How important is it to get the SIN immly?

[rhetorisch]

Hello friends,

I wish to land in Canada soon but will be there only for a few days, essentially to complete the landing formalities. I will then be travelling back as I have numerous things to be sorted here before I live in Canada permanently.

I want some of you to tell me if it is a must for me to get the SIN at any service canada office during these few days that I am there. If not I would be saving time and getting only the important things done and come back. So please tell me clearly if I need to get the SIN asap or can I apply for a SIN once I go there permanently? Would it matter eventually? I wouldnt want any of the authorities to question me later.

So please advise.
Thanks so much in advance

 

[steaky]

No, you can get the SIN Card later when you wish to live in Canada permanently.

 

[rhetorisch]

Thanks for this Steaky. It may be up to a year till I start living over there. In view of this what would you advise? I would also need my PR cards well in time before I get there a second time. Once the landing formalities are through, the single entry visa wouldnt be valid for a second entry. In view of all this would you still feel that I can wait till I get there to apply for a SIN??

Thanks in advance

 

[steaky]

You can apply the SIN card anytime (within the year you landed or at a later time). As for the PR card, do you have a relative/friend who lives in Canada and willing to send the PR card to you while you are overseas? If not, you might need a PR travel document to re-enter Canada without a valid PR card.

 

[rhetorisch]

Hello again Steaky,

Well the PR card thing can be sorted out. I know someone there who can help me with it and it is his address that I would need to provide at the airport when I do the landing bits. Do you know how long it takes to get the PR cards? I am told it can take upto 2 months.

Secondly do you know which banks offer bank accounts free of charge? I would want to open one. Donno if I would need the SIN to open one.

Kindly let me have your ideas.

Thanks so much

 

[steaky]

I only know about Vancouver. One member said it took 55 days for the PR card to send to him from CIC.

Other members in this forum suggest Scotia Bank and TD which bank accounts are offered free of Charge. As I don't have experience with the two banks, I'm not sure if they require SIN or not.

 

[whoopi83]

It's possible you will need your SIN to open a bank account, I did. Bank accounts can be free at most institutions but its the plan and/or transactions that cost you money. I can only give personal experience which was BMO opened a newcomers account for me with a good banking plan free for the first 12 months. I'm sure CIBC and all the others do similar.

Reference your SIN, it doesn't take long for that; I took my COPR and passport to a service Canada centre and they did it all then and there - probably 30 minutes. The card itself will come in the mail but they will give you your SIN number to use.

PR card can take a while.... 6 weeks for me.

 

[rhetorisch]

Thanks a lot for the information Whoopi. Much appreciated!

 

[apache]

you definitely need your SIN if you plan to open a bank account. most banks offer good packages to new comers. ours is scotiabnak, and they even gave us credit cards already!

if you live in BC, plus you also need SIn when you enroll with MSP. they allow of up to 11mos only of delay in your registration

hope this helps

 

[rhetorisch]

Hello Apache,

Thanks for responding. Can you clearly tell me what Mos and MSP is? i Guess mos is nothing but months but just to reconfirm. Which registration are you referring to? Kindly make it clearer.

Could you tell me the kind of current account plan Scotia bank has offered you? I am keen to know the bank charges.

Many Thanks in advance.

 

[apache]

scotiabank offered us powerchequing

MSp is medical services plan. we're in BC, so its MSP for BC. there's 3mos waiting period (the remaining days of the month when you applied plus 2 months)

 

[CharlotteJ]

Rhetorisch,

Your mailbox is full, we can't reply to you. Sorry...

Your SIN is indeed important if you want to open a bank account, but you can also use your passport and/or your ID number of the place of origin to do so.

I did it myself and it was no problem at all, last week when I applied for my SIN, I simply entered a bank branch and asked them to attach the SIN onto my bank account. Not such a big deal and easily done.

 

[rhetorisch]

Charlotte I fail to understand why my mailbox is full. I have just two messages in my inbox and 2 in my outbox and it does indicate that it is full. Dont know if the capacity can be increased at all. Is there a way out?? Shall be grateful if you or someone else can lemme know. Really need it.

Thanks in advance

R