Time taken at the Vancouver airport for immigration and customs

[settlementq]

How long does it take to get through immigration and customs at the Vancouver airport on a weekday in May/June?
What questions can be expected from immigration agents?
What documents other than visa/passport, COPR, and settlement funds do they ask for?

Should the list of items for customs be as detailed to say 1 toothpaste, 2 toothbrush or just 'daily usage stuff'.

Thank you

 

[wilson]

Hi,

Time taken at Immigration depends on the number of landed Immigrants. If you are alone or only very few people naturally the time taken will be less than 15 minutes per person. There is no much questions asked other than introductory where -about. You have to mention only the important items individually. No need to specify any minor, consumable items and dress. Say generally house hold items like dinner sets, music system, Food processors, computer etc... if you have or what ever major items you take. If there is un accompanied shipment seperately sent by air or sea cargo, better to list the item individually. But still no need to mention anything like pen, pencil, tooth brush or comb etc. They are not bothered about small items.

 

[Liuzhou]

I've travelled through Vancouver Airport a few times coming back from China and it is always very slow. Their customs are slow and quite thorough..I was surprised they even gave me a bit of a hard time coming back and I'm Canadian and travel quite a bit for business...(In their defence, there are obviously a lot of people that "land" in Vancouver, many of them with very limited English skills which slows the process down even more. Understandably, the officers get annoyed when people can't even answer basic questions like "Where are you coming from" ? )

(For the record, I hate almost everything about the Montreal airport, but their customs are fast, very organized and fair. They are prepared when there is a surge of people and they put enough officers on the floor. Vancouver seems to only have a half dozen of people working...at least that has been my experience.)

My last trip through Vancouver required about one hour to get through customs and after getting through customs, I still had to wait about 45 minutes for my bags.

If you are "landing" there, I would imagine it is much, much longer to get through. If you have a connecting flight, I would give yourself at least 4 hours to be safe.

For your other questions, follow this thread on the subject:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/to-be-optimisticlets-talk-about-landing-t18142.0.html

Regards

 

[mitamata]

Interesting, the two times I arrived at Vancouver airport, we got through customs very quickly. Of course, the first time it was at 11 pm and the second time at 3 am xD

I'm aiming my landing for Vancouver, since it's my final destination. I've waited for months for the visa, I can wait a couple hours for the landing.
Alternatively, I could do the landing in Toronto. But if I get delayed there, I could miss the connecting flight, so I'd rather get delayed at the final destination.

 

[settlementq]

For a landing immigrant, is it immigration first then customs or
more like, immigration + more immigration + customs + more customs

How much time immigration officers take per immigrant?

Thanks!

 

[wilson]

Customs > Immigration > Baggage collection > give the customs slip and show baggage tag (if asked) to the officer at the gate and out

 

[settlementq]

Thank you!

What about forms that one needs to fill. So far I know of 2 forms that one can bring pre-filled to
the landing airport

i) B4 and B4A forms - for customs
ii) permanent resident card application form - for immigration

Am i missing anything?

 

[nguyentu2001]

Thank you!

What about forms that one needs to fill. So far I know of 2 forms that one can bring pre-filled to
the landing airport

i) B4 and B4A forms - for customs
ii) permanent resident card application form - for immigration

Am i missing anything?

Do you have a visa to Canada?

If you have the visa then all the questions asked here should be stated on the letter.

" permanent resident card application form - for immigration" --->what the heck is this? I don't think you have to fill this out.

 

[mitamata]

Since settlementq is asking questions about landing, let's assume he will have a visa at the time

I believe by "permanent resident card application form" he means the COPR - Confirmation of Permanent Residence. That form will contain the address where the permanent residency card should be mailed.

settlementq, I think you got it covered. I'd also suggest taking with you a copy of your birth certificate, in case you might need it some day, but the COPR, B4 and B4A are the only ones you need when landing. Along with your passport with a valid visa in it, of course.

 

[rorita_76]

Hey Wilson,

Excuse my ignorance, but you said, custom, immigration, baggage? How is that?
shouldn't first be immigration, to make sure you have the required document, then baggage collect, then custom, to see the B4 and the B4A and check your baggage?
and I have another question please, it is Ok if I use an excel sheet instead of the B4 to list my goods accompagnying along with B4e , witch I understand is the cover letter.

 

[mitamata]

I suspect it might be different depending on where you land. I've been to a few airports and they operate differently.

But yes, I would think you collect your baggage BEFORE going through customs. Not sure where the immigration comes in, before or after, but you're supposed to escort your bags as they make their way through customs. They might want to check it or ask you some questions about it.

Just a random link I found regarding the Vancouver airport:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/facts-faits/066-eng.html

I don't know about the excel sheet though. I won't have nearly that much with it, not something I need to worry about. Heh.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hey Wilson,

Excuse my ignorance, but you said, custom, immigration, baggage? How is that?
shouldn't first be immigration, to make sure you have the required document, then baggage collect, then custom, to see the B4 and the B4A and check your baggage?
and I have another question please, it is Ok if I use an excel sheet instead of the B4 to list my goods accompagnying along with B4e , witch I understand is the cover letter.

Primary inspection in Canada Immigration/Customs was a Customs officer, Now there is only CBSA at Airports and Border Points. So at VIA you see the primary officer first, then you pickup bags and go to Immigration and then return to Customs Secondary for GTF and goods accompanying.

PMM

 

[rorita_76]

thank you PMM for your reply,
I am sorry , but I miss to mention that I will be landing in Toronto since it is closer to windsor, is it the same procedure like in vaccouver?
and what about the excel sheet instead of the B4a, is it acceptable.

 

[settlementq]

Thanks!

I was referring to the form at the following site.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/information/applications/prcard.asp

Would it help landing immigrant to have this form pre-filled and handy or it is
not needed at all. From what I get from your responses, it is not needed.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks!

I was referring to the form at the following site.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/information/applications/prcard.asp

Would it help landing immigrant to have this form pre-filled and handy or it is
not needed at all. From what I get from your responses, it is not needed.

Not needed.

PMM