Thanks a lot for this detailed reply. Believe me you answered such well even to the next question that was in my mind and i was thinking to ask about it. I got the answer of it as well. I am really thankful to you for this.
So, when i get ITA, and i apply for eAPR (after completing all the documents & medical) and they acknowledge it in 48hours and then 6months wait begins. What will be the next step? Will they call me for interview in embassy or what?
I hope i am not being rude for asking these things. There is information available on CIC site but such things are not there. One has to consult the forums for getting information to such details.
No worries; that's what this forum is for
During the '6-month' wait, a request for an interview is rare (it can happen, but it's very unlikely).
Some people report getting a phone call that generally seems centered around questioning them about their employment (we presume this is because the Immigration Officer has concerns about the validity of work experience claims and wanted to double check or probe further) but these are also very rare.
More common is a request for additional documentation (ADR) so it's important to monitor your email during the '6-month' wait (in case the message goes to your spam/junk mail folder) to see if you get this. Common ADRs based on this forum appear to be:
- Schedule A (or is it B...I always mix up letters and numbers) if you answered 'Yes' to a statutory question
- Travel History Schedule (if IRCC needs clarification on your Travel History)
- Family Information Schedule (if IRCC needs clarification on your Family Make-up and Info)
- A police clearance certificate (PCC) that your Immigration Officer has deemed necessary for you (maybe you were close to 6 months in a country, but not quite there, but your Immigration Officer has decided a PCC is necessary anyway, or maybe you couldn't upload a PCC before submission because of extended processing times (cough, cough, US FBI!) or you needed a letter from IRCC to request the PCC)
- Proof of marriage and updated proof of funds (if you get married during processing)
- Birth certificates and updated proof of funds (if you have a child during processing)
- And the list goes on and on
Often, though there are some of us who just have to sit here, with nothing to do, biting our nails and obsessively checking our email and myCIC accounts until one glorious day the PPR email (also known as the Golden Email
) arrives... (honestly, I think I would welcome an ADR at this point - I want SOMETHING to do rather than just wait...)
When you get the PPR email, you'll have to submit your passport (along with 2 passport pictures and a copy of the email) to the indicated local visa office (if you're from a visa-exempt country, I think you submit a copy of your passport bio page in lieu of the passport). When the passport is returned to you, it will have a one-time entry PR visa (to allow you into Canada to 'land') and a CoPR (confirmation of permanent residency letter) that you will need to take with you when you 'land'.
You will be given a deadline by which to 'land' in Canada (usually the date of the expiration of your medical exam, or the date of expiration of your passport, whichever comes first).
When you land, you will present your CoPR to the immigration officer and let them know you're claiming your PR. They will ask you a few simple questions (usually the statutory questions again), take you through some basic processing, make you sign your CoPR in front of them, and, all being well (which it usually is if you've gotten as far as that point), they will congratulate you and welcome you to Canada as a PR, and you will officially be a Permanent Resident.
They will also put in your request for a PR Card, which will become your official 'travel document' to prove your PR and get back into Canada when you travel. It's important to get this card because airlines and other forms of public transportation across the US-Canada border will not allow you to board without it (as they need it as evidence that you are a Permanent Residence and allowed into Canada). You can leave Canada right after you land if you're not ready to move there permanently yet (this is called a 'soft landing', provided you either arrange for the PR Card to somehow get to you wherever you are (the PR Card can only be delivered to a Canadian address) or you apply for a PR Travel Document (PRTD) in that country to use as your travel document to get the airlines and public transportation to take you back into Canada.
Also keep in mind that, if you don't plan to permanently move to Canada right away after claiming your PR status, in order to maintain your PR status, there is a physical residency requirement - you need to prove you were physically in Canada for at least 760 days (2 years) out of the first 5 years.