- Nov 22, 2009
- 22
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Was Buffalo now NY
- NOC Code......
- 0213
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- 17-11-2008
- AOR Received.
- 18-03-2009
- File Transfer...
- 28-10-2009
- Med's Request
- 30-11-2009
- Med's Done....
- 22-12-2009
- Interview........
- Waived
- Passport Req..
- 25-1-2010
- VISA ISSUED...
- 12-2-2010
- LANDED..........
- 30-04-2010
Hello All,
We finally landed in Toronto on April 30th. In short, the process was extremely smooth, if you want more details read on...
We took a flight from Washington DC to Toronto on April 30th, it was the shortest international flight we ever took (1hr!). The plane itself was a United express shuttle with two seats on one side and one on the other and 18 rows. To both of us we felt royal as though in a private charter.
Things happened too quickly as my employer agreed that I could work in my canadian subsidiary for a month and do the landing formalities.
While leaving the US I ensured that my I94 was collected by the airline, they almost forgot and I had to remind them. Around 40 minutes into the flight a customs card was provided, we filled some details but were not sure of the address to be written in "Home Address".
We landed and continued towards immigration, I am unsure if it was the timing but the lines were completely empty. In front of us was a group who all were asked to stand together in a counter so that freed up a lot of counters.
The person who was managing the lines could not answer our question on Home address and asked us to enquire with the officer.
The officers were so free at that time that a few of the officers huddled together to help at the counter where this group was being attended to. Anyways, we were asked to proceed to an empty counter where a lady came in later. I do not remember the exact order of questions but it went something like this:
Officer: Do you both speak English
me: Yes
Officer: Are you landing today?
me: Yes
Officer: Give me your passport and the landing papers and custom card.
me: We are not sure on "Home Address" in the customs card.
officer: Where do you reside permanently?
me: Well we are coming from the US but we are citizens of India
officer: Fill in the Indian address.
Officer: Are you coming from the US?
me: Yes
Officer: Do you intend to flyback within 30 days?
me: No ( I think this question came up because I still have a valid US Visa)
Officer: Where are you living here in Canada during the stay
me: We have accommodation in Canada.
Officer: OK, is this place an apartment or a Hotel
me: Its a place for temporary stay that we have arranged, its not a hotel but a furnished apartment.
Officer: I cannot apply for your PR card today because you don't have a permanent place to stay,
me: (a bit worried) But we would be in the address for a month, wont it be coming within that timeframe?
Officer: It takes 6 weeks but the time cannot be guaranteed, we don't want it to be used by someone else to steal your identity. I will provide you a fax form and a number, fax them the card when you get a place to stay in.
me: OK
Officer: You do understand that without a PR card if you travel out of Canada, you have to get a authorization to validate and travel back to Canada, even for the US?
me: Yes, I understand ( thinking she probably doesn't know I visit this forum often
)
Officer: Alright, welcome to Canada!
me: Thank you!
The officer basically took my wife's papers and gave us back the COPR which had the watermark - "not authorized as a travel document"
Next, we spotted a currency exchange counter as we had only USD and traveler's checks. We first exchanged some cash and enquired if they took travelers checks. She said yes and claimed that they would provide the best rates not even available in banks. She also promised to waive off the $4.95 processing fee.
Well, this was our mistake we did not cross verify and parted with half our money. at a rate of 0.92 to the USD we didn't realize that we were paid less ( next day for the rest of the money in a bank it was 0.99 to USD and a few days ago it went even up). It was definitely not fluctuation but just how the exchange was done in the airport.
Next, we went to customs, my wife had already pre-filled and printed the goods to carry and goods to follow lists ( I found a fillable version in British expat forums) . Again, here the counters were empty, the guy at the counter asked for the goods to follow and did not even consider the goods to carry. We had a excel cover sheet apart from the form and he asked us to total the value, which took us a bit of time. He asked us how we were shipping the goods.
He went out and came back with a printed voucher of sort and told us to keep it just in case the courier is stopped at customs and we might be called.
He then asked us to proceed out towards the exit. Overall the customs+ immigration+ money exchange took an hour and at no point did we feel unwelcome or in lack of documentation.
We then took a cab to our destination and were happy to be in Canada.
We later got an email from UPS telling us that our shipment was held because they needed clarification on what we were shipping, I called into UPS and they just needed to know what the goods were, after we explained he said he had noted it and it should be OK.
We called in next day to check and the boxes were released without an issue ( no call from customs !) and were received next day.
if you guys are interested I can share my experience about local systems like SIN, Bank accounts, getting a cellphone, talking to the neighborhood new immigrant assistance, cost of living, television programming etc. Of course this would be in comparison to how it is in Virginia, US.
Hope this is of use to help to you guys, I had a pleasant landing and really like the country. Its chilly in the evening in Toronto but all the warm people that I have met offsets that easily.
We finally landed in Toronto on April 30th. In short, the process was extremely smooth, if you want more details read on...
We took a flight from Washington DC to Toronto on April 30th, it was the shortest international flight we ever took (1hr!). The plane itself was a United express shuttle with two seats on one side and one on the other and 18 rows. To both of us we felt royal as though in a private charter.
Things happened too quickly as my employer agreed that I could work in my canadian subsidiary for a month and do the landing formalities.
While leaving the US I ensured that my I94 was collected by the airline, they almost forgot and I had to remind them. Around 40 minutes into the flight a customs card was provided, we filled some details but were not sure of the address to be written in "Home Address".
We landed and continued towards immigration, I am unsure if it was the timing but the lines were completely empty. In front of us was a group who all were asked to stand together in a counter so that freed up a lot of counters.
The person who was managing the lines could not answer our question on Home address and asked us to enquire with the officer.
The officers were so free at that time that a few of the officers huddled together to help at the counter where this group was being attended to. Anyways, we were asked to proceed to an empty counter where a lady came in later. I do not remember the exact order of questions but it went something like this:
Officer: Do you both speak English
me: Yes
Officer: Are you landing today?
me: Yes
Officer: Give me your passport and the landing papers and custom card.
me: We are not sure on "Home Address" in the customs card.
officer: Where do you reside permanently?
me: Well we are coming from the US but we are citizens of India
officer: Fill in the Indian address.
Officer: Are you coming from the US?
me: Yes
Officer: Do you intend to flyback within 30 days?
me: No ( I think this question came up because I still have a valid US Visa)
Officer: Where are you living here in Canada during the stay
me: We have accommodation in Canada.
Officer: OK, is this place an apartment or a Hotel
me: Its a place for temporary stay that we have arranged, its not a hotel but a furnished apartment.
Officer: I cannot apply for your PR card today because you don't have a permanent place to stay,
me: (a bit worried) But we would be in the address for a month, wont it be coming within that timeframe?
Officer: It takes 6 weeks but the time cannot be guaranteed, we don't want it to be used by someone else to steal your identity. I will provide you a fax form and a number, fax them the card when you get a place to stay in.
me: OK
Officer: You do understand that without a PR card if you travel out of Canada, you have to get a authorization to validate and travel back to Canada, even for the US?
me: Yes, I understand ( thinking she probably doesn't know I visit this forum often
)Officer: Alright, welcome to Canada!
me: Thank you!
The officer basically took my wife's papers and gave us back the COPR which had the watermark - "not authorized as a travel document"
Next, we spotted a currency exchange counter as we had only USD and traveler's checks. We first exchanged some cash and enquired if they took travelers checks. She said yes and claimed that they would provide the best rates not even available in banks. She also promised to waive off the $4.95 processing fee.
Well, this was our mistake we did not cross verify and parted with half our money. at a rate of 0.92 to the USD we didn't realize that we were paid less ( next day for the rest of the money in a bank it was 0.99 to USD and a few days ago it went even up). It was definitely not fluctuation but just how the exchange was done in the airport.
Next, we went to customs, my wife had already pre-filled and printed the goods to carry and goods to follow lists ( I found a fillable version in British expat forums) . Again, here the counters were empty, the guy at the counter asked for the goods to follow and did not even consider the goods to carry. We had a excel cover sheet apart from the form and he asked us to total the value, which took us a bit of time. He asked us how we were shipping the goods.
He went out and came back with a printed voucher of sort and told us to keep it just in case the courier is stopped at customs and we might be called.
He then asked us to proceed out towards the exit. Overall the customs+ immigration+ money exchange took an hour and at no point did we feel unwelcome or in lack of documentation.
We then took a cab to our destination and were happy to be in Canada.
We later got an email from UPS telling us that our shipment was held because they needed clarification on what we were shipping, I called into UPS and they just needed to know what the goods were, after we explained he said he had noted it and it should be OK.
We called in next day to check and the boxes were released without an issue ( no call from customs !) and were received next day.
if you guys are interested I can share my experience about local systems like SIN, Bank accounts, getting a cellphone, talking to the neighborhood new immigrant assistance, cost of living, television programming etc. Of course this would be in comparison to how it is in Virginia, US.
Hope this is of use to help to you guys, I had a pleasant landing and really like the country. Its chilly in the evening in Toronto but all the warm people that I have met offsets that easily.
