Hi everybody,
I'd appreciate a lot if replies come from experienced members or from those members who are in the same situation. Will try to be really detailed.
I'm form Argentina and I applied for Mohawk College in May 2016 for and IT program. I got admitted by mid-October 2016. I started the study permit process (study permit for me, open work permit for my husband and open study permit for muy daughter) right after I collected all the papers to upload and then submit the visa application. In the meantime, I paid the first semester fees in total, so I had just to wait for the CIC to request our passports to stamp them, in case everything ran smoothly.
Although actual classes started on Jan 10th, 2017, I had to register for courses by December 8th, 2016. It wasn't until December 15th, 2016 that we were requested our passport to be sent to the CIC. The college gives students the possibility to defer admission in case there is an issue (you are not ready for such semester, etc). Since course registration came nearer and I had no reply form the CIC, I resorted to the "benefit" of admission deferral, which I got without any problem for the following intake, that is September 1st, 2017 (till April 30th, 2019).
Finally, I got the CIC notice asking to submit our passports (visa was approved) on December 15th, 2016, that is 5 days after we were supposed to be in Canada. Remember we are a family and needed also to find housing, a school for my daughter, open bank account, etc. I sent the passports to the VAC as requested by the CIC and the VAC contacted us on January 5th, 2017 to pick up/send our passports with the visa valid from December 15, 2017 to June 30th, 2018.
Just to be on the safe side, in May I wrote the CIC explaining I had an admission deferral because they had delayed in their decision and I asked for their advise, whether travelling to Canada under the visa validity I already had or if I needed to re-apply. The officer was very brief:
Good afternoon,
If you have a new acceptance letter with different dates you should submit a new application. The permit you were issued matches the conditions and dates of the letter you submitted. If those dates and/or conditions have changed you should apply for a new permit.
There I claimed them that the new letter was a deferral as a result of their delay in taking their decision and requesting our passports. The new reply was:
Good afternoon,
You may apply for a new permit, paying the corresponding fees, so that the introduction letter and the visa match the acceptance letter’s dates. However, please note that you can travel with your current documents and at time of arrival in Canada, when you show your new acceptance letter, you will probably be issued a permit which will match the new dates.
I asked for a king of assurance, since I was afraid of showing all the supporting documents to the border officer at the POE and not being issued the study permit. Their reply was the decision was on the officer, the documents I present to justify why I'm enterign Canada in such date, and if the explanations I would give the officer would suffice.
Now, I have many doubts:
1) Can we travel using the visa that matches the original letter of acceptance and give the explanations necessary at the POE plus showing the new letter? Won't it be risky in the sense they will send us back to our country? Would like someone with the experience in this issue will reply.
2) Do I submit a new application to match the dates in the new letter.
What's your advice? I'm kind of depressed and desperate.
Thanks a lot.
