Landing at Calgary - Please advise

[canadapr98]

Dear Leon, and Friends;

Please help me on the below:

I am planning to land in Calgary on Oct 20th (Saturday) to complete my landing process (I am an AINP candidate). I am traveling from USA. Planning to stay in Calgary on Sunday, and flying back on Monday around 2 pm from Calgary. I have the following questions. Please advise.

1) On Monday morning, I am thinking of applying for SIN. I understand that the whole process does not take more than 30 minutes. Please confirm.

2) Is it compulsory to open a bank account? Any benefits by opening a bank account in Canada?

3) When flying back from Calgary to Chicago; where does the immigration check take place for USA? Is it at Calgary airport or Chicago Airport?

4) Health card - I am thinking of applying for it when I move back to Alberta permanently in March 2013. I understand I cannot apply it for now. Please confirm.

I will land, apply for SIN, and open a bank account (based on your advice). Please advise if I am missing anything from my landing process. Thanks.

I appreciate your responses.

 

[steaky]

Just complete the landing process and you don't have to the things you asked if you not living in Calgary for good.

 

[Leon]

1) Don't bother. You can do it when you are back to stay. Just enjoy your short time

2) No, no benefits. You can do this later. The only benefit is maybe that if you have an account before you move, you can wire money into it instead of carrying with you. If you want to open an interest bearing account right away, you will need the SIN.

3) In Calgary. It is called a pre-clearance, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance the Canada section.

4) Nope, you must be residing in AB to apply. This time, you are only visiting.

Don't worry, just enjoy your short stay. You can do all those things in March.

 

[canadapr98]

Just complete the landing process and you don't have to the things you asked if you not living in Calgary for good.

Thank you, Steaky.

 

[canadapr98]

1) Don't bother. You can do it when you are back to stay. Just enjoy your short time

2) No, no benefits. You can do this later. The only benefit is maybe that if you have an account before you move, you can wire money into it instead of carrying with you. If you want to open an interest bearing account right away, you will need the SIN.

3) In Calgary. It is called a pre-clearance, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance the Canada section.

4) Nope, you must be residing in AB to apply. This time, you are only visiting.

Don't worry, just enjoy your short stay. You can do all those things in March.

Thank you, Leon. Your responses really help me in making a decision on my travel and to plan properly. You were amazing, as always.

 

[bkd1969]

Thank you, Leon. Your responses really help me in making a decision on my travel and to plan properly. You were amazing, as always.

you are not planning to land in the port near US border for some specific reason? I am planning to land this month in buffalo border first, do not care if they apply pr card for me or not this time since I can apply later, and I will move to Canada by land in the future. If they apply PR Card for me, I can take it though. I have secured a place to live in Calgary, so I am going to use it as my address in Calgary. I just plan to complete the whole process by landing in buffalo. I am in Ohio, BTW.

 

[canadapr98]

you are not planning to land in the port near US border for some specific reason? I am planning to land this month in buffalo border first, do not care if they apply pr card for me or not this time since I can apply later, and I will move to Canada by land in the future. If they apply PR Card for me, I can take it though. I have secured a place to live in Calgary, so I am going to use it as my address in Calgary. I just plan to complete the whole process by landing in buffalo. I am in Ohio, BTW.

Hi bkd1969, I am planning to move permanently to Alberta in the near future, so just wanted to go there once before and see the life style and talked to people there. That is the only reason I am landing in Alberta. Good luck with your process too.

 

[emceemouli]

Hi bkd1969, I am planning to move permanently to Alberta in the near future, so just wanted to go there once before and see the life style and talked to people there. That is the only reason I am landing in Alberta. Good luck with your process too.

Just my cent....I had applied for SIN and Health card when i landed and it made my job easier when i came back to stay in Alberta permanently....SIN took me only 30 min where you give some local address and you can use your temperory SIN for applying the health card....

Thanks
Chandra

 

[canadapr98]

Just my cent....I had applied for SIN and Health card when i landed and it made my job easier when i came back to stay in Alberta permanently....SIN took me only 30 min where you give some local address and you can use your temperory SIN for applying the health card....

Thanks
Chandra

Thank you, emceemouli. Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wondering is it acceptable to apply for health card when I land, as I will not be permanently moving to Alberta during my landing. I am planning to move permanently in Mar 2013.

 

[canadapr98]

Also, another question. Is it OK to provide Edmonton's address for PR card at Calgary Airport? Or does it cause any issues?

Also, if I apply for SIN at Calgary Service Center, is it OK to provide Edmonton's address for SIN card?

Please advise. Thanks.

 

[emceemouli]

Thank you, emceemouli. Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wondering is it acceptable to apply for health card when I land, as I will not be permanently moving to Alberta during my landing. I am planning to move permanently in Mar 2013.

I think you can apply for health card and explicitly do not mention that you are not moving permanently now. I came in oct 2010 ..stayed here for 1 week..applied for PR card, SIN and Health card and went back.

Thanks
Chandra

 

[emceemouli]

Also, another question. Is it OK to provide Edmonton's address for PR card at Calgary Airport? Or does it cause any issues?

Also, if I apply for SIN at Calgary Service Center, is it OK to provide Edmonton's address for SIN card?

Please advise. Thanks.

I think it should be ok.

Thanks
Chandra

 

[canadapr98]

I think it should be ok.

Thanks
Chandra

Thanks for the info. I have sent you a Personal Message. Please respond to that, when you can. Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

[canadapr98]

Dear Leon, and Other Friends;

I am planning to land this weekend, and got couple of questions regarding the B4 forms. Please advise:

1) Goods to Follow List: I am including a laptop on the goods to follow list, however, I will buy it after I return from the landing, (during USA thanksgiving holidays); and before I move permanantely to Calgary. I will not have the serial number of the laptop in the goods to follow list. Is it acceptable to do that? I mean is it OK to purchase an item after landing, but including in the goods to follow list? Same question for TV also.

2) Sorry, if this question is already answered. Is there any limit on the worth of the total goods to be imported?

Thanks for your help.

 

[emceemouli]

Dear Leon, and Other Friends;

I am planning to land this weekend, and got couple of questions regarding the B4 forms. Please advise:

1) Goods to Follow List: I am including a laptop on the goods to follow list, however, I will buy it after I return from the landing, (during USA thanksgiving holidays); and before I move permanantely to Calgary. I will not have the serial number of the laptop in the goods to follow list. Is it acceptable to do that? I mean is it OK to purchase an item after landing, but including in the goods to follow list? Same question for TV also.

2) Sorry, if this question is already answered. Is there any limit on the worth of the total goods to be imported?

Thanks for your help.

Good question....I did the same thing for my TV...I put it in the list to follow but i bought that once i came back during thanksgiving...when the items got moved in a truck by a moving company...there was none from customs who came out to check the items..everything was cleared right from the counter...All we did was in the counter to complete the formalities...every case might be different though...

Thanks,
Chandra