Confusion Over My Voluntary Withdrawal?

[Decoy24601]

Last year during the Summer I was given a "voluntary withdrawal" while trying to enter Canada. However, I was actually allowed into Canada before that. I asked to enter Canada to visit my husband (then boyfriend) for a month and she seized my passport and let me in for three days. I came back the third day and signed a document saying she was releasing my passport and signed a "voluntary withdrawal". She assured me that the copies of this paperwork were only so she could show her supervisor and that they would be shredded afterwards and not be in the system. Is this true?

I was under the impression that since I entered Canada and signed the voluntary withdrawal after that I wasn't denied entry. So, on my PR application I ticked the box that said I had never been denied entry to Canada. Was I wrong? Does that count as denied entry? I didn't include any explanation of this and I'm so worried that I'll have to go to LA for an interview, which would be an incredibly costly trip for me (I don't even know how I would afford that).

Should I withdraw my PR application and resubmit it with this information? After SA when my file is transferred can I send some sort of correspondence or a case specific inquiry to the VO? I'm really worried.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Normally, people aren't allowed in at all when there is a voluntary withdrawal, so yours is a bit of a different situation.

That said, there is no need to withdraw. Email Mississauga now and explain the situation; they may not see the email or respond but it starts a paper trail for you proving you tried to inform CIC of the situation. After SA, send the VO a CSE explaining it again. There should be no issues.

 

[ImABule]

Last year during the Summer I was given a "voluntary withdrawal" while trying to enter Canada. However, I was actually allowed into Canada before that. I asked to enter Canada to visit my husband (then boyfriend) for a month and she seized my passport and let me in for three days. I came back the third day and signed a document saying she was releasing my passport and signed a "voluntary withdrawal". She assured me that the copies of this paperwork were only so she could show her supervisor and that they would be shredded afterwards and not be in the system. Is this true?

I was under the impression that since I entered Canada and signed the voluntary withdrawal after that I wasn't denied entry. So, on my PR application I ticked the box that said I had never been denied entry to Canada. Was I wrong? Does that count as denied entry? I didn't include any explanation of this and I'm so worried that I'll have to go to LA for an interview, which would be an incredibly costly trip for me (I don't even know how I would afford that).

Should I withdraw my PR application and resubmit it with this information? After SA when my file is transferred can I send some sort of correspondence or a case specific inquiry to the VO? I'm really worried.

If I was you I wouldn't rely on what the officer said about the papers being shredded and I would simply send in a new IMM5669 explaining the VW and that you may have answered wrong to the denied entry question because you didn't (and still don't) understand if that qualifies as an actual denial of entry but you want CIC to have all of the relevant information regardless of their determination of your situation.

There is no harm in sending in the form. If it was a denial then you fix the issue before an interview or even worse a misrepresentation finding and if it wasn't a denial you show the VO that you are forthcoming and honest and concerned with your application.

I would send a case specific enquiry if I was you.

 

[Decoy24601]

Normally, people aren't allowed in at all when there is a voluntary withdrawal, so yours is a bit of a different situation.

That said, there is no need to withdraw. Email Mississauga now and explain the situation; they may not see the email or respond but it starts a paper trail for you proving you tried to inform CIC of the situation. After SA, send the VO a CSE explaining it again. There should be no issues.

Thank you! Where do I find the email for Mississauga? Since I don't have UCI yet, what pieces of information should I use to identify myself? (Besides the obvious, like name, DOB)

If I was you I wouldn't rely on what the officer said about the papers being shredded and I would simply send in a new IMM5669 explaining the VW and that you answered wrong to the denied entry question because you didn't (and still don't) understand if that qualifies as an actual denial of entry but you want CIC to have all of the relevant information regardless of their determination of your situation.

Since I don't have a UCI yet would they actually be able to put the new form with my initial application?

 

[Ponga]

Thank you! Where do I find the email for Mississauga? Since I don't have UCI yet, what pieces of information should I use to identify myself? (Besides the obvious, like name, DOB)
Since I don't have a UCI yet would they actually be able to put the new form with my initial application?

Not likely. You should send the new form when you have something for CIC to use to match it with your application (AOR, UCI, Application number, etc.)

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thank you! Where do I find the email for Mississauga? Since I don't have UCI yet, what pieces of information should I use to identify myself? (Besides the obvious, like name, DOB)

I've seen the Mississauga email floating around the fourm, have a look. Use your name, sponsor name, DOBs, address.

As I said, even if they don't see it, it is proof that you tried correcting the issue early on, just in case CIC tries to make an issue of it later on, though I doubt they will.

 

[Decoy24601]

I've seen the Mississauga email floating around the fourm, have a look. Use your name, sponsor name, DOBs, address.

As I said, even if they don't see it, it is proof that you tried correcting the issue early on, just in case CIC tries to make an issue of it later on, though I doubt they will.

Thank you. Well, there's another user in another thread with a similar issue (a couple voluntary withdrawals and an overstay) and now has to go to an interview in LA, so I definitely want to make sure that doesn't happen, even if it isn't likely in my situation.

Edit: I think I found it. Does this seem right? CPCM-EXTCOM@cic.gc.ca

 

[Aquakitty]

Very strange you were given a voluntary withdrawal when you were LEAVING. That makes no sense really, well I've not heard of it. I'd not trust what she said at all, and I agree that reporting the issue would be the way to go.

But yea, the stupid system we have punishes some people and lets others get away with much more, it's all a random crapshoot it seems.

We had a similar dilemma on what to put for that, since years ago my husband was sort of denied entry. They wouldn't let him through till he showed proof of funds. In the end they let him through once he had a bank receipt a few hours later, though, so it was not technically a denied entry, but we put down that incident on the forms anyways.

 

[Decoy24601]

Very strange you were given a voluntary withdrawal when you were LEAVING. That makes no sense really, well I've not heard of it. I'd not trust what she said at all, and I agree that reporting the issue would be the way to go.

But yea, the stupid system we have punishes some people and lets others get away with much more, it's all a random crapshoot it seems.

We had a similar dilemma on what to put for that, since years ago my husband was sort of denied entry. They wouldn't let him through till he showed proof of funds. In the end they let him through once he had a bank receipt a few hours later, though, so it was not technically a denied entry, but we put down that incident on the forms anyways.

Yeah, it was bizarre. I was with my husband's (then boyfriend's) mother, since she was driving me back. The CBSA officer at the gate questioned my for about 3 minutes on if I had firearms, explosives, etc, and sent us in for a secondary. On the slip of paper he wrote that there were two "residents" not a resident and non-resident. From the beginning they were trying to make it look like I was living in Canada, when I was visiting him for 2 months and was asking for 1 more month. His mother even said that he made a mistake, but the other officers ignored her and asked her to sit down. I was questioned off and on for a few hours with a very rude eye-rolling sarcastic officer. She said the reasonable amount of time for a visit would be a weekend, not months, and therefore I was living in Canada. She supported it by saying I didn't have enough ties to the US (I had some, but I didn't have a job at that time so it was ignored). She seized my passport and told me she would let me in for 3 days and that I had to come back the third day and pick up my passport and leave. When I came back, even though I was technically leaving, she gave me a "voluntary withdrawal" and a form stating that she gave my passport back.

I realize now that even though it wasn't really a denial of entry that I should have mentioned it. I'll send an email for now and after SA when my file is transferred I will send CSE stating this and that I will send a new version of the form.

 

[Kellyvalentine123]

I had the same thing happen to me.. the officer at the point of entry said that if I "voluntary withdraw" then it wouldn't look bad on my file. I guess versus "deport" .. so they held my passport and booked the next flight out to the states.. i had only 2 hours to spend with my fiancée then i had to be back at the airport or there would be a warrant out for my arrest. I signed for my passport when it was time to meet then they escorted me to my flight. when i filed my sponsorship application.. i checked that i was denied access to the country and explained exactly what happened.

 

[ConfusedCouple]

I had the same thing happen as well. I ended up checking the box for "denied entry" and just explained my situation. I also had the copy of my voluntary withdraw. I didn't end up attaching that paper though, because I gave a pretty detailed explanation about my situation.

 

[ifeedly]

Yeah, it was bizarre. I was with my husband's (then boyfriend's) mother, since she was driving me back. The CBSA officer at the gate questioned my for about 3 minutes on if I had firearms, explosives, etc, and sent us in for a secondary. On the slip of paper he wrote that there were two "residents" not a resident and non-resident. From the beginning they were trying to make it look like I was living in Canada, when I was visiting him for 2 months and was asking for 1 more month. His mother even said that he made a mistake, but the other officers ignored her and asked her to sit down. I was questioned off and on for a few hours with a very rude eye-rolling sarcastic officer. She said the reasonable amount of time for a visit would be a weekend, not months, and therefore I was living in Canada. She supported it by saying I didn't have enough ties to the US (I had some, but I didn't have a job at that time so it was ignored). She seized my passport and told me she would let me in for 3 days and that I had to come back the third day and pick up my passport and leave. When I came back, even though I was technically leaving, she gave me a "voluntary withdrawal" and a form stating that she gave my passport back.

I realize now that even though it wasn't really a denial of entry that I should have mentioned it. I'll send an email for now and after SA when my file is transferred I will send CSE stating this and that I will send a new version of the form.

from your case it seems that:
your original request for entry was for two months and you were allowed entry.
when you went out of Canada and came back you applied for (asked) extension of stay.
officer allowed you to withdraw your application to enter Canada.
they had the option to refuse your application for entry(denied entry).
you seem to be from a visa exempt country.
no you were not denied entry.
You were only allowed to withdraw your application.
allowing to withdraw application is not a biggie but you must always mention it whenever you are dealing with CIC/CBSA.
for your reference thats how most of the people who file application for PR from Canada get PR status aka flagpoling (exit Canada border- go to US post tell them they are here to fulfill canada PR requirements- make an application to enter US and then withdraw application voluntarily- turn back and enter Canada and give the proof of withdrawal of application to Canada border post- fill out paperwork and become PR)
In short it is not a stain on your record.
but you must always mention it.

 

[rxyz]

Last year during the Summer I was given a "voluntary withdrawal" while trying to enter Canada. However, I was actually allowed into Canada before that. I asked to enter Canada to visit my husband (then boyfriend) for a month and she seized my passport and let me in for three days. I came back the third day and signed a document saying she was releasing my passport and signed a "voluntary withdrawal". She assured me that the copies of this paperwork were only so she could show her supervisor and that they would be shredded afterwards and not be in the system. Is this true?

I was under the impression that since I entered Canada and signed the voluntary withdrawal after that I wasn't denied entry. So, on my PR application I ticked the box that said I had never been denied entry to Canada. Was I wrong? Does that count as denied entry? I didn't include any explanation of this and I'm so worried that I'll have to go to LA for an interview, which would be an incredibly costly trip for me (I don't even know how I would afford that).

Should I withdraw my PR application and resubmit it with this information? After SA when my file is transferred can I send some sort of correspondence or a case specific inquiry to the VO? I'm really worried.

Hi, do you know what it the definition of voluntary withdrawal? Few years ago, while driving from Niagara falls to Chicago , GPS toke me by mistake to Canada border ( really 1 min drive) and I told the officer that I have no intention of entrying the Canada and I get there because of GPS and they accepted my explanation but asked me to sign something (not sure what was it but prob. the withdrawal?) Anyhow, I only had a US driver license with me and not passport and then returned to US ( again not sure if I technically get into Canada or just was at Border). Now my question is if this should be reported? I received my AOR 2 month ago and forget to mention anything about this . Should I send an email to CIC?
Also I am applying through express entry.