URGENT!! Passport stuck in Canadian customs???

[Kearnixer]

Hi guys,

You will not believe what is happening to us. I could write a very long story but I will try to keep it to the minimum. So here is the thing: My wife as the primary applicant received the PPR and was asked to send her physical passport to the VO in Vienna together with the copy of my passport. We did that and we instructed the embassy to return our documents to our address in Switzerland. This instruction was written on a cover letter we included with the passport and even in an email we sent to them. We also included return labels from FedEx already containing our Swiss address to have it safely returned.

The embassy completely ignored all the instructions and the return labels and returned the documents on August 4th 2017 by registered mail instead by FedEx. That was the first mistake. But the second and worst mistake was, despite telling them to return it to our Swiss address, they sent it to Canada!!!! This because our representative is in Vancouver and her address is in our express entry profile.

Today the embassy wrote us and apologized that they sent our documents to Canada by error. So they admitted their mistake!!

After having multiple heart attacks, we started to wonder where our documents are because until today our representative in Vancouver has not yet received our documents from the embassy. Our documents are in Canada since August 4th 2017 (this was confirmed by the Austrian Post)! So two weeks have passed. I have read that international mail go through the customs and therefore the delivery can be delayed.

But since the shipment only contains documents and a passport, how come it goes through customs? And if yes, is it normal that our documents have not yet arrived in Vancouver? How concerned should I be? Any experts here who can bring some clarity into this??

Thank you so much for your answers! We are really frustrated and desperate. We are so worried that our documents can get lost!!!!

 

[Kearnixer]

Anyone?

 

[mgnlky]

The only thing I could think of is Customs held it up to confirm validity (that it wasn't fake documents). However, that being said, the passport has documents from the Canadian government in it, which should show them it's not a fraudulent document. Personally I've had things held up in Customs and it's only take a few days to clear. You might try to contact them via phone, especially if you have a tracking number.

In any case, I can't see the embassy or the consultant being of any help aside from a "sorry."

 

[agvalen1810]

Recently I watched an episode of border security (canadian version) and they scanned a package and saw something weird, when they opened it there was a passport. So my guess is that they might have intercepted the package. In this case the passport was fake but they didn't show what was the procedure after and I don't remember what they said they would do.

Maybe you should try to reach them out somehow and explain what happened.

 

[agvalen1810]

I recommend you to go to the Canada Border Services Agency website. They have a contact email and phone number

 

[Kearnixer]

The only thing I could think of is Customs held it up to confirm validity (that it wasn't fake documents). However, that being said, the passport has documents from the Canadian government in it, which should show them it's not a fraudulent document. Personally I've had things held up in Customs and it's only take a few days to clear. You might try to contact them via phone, especially if you have a tracking number.

In any case, I can't see the embassy or the consultant being of any help aside from a "sorry."

Hi @mgnlky , thanks for your response! I don't even want to start telling how careless the embassy is.

I actually called Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and they said that custom clearance can take up to 15 business days! That's quite crazy! They really do that even with letters containing documents???? Is there any risk that they would just confiscate the passport since they think it is strange that it is sent together with the COPR from Europe to Canada?? I am so worried!!!!

Since I read in some posts that a passport needs to have a commercial invoice for the customs, I asked CBSA if that is true. The lady on the phone said no, it doesn't need any custom forms or invoice when sending a passport to Canada. What do the experts here think?

 

[Kearnixer]

I recommend you to go to the Canada Border Services Agency website. They have a contact email and phone number

Thank you @agvalen1810 for your response! I actually called them. See my post above. What do you think of it?

 

[mgnlky]

Hi @mgnlky , thanks for your response! I don't even want to start telling how stupid the embassy is. If I worked like them I would already be fired!

I actually called Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and they said that custom clearance can take up to 15 business days! That's quite crazy! They really do that even with letters containing documents???? Is there any risk that they would just confiscate the passport since they think it is strange that it is sent together with the COPR from Europe to Canada?? I am so worried!!!!

Since I read in some posts that a passport needs to have a commercial invoice for the customs, I asked CBSA if that is true. The lady on the phone said no, it doesn't need any custom forms or invoice when sending a passport to Canada. What do the experts here think?

Documents with no value typically do not need an invoice, but I've never sent anything, documents included, to Canada without custom forms declaring the contents and value (for documents, value is 1$).

I would suggest waiting until the 15 days are up and then start calling back.

 

[agvalen1810]

Thank you @agvalen1810 for your response! I actually called them. See my post above. What do you think of it?

Did they tell you how they would proceed in your case?
I think maybe after they confirm they are real passports and not fake they would return it to the VO in Vienna. But I really don't know for certain. For now all you can do is wait the 15 days and maybe call again then

 

[Kearnixer]

Documents with no value typically do not need an invoice, but I've never sent anything, documents included, to Canada without custom forms declaring the contents and value (for documents, value is 1$).

I would suggest waiting until the 15 days are up and then start calling back.

Yes, will wait a little longer. I'm just so nervous because I cannot track the envelope! Canada doesn't scan incoming international registered mail anymore.... And I was so clear with everything for the embassy and they just did all the opposite! :-((((((

 

[Kearnixer]

Did they tell you how they would proceed in your case?
I think maybe after they confirm they are real passports and not fake they would return it to the VO in Vienna. But I really don't know for certain. For now all you can do is wait the 15 days and maybe call again then

@agvalen1810 Why would they send it back to the VO in Vienna if all is fine??

They did not say how to proceed. I mean what is there to do? I just have to wait it seems... Just drives me crazy to not know where my documents are!

 

[agvalen1810]

@agvalen1810 Why would they send it back to the VO in Vienna if all is fine??

They did not say how to proceed. I mean what is there to do? I just have to wait it seems... Just drives me crazy to not know where my documents are!

That's what I would think since you are not in Canada but who knows, maybe they would send it to your representative's office. Sorry I'm not very helpful

 

[Kearnixer]

That's what I would think since you are not in Canada but who knows, maybe they would send it to your representative's office. Sorry I'm not very helpful

I'm happy for every response I'm receiving! So thanks @agvalen1810 ! I believe they will just release it for delivery if everything is fine. My biggest fear is that the mail could get lost or that they just detain the passport! And not being able to track it is not a good feeling....

 

[Kearnixer]

Anyone who had a similar problem as I? Anyone with experience how the international mail is treated in canadian customs? Especially when there is a passport in the envelope????

 

[nosmas]

I can tell you why as I know CBSA and CP too well.

Registered mail is not a priority to process for CBSA or Canada Post. It is a gamble on their processing time. I bought tons of stuff from Japan and shipped it to Canada by SAL. Some took 2 weeks to arrive, some took 2 months! to arrive. 2 weeks seems normal to me especially Vancouver is having a really bad backlog because of the fentanyl scare.

All I can say is, there is nothing you can do. You are definitely not the only one. You can try contacting CBSA, but they will just give you headache and might take weeks to respond.