- Apr 6, 2010
- 2
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Detroit
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- Passport Req..
- 3-APR-2010
- VISA ISSUED...
- 08-APR-2010
- LANDED..........
- 15-08-2010
Hello friends,
I've been in Toronto, ON just over a week now, long enough to set up my bank account, get my SIN and set up my apartment. I thought, however, to share my experience for those of you who are at this stage or right before, perhaps it will help calm nerves, answer questions.
This has been adapted from an email I sent to my family, so be patient if there are references you don't understand.
My NOC code/timeline is as follows:
SOLE applicant (no dependents)
4121 (University professors)
Category........: FSW1
Visa Office......: Detroit
Pre-Assessed..: Yes
Passport Req..: 3-APR-2010
VISA ISSUED...: 08-APR-2010
So... here you go! Usually, my response are in parentheses.
Arrived at POE (Port Huron, Blue Water Bridge, VERY VERY SHORT LINE) around 945am. We (an American friend of mine) drove in using a one-way rental car - very convenient for this purpose.
First border guard was very nice, asked to see our passports, standard questions: what is your business here today? Do you have any firearms? How much money.
She wrote me a slip and instructed me where to go. After giving that slip to border guards, I was instructed to go meet an officer in the building. I gathered my stuff and went in.
Literally, there were only two other people and their families - i got interviewed immediately. The interviewing border guard was also very nice - and he asked me all the typical questions: what country are you a citizen of? why are you in canada today? (For the purposes of landing, sir) Do you have the appropriate forms? (Yes, sir - handed in my passport, and included PR form). Where are you staying? (Gave him my address and showed him my rental agreement). Is this where I should mail the PR card, is this temporary? (No, sir, you may mail the card there, it is my own residence) He looked it over and said, how much money are you bringing into Canada today? (Gave him my bank letter how many cash dollars i had on me). This is the part I got nervous because the officer paused and inputted some things into the computer - I suspect he was googling me, but I don't know. So, after about five minutes of that, he asked me: How many dependents do you have? (None, sir). Will anyone be following you to Canada? (No, sir). Do you have any firearms with you today? (No, sir). Drugs or alcohol? (No, sir. Although I should declare that I have a domestic cat with me today). That's fine. Then he asked me to initial here and there, took out his stamp and said: As of today (August 15, 2010), you are considered a permanent resident of Canada, your PR card will be mailed to the residence we have on file, this sheet of paper (a duplicate of the Confirmation of Permanent Residence form, the form that took me 2.5 years to obtain) and your visa certify your status. Should you leave Canada without your card, you will only be permitted to do so by land (not plane, bus, commercial carrier). (Yes, sir, thank you.) Then, he instructed me to go to another officer at customs.
This guy was also nice - he marveled at my organization and stamped my inventory sheets (created in Excel, I recommend doing this for peace of mind) - he didn't even look at my Goods Accompanying list, he was only concerned with my Goods to Follow, which because I had paired down my life so much before I left, consisted of 1 box of DVDs, 4 boxes of books. Then he asked me if I had anything else and I told him about my cat, and he said, That's ok, it's probably fine. (This, of course, was a shock to me, because you have no idea how much paperwork I went through to get my cat vetted and ready to go to Canada).
And then, that was it. He gave me back my documents and instructed me to give my yellow slip to the guards outside.
After that, I got in that car and was a PERMANENT RESIDENT! Then I headed to Toronto, where I currently am - no regrets! It's a great city.
All in all the process took 30 minutes... and was very smooth. I know I was lucky in some respects but, mostly, this is my advice - BE ORGANIZED in anyway you can be - organize and print out everything that you think they could possibly ask for, know where the documents are in our belongings and be prepared to show. Proof of funds seems to be a big question here - be prepared to show over the amount they expect you to have - I had my bank write me a letter and I gave the officer an ATM receipt and this was sufficient for me.
Also - it helps to keep a positive outlook! Some stories are horrible, some, however, are not so horrible. I hope to have added mine to the latter to keep hope alive. As for me, I have turned my attention to the job-hunt... With me luck, and I do the same for all of you brothers and sisters out there.
I've been in Toronto, ON just over a week now, long enough to set up my bank account, get my SIN and set up my apartment. I thought, however, to share my experience for those of you who are at this stage or right before, perhaps it will help calm nerves, answer questions.
This has been adapted from an email I sent to my family, so be patient if there are references you don't understand.
My NOC code/timeline is as follows:
SOLE applicant (no dependents)
4121 (University professors)
Category........: FSW1
Visa Office......: Detroit
Pre-Assessed..: Yes
Passport Req..: 3-APR-2010
VISA ISSUED...: 08-APR-2010
So... here you go! Usually, my response are in parentheses.
Arrived at POE (Port Huron, Blue Water Bridge, VERY VERY SHORT LINE) around 945am. We (an American friend of mine) drove in using a one-way rental car - very convenient for this purpose.
First border guard was very nice, asked to see our passports, standard questions: what is your business here today? Do you have any firearms? How much money.
She wrote me a slip and instructed me where to go. After giving that slip to border guards, I was instructed to go meet an officer in the building. I gathered my stuff and went in.
Literally, there were only two other people and their families - i got interviewed immediately. The interviewing border guard was also very nice - and he asked me all the typical questions: what country are you a citizen of? why are you in canada today? (For the purposes of landing, sir) Do you have the appropriate forms? (Yes, sir - handed in my passport, and included PR form). Where are you staying? (Gave him my address and showed him my rental agreement). Is this where I should mail the PR card, is this temporary? (No, sir, you may mail the card there, it is my own residence) He looked it over and said, how much money are you bringing into Canada today? (Gave him my bank letter how many cash dollars i had on me). This is the part I got nervous because the officer paused and inputted some things into the computer - I suspect he was googling me, but I don't know. So, after about five minutes of that, he asked me: How many dependents do you have? (None, sir). Will anyone be following you to Canada? (No, sir). Do you have any firearms with you today? (No, sir). Drugs or alcohol? (No, sir. Although I should declare that I have a domestic cat with me today). That's fine. Then he asked me to initial here and there, took out his stamp and said: As of today (August 15, 2010), you are considered a permanent resident of Canada, your PR card will be mailed to the residence we have on file, this sheet of paper (a duplicate of the Confirmation of Permanent Residence form, the form that took me 2.5 years to obtain) and your visa certify your status. Should you leave Canada without your card, you will only be permitted to do so by land (not plane, bus, commercial carrier). (Yes, sir, thank you.) Then, he instructed me to go to another officer at customs.
This guy was also nice - he marveled at my organization and stamped my inventory sheets (created in Excel, I recommend doing this for peace of mind) - he didn't even look at my Goods Accompanying list, he was only concerned with my Goods to Follow, which because I had paired down my life so much before I left, consisted of 1 box of DVDs, 4 boxes of books. Then he asked me if I had anything else and I told him about my cat, and he said, That's ok, it's probably fine. (This, of course, was a shock to me, because you have no idea how much paperwork I went through to get my cat vetted and ready to go to Canada).
And then, that was it. He gave me back my documents and instructed me to give my yellow slip to the guards outside.
After that, I got in that car and was a PERMANENT RESIDENT! Then I headed to Toronto, where I currently am - no regrets! It's a great city.
All in all the process took 30 minutes... and was very smooth. I know I was lucky in some respects but, mostly, this is my advice - BE ORGANIZED in anyway you can be - organize and print out everything that you think they could possibly ask for, know where the documents are in our belongings and be prepared to show. Proof of funds seems to be a big question here - be prepared to show over the amount they expect you to have - I had my bank write me a letter and I gave the officer an ATM receipt and this was sufficient for me.
Also - it helps to keep a positive outlook! Some stories are horrible, some, however, are not so horrible. I hope to have added mine to the latter to keep hope alive. As for me, I have turned my attention to the job-hunt... With me luck, and I do the same for all of you brothers and sisters out there.
