CIC Eliminates Counterfoils for Approved PRs from Visa Exempt Countries

[Charlamag]

As the above statement from immigration indicates - the only thing you will have is COPR. We did get the passport stamped but used the COPR and passport for obtaining the SIN number.
Settler information still reflects the counterfoil as a requirement of getting a SIN however, since these will not be issued to everyone, I would assume that this information will be changed to the COPR and/or PR card being the requirement.

 

[justina]

@ charlamag

Your husband was very fortunate about the SIN! I wonder why the offices are not consistent that way. Three months after landing my husband is finally able to apply for jobs. Its been frustrating because I am on maternity leave so our income is pretty small right now, and he has been waiting to work for so long. Hopefully they do change it for future cases. Once a person lands, he or she should be able to contribute to society just like those who are already here! (Just think of all the taxes not being paid because some people can't work as soon as they land haha)

One thing that was different for us was that as soon as he got the COPR we went to get him Alberta Health Care and his was effective immediately because I have it already. No three month wait. Different offices, different SIN rules; different provinces, different health care rules!!

He was also able to apply for the Alberta driver's license with the COPR. Well, learner's license. He needs to do a bunch of paperwork if he wants to transfer his license from home and get the full license immediately. It's free for him to drive our car as a learner, as in no extra charge to the insurance. If he does the transfer and gets the license, as a new Canadian driver, the car insurance will more than double!!

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Didn't he just answer that? To ensure it is valid and that the biodata hasn't changed.

No actually, he didn't. He gave a reason as to why they might still be requesting the passport, but he didn't give a reason as to why they'd do away with the counterfoil if they're still going to be requesting that passports are sent.

Also, a poster on the Buffalo thread pointed out this morning that the COPR is not stapled to the passport until landing. Her passport received the counterfoil at the consulate's office, and when she arrived at the border to land the immigration officer checked the COPR and attached it to her passport. Obviously we will have to wait and see what the letters received by PR applicants effected by this say after Dec. 1st, but I really would be surprised that they'd do away with the counterfoil and yet still require the mailing of passports to the Consulate's office. Especially if all that needs to be done with them is check their validity and that the biodata is accurate, since the immigration officer should be able to do that during the landing.

 

[rjessome]

No actually, he didn't. He gave a reason as to why they might still be requesting the passport, but he didn't give a reason as to why they'd do away with the counterfoil if they're still going to be requesting that passports are sent.

Also, a poster on the Buffalo thread pointed out this morning that the COPR is not stapled to the passport until landing. Her passport received the counterfoil at the consulate's office, and when she arrived at the border to land the immigration officer checked the COPR and attached it to her passport. Obviously we will have to wait and see what the letters received by PR applicants effected by this say after Dec. 1st, but I really would be surprised that they'd do away with the counterfoil and yet still require the mailing of passports to the Consulate's office. Especially if all that needs to be done with them is check their validity and that the biodata is accurate, since the immigration officer should be able to do that during the landing.

You know, I read your question the same way PMM did. But I see what you are asking now. Easy. Money. And also the usefulness of a visa for a visa exempt person. Technically, a visa is a document that allows an individual entry into Canada. Visa exempt individuals don't need a "visa" to enter Canada. Immigrant visas counterfoils were introduced just a few years ago. They did not exist ten years ago when consulates and embassies only issued IMM1000s. There is no use of that counterfoil anyway. This is a move in right direction.

Next right move should be to begin blending visa and work or study permit in one counterfoil document - same way as Americans have been doing for years. It will ensure no work or study permit is lost unless the passport is lost, and CIC will save tons of money by quitting printing work and study permits on extremely expensive paper and use their savings to work harder on eliminating immigration backlogs.

And you are also talking about two different departments, CIC and CBSA (except for inland). One is for process and the other enforcement. So overseas consulates/embassies must ensure the passport and biodata information is the same when issuing the COPR and when it is checked at the POE or by the inland officer if landing locally. Lots of people renew passports during the processing time for PR. If they have a new passport, this information gets entered into the system. And that's CIC's job, not CBSA's.

I do get what you are saying but there have to be checks and balances in the system.

 

[Love_Young]

Charlamag: I agree with justina. I too applied inland and needed to wait to receive my PR card before they would give me a SIN number.
Only a few local offices hold a Service Canada in the same building and give the SIN number to inland applicants without the need of a PR card.

It even states on this page on the Service Canada website that PR card is the only thing they will accept for inland applicants (of course except for the scatter few local offices). Here it is: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/apply/proof.shtml

And it states the following: "Permanent Resident Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This is the only acceptable document if your claim was processed in Canada." Claim processed in Canada = inland process.

Anyway, as long as this doesn't cause conflict in the landing process (which I am confident it won't) and doesn't delay getting a SIN number like it does for some inland applicants, then I believe this will be great. Plus as Baloo stated, no worry of losing your passport in the mail. When will this come into effect rjessome?

 

[rjessome]

When will this come into effect rjessome?

The Operational Bulletin said the change will take effect December 1, 2011.

 

[Love_Young]

The Operational Bulletin said the change will take effect December 1, 2011.

Oh silly me. I really must be more tired than I thought. :-[ Thank you for stating that. I really hope to see good things come of this. It seems promising.

 

[justina]

Love_Young : Our local office has CIC, EI, SIN, Passport, Revenue Canada, Military....and I am sure there is more. Yet it wasn't an option. Maybe its the location, or the size of the office. But I thought you landed at a smaller office, and ours is bigger. CIC works in mysterious ways....

 

[Indigo]

OK, this new no-counterfoil thing just got into effect today, and I think I have some more info now.

I'm a member ofa forum for dutch citizens who are immigrating (or have immigrated) to Canada, and one of them (a skilled worker) got their passport request today.

Instead of her passport, she was asked to submit her passport copy and another payment receipt of her latest payment, and in response to that she will get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence ( COPR) form which she can use to land.

I wonder whether it is possible to send passport copy/new receipt through email, wouldn't that be convenient and efficient!

 

[ddobro2]

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I assume it would be pretty similar for FC stream applicants. So she said they asked for another copy of what would be the landing (RPRF) fee, I presume? Are they sending the COPR form via postal mail?

OK, this new no-counterfoil thing just got into effect today, and I think I have some more info now.

I'm a member ofa forum for dutch citizens who are immigrating (or have immigrated) to Canada, and one of them (a skilled worker) got their passport request today.

Instead of her passport, she was asked to submit her passport copy and another payment receipt of her latest payment, and in response to that she will get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence ( COPR) form which she can use to land.

I wonder whether it is possible to send passport copy/new receipt through email, wouldn't that be convenient and efficient!

 

[Indigo]

Don't know yet. As soon as I find out something more, I will share it!

Though I'm sure visa exempt forum members here will start getting "new style" PPR's any day now!

 

[Timemachine]

Here's the "updated" bulletin from today....still not all that clear...can anyone else decipher this?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2011/ob348a.asp

 

[rjessome]

Here's the "updated" bulletin from today....still not all that clear...can anyone else decipher this?

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2011/ob348a.asp

Yes. If you are visa exempt, the VO can choose whether they want to see the original passport upon COPR issuance or just a photocopy of ALL the pages of the passport. Nothing has changed for people who are not visa exempt. The rest is technical instructions for CIC staff to enter into the computer system.

 

[Timemachine]

That's good news, at least it will eliminate the 2-3 weeks additional time to send the passport back and forth. Unfortunately my husband needs to give at least a months notice before he can leave his job so either way we'll have to add a month to the waiting time even after we recieve COPR

There was also another bulletin today saying they will no longer be mailing out forms and instruction packets in the mail, which is also great, at least it will free up the workers to process more apps instead of mailing out forms! Good to see CIC taking steps to make the process more efficient!

 

[pegasusyt]

this again makes me wonder which of my passport should I send in to my VO... my Argentine or Spanish one.. I was all set on sending the Spanish one but Spain is visa exempt.. if I do, will that bbe a problem since they're eliminating the foil thing? Wonder if I can send the Argentinian passport for them to put the foil in, then enter the US on my Spanish passport (visa exempt) and come back to land? So confused and I only have a few days left to do this