Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[vet25]

You tell them that you are crossing to land - if that is all you are doing. They then basically let you enter the US, issue you a piece of paper saying you have been refused entry into the US (which is normal and doesn't go on a record of any sort - I asked!) so that they can send you back to Canada for entry - it's when you go back into Canada that your paperwork is processed.

So when we went we didn't spend any time in the US, we just entered the US in order to go back into Canada. And this is completely fine - they are used to it and didn't have any problems. In fact, there were a couple of other folk doing the same thing as us.

If, however, you want to go into the US to shop and then come back, just tell them that too - whatever you do, just tell them the truth and they will advise. I think - and others can correct me if I am wrong - if you want to go to the US first to shop and you have a UK passport, you need a temporary visitors visa to enter the US, which they issue you at the border. I think you pay $6 or something and they attach it to your passport. That would be the normal case whether you were landing or not. And then you just land once you re-enter Canada after your shopping trip. You would need to declare anything you bought for duty purposes (although I think recently they increased the limit to $200, but you should check this if you are going to buy anything - you don't want any issues bring stuff back into Canada). The visa (its that green card thing that you fill out/used to fill out on the plane normally, I think) lets you stay in the US for 90 days (even if you just stay the day). That's why you don't need one if you just go straight back into Canada because they "refuse" you entry into the US if you don't apply for the card.

So it's up to you what you do - neither of them are a problem. Just be upfront when you speak to the customs guy - they will be able to advise you. It was easy just to drive across to the US and be sent back to Canada - I don't know if I could have been bothered with the whole, get a visa, go shopping, then come back thing - I just wanted to get my PR processed as soon as possible! It probably took 2 hours at the border maximum and that was a Sunday afternoon on a normal weekend (I crossed at the Rainbow bridge that links Ontario to Buffalo, US - not sure if you are in Toronto too?)

Hope that helps a bit - feel free to ask me anything else!

That's great, thank you so much Weegie!! We weren't planning on going shopping or anything so we are going to do as you did! We're actually in Montreal so we'll probably cross near Philipsburgh (hopefully the line won't be too long!)

If I can just ask you one more thing, how specific were you with your "goods to declare" list? My boyfriend pretty much just brought clothes, his laptop, and some books with him...is that all we should write? I'm guessing they can't be bothered with how many pairs of socks or pants he brought over!...

Thanks again for your advice, it's extremely helpful!!
;D

 

[Victorfoxtrot]

I need some advice from those of you who received their COPR whilst they were in Canada and decided to go "spend a day" in the US to then come back and land. My boyfriend called CIC this morning to book an appointment to make everything official, but they have nothing for a month!! So we will take a little day trip south of the border!! My main concern is when you're going through the US border and they ask you why you are crossing, do we just plainly say: "so that we can come back into Canada and land as a resident"?? or is it best to say we're going to spend the day, shopping...etc? we just want this process to go as smoothly as possible!

Any other advice or tips about this would also be very much appreciated!!

Cheers :

I landed via the Lewiston/Queenston bridge back in February, and we decided to combine it with shopping in Buffalo and an overnight stay. When we crossed into the US my plan was to simply say we were going for an overnight shopping trip. We had to go into the separate room on the US side to get my green waiver card that they staple into your passport - costs $6 US - I'd bring US cash if I were you. I was travelling with my Canadian boyfriend, adn we were questioned about the purpose of our trip, how long, where we were staying etc. At no point did I admit I was going to land as PR on the return journey. They seemed completely satisfied, but then she got to my status in Canada. She asked what I had been doing there - I have no idea whether she could tell how long I'd been in Canada as a visitor or not, I have no idea, but she seemed concerned there might be an issue with me being let back into Canada (i'd been there on and off for 18 months). Anyway, I crumbled and admitted that on the return journey I was planning on landing as a PR. She went to talk to her supervisor because she said the correct way to do it was for her to refuse me entry, and then go to Canada, land, and then we'd be free to come back into the US and complete our visit. I think common-sense prevailed and they were satisfied I was not going to have trouble getting back into Canada and landing as a PR, and they admitted us both into the US without having to go through the whole rigmarole of being refused entry to the US etc.

In hindsight, I think I woudl have admitted the PR purpose from the get-go, but I guess it really depends on who you get on the US side as to whether they make you go through the whole refused entry etc. The Americans do it that way because they want to be absolutely sure that you are going to be stuck there should Canada not let you back in. That's why.

 

[imran 901]

hi imran how r u i am fine just geting ready to go for an interview i will send u my mobile number in private pm . which city will u come . since whe they start your back ground .they will take 5 to six month since they strat working on your file .u can check it online when it say .. in process from date .. i think your interview is waved they are not going to calll you for interview 2nd medical means ur case is accepted .any way i m going for an interview for a job before coming to canada do good shoping from paksitan . bring warm clothes it is still cold here . i tell u england has fantastic weather . u will be surprise when u will come here england is much better country .i knew since i had experince of chc . every department work too slow . any way it depends where u are coming from and where u are going . i came from london to calgary . may be i would have thought different if i would have came from belfast to vancoure or toranto .any ways take care and convence your family to vote imran khan , and his candidate.

thx bro for replay i love imran khan my whole family and friends will give vote to imran khan inshallah you will find good job brother my wife is also coming pak soon bro pray that i will get ppr soon i will be waiting ur mob no enjoy ur life in canada

 

[apcmwh]

Another minor milestone - ecas is now showing "In Process" with the status "We started processing your application on May 8, 2012."

Fingers crossed.

Pinklady, can you update the spreadsheet?

Many thanks,

Hi Pinklady

I received verbal confirmation that my sponsorship was approved on 13 February. The email got lost in the ether so I called CIC today and they've just confirmed. Can you please update the spreadsheet?

Roll on COPR...

Thanks

 

[Weegie]

That's great, thank you so much Weegie!! We weren't planning on going shopping or anything so we are going to do as you did! We're actually in Montreal so we'll probably cross near Philipsburgh (hopefully the line won't be too long!)

If I can just ask you one more thing, how specific were you with your "goods to declare" list? My boyfriend pretty much just brought clothes, his laptop, and some books with him...is that all we should write? I'm guessing they can't be bothered with how many pairs of socks or pants he brought over!...

Thanks again for your advice, it's extremely helpful!!
;D

No problem. I had been in Canada for more than two years before I "landed" so I had nothing to declare at all. I think if you are here already you don't have to declare anything unless you are getting stuff specifically shipped from the UK (or wherever outside Canada) after landing. All the stuff that I have here with me in Canada was brought in suitcases on the plane on my back-and-forth trips home since I came to live here as temporary resident in 2010. So my theory would be that if you have flown here and live here already (which I assume your boyfriend does if you are going to drive to the US border rather than "land" at an airport) then everything you had to "declare" would have been done so at the airport when you first brought the stuff into the country. They are basically just asking you for tax purposes - stuff that I have actually bought in the UK and brought into Canada since me living here has been declared at the airport as part of my "duty allowance" - the $750 or whatever it is. My thoughts were if it's already here then you don't have to declare it when you "land" by driving into Canada as at that specific point in time you are not actually bringing anything new into the country. You would only tell them if there was goods to follow - i.e. stuff was getting shipped. I think they actually wrote on my form "No GTF".

So, in short, I didn't declare anything and they were fine with that.

 

[pinklady]

Vet25, if you're just heading to the border to land then you don't need to declare anything unless you are going to be having items shipped over at a later date.

Congrats!

 

[boredmonkeyman]

Pinklady, please could you add my info to the spreadsheet also:
- Common-law sponsorship sent 22nd December, received at CPC-M 3rd January (girlfriend sent it snail mail by mistake)
- In-process: 8th May
- Decision made: 10th May

I am awaiting results of the 'decision', obviously hoping for a good one!! In the meantime I thought it would be helpful for others to know my timeline...

Thanks!

 

[pinklady]

Pinklady, please could you add my info to the spreadsheet also:
- Common-law sponsorship sent 22nd December, received at CPC-M 3rd January (girlfriend sent it snail mail by mistake)
- In-process: 8th May
- Decision made: 10th May

I am awaiting results of the 'decision', obviously hoping for a good one!! In the meantime I thought it would be helpful for others to know my timeline...

I have added you. Do you have the date of sponsor approval so I can add that too?
Thanks!

 

[boredmonkeyman]

I have added you. Do you have the date of sponsor approval so I can add that too?
Thanks!

Whoops, forgot about that... 17th February. Thanks!

 

[Voiceboy]

Hi everyone,

First things first: a big thank you to everyone who contributes to this amazing forum. Reading your posts has been so helpful.

I'm British and my Canadian girlfriend is sponsoring me as common-law partner - we have applied outland through London although we live in Toronto. Our application was received on January 31st and we (finally) got sponsor approval on May 1st. Now we are just waiting for the London office to do their thing.

We've been living together in Toronto for nearly two years and I've been working on IEC visas. My current work permit will run out in June and I plan to sit it out in Toronto until, fingers crossed, our application is approved.

We're going to be taking a trip to England in a couple of weeks and I just wondered if you guys think that I'm going to have any trouble getting back into Canada. When we re-enter Canada there will only be a couple of weeks left on my work permit. Do you think we'll have any problems explaining that I plan to wait it out here until the application is approved? We have bank statements to show that I can support myself without working and the letter saying that stage 1 approval has been completed.

Thanks!

 

[bonitanita]

When I go on the website to track my application, I can't do it even though I have a Client Id number. Anyone know why?

 

[nelmul]

H there, this is the first time that i will be posting on this thread

we have just received our confirmation of permanent residence document. what next? i have read that i have to send my passport in but does not state this on the document?

any help?

 

[tina 123]

Vet25, if you're just heading to the border to land then you don't need to declare anything unless you are going to be having items shipped over at a later date.

Congrats!

Hi pink lady
i am sorry its took so long to get back to you, but didnt know how to contact you, just found out how
i would like to give you the update of our status for your spread sheet 2011, i am Tina 123
we received our CORP in march 2012 got permanent residency on 17.3 2012.
Regards Tina

 

[NevilleUK]

When I go on the website to track my application, I can't do it even though I have a Client Id number. Anyone know why?

Hi bonitanita,

When we received sponsorship approval, we were given a UCI number and and an application number. Have you tried the application number? Also, if you're sponsoring someone, try using their name and date of birth. I'm the sponsor, but I can only view our application status by using the details of the person I'm sponsoring.

I hope this works for you

 

[Tayva]

Hello all!

I've been quietly lurking for weeks on this thread and finding comfort from all the posts. Thank you! I have a couple of questions and I hope someone can offer guidance, suggestions or comments please.

I am Canadian, born and raised and living and working here in Canada. My hubby is English and currently residing and working in England. We are in the process of filling out the application for sponsorship and permanent residency (we both have such busy working lives and the process is...well something else. We want to get everything perfect even though we know ours is a straightforward case and living in separate countries doesn't make it easier) but in the meantime we wish to travel to see each other in our home countries. We just recently got married in Canada after back and forth travelling for the last five years. Now that we have decided to live in Canada together it can't come soon enough. It's so exciting!

My question is for me to visit him in the UK for a week or for him to come to Canada for a week at a time to visit do we need visitor visas? A UK visa or Canadian visitor visa? I'm so worried that we will be turned back at the borders but I haven't seen anything online about needing one for a short visit less than 6 months.

If anyone has any experiences or advice to share it would be greatly appreciated.

All the best!