COPR and coronavirus

[smpbcpr]

Hi everyone, I have been checking this for a while and received a lot of helpful tips. Here is my share:

My COPR expires in late May, no dependent, and I am in the situation where the country (UK) hasn't banned travel but I just don't want to risk it, plus the whole 14-day isolation is just not convenient even for a soft landing, especially when we don't know anyone there. I initially booked a return flight on 21st March, planning to do very quick soft landing, basically fly from London to Toronto and back on the same day. However due to the announcement of border shutting down on the same day that I booked my ticket (16th March) I had to cancel my flights.

So I have raised two web forms. One to Ottawa office, received a generic reply. I then raised another form to my visa office in London, UK, asked specifically whether I can get an extension based on my situation, below is their reply:

Dear Sir/Madam,

We have received your enquiry regarding the validity date of your confirmation of permanent residence document (COPR) and visa (if required).

Your application has been updated with notification of your current inability to travel before the expiry of your document.

Please note that your documents will remain valid for travel up until the expiry date shown on the documents, should you be able to travel before that date. Your application will not be closed or refused as a result of not being able to travel within the validity of these documents due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Any extension to the validity of your documents will only be possible after a review of your application by an officer, to determine whether any new assessments, including a new immigration medical examination are required. Once you have met all the requirements to have your documents reissued, you will be instructed as to which documents to submit for reprinting of your confirmation of permanent residence document (COPR), and visa (if required). Do not submit your passport until you are instructed to do so.

Please contact our office using a IRCC Web form when you are able to travel.

While we continue to serve our clients, service disruptions and restrictions due to COVID-19 will have an impact on processing times and we are therefore not able to provide a timeframe for the completion of any assessments and at this time. We will endeavor to review your application as soon as possible.

Please consult IRCC’s web page on how COVID-19 is affecting immigration services and Canada’s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak site for the most up to date information.

We trust that this information will be of assistance and thank you for your patience and understanding during these uncertain times.

Sincerely,

So for those who are in the similar situation, please do not worry. Like many suggested, just raise a web form specifying your case, they will be able to extend your COPR. And I am sure the reassessment will not be that complicated, even if it means we have to wait for a few more months. Thinking in a positive way, that might just give us and Canada itself some time to recover from the situation, after all, we don't want to move there and not be able to make a living.

Good luck all.

Hi,

This is a very reassuring reply from the London Visa office. I raised a webform twice (23rd March and 29th March) and got a very generic response, seems like an automated response based on the selection.

I also wrote to New Delhi VO (NDVO) which is my local visa office stating that I dont want to risk travelling now and asking for advice on what we can do. this is the response we got
------------------------------------------
Thank you for your e-mail.

If you have been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Resident (COPR) document and you have not yet travelled to Canada and had your landing interview, you are still a foreign national. If your counterfoil expires prior to the restrictions being lifted, you do not need to email us as you will receive communication from our office on the next steps to be taken in order to travel to Canada after the travel restrictions have been lifted.

For up to date information regarding IRCCs response to COVID-19 follow us on Facebook. As we are receiving numerous e-mails during this time please only email us if you CANNOT find the answer through the information and helpful links on our Facebook page.

-----------------------------------------

This response is still not clear if we will be provided any extensions if we dont travel after the travel restrictions are taken off (currently there is a total shutdown in India until 14th April)

I dont know if I need to drop them a mail again and explicitly telling that I will not be able to travel..

 

[wick_sran]

Hi,

This is a very reassuring reply from the London Visa office. I raised a webform twice (23rd March and 29th March) and got a very generic response, seems like an automated response based on the selection.

I also wrote to New Delhi VO (NDVO) which is my local visa office stating that I dont want to risk travelling now and asking for advice on what we can do. this is the response we got
------------------------------------------
Thank you for your e-mail.

If you have been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Resident (COPR) document and you have not yet travelled to Canada and had your landing interview, you are still a foreign national. If your counterfoil expires prior to the restrictions being lifted, you do not need to email us as you will receive communication from our office on the next steps to be taken in order to travel to Canada after the travel restrictions have been lifted.

For up to date information regarding IRCCs response to COVID-19 follow us on Facebook. As we are receiving numerous e-mails during this time please only email us if you CANNOT find the answer through the information and helpful links on our Facebook page.

-----------------------------------------

This response is still not clear if we will be provided any extensions if we dont travel after the travel restrictions are taken off (currently there is a total shutdown in India until 14th April)

I dont know if I need to drop them a mail again and explicitly telling that I will not be able to travel..

Firstly, it's not clear which travel restrictions they're referring to. Are these the one declared by Canada w.e.f. March 18 and later exempted on March 26? Does this mean that only those with CoPR expiry between these dates would be contacted? Just an assumption that they might be referring to travel restrictions declared by India during this lockdown period.

Secondly, those who are seeking exemptions, w.r.t. information on their website, must receive proper reply like London Visa Office does putting a note on their file for inability to travel.

Hope they clear everything soon.

 

[saad_im]

Has anyone here dealt with KLM for a refund/voucher due to flight cancellations?

 

[Bs65]

What will be the consequences of the soft landing: if arrive on 18th and fly back on 19th without leaving the territory of the Airport? Do you think I must tell to the officer about my intentions, when he will ask me about my plans on self-isolation?

Not sure what you mean leaving the territory of the airport as you will still be in Canada and subject to the 14 quarantine on arrival which is the responsible thing to do. Cannot say whether CBSA will ask specifically although expect they will given it is a mandatory requirement and as said you are entering the country.

All anyone here can do is speculate whether anyone can be convincing by saying they are heading for a hotel without using public transport or stopping off, will stay in that hotel room for in your case 24 hours and return to airport again with same no public transport or stopping off. Add to that very limited human interaction obeying the social distancing rules 2 m apart at all times.

Might be acceptable but nobody can tell other than maybe to comment not a good time for a soft landing at the moment and any guidance written for COPRs and the quarantine is likely written on basis of people coming for good.

Ultimately it will be CBSA you will need to convince but if not self isolating as a minimum then anything else would be totally irresponsible, not because you might necessarily be infected but should you become infected and take it back home on a plane with you

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/travel-restrictions-exemptions.html#a3

 

[Bs65]

Hi,

This is a very reassuring reply from the London Visa office. I raised a webform twice (23rd March and 29th March) and got a very generic response, seems like an automated response based on the selection.

I also wrote to New Delhi VO (NDVO) which is my local visa office stating that I dont want to risk travelling now and asking for advice on what we can do. this is the response we got
------------------------------------------
Thank you for your e-mail.

If you have been issued a Confirmation of Permanent Resident (COPR) document and you have not yet travelled to Canada and had your landing interview, you are still a foreign national. If your counterfoil expires prior to the restrictions being lifted, you do not need to email us as you will receive communication from our office on the next steps to be taken in order to travel to Canada after the travel restrictions have been lifted.

For up to date information regarding IRCCs response to COVID-19 follow us on Facebook. As we are receiving numerous e-mails during this time please only email us if you CANNOT find the answer through the information and helpful links on our Facebook page.

-----------------------------------------

This response is still not clear if we will be provided any extensions if we dont travel after the travel restrictions are taken off (currently there is a total shutdown in India until 14th April)

I dont know if I need to drop them a mail again and explicitly telling that I will not be able to travel..

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, it is your life and your decision and there a few thousand people in the same position

 

[DentAspirus]

Hello everyone,
I received my PPR and submitted my passport to VFS on March 15, right before the lockdown announcements.
The tracker says "processing".. so I was wondering, is there anyone in the same situation?
Am I entitled to receive my COPR and PR visa?
Also, what is the normal processing time?
Thanks in advance.

 

[lazarus]

Hello everyone,
I received my PPR and submitted my passport to VFS on March 15, right before the lockdown announcements.
The tracker says "processing".. so I was wondering, is there anyone in the same situation?
Am I entitled to receive my COPR and PR visa?
Also, what is the normal processing time?
Thanks in advance.

@DentAspirus There is no timeline after the lockdown. The Immigration Section of The High Commission of Canada in India is closed due to lockdown (as reported by numerous sources). VFS is also closed. You can expect an update as soon as normalcy is restored.

 

[DentAspirus]

@DentAspirus There is no timeline after the lockdown. The Immigration Section of The High Commission of Canada in India is closed due to lockdown (as reported by numerous sources). VFS is also closed. You can expect an update as soon as normalcy is restored.

Thank you for your reply.
However, I am in Cairo, Egypt. And VFS is not closed over there, just reduced working hours. So, I suppose I will just have to wait and see.
But from my readings, I understood that applications are still under processing... not sure though.

 

[Ramj]

Its looking like another medicals would be required if COPR expires.

Let's know this; flying is not a sentence to COVID 19. Some people still go to work, take public transport et al.

If you can fly do fly. 14 days isolation is not as hard as it seems. Get an Airbnb; you can get all you need including groceries delivered to your door step here in Canada. Hotels are also still accepting people.
You dont need to know anyone.

Airlines are all putting measure in places. Let's not forget these airlines have staffs and crew members (fathers, mothers, children) - like you and I - that they wont want to expose as well.

Face Mask and gloves does a lot of good.

 

[Ramj]

Hello everyone,
I received my PPR and submitted my passport to VFS on March 15, right before the lockdown announcements.
The tracker says "processing".. so I was wondering, is there anyone in the same situation?
Am I entitled to receive my COPR and PR visa?
Also, what is the normal processing time?
Thanks in advance.

There are no more timelines in times like this. You will get your COPR when it is ready and when VFS open.
You have no worry whatsoever

 

[Lmac4]

Explicitly mentioned on IRCC website:

If we already approved your permanent resident application
Permanent residence applications approved on or before March 18, 2020
If your application was approved on or before March 18, 2020, but you haven’t travelled to Canada yet, you’re exempt from the travel restriction measures.

Landing appointments will be held by telephone, if possible
We cancelled all in-person permanent resident landing appointments until April 13, 2020. All landing appointments will be done by telephone whenever possible. Otherwise, we’ll reschedule them for later.

We’ll contact you by email to let you know when your phone appointment will be. Use the Web form if you need to update your contact information.

Approved permanent resident applicants with expired or expiring documents
If we already approved your permanent resident application but you can't travel to Canada before your documents expire, use the Web form to tell us why you can’t travel.

Once it’s possible for you to travel, use the Web form to let us know so we can tell you what to do next.

Are telephone landing appointments acceptable for outland applications? This would alleviate a lot of peoples worries if everything was done over the phone (for the moment).

 

[Indranil01]

Hi Adam,

Sorry for the situation you and many others including myself are facing. My Mom was booked to travel today while her PRV is valid until mid-May. Travel ban in India may or may not get extended beyond 14 April. The health risk factor may or may not change from now. And even if IRCC provides a blanket extension of say '150 days from expiry or 30 August 2020 whichever comes first'...we might still not be even 95% sure that health risk for the more vulnerable is eliminated (or even reduced)

Having said that I would think (sans any expertise whatsoever) that any similar blanket extension (my example above) should be:
- easiest to implement,
- faster to decide
-Easy to comprehend by both us applicants and VOs alike
- Simple to analyse and use in the systems/ software/ instruction manuals etc

And above all would drastically help reducing the super high workload caused by:
a) delayed applications in queue
b) revised medical instructions and processing of those medical results
c) additional PPRs processing by numerous local VOs.
d) additional health risk for applicants by visiting clinics/hospitals ,who might still be dealing with COVID waves


Before I get flamed... Yes it might likely increase risk of new undetected medical issues after a 12 month period of original medicals. And you will be correct. But then: who is to say 12 months are enough...why not 10 or 6 months?

Thus balancing the huge efforts and workload for VOs vs the minor risk potential I would humbly suggest quickly deciding and announcing a blanket extension. Something like the above!

(LOL as if IRCC has the time to read forums).

What you have written is most logical. Exactly my thoughts. I hope IRCC thinks the same way. Red tape is a bummer, many a times. I'm trying to be as positive as I can!

 

[Kiw_Lemon]

Has anyone here dealt with KLM for a refund/voucher due to flight cancellations?

I have. I got info in goibibo stating they will reschedule the flights with the amount paid when the ban is lifted.. they said they would contact me when the ban is lifted. KLM website stated the same but their helpline is very generic... No one answers...

 

[saad_im]

I have. I got info in goibibo stating they will reschedule the flights with the amount paid when the ban is lifted.. they said they would contact me when the ban is lifted. KLM website stated the same but their helpline is very generic... No one answers...

Their website seems to be asking people to either reschedule or apply for a voucher which will be valid for 12 months. I applied for a voucher and received a reference number for my request. Its been 10 days but i havent heard back from them yet

 

[Indranil01]

Hi guys. It breaks my heart to see so many of us affected by this situation! My own case is like a cruel joke - COPR expires on April 14 but my country (India) is on a total lockdown, also till April 14. Totally clueless, very sad. Any advice?