until the 10th of April to finalize things, and handle a couple of things like getting a SIN Number, opening a bank account, perhaps a health card (any other suggestions of things I could do while I'm there would be greatly appreciated). My final move will be later in July/August.

For the 6 days that I'll spend there, I'll be coming with basic essentials such as clothes, my work laptop, toilettries, headphones, and like 2 charger cables.

I'd like to know how I should fill out the BSF186 form of the things I'm bringing and how I should list them? Do I need to specify each and every single item with its value or would I just need to write something like "Clothes" and then give an estimate of the value of all of them together?

I also don't know what to put in the importers address. Is it the address in my home country or address in Canada? (I'll be staying with a friend).

For my final move, I'm really just going to be bringing more clothes and my gaming PC. I'm aware that I would need to fill out the BSF186a (Goods to Follow) list. There are also items that I might purchase and bring with me later and I don't know if I should add those or only the things that I own right now.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get as I'm new to all of this and I'm just trying to make sure that I don't make any mistakes!

Thanks in advance

 

[armoured]

I recently got my COPR and will be travelling to Canada on the 4th of Aptril. I'll be staying until the 10th of April to finalize things, and handle a couple of things like getting a SIN Number, opening a bank account, perhaps a health card (any other suggestions of things I could do while I'm there would be greatly appreciated). My final move will be later in July/August.

You should NOT apply for your health card at this time. You do it when you arrive to remain permanently. (I believe Ontario rules are that you're not supposed to leave for even more than 30 days or something in the first year or half year, and I think it's basically the same for other provinces). Getting the health card now opens up the potential for problems later.

Main thing is to have an address in Canada to which your PR card can be mailed.

For the 6 days that I'll spend there, I'll be coming with basic essentials such as clothes, my work laptop, toilettries, headphones, and like 2 charger cables.

I'd like to know how I should fill out the BSF186 form of the things I'm bringing and how I should list them? Do I need to specify each and every single item with its value or would I just need to write something like "Clothes" and then give an estimate of the value of all of them together?

If you are not leaving in Canada any of the items you have with you, then you are just visiting. Follow the procedure for someone visiting, which is mostly you don't declare except for some types of items (alcohol, large amounts of cash, etc).

CBSA is well aware that soft landings exist and it's for IRCC purposes. And they're aware that the process of officially becoming a permanent resident via a short landing does not necessarily mean you are remaining permanently, and that 'settling' for customs purposes, PR status and tax residency are all different concepts.

Just tell the truth - you're visiting to complete the PR status process but you're moving permanently later in the year.

I also don't know what to put in the importers address. Is it the address in my home country or address in Canada? (I'll be staying with a friend).

For my final move, I'm really just going to be bringing more clothes and my gaming PC. I'm aware that I would need to fill out the BSF186a (Goods to Follow) list. There are also items that I might purchase and bring with me later and I don't know if I should add those or only the things that I own right now.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get as I'm new to all of this and I'm just trying to make sure that I don't make any mistakes!

Thanks in advance

YOu only fill out the goods to follow list when you arrive permanently, and for ... goods that follow, i.e. that are shipped separately. If you're bringing them with you,that's not on the goods to follow list.

When we arrived, we didn't fill out any forms for the stuff we had with us. We went through customs and just said all of our suitcases were personal items, and they waved us through. (We did do the goods to follow bit separately, with detailed - but none of that included the things we had with us.)

 

[iSaidGoodDay]

You should NOT apply for your health card at this time. You do it when you arrive to remain permanently. (I believe Ontario rules are that you're not supposed to leave for even more than 30 days or something in the first year or half year, and I think it's basically the same for other provinces). Getting the health card now opens up the potential for problems later.

Main thing is to have an address in Canada to which your PR card can be mailed.

If you are not leaving in Canada any of the items you have with you, then you are just visiting. Follow the procedure for someone visiting, which is mostly you don't declare except for some types of items (alcohol, large amounts of cash, etc).

CBSA is well aware that soft landings exist and it's for IRCC purposes. And they're aware that the process of officially becoming a permanent resident via a short landing does not necessarily mean you are remaining permanently, and that 'settling' for customs purposes, PR status and tax residency are all different concepts.

Just tell the truth - you're visiting to complete the PR status process but you're moving permanently later in the year.

YOu only fill out the goods to follow list when you arrive permanently, and for ... goods that follow, i.e. that are shipped separately. If you're bringing them with you,that's not on the goods to follow list.

When we arrived, we didn't fill out any forms for the stuff we had with us. We went through customs and just said all of our suitcases were personal items, and they waved us through. (We did do the goods to follow bit separately, with detailed - but none of that included the things we had with us.)

IIRC, wasn't it you (or maybe someone else) who recommended getting something of an import certificate during first landing for items like gold, laptops, etc. Could just be me not remembering it right. I missed doing so during my landing as well because customs waved me through for everything.