Visitor visa extension, no physical document received.Visitor has since returned to home country.

[TonyVancouver]

Friend had a 6 month visitor visa and was successful in obtaining an extension for total of one year stay. Friend received the email confirmation "your application to remain in Canada as a temporary resident has been approved. A secure document has been mailed to you..."

The problem is the mailing address had a one digit error, the friend never received the physical documents because of the addressing error.

The extension was valid to November 16, 2018 (ten days from now). The friend has since returned to their home country, before the November 16, 2018 expiry date of their visa, so is in compliance with the visa and extension.

Question: How important is it to have the physical documents? They have the email confirmation. We cannot get through to a live person at the 1-888-242-2100 number to ask because of high call volumes, "call back later".

Does the absence of physical documents in hand affect anything such as a future visit to Canada? I'm thinking it won't but the friend is nonetheless concerned. Should the friend retain proof, say the airline e-ticket, that they indeed left the country before the end of the validity period? Or are the physical documents only necessary if they are asked for proof of their temporary residency status while in Canada? Now that they have left, the physical documents are moot?

Thanks, any help will alleviate the concern.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Friend had a 6 month visitor visa and was successful in obtaining an extension for total of one year stay. Friend received the email confirmation "your application to remain in Canada as a temporary resident has been approved. A secure document has been mailed to you..."

The problem is the mailing address had a one digit error, the friend never received the physical documents because of the addressing error.

The extension was valid to November 16, 2018 (ten days from now). The friend has since returned to their home country, before the November 16, 2018 expiry date of their visa, so is in compliance with the visa and extension.

Question: How important is it to have the physical documents? They have the email confirmation. We cannot get through to a live person at the 1-888-242-2100 number to ask because of high call volumes, "call back later".

Does the absence of physical documents in hand affect anything such as a future visit to Canada? I'm thinking it won't but the friend is nonetheless concerned. Should the friend retain proof, say the airline e-ticket, that they indeed left the country before the end of the validity period? Or are the physical documents only necessary if they are asked for proof of their temporary residency status while in Canada? Now that they have left, the physical documents are moot?

Thanks, any help will aleve concern.

Your friend is worrying for nothing. They had valid status, even if the Visitor Record never arrived.

 

[woodworker]

@Bryanna can he not link his application online to get a printout of the letter that went missing?

 

[TonyVancouver]

Thanks canuck_in_uk and woodworker, My friend and I tried logging in online but there is some mismatch in log-in credentials so could not update the address. The 1-888-242-2100 number is perpetually overloaded. If we manage to log in, good idea to print the letter or I'll PDF it and email it.

I just talked to someone in the immigration consultancy field said it's not a problem if the friend left before the end of the validity period. The stamped passport on re-entry to their country and their plane ticket are proof they complied with the visa and left on time. However the advice is to still report the physical documents as lost. I need to connect with Immigration Canada somehow, I'll keep trying the 1-888 number, may be right at 8AM.

Thanks everyone.

 

[TonyVancouver]

The 1-888-242-2100 number is perpetually busy, impossible to get through to a live person. Two three more questions:

1. Is it possible to download and print off the "secure document" letter? I have searched and cannot find where to log-in. The closest I can find is this webform https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx

2. Is there another way, other than trying to talk to a live person, to notify Immigration Canada that the secure documents were undelivered?

3. Is printing off the letter that was emailed just as good as having the hard copy? This letter starts off with the date, UCI number xx-xxxx-xxxx on the left, Application number Vxxxxxxxxx on the right. "Your application to remain in Canada as a temporary resident has been approved. A secure document has been mailed to you at the address that you provided when you made your application. If you have not received your secure document within six weeks contact IRCC. Then there is a table showing the permit type (VR), validity date 2018/11/16 and document number Cxxxxxxxxx.

Thanks, would like to tidy up this loose end.