SIN Application

[kartheeque]

I am caught in a difficult situation. I am working on an H1B in the USA. I had applied and got my CoPR and did my landing last year in Canada and came back to USA to continue my work. I could not apply for PR card or SIN during my brief visit to Canada for my landing.

It has been a little over a year since my landing in Canada. I now have got a job offer in Canada and the background checks are in progress. However, the company would require me to provide my SIN at least a week prior to my first day at work in order to set me up in their systems. Now, I need to figure out an appropriate start date based on when I can get the SIN. Also, I don’t have a valid US visa to re-enter. So, I need to wrap up everything here before I can even go to Canada. So, I am trying to manage this situation.

Can I apply for a SIN while in US with my CoPR and get it even before going to Canada? Or if that is not possible, can I apply for SIN after entering into Canada with only CoPR but without the PR card? Or do I need to get the PR card even before applying for SIN? What are the approximate timelines like?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I am caught in a difficult situation. I am working on an H1B in the USA. I had applied and got my CoPR and did my landing last year in Canada and came back to USA to continue my work. I could not apply for PR card or SIN during my brief visit to Canada for my landing.

It has been a little over a year since my landing in Canada. I now have got a job offer in Canada and the background checks are in progress. However, the company would require me to provide my SIN at least a week prior to my first day at work in order to set me up in their systems. Now, I need to figure out an appropriate start date based on when I can get the SIN. Also, I don’t have a valid US visa to re-enter. So, I need to wrap up everything here before I can even go to Canada. So, I am trying to manage this situation.

Can I apply for a SIN while in US with my CoPR and get it even before going to Canada? Or if that is not possible, can I apply for SIN after entering into Canada with only CoPR but without the PR card? Or do I need to get the PR card even before applying for SIN? What are the approximate timelines like?

As you landed more than a year ago, you require a PR card to apply for a SIN. Expect at least 6 weeks once you get to Canada to get a PR card.

 

[kartheeque]

As you landed more than a year ago, you require a PR card to apply for a SIN. Expect at least 6 weeks once you get to Canada to get a PR card.

Thank you.

Is there a way to apply for a PR while in US, by mail? I will be able to provide a Canadian address for delivery of the PR cards. I basically want to reduce the time taken to get SIN by applying for the PR card beforehand.

Also, if the PR card is in process and I have to enter Canada during that time, will the CoPR be still valid for entry or will it be invalidated because I have already applied for PR?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you.

Is there a way to apply for a PR while in US, by mail? I will be able to provide a Canadian address for delivery of the PR cards. I basically want to reduce the time taken to get SIN by applying for the PR card beforehand.

Also, if the PR card is in process and I have to enter Canada during that time, will the CoPR be still valid for entry or will it be invalidated because I have already applied for PR?

You can try but as you have to declare that you are living outside of Canada, you would likely be called to pick up the card in person.

You can enter at a land border by non-commercial transport without a PR card.

 

[kartheeque]

You can try but as you have to declare that you are living outside of Canada, you would likely be called to pick up the card in person.

You can enter at a land border by non-commercial transport without a PR card.

Thank you!

An update. I applied for both SIN and PR card by post from USA. The PR card application has not yet been picked. So, not sure at this time if it would be issued or if they would reject it, citing that it was applled from outside Canada.

However, the SIN application was processed successfully, even though my CoPR was more than a year old. I had attached a cover letter stating that I was not in Canada during this period and also mentioned that I have got a job offer. This may have helped. I also called them to explain the situation, and they had expedited the process to put the SIN application in the priority queue.