Soft Landing Questions - Airport Arrival Q and B4 form Q

[NorthwardCA]

I am a dual Canadian/US citizen. I live in the US with my husband and am his sponsor. We received his COPR a couple of months ago, but it's taken a little more time to get our act together for the move and we are not ready to settle yet. So we are now going to do a soft landing this month before our COPR expires.

Q1 - When we fly into Vancouver Airport, my husband has to go through the Foreign Nationals line, but I have a choice, being myself a dual citizen US/Canada. I assume it is okay for me to go with him in the foreign nationals line (I do also carry a US passport) or do I need to go in the Canadian line and he has to go in the Foreign line?

Q2 - We are doing a weekend trip to soft land, not settling right away. I've read that CIC doesn't distinguish soft landings but CBSA does, and since this is a CBSA form therefore we technically do need the List of Goods until we are ready to settle. However, I've read conflicting reports on threads here where people have said they were expected to have their list with them. How likely are we to encounter a situation at YVR? Are all the officials we encounter likely to be clear on the distinction? Or is there some risk of confusion. I don't really want to bring a list as it could be another 6 months before we move.

I welcome any insights or shared experience.

 

[shirleyfeng1985]

I have similar situation and plan to do a soft landing in YVR as well.
I think after we get off plane, we need to go to a landing office (on the right side) first and then go through the custom. In that case, no one need to go through the foreign nationals line. PR and Canadian citizen are the same line I believe.

 

[Canucks and Hawks]

Following

 

[Hurlabrick]

Q1 - When we fly into Vancouver Airport, my husband has to go through the Foreign Nationals line, but I have a choice, being myself a dual citizen US/Canada. I assume it is okay for me to go with him in the foreign nationals line (I do also carry a US passport) or do I need to go in the Canadian line and he has to go in the Foreign line?

You should both stick together, I doubt it matters which line you choose. Just tell the CBSA officer that you are landing to activate / declare PR for your husband.

Q2 - We are doing a weekend trip to soft land, not settling right away. I've read that CIC doesn't distinguish soft landings but CBSA does, and since this is a CBSA form therefore we technically do need the List of Goods until we are ready to settle. However, I've read conflicting reports on threads here where people have said they were expected to have their list with them. How likely are we to encounter a situation at YVR? Are all the officials we encounter likely to be clear on the distinction? Or is there some risk of confusion. I don't really want to bring a list as it could be another 6 months before we move.

Yes you are correct. For CIC you are 'landing to declare PR / activate your CoPR'. For CBSA (and the goods to follow lists) you are NOT at this stage 'landing as settler' - you do that when you return to Canada for good and get your 'goods to follow' list stamped at that later date. CBSA SHOULD be aware of the distinction, but it has been known to come across a 'not fully informed' CBSA officer - if this happens, ask to speak to their supervisor. I shouldn't happen at Vancouver as this is a very busy airport very experienced at handling newcomers (it did happen to us at Ottawa airport though!).

Some reading here:

https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Goods_To_Follow-Canada#What_does_.22land_in_Canada.22_mean.3F​