Someone landed through Coutts office in Alberta?

[bluelagoon019]

Hi all,
I'm about to land in Coutts office recently. Wondering if someone did flagpole landing in Coutts.
Please share some experience
Btw, if someone is going this weekend from Calgary to Coutts, we could go together

 

[unfrgvn]

I landed recently at Coutts, AB. The process is fairly simple. You drive there, you will reach the US border control guys first. Let them know that you are there to complete Permanent residency landing. The officer asked me if I have ever been arrested before. I said "no". He then kept my passport and told me to park my car on the left side of the building. I parked and entered the building. There were several officers working at their respective cubicles. I was the only one there . I waited for 5 minutes/ less than 5 minutes and another officer came with my passport and a piece of paper(Administrative refusal paper). Asked me to follow him. He got into his car and I got into mine. He showed me the way to get to the Canadian side. Although very near , it would be very tricky for someone to figure out how to get to the othe rside. But I did okay as I was following the officers car. He turned around a corner and stopped his car / loudly (as both of us were in our car and there was a truck passing by) showed me the line on the Canadian border control. He wished me luck and again drove to where he came from.

On the Canadian side the officer asked for my passport and other paper (administrative refusal) and did something on the computer. returned all those things and also handed me a pink paper. Asked me to park on the left side of the building and come inside. Again parked the car went inside and I was the only one doing the landing.The officer in the immigration desk took my passport and told me to read a piece of paper where it's written about SIN/ Health etc. She told me that she will go through those again with me. Asked me to check my COPR for any mistakes. In the mean time she was doing something on her computer. After that she handed me my passport and started explaing how to get SIN/ health card etc. She asked me to sign on my COPR and after that signed herself and handed it to me. Since I was the only one at that time another officer from the neighboring till started talking with me. We talked about Christmas and getting time off from work/ Driving condition / winter etc etc. Both of them congratulated me and then I left. Total time to land in the Canadian side is 10 minutes (5 of them were totally personal chat/ not related to immigration.)

Both USA and Canadian sides were very nice and professional. faced no problem at all.

Good luck

 

[bluelagoon019]

I landed recently at Coutts, AB. The process is fairly simple. You drive there, you will reach the US border control guys first. Let them know that you are there to complete Permanent residency landing. The officer asked me if I have ever been arrested before. I said "no". He then kept my passport and told me to park my car on the left side of the building. I parked and entered the building. There were several officers working at their respective cubicles. I was the only one there . I waited for 5 minutes/ less than 5 minutes and another officer came with my passport and a piece of paper(Administrative refusal paper). Asked me to follow him. He got into his car and I got into mine. He showed me the way to get to the Canadian side. Although very near , it would be very tricky for someone to figure out how to get to the othe rside. But I did okay as I was following the officers car. He turned around a corner and stopped his car / loudly (as both of us were in our car and there was a truck passing by) showed me the line on the Canadian border control. He wished me luck and again drove to where he came from.

On the Canadian side the officer asked for my passport and other paper (administrative refusal) and did something on the computer. returned all those things and also handed me a pink paper. Asked me to park on the left side of the building and come inside. Again parked the car went inside and I was the only one doing the landing.The officer in the immigration desk took my passport and told me to read a piece of paper where it's written about SIN/ Health etc. She told me that she will go through those again with me. Asked me to check my COPR for any mistakes. In the mean time she was doing something on her computer. After that she handed me my passport and started explaing how to get SIN/ health card etc. She asked me to sign on my COPR and after that signed herself and handed it to me. Since I was the only one at that time another officer from the neighboring till started talking with me. We talked about Christmas and getting time off from work/ Driving condition / winter etc etc. Both of them congratulated me and then I left. Total time to land in the Canadian side is 10 minutes (5 of them were totally personal chat/ not related to immigration.)

Both USA and Canadian sides were very nice and professional. faced no problem at all.

Good luck

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.
How near between the US border control and the Canadian side?because I'm going there with my friend. She prefers to wait for me in car at the US border control instead of passing the border and coming back. So can I walk there from the US border control to the Canadian side? thanks

 

[unfrgvn]

Well basically they are in a same building. I think one portion belongs to USA and the other portion belongs to Canada. You can walk from one side to the other distance wise it is not impossible 700 meters I guess, however it is not advisable. The thing is after the USA border services parking lot you have to turn to a highway and then you will see the Canadian side. There were all sorts of vehicle (trucks/ buses private cars etc on the road). Walking to the Canadian side would mean to walk along with those vehicles on the highway. Also after landing you have to walk almost similar distance to meet again with your friend (who would be waiting for you at the USA border line / inside CA). It is to be noted that if your friend prefers to be on the Canadian side there is no way she can wait in front of USA border office.USA border office means it is USA and you have already crossed the border. She can drop you off before USA border and turn her car and wait in a small residentail area that is close by the border. However , I think you have to walk quite a few Kms (2 I guess) to reach to your friend

 

[HR83]

Thanks for sharing your experience unfrgvn. I'm going down there with my husband on the long weekend that is coming up.

 

[unfrgvn]

Good luck to you guys

 

[bluelagoon019]

Well basically they are in a same building. I think one portion belongs to USA and the other portion belongs to Canada. You can walk from one side to the other distance wise it is not impossible 700 meters I guess, however it is not advisable. The thing is after the USA border services parking lot you have to turn to a highway and then you will see the Canadian side. There were all sorts of vehicle (trucks/ buses private cars etc on the road). Walking to the Canadian side would mean to walk along with those vehicles on the highway. Also after landing you have to walk almost similar distance to meet again with your friend (who would be waiting for you at the USA border line / inside CA). It is to be noted that if your friend prefers to be on the Canadian side there is no way she can wait in front of USA border office.USA border office means it is USA and you have already crossed the border. She can drop you off before USA border and turn her car and wait in a small residentail area that is close by the border. However , I think you have to walk quite a few Kms (2 I guess) to reach to your friend

Thanks a lot for this detailed explanation. My friend is from a Visa-exempt country but not PR Canada yet. So I don't wanna make her troubles. I have to walk for the 1-2 kms.

 

[bluelagoon019]

Hi all,
I came back from landing in Coutts. It was easily done expect waiting for 30mins in the line of car inspection at US border, because lots cars went through yesterday. US border officers were very nice and efficient.
Canadian officer I met was ok. He had a strong accent and I could not understand totally. But the procedure was just simple: sign COPR and read info about PR card and SIN card. He took away my valid work permit and said ' you don't need it anymore and you can work whatever you want'. I said maybe leave me that work permit as a souvenir. He said ' well, you prefer this work permit or your PR?'
Anyways, it's done. hope the PR card can arrive soon

 

[bluelagoon019]

Still waiting for PR card
For those who landed at Coutts around the beginning of Feb, did anyone already get the PR card?

 

[SDS93]

Can you please tell me when is the best time to go to Coutts for landing, .
Did you go on the weekend or weekday.
Are they open 24 hours,planning to go on Sunday.
Please advice,
Thanks,

 

[stray cat]

You respawned an old thread there SDS93

I did my landing at Coutts today. Total time on site from arrival to departure was 3 hours. There were 4 families waiting before me when I arrived there. The process was pretty much as described by unfrgvn on this thread.

The immigration office is open 7 days a week from 07:30 to 23:00 details below -

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/646-eng.html

Also there is a recent thread regarding Carway / Coutts on this forum -

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/sharing-my-landing-experience-at-carwayab-t250118.0.html

Good luck with your landing

 

[mine08]

Hi! I'm just wondering if i wana flagpole in Coutts do i need a US VISA?

 

[akil_f1]

Hi! I'm just wondering if i wana flagpole in Coutts do i need a US VISA?

No need US visa for flag poling. Just inform the US officer that you are there for Landing and they will give you a pink slip and advise you to return to Canadian office. once you return to Canadian office the officer will ask you for the pink slip and PP , COPR.

 

[Sairam09]

Hi all,
I came back from landing in Coutts. It was easily done expect waiting for 30mins in the line of car inspection at US border, because lots cars went through yesterday. US border officers were very nice and efficient.
Canadian officer I met was ok. He had a strong accent and I could not understand totally. But the procedure was just simple: sign COPR and read info about PR card and SIN card. He took away my valid work permit and said ' you don't need it anymore and you can work whatever you want'. I said maybe leave me that work permit as a souvenir. He said ' well, you prefer this work permit or your PR?'
Anyways, it's done. hope the PR card can arrive soon

Congragulations!!!

Can I know what forms did you fill while completing the landing formalities? Ex: Permanent Resident card application etc

Thanks

 

[akil_f1]

Congragulations!!!

Can I know what forms did you fill while completing the landing formalities? Ex: Permanent Resident card application etc

Thanks

Nothing to fill while landing except you want to fill the good declaration if needed.
just present your PP , COPR , valid Address proof. officer will verify and asks to sign the copr.
No application is needed for intial pr card , its processed as soon as you land and you will receive them within the defined processing time.