COPR and coronavirus

[SCOTCAD]

Scot, thankyou so much for the extensive reply.

What were questiosn asked if any for your proof of funds? And how did you convince them?

The agent asked how much funds I had but did not ask for proof of this, just wrote it on my COPR. He commented on the fact the economy is taking a beating and will I will likely need to use my savings however I already have a job lined up and my partner is a veterinarian so fortunately the financial side wasn't a pressing concern.

All you really need is a recent bank statement should they ask for it however based on other accounts I've read, they rarely ask for this.

 

[SCOTCAD]

Thanks for typing up your landing experience. Sad to hear you had sort of a bad experience with your IO. It’s why i always prepare for the worst case scenario. He was just in a bad mood or being difficult.

It’s just the luck of the draw, the IO who gestured to me to come to her was very nice, only asked me the standard questions.

Thanks Islander.

I do feel the agent I encountered was quite on edge and stressed with the situation, although I'm not sure it's fair to take that out on travellers who are still fully abiding by the rules...

It wasn't the greatest welcome to the country however I got there in the end. I just wanted to share my experience so hopefully nobody else gets caught out by it, they are very very persistent reminding you of the legal need to self isolate so it is important those planning on travelling soon do have a solid plan of how to achieve this. You are not allowed to go to a supermarket to get supplies or stop off anywhere before your final destination so if you do not have a support network in Canada it would be very difficult the first couple of weeks to settle at the moment.

 

[ankurgupta325]

Hi... i just hope by "next steps to be followed", they dont mean they will ask us to restart the whole application all over again

It will be a re medical exam and stamping of visa with new CoPR

 

[paddypsinghal]

It will be a re medical exam and stamping of visa with new CoPR

They might ask for latest PCC and can do security check again. BTW do somebody knows what is the validity of security check. I saw in some other site, it is mentioned as 48 months.

 

[Islander216]

Thanks Islander.

I do feel the agent I encountered was quite on edge and stressed with the situation, although I'm not sure it's fair to take that out on travellers who are still fully abiding by the rules...

It wasn't the greatest welcome to the country however I got there in the end. I just wanted to share my experience so hopefully nobody else gets caught out by it, they are very very persistent reminding you of the legal need to self isolate so it is important those planning on travelling soon do have a solid plan of how to achieve this. You are not allowed to go to a supermarket to get supplies or stop off anywhere before your final destination so if you do not have a support network in Canada it would be very difficult the first couple of weeks to settle at the moment.

I agree, there is a way to balance your concerns and still do the job required without having to be unnecessarily hostile.

Just glad it all worked out in the end.

 

[Dia89]

It will be a re medical exam and stamping of visa with new CoPR

I hope so!

 

[niko80]

Hi,

I got the below reply from IRCC for the Webform raised on 3/23. I had conveyed that I would not be able to travel.
My CoPR approval date is 3/13 and CoPR expires on 4/27.

Reply from IRCC

Good day,

Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Coronavirus - Approved PRs
We verified the information you provided. The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on IRCC clients.
If you are outside Canada:
On March 20, 2020, the Government of Canada provided updates on exemptions to travel restrictions in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the health and safety of Canadians.
If you were approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but have not landed yet, you will be able to come to Canada. The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
We invite you to consult the How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC page to answer your most common questions about travel restrictions and exemptions.

If you are inside Canada:
We understand that these measures will affect several IRCC clients, including those who have received a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and are currently inside Canada.
Validating a COPR at a Port of Entry (POE)
· Due to the current travel restrictions, you should not travel to a POE to validate your COPR.
· Travelling to a POE from inside Canada for the purpose of getting immigration services is not considered essential travel, and you will not receive these services.

Appointment at a local IRCC office
· All in-person permanent resident landing appointments at the local IRCC offices have been cancelled.
· We are looking into alternative means to provide permanent resident landing services, including possibly by telephone.
· You will be contacted directly to reschedule your appointment.
· Local offices are reduced to critical services, therefore, no appointments can be scheduled at this time.

What happens next?
· Maintaining a legal temporary resident status is an important requirement. If your status is about to expire, you must apply online for an extension (visitor, student or worker).
· We invite you to visit our website regularly to receive up-to-date information as more announcements are made.

Please be assured that we continue to closely monitor the situation closely and will provide you with the most current information as the situation evolves.

Sincerely,

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I clicked on the link "How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC" and found the below

When will the exemptions be in place? Should people being exempt rush to Canada immediately?
Temporary foreign workers, some international students and approved permanent residents who haven’t yet landed are now able to enter Canada.
The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.

With travel restrictions in place in many countries around the world and international air travel reduced during the COVID-19 outbreak, we don’t recommend that those who are exempt from travel restrictions immediately try to travel to Canada.

What does it mean do not travel immediately? What if COPR gets expired?

 

[hinavin]

Actually i prefer not to travel during this time. I am just worried if an extension would be provided with copr.

As an fyi some folks who filled the web form requesting extension have heard back from IRCC. However I only received an acknowledgement from them, stating that my request is under processing and an officer will let me know. I had written on 11 March, while the acknowledgement was sent on 17 March. My Mom's PRV expires mid-May..so still have some time.

I would want to avoid going through medicals again...firstly the the process might be about 6 moths or so and moreover, we dont know how safe it will be to engage in medical services back there.

 

[saad_im]

So it’s time for Islander’s epic voyage to land in Canada

We start off in my home country. So i wait for the exemptions to be in place, they are announced 26 night time my time. So 27 i wake up, see the exemptions have been announced and then contact my travel agent to see if there is some slim chance there is a miracle i could get a flight to Canada, as the last thing i had heard was that Air Canada had suspended all flights and flights were due to be suspended in my home country as well. Well, just so happens there is a hail mary on the horizon, there is a last flight from london to toronto on the 28. So i tell her to book it for me but she told me the airline has taken control of my ticket, most likely because i missed my flight to paris on 18 because the travel ban in canada had just been implemented. So she insists i have to contact the airline, my dad calls them several times they insist it’s the travel agent who must change the booking, we call up the travel agent several times, she insists she can’t do it, it has to be the airline. So my dad calls up the airline, this time he’s annoyed and asks to talk to the supervisor, the lady insists we have to deal with her first before she involves the supervisor. The conversation is going poorly so i ask to speak to her, i explain the situation, she says the airline is relunctant to change my ticket from paris to london for some reason, and that priority is being given to foreign nationals being repatriated. I explain to her that because there is a travel ban in my home country being implemented until 30 april, my CoPR will expire on the same day and so this is my last chance to land in canada. She says she understands and she will call me back. So i wait for almost 2 hours, my dad is getting impatient, i tell him just give her some time and let’s see what happens. She calls me back, my heart is about to stop but she tells me that she has made the booking and she got me the last seat on the plane. I thank her profusely and start getting ready to go because the flight is later that night.
So i get to the airport and check in for my flight, now the real struggle commences. The lady at the counter is not sure whether i can fly, her colleague, a certified douchebag, says he knows first time PRs cannot travel now. I tell him about the exemptions, and show her the print out of the announcements, something my dad told me to do. She tells me she will confer with her supervisor. She tells me to go have a seat and i see her supervisor looking into the matter and holding my passport. I see her taking a lot of time, i also see douchebag face hanging around and flapping his gums, so sensing i need to step in, i get up and go talk to the supervisor. She is very polite but tells me she is trying to verify whether i can travel to Canada, and they have significant doubts on whether immigration will allow me to enter Canada. I show her the exemptions in the print out from IRCC, we go back and forth for a while. She isn’t sure whether the PR visa in my passport which says immigrant means PR, so i show her my COPR. She even instructs her underling to go find it on the website, wherein which i show where to find the announcements. In the end she requests to have a copy of my PR visa, COPR and the annoucements. What also helps convince her is that i have a return ticket, so if they refuse me boarding in london, they can just offset the cost of repatriation against that. Douchebag makes a remark about if i get deported I’ll have to accept that, i say with full confidence that’s fine. I finally get on the flight to London, the second battle is won.

So now I’m in Heathrow, it sucks everything is closed, literally everything. Only thing open is the self check out shops, but you can only use credit cards, and I’m not that desperate for a bag of lays and a drink. I go to Air Canada there thinking the worst is over, but when i check in, they are also very doubtful about whether i can travel to canada. They are very polite but the lady refers my case to her colleague and he’s very nice but it’s clear they are not really aware of the exemptions, and they are looking for confirmation. All of this is taking a lot of time and i begin to wonder whether i really will be able to travel. The lady then tells me that it’s okay for me to travel and then i hear her get a call from someone saying to recheck whether i can travel. There is also another COPR holder and a foreign worker, and we are all waiting. Finally the guy takes a small cellphone which is like their batline to Canada, explains the situation and gives them my visa reference. They give him the all clear but there are some issues with the system and he needs an override. In the end, he gives me my boarding pass and i apologize for all the hassle. He tells me the thing is things evolve on a hourly basis and that’s why they need to check.
So i head to the terminal and wait to board the flight to Toronto. Once it’s my turn to board, the lady checking boarding passes and passports asks me about my status, i tell her I’m landing as a PR, she asks me if i have any immediate family , and then i get pulled out of line and then told to speak to another guy. Then he checks my passport, i reexplain the situation , then now he makes another phone call. Finally, he says i can board, i tell the lady, she just waves to me to go and finally, i am on board the flight.

So i arrive in the promised land, i head to immigration, guy just asks me my status in canada, i tell him I’m landing as a permanent resident, he asks me what food product i have, i said spices, he says that’s all, i say yes, he just does a cross in pink on my declaration card and writes something in red, and hands me my passport and i head out. Once i leave the counter i end up walking the wrong way, and a girl tells me to land as a permanent resident, i need to go to the right. I confirm with her, she gives me a big smile lol, and i head to the landing counters. There’s no one in line, so i just go to the head of the line, and wait for someone to call me. A lady does quickly and i go to see her, i give her my passport and she asks for my COPR, which i remove from my bag. She asks me if i was ever asked to leave Canada, i say no, asks if I’ve committed a crime, i say no, then she asks me to sign 3 places on each copy, asks whether this is the address where i want my PR card sent, i said yes, she tells me it will take 2 or 3 months, i wince to myself, she tells me i have to stay 2 out of 5 years as my residency obligations, she signs and gives me back my copy, and i thank her and she tells me to have a nice day. I said you too.

I head to customs, the guy asks if im landing as a PR, i say yes, he asks if i have goods to follow, i shake my head no, he gestures to go ahead.

So that’s that.

Thanks for the detailed write up. I was picturing myself going through all these steps as i read through (hopefully without the hassles). Congratulations and best of luck for your time in Canada.

 

[Islander216]

Thanks for the detailed write up. I was picturing myself going through all these steps as i read through (hopefully without the hassles). Congratulations and best of luck for your time in Canada.

I hope so too. All i can say is for anyone travelling soon, be mentally prepared for a scrap. If you see them having doubts, be proactive and interject, inform them of the exemptions. Have everything relevant printed out in case you need to show them to help convince them. All of them at the airlines are risk averse, they don’t want to make a mistake that will have major blowback like allowing someone to travel who might get refused entry. But the Canadians are very aware of their own laws obviously, so once people outside check with them, you will be fine to travel.

Also, always be prepared for the worst case scenario, have all your documents with you. I had gone to the bank to get a recent stamped bank statement in case they asked for POF, i already booked a room for 2 weeks and had the confirmation with me, in case i got asked about self isolation.

Just be prepared.

 

[Soph971]

Likewise to you!

As I say the main takeaway from my experience is ensure you have a good plan for isolation as the border agent will likely ask.

Me again - Do you you think they will let me board a second plane for Ottawa or they will ask me to do the isolation in Toronto. I will be heading to Ottawa but I will have a short transit (1 h) in Toronto.

 

[kangk]

Just find out that IRCC call centre will remain closed for longer. They removed the sentence saying "call centre is about to open on April 02".
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/client-support-centre.html

 

[Bs65]

Me again - Do you you think they will let me board a second plane for Ottawa or they will ask me to do the isolation in Toronto. I will be heading to Ottawa but I will have a short transit (1 h) in Toronto.

If you are planning your initial PR landing you should assume you will need to allow at least 3 hours at Toronto Your first POE where you must complete immigration formalities.. Even 1 hour without completing a PR landing is likely a challenge to get through immigration and customs.

Given not many people may be travelling over next few months process at POE may be shorter but no way to predict .

 

[wick_sran]

GOOD NEWS: IRCC Delhi just announced on FB page:

""Please be advised that anyone who is unable to travel to Canada to confirm their permanent resident status due to travel restrictions will be contacted.
IRCC Delhi will advise what steps need to be followed in order to travel to Canada after the travel restrictions have been lifted.""

I am unclear about the travel restrictions they're referring to. Did they mean the ones imposed by Indian Govt during this lockdown? Or, is it the restrictions imposed by Canada Govt before exemptions were put in place?

 

[hinavin]

If you are planning your initial PR landing you should assume you will need to allow at least 3 hours at Toronto Your first POE where you must complete immigration formalities.. Even 1 hour without completing a PR landing is likely a challenge to get through immigration and customs.

Given not many people may be travelling over next few months process at POE may be shorter but no way to predict .

To add to what you mentioned about insufficient time gap of an hour for the next flight to Ottawa - cannot imagine this being feasible.

But: something else just occurred to me...considering she would have already completed her landing and then proceed to checking for the Toronto Ottawa domestic sector, is there any likelihood of being asked if "have you traveled overseas in the last 14 days" - answer would be yes. Hence isolation applies? which restricts "public space access"?

@Soph971 Please do not let me put you in panic while more experienced members (I am not) might revert. I am only voicing a thought that crossed my mind - I have neither heard this from anyone else, nor do I say that it will happen. I wish you the very best!

By any chance did your airline offer to check your checkin luggage through to Ottawa direct? Finally as Bs65 points out the connection time is short. Very. Suggest amending.