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amikety said:
Very nice to see people planning ahead! Hopefully, I'll join this group officially in the new year! :D

Hey did you do inland spousal and how long did it take
 
Cirene, thank you very much for information :)

By the way while you are waiting for PR with what driving licence can I drive? 180 days like tourist I could drive my national licence (This what I did). And If I become person without status how can I drive? I can pass exam in ICBC certainly, but will they let me receive BC driving license? And I am driving at least 4 hours per day, for me it s very important.

And why the customs will not let you go back if you have valid passport and valid travel visa??? What reason can be?
 
Rusalka said:
Cirene, thank you very much for information :)

By the way while you are waiting for PR with what driving licence can I drive? 180 days like tourist I could drive my national licence (This what I did). And If I become person without status how can I drive? I can pass exam in ICBC certainly, but will they let me receive BC driving license? And I am driving at least 4 hours per day, for me it s very important.

And why the customs will not let you go back if you have valid passport and valid travel visa??? What reason can be?

I think it depends on the provinces and territories. I live in Alberta and I can apply for a driver's licence but I need to translate it from Spanish to English. But i know you can drive with an international driver's licence, what I'll advise you is to call a registry and they will answer you as they deal with this every day and tell you what to do, because there are rules about this.

About customs, I'm not sure, all I know is that when you apply for a visa extension, in the bottom of the permit says something like this: You may not be allowed into Canada if you decide to leave. I personally haven't heard anybody saying that they had been denied entry so far, but I don't know hehe. I heard that is a risk, even for people that come from countries that are visa exempt.
 
Hi guys

Does anyone know how many christmas holidays cic

Have is it just week or more
 
aman gill said:
Hi guys

Does anyone know how many christmas holidays cic

Have is it just week or more

I think they will be back in the office just after New Years.. Maybe from the 23rd to 2nd of January or so.
 
Rusalka said:
Cirene, thank you very much for information :)

By the way while you are waiting for PR with what driving licence can I drive? 180 days like tourist I could drive my national licence (This what I did). And If I become person without status how can I drive? I can pass exam in ICBC certainly, but will they let me receive BC driving license? And I am driving at least 4 hours per day, for me it s very important.

And why the customs will not let you go back if you have valid passport and valid travel visa??? What reason can be?

Rusalka, I am also in BC. According to the ICBC website new "residents" must apply for a new BC driving licence within 90 days. Tourists have 180 days. Some countries have reciprocal agreements with BC (USA, Germany, etc.) and you can simply exchange your licence with no exam or driving test. My wife does not come from a reciprocal country and just tried to take the exam and was refused at two offices on the basis of not having "Canadian govt. issued primary ID". They would not accept her TRV and needed to see PR or OWP document. They told her since she is over the 90 days she can no longer drive. Crazy.
 
Tiger56 said:
Rusalka, I am also in BC. According to the ICBC website new "residents" must apply for a new BC driving licence within 90 days. Tourists have 180 days. Some countries have reciprocal agreements with BC (USA, Germany, etc.) and you can simply exchange your licence with no exam or driving test. My wife does not come from a reciprocal country and just tried to take the exam and was refused at two offices on the basis of not having "Canadian govt. issued primary ID". They would not accept her TRV and needed to see PR or OWP document. They told her since she is over the 90 days she can no longer drive. Crazy.

Same here in MB. MPI issued me a driver's license (after passing road test) that was valid up until 6 months from my last entry into Canada. When that period had elapsed, they gave me a one-time 6 month extension (which takes me up till January 2014). They said they could extend it if I had a study or work permit, or if I acquired PR status. I'm not quite sure if things would be any different if I had extended my visitor status (I'm not sure whether that would have extended my visa validity - a 3-year multiple-entry one is what I have already - or would have extended my 6-month permitted legal stay).

I'm an April 2013 applicant and by how things are moving along, I expect I will have to brave the Manitoban winter from hell without being able to drive.
 
Tiger56, MaddyD, great! :(
I am driving every day children to school and from school, to tennis, music and so on, not counting shopping, doctors (I am pregnant) and so on. How I should do it, on taxi?
If I go to USA for 2 weeks for Christmas and then come back - my 180 days of visitor will again begin to count from zero? In this case will I be able to drive next 180 days like tourist?
 
Hi guys
Everyone who messaged/posted has been added. If I am missing anyone lemme know.
 
Hi everyone,

Well it's been quite a week for me. AIP + DM on December 3rd, haven't heard anything about my OWP, BUT today I got my landing letter in the mail!!!! Unbelievable! 2 days after AIP/DM the letter got to us, that is unreal timing.

I land in Edmonton on December 23rd. Can't believe it's all over.

We sent our app on January 22nd 2013, and it's all over Decemeber 23 2013, so basically 11 months for everything.

To those still waiting and dealing with the frustrations. I know exactly how it feels, and how sad it can be seeing other people get positive news. Don't worry though, once things speed up again CIC was really moving there for a while and they moved a few months ahead in only a few weeks.

I would strongly recommend those that haven't paid all the fees or haven't submitted your medicals to do so sooner rather than later. We did all of our stuff upfront and essentially got AIP/DM/Landing letter in a 3 day span. If your a February-April applicant I would get the fees and medicals done very soon!
 
CANUSA31 said:
Hi everyone,

Well it's been quite a week for me. AIP + DM on December 3rd, haven't heard anything about my OWP, BUT today I got my landing letter in the mail!!!! Unbelievable! 2 days after AIP/DM the letter got to us, that is unreal timing.

I land in Edmonton on December 23rd. Can't believe it's all over.

We sent our app on January 22nd 2013, and it's all over Decemeber 23 2013, so basically 11 months for everything.

To those still waiting and dealing with the frustrations. I know exactly how it feels, and how sad it can be seeing other people get positive news. Don't worry though, once things speed up again CIC was really moving there for a while and they moved a few months ahead in only a few weeks.

I would strongly recommend those that haven't paid all the fees or haven't submitted your medicals to do so sooner rather than later. We did all of our stuff upfront and essentially got AIP/DM/Landing letter in a 3 day span. If your a February-April applicant I would get the fees and medicals done very soon!

Wow CANUSA that's amazing news! You are very lucky, that must be some sort of record haha, I think I'll be happier with a landing letter in the mail than the OWP itself hah. HUGE CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so excited for you ;D
 
CANUSA31 said:
Hi everyone,

Well it's been quite a week for me. AIP + DM on December 3rd, haven't heard anything about my OWP, BUT today I got my landing letter in the mail!!!! Unbelievable! 2 days after AIP/DM the letter got to us, that is unreal timing.

I land in Edmonton on December 23rd. Can't believe it's all over.

We sent our app on January 22nd 2013, and it's all over Decemeber 23 2013, so basically 11 months for everything.

To those still waiting and dealing with the frustrations. I know exactly how it feels, and how sad it can be seeing other people get positive news. Don't worry though, once things speed up again CIC was really moving there for a while and they moved a few months ahead in only a few weeks.

I would strongly recommend those that haven't paid all the fees or haven't submitted your medicals to do so sooner rather than later. We did all of our stuff upfront and essentially got AIP/DM/Landing letter in a 3 day span. If your a February-April applicant I would get the fees and medicals done very soon!

Oh wow!! Congrats, congrats and congrats again CANUSA31!!
Must been such an awesome week for u ehh? =)
Now we're seeing some Christmas magic happening!
So happy for u!
Gonna be ur best Christmas so far!
 
thanks guys.

It truley is unbelieavable that it happened so fast. Here I was thinking I would have to wait till the new year for all of this stuff. I really really really hope that they continue to give AIP/DM at the same time for the applicants that have submitted medicals and paid all fees up front. Such a relief to receive both in the same day.
 
Hi CANUSA31

Congratulations....

I live in Edmonton too.

Mailed my OWP, Medical certificate, fees and Police clearance details with my application on March 4th 2013.

I think I will have to re-do medical part, it was done on Nov 20th 2012.

-niks1



CANUSA31 said:
Hi everyone,

Well it's been quite a week for me. AIP + DM on December 3rd, haven't heard anything about my OWP, BUT today I got my landing letter in the mail!!!! Unbelievable! 2 days after AIP/DM the letter got to us, that is unreal timing.

I land in Edmonton on December 23rd. Can't believe it's all over.

We sent our app on January 22nd 2013, and it's all over Decemeber 23 2013, so basically 11 months for everything.

To those still waiting and dealing with the frustrations. I know exactly how it feels, and how sad it can be seeing other people get positive news. Don't worry though, once things speed up again CIC was really moving there for a while and they moved a few months ahead in only a few weeks.

I would strongly recommend those that haven't paid all the fees or haven't submitted your medicals to do so sooner rather than later. We did all of our stuff upfront and essentially got AIP/DM/Landing letter in a 3 day span. If your a February-April applicant I would get the fees and medicals done very soon!
 
Very cool niks! I will let you know how the landing visit goes and if you have any questions I can help you out for yours.

Hopefully they don't make you re-do the medical. Ours cost us about $400 in Edmonton.

I'm hoping they get going again and you hear some good news in January!