Activating COPR Advice needed!

[Mutenye]

Hi Everyone,

I need to activate my COPR before October 21st. I am currently living and working in Montreal and received PR for Ontario under CEC (MY COPR seems to specify Ottawa particularly). Can anyone advise me as to the best and least complicated way to activate my COPR? For example should I make an appointment at a CIC office to do this or is it better to wait until I'm re-entering Canada? If re-entering, is an airport better or a would a land crossing be better? Must the landing/crossing be into Ontario specifically? For example, I'm going on a business trip in August and will be landing back in Montreal. Could I do it then or would I need a flight landing in Ottawa? If the visa office is a better option, can it be in Montreal or must it be in the Ottawa office?

The second part of my question is about what I need to complete the process be it by landing/crossing or the office appointment. I presume I need to have a address in Ottawa and proof of funds. But what are the best ways to prove these? Are there any other requisites I may need? I won't have a job as I will have to quit my job in Montreal in order to relocate to Ontario. I'll be arriving and having to start afresh but at least I'll be starting off as a resident proper.

Thanks in advance and apologies if some of these questions are stupid or obvious. I thought I'd gotten over the hard part but there seems to be a few complications here!

 

[jc94]

Firstly, I assume you mean it says Issued at CPC-Ottawa? Don't worry mine says that in Toronto,that's just where it was processed, it may be different for outland applications? or Quebec ones.

In terms of your other questions; you can land anywhere except in Quebec where things are different, so I've heard.
So If you are going to reside in Ontario, I'd avoid trying to do it in Montreal.

Personally, I landed as soon as possible, and that's a land crossing near me (Rainbow bridge). CIC office appointments can take a while though it being Toronto I'm going to have one of the longest waits likely.

What you need to consider is, once you process the CoPR you can NOT leave and re-enter the country by a commercial carrier (normally, a plane) until you get the PR card. Land crossings are fine from the US, but you won't be allowed onto a plane bound for Canada without a PR card - at least, you might not be. It depends on your airline, but they are well within their rights to deny you boarding without one. The whole eTA situation for visa-exempt people is basically meaning you can't just lie you way around it any more now. And I've heard AC, BA and LH are all enforcing this; AC is extremely strict and ignoring the leniency period...

And, PR cards may take a few months to arrive, many threads on that, 41 days as listed doesn't seem to be working for most people though.

Bear in mind, if you do it by flight, you want to land in Ottawa. Landing on Montreal means you'd have to do it in Montreal as it's your first port of entry, which as above could be a pain.

I had my CoPR, passport, and 6 months work of bank statements printed from my online account. They asked for proof of funds or employment, if you just have the funds take these. I was also asked for my ON driving license presumably to validate my address; so take one if you have it, if not a hydro of some bill would be advisable.

Hope that covers it, let me know if I missed anything or if unclear.

 

[Mutenye]

Firstly, I assume you mean it says Issued at CPC-Ottawa? Don't worry mine says that in Toronto,that's just where it was processed, it may be different for outland applications? or Quebec ones.

In terms of your other questions; you can land anywhere except in Quebec where things are different, so I've heard.
So If you are going to reside in Ontario, I'd avoid trying to do it in Montreal.

Personally, I landed as soon as possible, and that's a land crossing near me (Rainbow bridge). CIC office appointments can take a while though it being Toronto I'm going to have one of the longest waits likely.

What you need to consider is, once you process the CoPR you can NOT leave and re-enter the country by a commercial carrier (normally, a plane) until you get the PR card. Land crossings are fine from the US, but you won't be allowed onto a plane bound for Canada without a PR card - at least, you might not be. It depends on your airline, but they are well within their rights to deny you boarding without one. The whole eTA situation for visa-exempt people is basically meaning you can't just lie you way around it any more now. And I've heard AC, BA and LH are all enforcing this; AC is extremely strict and ignoring the leniency period...

And, PR cards may take a few months to arrive, many threads on that, 41 days as listed doesn't seem to be working for most people though.

Bear in mind, if you do it by flight, you want to land in Ottawa. Landing on Montreal means you'd have to do it in Montreal as it's your first port of entry, which as above could be a pain.

I had my CoPR, passport, and 6 months work of bank statements printed from my online account. They asked for proof of funds or employment, if you just have the funds take these. I was also asked for my ON driving license presumably to validate my address; so take one if you have it, if not a hydro of some bill would be advisable.

Hope that covers it, let me know if I missed anything or if unclear.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Very much appreciated.

To clarify, it says CPC Ottawa, yes. I believe it also says Ottawa as my destination of choice. Not Ontario. I applied for PR using EE and qualified under CEC while living in Quebec. I decided I needed to move for career reasons and my not being that good at French... Therefore I imagine my 'landing' is slightly complicated and probably best handled by appointment at the office in Ottawa.

I'm a little confused about the travel issue. I have an Irish (EU) passport and a valid work permit until Feb 2017. But if I understand you even if I have those I won't be able to travel if I've activated my COPR and am awaiting my card? I believe the wait time is just under 60 days. If I'm not allowed to travel during that period I guess I will wait until I return from my business trip in late August and then go and activate my COPR in Ottawa in early September. I will get an Ottawa address, proof of it and proof of funds (I have a job in Montreal presently and have always worked here since I arrived in Canada) as I presume I should quit it or at least have given notice prior to the appointment in case they think I'm trying to trick them and use PR to stay in Quebec.

PS: I have a cousin in Ottawa and good friend in Kingston. However my cousin is selling her house and may not be there much longer. If I used my friend's address in Kingston and had their driving licence do you think that would suffice or have I to go and rent a place in Ottawa ASAP and get bills/bank statements/phones etc. all changed prior to the appointment?

 

[bellaluna]

It doesn't matter if you don't provide an address outside Ottawa, what's most important is that you provide one outside Quebec. Go ahead and use your Kingston friend's address if that's the least complicated option given the uncertainty of your Ottawa addresses.

If you can afford to delay your PR activation until after your business trip, you can.

 

[jc94]

I'm a little confused about the travel issue. I have an Irish (EU) passport and a valid work permit until Feb 2017. But if I understand you even if I have those I won't be able to travel if I've activated my COPR and am awaiting my card? I believe the wait time is just under 60 days.

You won't be able to travel by commercial carrier (plane) after you activate your COPR. They'll take the work permit (at least, they took mine) and you'll need a PR card to validate your permission to enter Canada which means they airline may want to see it before letting you board the plane.

Alternatives are flying back to the US and crossing on foot with your CoPR or getting a PRTD. The forums are rife with PRTD posts but basically this costs $50, can be a pain to apply for, and can take 2-3 weeks. Not ideal. My lawyer actually said it's much easier to land in the US.

Wait time is listed as 41 days. This is nonsense in my opinion. Mine was (apparently) sent after 58 days, someone else landed about days after me and got it a few days ago (see thread on tracking time) which indicates they probably DID get it within 41 days as I believe that time excludes Canada Post. Some people landed May and are still waiting, others got a request for new photos after 60 days, etc... 41 days is a "if you are very lucky" frame from what I've seen and excludes Canada Post.

And of course, we still don't know if they're going to strike ...

Just another thought, I landed with my driving license yet they are still sending the card to the address listed on my profile which is about 10-15km away. So be very clear about where you want it sent! They should be flexible as many people land without a permanent address but I'd prefer not to have to try and change the address.