Hey Everyone!
So as an individual I am someone who likes to know things before hand and be prepared for it. I like to be very informed and kind prepare for various scenarios. Surprises are not my thing, especially not at immigration check points!!
In light of that I think if we all share our stories it will help to have a good resource of questions and answers.
So below is my story:
TLDR; version
I live in NY and drove to the Rainbow bridge border crossing to land as a permanent resident in Canada. woohoo!! It was simple, easy and without any major issues. Present COPR, Proof of funds and done.
Elaborate version:
Live in NY so driving was the easiest way to get the landing done. Due to my location, I had multiple options on what land border crossing to choose . Finally it boiled down to Rainbow bridge and Queenstown Lewiston bridge since i have crossed that border from both those bridges in the past and the familiarity factor won over ease of getting to the destination.
This was going to be a soft landing but I also wanted to get my SIN number as well as a bank account set up while i was going to be in Canada. So I chose the Rainbow bridge border crossing since there is a social services office at walking distance from the border.
Upon arrival at the border crossing on Friday around 11:00 AM. There were only a few cars that were there so I got to the CBSA agent fairly quickly. I got to the officer and told him that I was there to land as a permanent resident.
The officer then tells me sorry we don't do landings here on Friday's.
Ok !!that took me by surprise.
He then told me that they only do landings on certain days of the week and that too from 08:00 Am to 12:00 Pm. And then went on and started explaing how they only do landings at certain times and that I should check the CBSA/ CIC website for accurate details, etc, etc.
In the time he was explaing I figured that he had me misunderstood as if I was flag polling. [But i didn't want to be come out as over-smart and offend the officer and tell him that hey dude you are wrong I am not flag polling.]
He then started writing something on a yellow sheet of paper and told me that I should go to a office close to where I live and get an appointment to get the landing done. So at that point I asked him that where would be the closest office in New York? So he said didn't you just go around and turn at the border? I said no, I lived in NY. So he then realized his error and said oh, then we can do your landing. Glad we got that clarified. He wrote on the yellow sheet NOT Flag polling. NY resident. And asked me to park in any available spot and head into the office and hand that document to the next available officer.
So I parked and entered the building and myself and couple of CBSA officers are the only people in the building. One officer calls me to head over to her. i hand her all the documents and wait
Officer asks me some questions:
1. When do you plan on coming to Canada?
- Sometime next year. Don't have any exact date.
2. Why did you choose to land today? (Got caught a little off guard by this)
- I said i was there to see some friends in Toronto and so thought I would just finish the process since I was already crossing the border.
3. Requested proof of funds
- Provided bank letter from a single bank with fair amount of funds (more than required)
The officer asked me to take a seat and said she will call me shortly. In about 5 minutes she called me up to the counter and asked me to sign the COPR. Signed the COPR both copies. And the officer gave me one copy (the one without the photograph). She told me that this is what i would be using to enter Canada until i get my PR card.
So then he asked me again when i was moving to Canada. So I told her that as I get a job or sometime early next year. So she tells me that they are only issuing PR cards to people who live in Canada. (Took me by surprise again) Also told me that they she cannot have the PR card be shipped outside of Canada, and would need a address in Canada. So I told her that I have an address in Canada. She asked me that so you have a place in Canada but don't live there? I explained that no it is a friend of mine, he lives there. so she then says she can't send it there since I don't live there. So I explained it to her that since i have never lived in Canada, when I move I am going to be living at that address and look for a place and then move to where ever I move when i find something satisfactory.
She then understood and updated the address for PR card.
She then directed me to the Customs desk.
I had a detailed list of my goods listed with a goods to follow list that was about 6 pages long (haha yes 6 pages!!) The officer looked at those pages, I had a total at the bottom of every page and a grand total of all pages on the last page.
The officer made copies. Stamped and signed the documents. And gave a copy to me and I was on my merry way as a permanent resident.
I think that if we all shared our stories we can be more prepared for situations / questions that I faced. Also, once every week atleast i will read through the posts and add relevant information / questions to the main post so someone who is reading gets all the info in one go.
Good luck everyone and hope this helps!!
Cheers
-P
So as an individual I am someone who likes to know things before hand and be prepared for it. I like to be very informed and kind prepare for various scenarios. Surprises are not my thing, especially not at immigration check points!!
In light of that I think if we all share our stories it will help to have a good resource of questions and answers.
So below is my story:
TLDR; version
I live in NY and drove to the Rainbow bridge border crossing to land as a permanent resident in Canada. woohoo!! It was simple, easy and without any major issues. Present COPR, Proof of funds and done.
Elaborate version:
Live in NY so driving was the easiest way to get the landing done. Due to my location, I had multiple options on what land border crossing to choose . Finally it boiled down to Rainbow bridge and Queenstown Lewiston bridge since i have crossed that border from both those bridges in the past and the familiarity factor won over ease of getting to the destination.
This was going to be a soft landing but I also wanted to get my SIN number as well as a bank account set up while i was going to be in Canada. So I chose the Rainbow bridge border crossing since there is a social services office at walking distance from the border.
Upon arrival at the border crossing on Friday around 11:00 AM. There were only a few cars that were there so I got to the CBSA agent fairly quickly. I got to the officer and told him that I was there to land as a permanent resident.
The officer then tells me sorry we don't do landings here on Friday's.
Ok !!that took me by surprise.
He then told me that they only do landings on certain days of the week and that too from 08:00 Am to 12:00 Pm. And then went on and started explaing how they only do landings at certain times and that I should check the CBSA/ CIC website for accurate details, etc, etc.
In the time he was explaing I figured that he had me misunderstood as if I was flag polling. [But i didn't want to be come out as over-smart and offend the officer and tell him that hey dude you are wrong I am not flag polling.]
He then started writing something on a yellow sheet of paper and told me that I should go to a office close to where I live and get an appointment to get the landing done. So at that point I asked him that where would be the closest office in New York? So he said didn't you just go around and turn at the border? I said no, I lived in NY. So he then realized his error and said oh, then we can do your landing. Glad we got that clarified. He wrote on the yellow sheet NOT Flag polling. NY resident. And asked me to park in any available spot and head into the office and hand that document to the next available officer.
So I parked and entered the building and myself and couple of CBSA officers are the only people in the building. One officer calls me to head over to her. i hand her all the documents and wait
Officer asks me some questions:
1. When do you plan on coming to Canada?
- Sometime next year. Don't have any exact date.
2. Why did you choose to land today? (Got caught a little off guard by this)
- I said i was there to see some friends in Toronto and so thought I would just finish the process since I was already crossing the border.
3. Requested proof of funds
- Provided bank letter from a single bank with fair amount of funds (more than required)
The officer asked me to take a seat and said she will call me shortly. In about 5 minutes she called me up to the counter and asked me to sign the COPR. Signed the COPR both copies. And the officer gave me one copy (the one without the photograph). She told me that this is what i would be using to enter Canada until i get my PR card.
So then he asked me again when i was moving to Canada. So I told her that as I get a job or sometime early next year. So she tells me that they are only issuing PR cards to people who live in Canada. (Took me by surprise again) Also told me that they she cannot have the PR card be shipped outside of Canada, and would need a address in Canada. So I told her that I have an address in Canada. She asked me that so you have a place in Canada but don't live there? I explained that no it is a friend of mine, he lives there. so she then says she can't send it there since I don't live there. So I explained it to her that since i have never lived in Canada, when I move I am going to be living at that address and look for a place and then move to where ever I move when i find something satisfactory.
She then understood and updated the address for PR card.
She then directed me to the Customs desk.
I had a detailed list of my goods listed with a goods to follow list that was about 6 pages long (haha yes 6 pages!!) The officer looked at those pages, I had a total at the bottom of every page and a grand total of all pages on the last page.
The officer made copies. Stamped and signed the documents. And gave a copy to me and I was on my merry way as a permanent resident.
I think that if we all shared our stories we can be more prepared for situations / questions that I faced. Also, once every week atleast i will read through the posts and add relevant information / questions to the main post so someone who is reading gets all the info in one go.
Good luck everyone and hope this helps!!
Cheers
-P
