Fencesitter, how are you???

[Lemondrop78]

Hi Fencesitter,
I haven't been on this forum forever! How is your case coming along? I am in a standstill right now. My husband got an email on Nov 5th to get his fingerprints done and sent to RCMP to get a criminal clearance. So far we haven't heard anything back...we sent it off on Nov 8th. He was in Canada for more than 6 months in 1999. He doesn't have any criminal record anywhere, but so far we are still waiting! And I am hoping it didn't get lost in the mail. I read it can take 18 weeks to get results and so far it's been about 16 weeks i'm assuming from the time they should've received it. I emailed RCMP but they said they don't have his file in the system yet, which doesn't necessarily mean they didn't receive it yet. We're planning to drive to Vancouver, BC next month to get electronic fingerprints if we still don't hear anything. I"ve kept immigration in the loop and so far they have granted me extensions. They have been kind and said to let them know if we need any more extensions. I also asked if it was ok to enter Canada next month to do the fingerprints if we need to. So far no response but normally takes them about a week or 2 to write back. So i'm in standstill right now...I hope this is the last step for us before getting approved...hope they will waive the interview and hopefully don't have to redo the medical. It says medical received in my status. What about you?? are you in Canada yet??

 

[Fencesitter]

Hey Lemondrop,

Long time. Wow, it sounds like it's been a bit rough. Definitely sounds like you are coming to the end...finally.

As for us, we landed on January 30 at Vancouver. Everything went well. Received the PR card last week. All we need to do now is wait until September to fly home for good. Have our tickets booked and one suitcase packed!

Keep me posted on your progress and good luck to you and your family!

FS

 

[Lemondrop78]

Wow Fencesitter, that is amazing! So happy for you!!! That was quick! So looking at your timeline, you got the approval in September to land in Canada? how much time did they give you before you had to land? and i'm assuming it was fine to land and then return to China before you were ready to actually move! September is coming up soon! I was originally hoping to move to Canada in Aug...but now I'm not sure if we will make that deadline. We plan to enter Canada in early April if we still don't get anything back from RCMP and do the electronic fingerprints, which normally you will get results within 3 days and even sent straight to immigration I believe. Anyway, that is great to hear your news...congratulations!!! I'll keep you posted for sure.

 

[Fencesitter]

Hi LD,

Yes, my wife received her visa in September. They gave us until March 1 to land (1 year anniversary of the medical results). Yes, we landed, then stayed for a week in Vancouver, then flew back to China. No questions were asked. Getting the PR card was the best part of this whole process. It is such a relief to know that we can leave whenever we want. I cannot wait to give my resignation letter to my employer.

I actually think you should have everything finalized before August. If I were a betting man, I'd say you will have the visa by May at the latest.

Good luck and stay in touch...

FS

 

[Lemondrop78]

That was quick for you guys! So you landed and she got the PR card at that time? That allows her to work if she wanted to right? cause my husband is hoping to get the PR card when we land and be able to work soon after. You must've been over the moon when you received that letter that you can land!! I will be jumping for joy when that happens to us. Thanks for the positive thoughts...I will keep you updated! Glad to see you are still on the forum eventhough you got your approval!

 

[Fencesitter]

Over the moon doesn't come close. We were so relieved. I've honestly never done anything this difficult before. University was tough, but this was so much tougher because of the lack of control. We put our future in the hands of a visa officer...very scary!

The PR card was delivered to the Canadian address we gave when we landed. It took about 35 days for it to arrive. My parents sent it to China via FedEx.

If the fingerprints are the only thing holding up your approval, and if you only need to wait another couple of weeks to get the results, I am very confident that you will have the COPR within the next month or so...definitely before August.

Anyway, wishing you the best of luck and I really hope you get that COPR ASAP!

Regards,
FS

 

[Lemondrop78]

Thanks Fencesitter, for your positive words! I hope so...I will definitely be over the moon and relieved like you said, when we get our approval. That is great timing to get the PR card, I was wondering about that. Glad you and your family are all set to Canada...how come you are waiting til Sept to move? if you don't mind me asking. I remember you wanted to move earlier.

 

[Fencesitter]

In short, money. Between now and September I can bank about $28,000. Not something easily done in Canada, so I just have to stick it out a bit longer. Trust me, if it weren't for the money I would have been gone yesterday!

Keep me posted on your progress. If those fingerprints cause more of a delay, get up to Vancouver to do them....

FS

 

[Lemondrop78]

I wish i could save up that much within that time frame! Yes if we don't hear anything back of any progress from RCMP by mid April then we're going to head to Vancouver...6 hrs drive...not bad. Now I wish we had just gone and did that in the first place back in November. We'll see what happens. I'll let you know.

 

[Sweden]

That was quick for you guys! So you landed and she got the PR card at that time? That allows her to work if she wanted to right? cause my husband is hoping to get the PR card when we land and be able to work soon after. You must've been over the moon when you received that letter that you can land!! I will be jumping for joy when that happens to us. Thanks for the positive thoughts...I will keep you updated! Glad to see you are still on the forum eventhough you got your approval!

just to clarify - when you land, you don't get the PR card. BUT - with the stamped copy of the COPR + the passport, you can go to any Service Canada and get a SIN. YOu get the SIN right away (within 10 min!), and the SIN card 10 days later. So you don't need to wait for the PR card to arrive to be able to work. Once you got your SIN from Service Canada, you can work right away. The SIN and the COPR stamped is enough to prove to anybody that you're legally allowed to work in Canada, even without the actual PR card.
Sweden

 

[Lemondrop78]

Sweden, thanks! That's great to know...my husband will be happy about that.