Hello people,
This forum has given me a lot of information which was of immense help thru my PR processing. Giving it a little back by writing my experience on crossing the border thru Peace Bridge, US and landing in Canada for the first time as PR
Documents for Canada
1) Your valid passport. Carry all old passports with you as well
2) COPR Document(s). You should have one copy with photo and one copy without. Carry both
3) Proof of funds. I had a letter from the bank for both me and my wife. Was asked both
4) BSF forms. Both goods with me and goods to follow. Filled out and signed with total value.
Documents to come back into the US
1) Passport(s). If you have a valid H1B stamping then passport is all you need else
2) I797A and valid I-94
Experience
Drove from NY city to Peace Bridge in a rental car. Crossed over the bridge to reach the Canadian side. They have toll booth style immigration booths. Pulled up there.
Officer: Passport Citizenship?
Me: India
Officer: Passport please
Me: Gave him the passport and COPR.
Officer: Are you moving to Canada for good today?
Me: No Sir
Officer: Then why are you coming in now? What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: Sir, my COPR expires shortly. I have to get things started before that
Officer: How long are you staying in Canada and where are you headed to?
Me: Three days sir and I am on my way to Toronto
Gives me a yellow slip. Asks me to park in spot 12 and get into a nearby building. I oblige
Once I am in I was called for processing immediately. It was calm day. No one waiting. The officer had troubles with her system. An other officer was helping her thru
Me: Hello mam, how are you doing today
Officer. Can I have your passports and COPR. Extends her hand without making any eye contact with me. Her PC isn't working for her liking. She was in a pretty bad mood. And then asked for the yellow slip.
Officer: Why are you here only for 3 days.
Me: I repeat the same stuff I said earlier to the officer in the booth.
Officer: After several attempts to make her PC do what she wants to do and having assisted by her colleague, she asks if I have proof of funds.
Me: Yes mam. Here it is.
Officer: Okay do you have your goods list. I say yes. She asks me to go to an other counter and declare all I have
Officer 2: Gets my goods list. Makes a copy. Asks if I have cars.
Me: Yes mam. Two. But I am not importing them now. I will do it later. I also tell them the total amount of all the goods to follow and good I had now which was only a Laptop and dresses. They did not ask about the rental car. Now back to the main officer
Officer: Asks me and my wife to sign COPR copies. Gives me a welcome to Canada Pamplet. The other officer explains me how I should get a SIN and a health card. Explains it would take 6 to 8 weeks to get the PR card. Asks me if I have plans to travel out of North America in the next 2 months. Advises that I won't be permitted into Canada by an airline as airlines do not recognize landing papers. They would need a PR card. Also says I can travel into Canada thru peace bridge without a PR card and with landing papers. Says if you lose your PR card, it will take 6 months to get a new one so you better not lose it buddy. And Says I am all set and tells me on how to get to the falls.
Me: I smiled and thanked him. His assumption that we were heading to Niagara on Canadian side was true
The whole process was smooth. The officer I dealt with wasn't very kind. But she did what she had to do without giving us any hard time. The other officer was too kind.
We drove to the falls. Was half frozen. Was brutally cold. Wife wouldn't spare me unless she gets the right photo which is never. My hands are on fire coz of the cold. Had lunch in the falls. Took the sky wheel. Was there for some more time before continuing our journey to Brampton. Miles changes to Kilometers. Enjoyed the stay at Marriot. Woke up next day and went to a Services Canada office to get our SIN(s) washed out. You won't need any help here. It is very simple and takes 5 mins. And then drove around Toronto downtown before beginning our journey back to New York
I was a little freaked out about entering the US border. Neither me nor the wife had stamping. Until I reached the US border my heart was in my mouth. Reached Peace Bridge, US side. The same toll style booth. Pulled up and rolled my windows down
Officer: How are you doing today?
Me: Good sir, yourself?
Officer: Ahh! Getting there, passports please
Me: Hands over passport(s) and I797A and I94. For both me and the wife
Officer: How long were you in Canada and purpose of visit?
Me: To initiate my Canadian PR and we were there for a day sir
Officer: Gives my documents back. You are all set, drive safe!
Me: A little perplexed. I was so dumb and asked him, that's it? Should I pull up in the parking lot? I was expecting him to direct me to a building like the Canadian thing
Officer: Nooo! Go! Where are you headed to?
Me: To the City sir
Officer: Then get going. It's too late
Me: Thanks sir. Rolls up window
Wife: Why do you have to exhibit your foolishness everywhere and goes ha ha ha ha!
Me: Crying baby face
Had our dinner at Buffalo.There is a Hyderabadi biryani place if you like. And then slogged on the gas pedal for eternity to get home
---------------------------------
The Canadian landing took less than half hour. Carry all the documents I had mentioned above. I was asked all the documents I had. Fill out BSF forms and have a total CAD value. Have your proof of funds. The whole process is pretty simple
And coming back into the US was very simple and the officer was incredibly kind and helpful. Remember you do not need to get off your car on your way back. And please be respectful at all times. It helps.
For proof of funds, bank statements are enough if you are unable to get a letter.
Apart from the landing experience all other experiences in Canada were really pleasing. People were kind everywhere we went. I did not find any difference between NY and ON. Except for kilometers everything was pretty much the same. Some people from the US may find Canada a little expensive to their liking. But I went from NY. So, you know! The SIN officer was so kind that I almost fell in love with her. Wife wasn't amused though
I went on a Sunday. So the rumor that peace bridge is open for new immigrants only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is not true
Thanks to @rosuresh for his experience on which I banked upon
Good luck
This forum has given me a lot of information which was of immense help thru my PR processing. Giving it a little back by writing my experience on crossing the border thru Peace Bridge, US and landing in Canada for the first time as PR
Documents for Canada
1) Your valid passport. Carry all old passports with you as well
2) COPR Document(s). You should have one copy with photo and one copy without. Carry both
3) Proof of funds. I had a letter from the bank for both me and my wife. Was asked both
4) BSF forms. Both goods with me and goods to follow. Filled out and signed with total value.
Documents to come back into the US
1) Passport(s). If you have a valid H1B stamping then passport is all you need else
2) I797A and valid I-94
Experience
Drove from NY city to Peace Bridge in a rental car. Crossed over the bridge to reach the Canadian side. They have toll booth style immigration booths. Pulled up there.
Officer: Passport Citizenship?
Me: India
Officer: Passport please
Me: Gave him the passport and COPR.
Officer: Are you moving to Canada for good today?
Me: No Sir
Officer: Then why are you coming in now? What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: Sir, my COPR expires shortly. I have to get things started before that
Officer: How long are you staying in Canada and where are you headed to?
Me: Three days sir and I am on my way to Toronto
Gives me a yellow slip. Asks me to park in spot 12 and get into a nearby building. I oblige
Once I am in I was called for processing immediately. It was calm day. No one waiting. The officer had troubles with her system. An other officer was helping her thru
Me: Hello mam, how are you doing today
Officer. Can I have your passports and COPR. Extends her hand without making any eye contact with me. Her PC isn't working for her liking. She was in a pretty bad mood. And then asked for the yellow slip.
Officer: Why are you here only for 3 days.
Me: I repeat the same stuff I said earlier to the officer in the booth.
Officer: After several attempts to make her PC do what she wants to do and having assisted by her colleague, she asks if I have proof of funds.
Me: Yes mam. Here it is.
Officer: Okay do you have your goods list. I say yes. She asks me to go to an other counter and declare all I have
Officer 2: Gets my goods list. Makes a copy. Asks if I have cars.
Me: Yes mam. Two. But I am not importing them now. I will do it later. I also tell them the total amount of all the goods to follow and good I had now which was only a Laptop and dresses. They did not ask about the rental car. Now back to the main officer
Officer: Asks me and my wife to sign COPR copies. Gives me a welcome to Canada Pamplet. The other officer explains me how I should get a SIN and a health card. Explains it would take 6 to 8 weeks to get the PR card. Asks me if I have plans to travel out of North America in the next 2 months. Advises that I won't be permitted into Canada by an airline as airlines do not recognize landing papers. They would need a PR card. Also says I can travel into Canada thru peace bridge without a PR card and with landing papers. Says if you lose your PR card, it will take 6 months to get a new one so you better not lose it buddy. And Says I am all set and tells me on how to get to the falls.
Me: I smiled and thanked him. His assumption that we were heading to Niagara on Canadian side was true
The whole process was smooth. The officer I dealt with wasn't very kind. But she did what she had to do without giving us any hard time. The other officer was too kind.
We drove to the falls. Was half frozen. Was brutally cold. Wife wouldn't spare me unless she gets the right photo which is never. My hands are on fire coz of the cold. Had lunch in the falls. Took the sky wheel. Was there for some more time before continuing our journey to Brampton. Miles changes to Kilometers. Enjoyed the stay at Marriot. Woke up next day and went to a Services Canada office to get our SIN(s) washed out. You won't need any help here. It is very simple and takes 5 mins. And then drove around Toronto downtown before beginning our journey back to New York
I was a little freaked out about entering the US border. Neither me nor the wife had stamping. Until I reached the US border my heart was in my mouth. Reached Peace Bridge, US side. The same toll style booth. Pulled up and rolled my windows down
Officer: How are you doing today?
Me: Good sir, yourself?
Officer: Ahh! Getting there, passports please
Me: Hands over passport(s) and I797A and I94. For both me and the wife
Officer: How long were you in Canada and purpose of visit?
Me: To initiate my Canadian PR and we were there for a day sir
Officer: Gives my documents back. You are all set, drive safe!
Me: A little perplexed. I was so dumb and asked him, that's it? Should I pull up in the parking lot? I was expecting him to direct me to a building like the Canadian thing
Officer: Nooo! Go! Where are you headed to?
Me: To the City sir
Officer: Then get going. It's too late
Me: Thanks sir. Rolls up window
Wife: Why do you have to exhibit your foolishness everywhere and goes ha ha ha ha!
Me: Crying baby face
Had our dinner at Buffalo.There is a Hyderabadi biryani place if you like. And then slogged on the gas pedal for eternity to get home
---------------------------------
The Canadian landing took less than half hour. Carry all the documents I had mentioned above. I was asked all the documents I had. Fill out BSF forms and have a total CAD value. Have your proof of funds. The whole process is pretty simple
And coming back into the US was very simple and the officer was incredibly kind and helpful. Remember you do not need to get off your car on your way back. And please be respectful at all times. It helps.
For proof of funds, bank statements are enough if you are unable to get a letter.
Apart from the landing experience all other experiences in Canada were really pleasing. People were kind everywhere we went. I did not find any difference between NY and ON. Except for kilometers everything was pretty much the same. Some people from the US may find Canada a little expensive to their liking. But I went from NY. So, you know! The SIN officer was so kind that I almost fell in love with her. Wife wasn't amused though
I went on a Sunday. So the rumor that peace bridge is open for new immigrants only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is not true
Thanks to @rosuresh for his experience on which I banked upon
Good luck
