US outland applicants' thread :)

[Panamai]

I got the same email today and am also a February applicant. We aren't married, did common law sponsorship, and have been together just short of two years. I'm so excited now, hopefully once I send the documents things will be fast from here!

I hope they are doing mine finally too! I'm a January applicant, but I paid the RPRF up front, so I wouldn't receive that email. I'm feeling so stressed waiting! I hope they finally finish up the 2014 people who are waiting as well.

 

[ChellyCat]

I hope they are doing mine finally too! I'm a January applicant, but I paid the RPRF up front, so I wouldn't receive that email. I'm feeling so stressed waiting! I hope they finally finish up the 2014 people who are waiting as well.

I paid it upfront too and still got the email. Looks like a lot of us did. Good luck, hope we all get quick DMs

 

[Panamai]

I paid it upfront too and still got the email. Looks like a lot of us did. Good luck, hope we all get quick DMs

I meant the email requesting the fees. Hopefully they won't send any emails requesting proof of residence. My partner has never lived anywhere but Canada and his mortgaged house and job are here. I submitted outland, but my country of residence is also listed as Canada, since I've been staying here since Dec 2013. Good luck to you too!

 

[CMLR]

For those of you who were asked for further proof that your sponsor lives here in Canada and your Right of Permanent Resident Fee it may still be a while before you are through. I say this only because we got that email on June 11, we sent in proof electronically on June 23. We were given 45 days to get the requested proof to them. It has now been 50 days and we have not heard anything further from CIC. I hope that others do not have this long wait after sending in the proof they ask for I hope each of you pass through quickly I just wanted to let you know that we are still waiting.

The hard thing for me is that if I get my approval by September I will have a job as I have a contingent offer. However if I do not get approved by early September I will likely not have a job. It is through someone I know and the start date is time sensitive so I just Pray that CIC gets things in order for my application in time.

 

[Sunset0505]

CMLR...we applied in April 20014 and are still waiting... hubby has had three job offers in the last year, had to stop applying for jobs cause do not want to burn all the bridges before we even get there...if you get your case notes you will be able to see when the due date...I have found that the due dates is when someone will look at your case...

 

[CMLR]

Sunset, we have a consultant and that is what they told me too, that we could hope they would look at our proof before the due dare but often they don't. We are now past that due date so I am hoping..... I know it may not happen but one can always hope.... and Pray.

 

[monstergirly]

In other news, I landed today through Lewiston, NY. It took 45 minutes of sitting and waiting. But after signing I'm so relieved. Now to wait for the PR card, get my SIN, and move on with life. We're planning on opening a small candy store together in the very near future.

Congrats on landing! FYI you do not need your PR card to get your SIN - I just used my signed CoPR and passport at Service Canada and I got it right away. You can also use it to register for OHIP and start the 3 month waiting period. PR cards are taking up to 3 months to receive - I'm hoping I get mine at the same time as my OHIP!

 

[Majromax]

Incidentally, did anyone else have the CBSA officer staple the complete COPR into your passport upon landing? I don't object to having all this in once place, but the COPR might not hold up to the wear if I travel with any frequency.

 

[dbentley1313]

Hey Everyone,
I just got back from my landing interview and wanted to share the experience with you. When I received my COPR in the mail there was information about landing in an office rather than going across the border to do so. So I called (on July 14th) and they sent me an email with my landing appointment on it a few days later. They assigned me between 1-3pm today at an office in Etobicoke (because of my address here in Toronto).

Once I arrived, I checked in & they gave me a number. My husband & I sat in the waiting area until my number was called. The process couldn't have been simpler; we walked up to the window and I handed the agent my COPR and let them know about our address change. She was on the computer for a few minutes just processing everything. Then asked me "the 3 questions" and that was that. I had to initial both copies in 3 different areas and then she had me sign them after she did. She gave me the copy without the photo on it to keep.
She said it's going to take 8-10 weeks to receive my actual PR card. You are not able to travel BY AIR until you have your PR card in hand. You are, however, able to travel by passenger vehicle, so I'm planning on going to Buffalo next weekend to finally get my belongings!

She then had me fill out a form so that I could get a SIN number. (Processed a few minutes later through a Service Canada agent.) She congratulated me and it all was pretty easy! After speaking with the Service Canada agent I received my SIN number (they no longer issue cards, its just a piece of paper so you have to be careful with it!) That was it!!! Everyone was really nice and I was in and out of there within an hour. Mind you, we got there right before 1pm so we could be one of the first processed during that time slot.

I am now officially a PR! I'm looking forward to changing my color on the spreadsheet to yellow!! (landed)

If you are currently residing in Canada as a "visitor" like I was (living with my husband for the past year) I would recommend this way of going about it. You're not waiting in line at a border crossing and don't have to deal with a potentially ornery Border Guard. Just IMHO

cheers!

 

[Aquakitty]

Incidentally, did anyone else have the CBSA officer staple the complete COPR into your passport upon landing? I don't object to having all this in once place, but the COPR might not hold up to the wear if I travel with any frequency.

Haha, yea, he did that to my husbands, didn't say why. I thought it wasn't a travel document.

If you are currently residing in Canada as a "visitor" like I was (living with my husband for the past year) I would recommend this way of going about it. You're not waiting in line at a border crossing and don't have to deal with a potentially ornery Border Guard. Just IMHO Smiley

Congrats on your smooth sailing! If you stayed in-status in Canada then you can go this appointment route, but if you are out of status for whatever reason, they won't let you make an appointment (so I've heard on here anyways).

 

[Ontariobat]

I had a SA at end of April. I hope I get lucky like you. Are you and your spouse married for over 5 years and do you have kids? I just want to know if that makes any difference in the speed of application completion.

I think if I've learned anything from this forum, it's how randomly everything is processed. It has zero to do with how simple your application is or how well you've completed it. Aquakitty and my applications seem quite similar. For me it took 19 months and her around 5 (I think? ).

 

[monstergirly]

Incidentally, did anyone else have the CBSA officer staple the complete COPR into your passport upon landing? I don't object to having all this in once place, but the COPR might not hold up to the wear if I travel with any frequency.

Mine was stapled - I am wondering if you have to keep it there indefinitely or if you can take it out when you get your PR card...

If you are currently residing in Canada as a "visitor" like I was (living with my husband for the past year) I would recommend this way of going about it. You're not waiting in line at a border crossing and don't have to deal with a potentially ornery Border Guard. Just IMHO

Congrats on your PR! I was thinking about doing the local office landing (I am in Toronto as well) but I read that it could take a long time for an appointment. We opted for the border "flag-poling" trip to Lewiston because I also had to import my car and planned to do it at the same time (I posted separately in the Settlement Issues board about the car - it was a bit stressful on the US side).

It's good that they had the Service Canada support there to set you up with your SIN right away - that was a separate trip for me after going to Service Ontario to sign up for OHIP.

 

[saria1]

Incidentally, did anyone else have the CBSA officer staple the complete COPR into your passport upon landing? I don't object to having all this in once place, but the COPR might not hold up to the wear if I travel with any frequency.

Yep, they stamped page 15 in both passports and stapled the CoPR's to the page and then folded in there neatly for them.

 

[keesio]

She said it's going to take 8-10 weeks to receive my actual PR card. You are not able to travel BY AIR until you have your PR card in hand. You are, however, able to travel by passenger vehicle, so I'm planning on going to Buffalo next weekend to finally get my belongings!

Technically you are supposed to carry your PR card with you when traveling via commercial carrier, but if you have a US passport, then it is usually not a problem even if you don't have your PR card. The carrier will most likely let you on because you are visa-exempt and then at arrival you tell CBSA that you are a PR and they look you up in the system and you should be fine

 

[keesio]

Incidentally, did anyone else have the CBSA officer staple the complete COPR into your passport upon landing? I don't object to having all this in once place, but the COPR might not hold up to the wear if I travel with any frequency.

I'd remove it from the passport, stick it in some protective covering and store it away somewhere safe once you get your PR card. You don't need it to travel.