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UK Applicant PPR Already?

5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
Evening all,

I have the following timeline of events:

Submitted: 28-08-2023
AOR: 20-10-2023
SA: 27-10-2023
Medical Req: 27-10-2023
Medical Complete: 17-11-2023
Medical Passed: 23-11-2023
Biometrics Req: 25-10-2023
Biometeics Complete: 20-11-2023
Biometrics Passed: 20-11-2023

I've today received what i believe is PPR, the pre-arrival letter which starts as follows:
The processing of your application for permanent residence in Canada is almost complete. You must complete the following steps within 30 days in order for our office to issue your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and, if applicable, your permanent residence visa.

So if i read the letter correctly, as I am a UK citizen with an ETA, I need to send a photocopy of my passport (not the actual physical passport), a printed copy of that letter and 2 Canadian passport photos both with the application ID number on the back (and one with the usual name, address of shop etc)

GCKey portal is currently showing: Final decision - December 11, 2023:Your application is in progress. We will send you a message once the final decision has been made.

Does that mean that the process is almost complete or am I missing something? This all seems a little too quick surely? If I am be silly, is there a rough timeline of events from here on in?

Anyone else in a similar boat?

Thanks
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,874
22,121
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Evening all,

I have the following timeline of events:

Submitted: 28-08-2023
AOR: 20-10-2023
SA: 27-10-2023
Medical Req: 27-10-2023
Medical Complete: 17-11-2023
Medical Passed: 23-11-2023
Biometrics Req: 25-10-2023
Biometeics Complete: 20-11-2023
Biometrics Passed: 20-11-2023

I've today received what i believe is PPR, the pre-arrival letter which starts as follows:
The processing of your application for permanent residence in Canada is almost complete. You must complete the following steps within 30 days in order for our office to issue your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and, if applicable, your permanent residence visa.

So if i read the letter correctly, as I am a UK citizen with an ETA, I need to send a photocopy of my passport (not the actual physical passport), a printed copy of that letter and 2 Canadian passport photos both with the application ID number on the back (and one with the usual name, address of shop etc)

GCKey portal is currently showing: Final decision - December 11, 2023:Your application is in progress. We will send you a message once the final decision has been made.

Does that mean that the process is almost complete or am I missing something? This all seems a little too quick surely? If I am be silly, is there a rough timeline of events from here on in?

Anyone else in a similar boat?

Thanks
The pre-arrival letter can be a bit misleading. Sometimes it's sent quite early in the process and it doesn't mean you are close to the end. Sometimes it is also sent close to the end. I would honestly ignore it since it's not a reliable indicator of true status. I don't see eligibility / security / background check passed so you may still have some time to wait.
 
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armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,286
8,890
I've today received what i believe is PPR, the pre-arrival letter which starts as follows:
The processing of your application for permanent residence in Canada is almost complete. You must complete the following steps within 30 days in order for our office to issue your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and, if applicable, your permanent residence visa.

So if i read the letter correctly, as I am a UK citizen with an ETA, I need to send a photocopy of my passport (not the actual physical passport), a printed copy of that letter and 2 Canadian passport photos both with the application ID number on the back (and one with the usual name, address of shop etc)

GCKey portal is currently showing: Final decision - December 11, 2023:Your application is in progress. We will send you a message once the final decision has been made.

Does that mean that the process is almost complete or am I missing something? This all seems a little too quick surely? If I am be silly, is there a rough timeline of events from here on in?
I don't think this is the pre-arrival letter, it is the passport request.

The pre-arrival letter (as term is used here) is specifically about pre-arrival services; if there's no mention of them, it's not the pre-arrival services letter. The letter received tells you what to do with your passport (send a photocopy etc) - passport request. (And no, not everyone gets the pre-arrival services letter, and not always in the order you'd think)

[I also know that the pre-arrival services letter does NOT say your application is almost complete - it only says that at passport request.]

And yes, this means the process is almost complete. The fact that it says 'final decision' supports this, the rest of the text - the system doesn't always catch up with itself. (Your application is 'in progress' utnil you receive the COPR and other final docs)

Fast? Yes. Not unheard of for UK citizens though - if no doubts about marriage, nato member, good security/police cooperation, they can knock all that stuff off quickly.
 
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Flyingfast

Hero Member
Feb 9, 2022
460
216
The pre-arrival letter can be a bit misleading. Sometimes it's sent quite early in the process and it doesn't mean you are close to the end. Sometimes it is also sent close to the end. I would honestly ignore it since it's not a reliable indicator of true status. I don't see eligibility / security / background check passed so you may still have some time to wait.
This is a PP request, not a pre-arrival.
 
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5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
So further to the above, i now have this:
  • January 10, 2024 Your eligibility has been reviewed. Please see the final decision below.
and then under final decision i have this:
  • December 11, 2023 Your application was approved. Check your messages below for details.
But there's nothing else in the portal? I did get an email from VFS saying "The decision envelope for your application, tracking ID No.XXX has been dispatched from the IRCC Office, to the Canada Visa Application Centre in Embassy CVO" which prompted me to look at the portal.

Curious that the date on the final decision is from last month?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,286
8,890
So further to the above, i now have this:
  • January 10, 2024 Your eligibility has been reviewed. Please see the final decision below.
and then under final decision i have this:
  • December 11, 2023 Your application was approved. Check your messages below for details.
But there's nothing else in the portal? I did get an email from VFS saying "The decision envelope for your application, tracking ID No.XXX has been dispatched from the IRCC Office, to the Canada Visa Application Centre in Embassy CVO" which prompted me to look at the portal.

Curious that the date on the final decision is from last month?
What is your question? As above, you already got the passport request. Have you submitted your passport ie followed the instructions in that letter?
 

5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
I guess i didn't really ask one haha. I'm just a little confused on where exactly the process is..? The date on the final decision is from last month but eligibility is form yesterday, is that normal? I sent away exactly what it asked for, which was a photocopy of my passport, not my actual passport.. I guess they will still need my physical passport at some point? Is this likely to get COPR in the next few weeks rather than months?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,286
8,890
I guess i didn't really ask one haha. I'm just a little confused on where exactly the process is..? The date on the final decision is from last month but eligibility is form yesterday, is that normal? I sent away exactly what it asked for, which was a photocopy of my passport, not my actual passport.. I guess they will still need my physical passport at some point? Is this likely to get COPR in the next few weeks rather than months?
I presume you are carrying a passport from a visa waiver country. If so, you should get a package from IRCC with COPR letter shortly (and some other odds and sods). I'd think it should be soon or in the post, perhaps delayed because of holidays.
 

5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
Yeah I'm in the UK so just need ETA to visit Canada. I got the email today saying:

The decision envelope for your application, tracking ID No. XXX has been received from the IRCC Office on Thu Jan 11 2024, at the Canada Visa Application Centre, London and is ready for collection. If you already paid for courier service your passport will be sent out on the same day via our courier partner. If you have not opted for return courier of your documents, you still can opt for it, if you wish to do so. Please visit our website for further information https://visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/can/additional-services. For details on the location and hours of operation of our VAC, please refer to our website at: https://vfsglobal.ca/canada/unitedkingdom.Please note this is an auto generated e-mail. Please do not reply to this email.

Does that suggest I need to physically go to London and collect said decision envelope or will they automatically send it to me?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,286
8,890
Does that suggest I need to physically go to London and collect said decision envelope or will they automatically send it to me?
Did you read the text of the email? If you paid for courier return, they'll do it automatically. If not, no - but you can pay to have it sent to you.
 

5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
So i got my COPR in the mail today :cool: But its literally just 2 copies of the COPR (IRCC copy and Client copy) and nothing else, no instructions etc or nothing in the portal? I assume i just need to land in Canada prior to the 'Valid to' date (November 2024) and take the COPR with me along with proof of funds and any other relevant paperwork and then I'm set?
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
17,286
8,890
So i got my COPR in the mail today :cool: But its literally just 2 copies of the COPR (IRCC copy and Client copy) and nothing else, no instructions etc or nothing in the portal? I assume i just need to land in Canada prior to the 'Valid to' date (November 2024) and take the COPR with me along with proof of funds and any other relevant paperwork and then I'm set?
Weird. What about the PR card photos? You should have had one returned to you )although of course procedures keep changing).

Apart from that - yep, just arrive in Canada and show the passport control. Make sure you tell them this is first landing as they need to process the COPR. Apart from waiting takes perhaps 30 minutes to an hour.
 

CMHobs

Newbie
Jan 18, 2024
3
1
So i got my COPR in the mail today :cool: But its literally just 2 copies of the COPR (IRCC copy and Client copy) and nothing else, no instructions etc or nothing in the portal? I assume i just need to land in Canada prior to the 'Valid to' date (November 2024) and take the COPR with me along with proof of funds and any other relevant paperwork and then I'm set?
Congrats on getting through the process - as you say, I think you just need to land now with the COPR and present it to the immigration officer. When’s the move?

I’m in a similar situation to you but about a month behind - just received the request to send photocopies of passports, signed photos etc through today. Can I ask, was it straight forward sending to the VAC in London? I find the VFS website quite confusing. As far as I can tell, if I follow the details for permanent resident applicants, I follow a link to register, pay the transmission fee and send everything off via a courier? That’s it, right? They also have detailed instructions for passport submission saying they need a copy of the biometrics sticker but don’t think I need to worry about that? Appreciate any guidance from what you did!
 

Edmegbc

Star Member
Oct 11, 2023
148
52
So i got my COPR in the mail today :cool: But its literally just 2 copies of the COPR (IRCC copy and Client copy) and nothing else, no instructions etc or nothing in the portal? I assume i just need to land in Canada prior to the 'Valid to' date (November 2024) and take the COPR with me along with proof of funds and any other relevant paperwork and then I'm set?
Yes but there is no proof of funds required
 
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5ean

Member
Jul 19, 2023
10
1
Weird. What about the PR card photos? You should have had one returned to you )although of course procedures keep changing).

Apart from that - yep, just arrive in Canada and show the passport control. Make sure you tell them this is first landing as they need to process the COPR. Apart from waiting takes perhaps 30 minutes to an hour.
Sorry should have said there we're my 2 photo's in with it. There's also a big watermark on it saying 'Not valid for travel'.
 
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