I meet the PR card renewal requirements, still got called for an interview.

[YHZ]

Reporting the same problem with CIC Halifax: walked in to get my renewal PR card mid-July. I have over 1,000 Cdn days in the past 5 yrs, no other issues. The guy said I had too many stamps in my passport and gave me a list of docs to provide within 30 days. Treated me as a "fraud" from the beginning!

Melo: I wonder if it was the same guy. Shaved head, mid to late 30-s, skinny, first name Jeff (no name badge and he refused to provide a last name).
Keeps us posted on when you get your PR card please.

 

[melo]

hi YHZ,

i think it is the same guy he is more on his half forties and tall , and as soon as you see his face you think right away that he is a mean person. i had the same problem i am having more than 1300 days in the last 5 years and he told me that i have a lot of stamps in the passport . So i think this guy is a big A..hole and his job is to give RQ and stress people.

I tried to call many times because right now i dont know the mame of this agent ( i dont think he is the one verifying the file ) because i had a call back from a women telling me that she is in charge of this file and there is almnost 40 files before mine so i have to expect a oen year delay to have my case processed.

40 files in one year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! welcome to Nova Scotia

 

[Alabaman]

Well I think its about time to lodge formal complaints about CIC Halifax and CIC St. Claire. It seems these two are very notorious. Perhaps a letter to an MP or to a news paper or to the immigration minister. They are meant to serve us and not make our lives miserable.

 

[ayachi]

PR Obligation: please I need advice!

Dear All,
I’m a permanent resident card holder, I did the landing on May 2008, but due to lack of resources I couldn’t stay there with my wife and my daughter… at that time we go back to my previous company in Saudi Arabia and I carry on my job because I have a bank loan engagement there.

On June 2010 based on the advice of my friend that I have to move to CANADA or I will lose my PR according to the immigration law (To keep your status as a permanent resident, you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period) , So we move to Ontario, where my wife deliver our new baby, after that we move to Montreal on November 2011.
I left my wife and daughters there and go back to Saudi due to the engagement with the bank I have there.The summary , I can’t move to Canada now because I need to settle down my loan after one year July 2012.
As well my wife decided to go back to our home country , she do want to stay any more alone in CANADA!!!Really I’m looking for your advice, is there any chance to hold my PR??Best regards,

 

[Leon]

If you can't live in Canada, you can't keep your PR. There is a loophole that if you go back to Canada to stay before your PR card expires, you will most likely be allowed to enter and then you must stay in Canada for a full 2 years, let your PR cards expire and not leave for even one day because you can not apply for new PR cards until you have the required two years. If you do this, you would keep your PR because of an immigration regulation that states that they can only look at the last 5 year period before you apply to renew PR.

Aside from that, I do not understand why you had to leave Canada because of a loan. Surely you can pay off the loan even if you are in Canada and even if you don't pay off the loan, what can they do to you?

 

[ayachi]

[size=10pt]Thank you Leon[/size]! your answer gave me more hope, because it cost me a lot to get the PR I don't want to lose it!
My PR expires in May 2013, do you mean I still can stay out sid of Canada untill that time? Last february while entring to CA in the airport , the immigartion interviwe me and warren me verbally about the rules and candition of the PR cards, and told me to bring some proofs of my saty in canada since the landing.???

 

[Leon]

When I say you will most likely be allowed to enter, that is based on what people have said on this forum about their own experiences. The immigration officers at the airport may be hard on you like you said they were to you in February but they do not seem to report people for breach of the requirements very often.

If they wanted to, they could. If that happens, they basically start the proceedings to revoke your PR and then you would have to appeal that decision and you would probably lose as it seems you have no good reason to be outside Canada that long.

If they are just hard on you but still let you into Canada without reporting you for breach or starting the procedure to revoke your PR, you can do what I said, stay for 2 years without leaving and then apply to renew your PR card.

 

[melo]

Well I think its about time to lodge formal complaints about CIC Halifax and CIC St. Claire. It seems these two are very notorious. Perhaps a letter to an MP or to a news paper or to the immigration minister. They are meant to serve us and not make our lives miserable.

I am thimking to write a ltter to the MP and after that a letter to the minister of immigration because the delay to check the RQ file is a way too long. I took me one year to do all the immigration process and i cant understand that it takes one year to review a file.

 

[toby]

I tried to call many times because right now i dont know the mame of this agent ( i dont think he is the one verifying the file ) because i had a call back from a women telling me that she is in charge of this file and there is almnost 40 files before mine so i have to expect a oen year delay to have my case processed.

40 files in one year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! welcome to Nova Scotia

To get the first PR card takes about 43 business days. But to renew, one year or more!!?? Really?

 

[Leon]

To get the first PR card takes about 43 business days. But to renew, one year or more!!?? Really?

If you don't get called in for an interview, it takes 4-5 months to renew but if you are travelling soon and have proof, you can ask for expedited processing. If they do an RQ and want an interview, then yes, it can take a year or more.

 

[toby]

If you don't get called in for an interview, it takes 4-5 months to renew but if you are travelling soon and have proof, you can ask for expedited processing. If they do an RQ and want an interview, then yes, it can take a year or more.

WHat is an RQ, please?

Since having a lot of stamps in one's passport seems to trigger the RQ, it seems possible that the CIC officer is just being lazy, and not wanting to analyze the renewal application.

Has anyone with lots of stamps in the passport successfully renewed PR WITHOUT an interview?

If so, how? One idea is to prepare a trip list showing all trips out of Canada, referencing the passport-pages showing the stamps for each trip. This would make it easy for a CIC officer to add up the days out of Canada, hence easily calculate the days spent IN Canada.

Any other ideas?

 

[melo]

WHat is an RQ, please?

Since having a lot of stamps in one's passport seems to trigger the RQ, it seems possible that the CIC officer is just being lazy, and not wanting to analyze the renewal application.

Has anyone with lots of stamps in the passport successfully renewed PR WITHOUT an interview?

If so, how? One idea is to prepare a trip list showing all trips out of Canada, referencing the passport-pages showing the stamps for each trip. This would make it easy for a CIC officer to add up the days out of Canada, hence easily calculate the days spent IN Canada.

Any other ideas?



They dont give you this chance to explain , they hand you the RQ and ask you to bring the documents within 30 days

 

[hello2011]

Want to add to this thread because I work in US and travel frequently. No stamps are required on passport either way (to US or back to Canada). I am keeping my records on excel sheet how many days spend in Canada and outside. Keeping in mind that any part of the day spend in Canada counts through PR obligation but for Citizen, they count nights. Keeping the airlines confirmation number handy in that sheet. Asking border officer to stamp passport is asking for trouble and you will be flag in their system and will be asked every time.

If you have spend the required time in Canada, then they can not deny you but only can delay you.

Hope that helps.

Thanks!!

 

[Alabaman]

Want to add to this thread because I work in US and travel frequently. No stamps are required on passport either way (to US or back to Canada). I am keeping my records on excel sheet how many days spend in Canada and outside. Keeping in mind that any part of the day spend in Canada counts through PR obligation but for Citizen, they count nights. Keeping the airlines confirmation number handy in that sheet. Asking border officer to stamp passport is asking for trouble and you will be flag in their system and will be asked every time.

If you have spend the required time in Canada, then they can not deny you but only can delay you.

Hope that helps.

Thanks!!

Well said.

 

[YHZ]

Finally I receive another "invitation" to visit the local CIC office. Renewal PR card issued after another 10-minute discussion with officer in charge. I had to point out to her that they had already reviewed my RQ - which prompted her to look in the file and realize she didn't need to ask me any further questions. She was apparently the supervisor who had reviewed my RQ a few weeks prior.

Background for those new to this thread:
- I have well over 1000 days in the past 5 year, no other issue. Should have been an easy PR renewal.
- Renewed PR card application. Approved by Sydney, forwarded to CIC Halifax for issuance
- Showed up at CIC office mid JUL2011. Showed passport (with multiple travel stamps)
- treated as a "fraud" by a rude, lazy and incompetent CIC officer. Was given a RQ.
- Sent in 350 pages of documents (really not needed if they were to simply look at the stamps in the passport!)

Melo: did you get your PR card? You got your RQ a few weeks before me.

Toby: your idea to have a trip list is good in theory - except you have already done that when you filled-out the form to renew your PR card. Also the agent in my case did NOT even have that application form in front of him during the initial interview. The only thing he had was my new PR card sent by Sydney. He then saw my stamps in the passport and pulled a blank RQ. He had no desire to look at anything else.

Conclusion:
1) lots of stamps in your passport is a red flag for them - you'll probably get a RQ because the CIC agent is too lazy to review the stamps and reconcile your travels during your 10-minute interview.
2) looks like a supervisor is the only one authorized to review RQ and reconcile travel stamps (CIC supervisor told me she was the only one at CIC Halifax to handle RQ audits, hence the delays)
3) while CIC Halifax was reviewing my RQ (it took 7 months) I applied and received a Returning Resident Visa. That visa was issued in 24-hours. The foreign posts seem to be vastly more competent and efficient than the local CIC offices. If you are sure you meet your residency requirement then a RRV is the way to go ($50, valid 6 month, single entry).