AINP - SRS H1B Landing Experience and post landing related activities.

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

Hello All. I am planning to travel to Alberta end of April to fulfil my landing formailities, but will return to US after a week until my current work assignment in US gets completed and then immigrate permanently to Alberta. I have no residence address in Alberta, so was planning on renting a mailbox in Alberta as my mailing address for recievng my PR Card and SIN card, and then have it forwarded to my address in US. Reading the posts from recently landed immigrants, I get the impression that even if I give a mailing address in Alberta while landing, the IO will not sent me the PR Card until I decide to permanently settle in Alberta Canada. I have the following questions:
1. Should I even try renting a mail box in Canada for PR Card delivery or has anyone who recently landed in Canada on a temperary basis got the PR Card mailed to the mentioned address? If so can you please share your story either here or send me a personal message (do post here that you sent me a personal message so that I look for it)?
2. How long does it take to get the SIN Card?
3. Does anyone know of a good and affordable mail forwarding service in Alberta that I could use (if I decide to set-up a mailing address during landing) for establishing my mailing address and mail forwarding service?

Thank you.

 

[asgharpeer]

Hi Anthcott,
I sent you a personnel Message couple of days. My guess is IO could easily know if the address is a mailing address. I would advice no to go with temporary mailing address. My friend have couple of friends in Alberta. I will check with them and let you know. I am planning to land in June month. I am living now in Houston TX and planning to return back within a week. The challenge is i need to go for US visa stamping to come back. So bit worried. I would appreciate if you can throw some some information on how to plan for landing

Thanks
Asghar

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

Hi Anthcott,
I sent you a personnel Message couple of days. My guess is IO could easily know if the address is a mailing address. I would advice no to go with temporary mailing address. My friend have couple of friends in Alberta. I will check with them and let you know. I am planning to land in June month. I am living now in Houston TX and planning to return back within a week. The challenge is i need to go for US visa stamping to come back. So bit worried. I would appreciate if you can throw some some information on how to plan for landing

Thanks
Asghar

Hello Asghar, Thank you. I just checked your personal message and responded.

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

Hello All,

I saw many people ask about the need to fill the B4 (goods to follow) form while entering Canada to take care of the landing formalities, but did not see any responses to this question. I have the same question, if I declare I am just entering Canada to fulfill the landing formalities can I take a rain check on filling the B4 form till I am ready to move in permanently or must I start cooking up the list right away? Please share your landing experience and guidance on this regard.

Thank you,

Anthcott

 

[sarayu]

Hi Anthcott,
I sent you a personnel Message couple of days. My guess is IO could easily know if the address is a mailing address. I would advice no to go with temporary mailing address. My friend have couple of friends in Alberta. I will check with them and let you know. I am planning to land in June month. I am living now in Houston TX and planning to return back within a week. The challenge is i need to go for US visa stamping to come back. So bit worried. I would appreciate if you can throw some some information on how to plan for landing

Thanks
Asghar

Hi, you don't need a valid visa to come back to USA. You can come back to USA using AVR. Just google for more info or let me know if you can't find it online.

 

[Steperry]

please what is AINP-SRS H1B visa, am very new here help me.thanks

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

please what is AINP-SRS H1B visa, am very new here help me.thanks

Hello Steperry, This was one of the options to get PR in Canada under the Alberta PNP. However, this program is currently closed. See link below for further details.
http://www.albertacanada.com/files/albertacanada/AINP_USvisaH_closureApr13.pdf

Anthcott.

 

[asgharpeer]

Thanks Sarayu. I see AVR as the best option to return back to USA.

 

[asgharpeer]

Hi Sarayu,
Thanks for your info about using AVR. Can you help me clarify the questions i have to plan for my landing around 1st week of June 2014.

1) I am staying in Houston. Planning to take a flight from Houston to Calgary, AB. I hope i can detach my I-94 card from my passport and keep it with me. Will they ask for I-94 which is at the bottom portion of I-797 while boarding the flight from Houston?
2) I see most of those used AVR to enter back to USA by landing. Is it safer to use AVR to enter back to USA by flying? If that is the case do POE IO at airport do more scrutinizing than POE IO at land border?
3) I am planning to be there for a week in Calgary to finish the formalities applying SIN, etc before returning to Houston. Is one week sifficient?
4) I am trying to get one of my friend's friend address who is staying near Calgary for mailing PR card. While carrying out landing formalities, I planned not to say to Canada IO, that i am going to return back to US within a week, If i say so, they might not provide me PR card this time and will ask me to apply PR in the future when i intend to permanently relocate to canda right? Is it safe to play that game?
5) What is "Good to Follow List"? Should i worry about that at this point of time as I am not planning to relocate to canada now. May plan to relocate after completing my Houston project in Sept 2014 (Still not sure.Project may get extended for couple of months)
6) As I am ANP-H1B nominee, should i need to show proof of funds?

Thanks
APM

 

[Chucky]

Hello All,

I saw many people ask about the need to fill the B4 (goods to follow) form while entering Canada to take care of the landing formalities, but did not see any responses to this question. I have the same question, if I declare I am just entering Canada to fulfill the landing formalities can I take a rain check on filling the B4 form till I am ready to move in permanently or must I start cooking up the list right away? Please share your landing experience and guidance on this regard.

Thank you,

Anthcott

Hi,

I recently landed. You can not do a rain check you have to have a list of goods to follow whether you are landing permanently of you are just doing the landing formalities. We had to do our list right at the border and the people were very friendly. Its actually indicated on the COPR form. Let me know if you have other questions. My landing experience is fresh.

Thanks.

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

Hi,

I recently landed. You can not do a rain check you have to have a list of goods to follow whether you are landing permanently of you are just doing the landing formalities. We had to do our list right at the border and the people were very friendly. Its actually indicated on the COPR form. Let me know if you have other questions. My landing experience is fresh.

Thanks.

Thanks Chucky. Which border did you enter Canada and will you be leaving Canada soon and permanently immigrating later?

 

[Chucky]

Thanks Chucky. Which border did you enter Canada and will you be leaving Canada soon and permanently immigrating later?

We landed at the Niagara Falls. Its so beautiful i tell you we told them that we will move there within 8 months and they asked as to fill out the goods to follow list. And they specifically said if you don't do the list now. You don't get a second chance. We didn't have the list but they said just fill out with everything you have and you will bring. If you bring something not on the list you will be taxed. They were really nice, i just have not had a chance to fill out our landing experience yet. We let the following day. We noticed alot of culture differences. But the feeling of "Wow this is really happening" i can't even explain it. The only thing is that you get the cards me when you move permanently.

Thanks everyone that supported this blog from the beginning when we were on that other tread. Its such an awesome feeling of accomplishment. I am truly grateful to my Lord Jesus Christ that truly let this process come to fruition. And to everyone that is still waiting...all i can tell you is not to give up. Its truly worth the wait.

Regards

 

[sarayu]

Hi Sarayu,
Thanks for your info about using AVR. Can you help me clarify the questions i have to plan for my landing around 1st week of June 2014.

1) I am staying in Houston. Planning to take a flight from Houston to Calgary, AB. I hope i can detach my I-94 card from my passport and keep it with me. Will they ask for I-94 which is at the bottom portion of I-797 while boarding the flight from Houston?
2) I see most of those used AVR to enter back to USA by landing. Is it safer to use AVR to enter back to USA by flying? If that is the case do POE IO at airport do more scrutinizing than POE IO at land border?
3) I am planning to be there for a week in Calgary to finish the formalities applying SIN, etc before returning to Houston. Is one week sifficient?
4) I am trying to get one of my friend's friend address who is staying near Calgary for mailing PR card. While carrying out landing formalities, I planned not to say to Canada IO, that i am going to return back to US within a week, If i say so, they might not provide me PR card this time and will ask me to apply PR in the future when i intend to permanently relocate to canda right? Is it safe to play that game?
5) What is "Good to Follow List"? Should i worry about that at this point of time as I am not planning to relocate to canada now. May plan to relocate after completing my Houston project in Sept 2014 (Still not sure.Project may get extended for couple of months)
6) As I am ANP-H1B nominee, should i need to show proof of funds?

Thanks
APM

Hi APM,

Generally if you are traveling out of US, you need to surrender the I-94. Do you have an extended petition of your H1B? If yes, you have to surrender the latest I-94 which is at the bottom portion of your latest I-797. Just detach it from the I-797 and keep it along with your passport so that you can surrender it easily, I mean just have it handy in the airport.

As per my knowledge, if you travel by air or road nothing will be the difference.

You don't really need one week time. We are a family of four including a 5 months old Son. We were in Calgary just for 24 hours. We landed about 2:00 pm and just finished only our landing part on that day. The next day we applied for our SIN cards, Health Cards, my drivers license and my wife Alberta ID. It was very fast everywhere. Be prepared with everything what you need, then it should be fine and fast. However if you want to stay with your friend for a week and enjoy that moments, you can do that.

Don't give any unnecessary false information to the Canada IO regarding your temporary stay. If the situation comes like that, tell the IO that you will be finishing landing for now and going back to US to get closed all your things like resigning to your current job, closing your bank accounts, closing your utility accounts, closing your lease etc etc. There is no harm in doing this as far as I know. They didn't ask me anything in my case.

If you don't mind send me a personal message with your email address, I will send you the goods to follow forms. However you will find them online, just Google for them. Those are fill-able forms.

NOTE: When you give your friends address to IO for your PR cards, mention your friend's name as in care of you. Because Canada Post people may see the names on the mail box, and they drop the envelop if your's or your friend's name is written on the mail box....this may not be true in all cases, but better provide your friend's name in care of.

They did not ask me for the proof of funds. In fact I haven't seen anybody on the forum as of now who was asked for the proof of funds. However I have had my latest bank statement and also bank verification letter which shows my funds available for the past 6 months average.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Sarayu.

 

[anthcott@yahoo.com]

We landed at the Niagara Falls. Its so beautiful i tell you we told them that we will move there within 8 months and they asked as to fill out the goods to follow list. And they specifically said if you don't do the list now. You don't get a second chance. We didn't have the list but they said just fill out with everything you have and you will bring. If you bring something not on the list you will be taxed. They were really nice, i just have not had a chance to fill out our landing experience yet. We let the following day. We noticed alot of culture differences. But the feeling of "Wow this is really happening" i can't even explain it. The only thing is that you get the cards me when you move permanently.

Thanks everyone that supported this blog from the beginning when we were on that other tread. Its such an awesome feeling of accomplishment. I am truly grateful to my Lord Jesus Christ that truly let this process come to fruition. And to everyone that is still waiting...all i can tell you is not to give up. Its truly worth the wait.

Regards

Thanks Chucky. I have made a goods to follow list but not in the B4 form as the list is pretty long. I plan to discuss with the IO on the best way to transfer to B4.

 

[asgharpeer]

Hi Sarayu,

I sent you personal message with my email id.

Thanks
APM