Before anything, I want to point out that although I did a "soft" landing, I did not at any point mention that I was only staying for a week. All I ever said was that I was becoming a permanent resident. I chose to do my goods to follow at the time of landing, but you are technically not obligated to do so if you do not have the intention of starting residence at the time of landing. ("Variation Between Customs/Immigration Legislation")
What happened:
I checked in for my flight as usual in the US. As a US citizen, I only provided my US passport as my travel document and made no mention of my intent to become a PR. I checked one larger bag with some items that I'm leaving with my SO to lighten the load later on.
The flight was pretty uneventful and I chatted with a lady from Toronto for the duration of it. They passed out customs forms early in the flight and I filled out the basic info, but I ended up leaving both the "visitor" and "resident" sections blank because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to put. I also forgot that goods to follow count as "unaccompanied goods" and checked "no" for this. It should be "yes."
The first hall I encountered was passport control. Although I hold a US passport, I asked the assistant where I should go and he directed me to the "all other passports" line. When I got to a counter and explained my situation, the officer took my customs form and wrote a bunch of things on it in sharpie and highlighter and explained that I would go to immigration to have my forms signed. She asked me if I had goods to follow and I said yes, so she told me there was a chance that I might do my goods at immigration, but that I would probably do them at customs. She then instructed me to head down the hallway to the right to immigration.
I was the only person at immigration. I stood at the "wait here" sign for a couple of minutes before one of the officers waved me over to his window. He was very kind to me and asked me if I was coming on a student or work permit. I told him I was becoming a permanent resident and he was surprised, saying they don't get a lot of Americans and that the last one he processed was probably four or five months ago. He cross-checked my information between the passport and CoPR to make sure it was accurate (something you should also do when you get your CoPR, by the way) and then started entering things into his computer. We chatted a little bit about the process and he said it's the worst when you had large families because then it's difficult to keep track of all the forms during processing, so sometimes one of them gets missed and someone has to come all the way back to get things fixed. He asked me if I had been convicted of any crimes (no), if I had any dependents (no), and how much money I had on me. I asked him if he meant cash and he said yes, so I answered honestly, saying it was around $200. He seemed concerned and said that I had stated in my application that I had like $15k. I explained that that was all in my bank account and that I had the latest statement if he wanted to see it. He said no, that he just needed to report how much I was bringing in with me. I was a little concerned but it doesn't seem to have affected anything.
After about 5 minutes he was done entering things on the computer and and filled out the blank sections on my CoPR. He asked if I had an address for my PR card and I provided him a typed copy, which he then wrote on the CoPR and entered into the computer. Then he handed me both CoPR forms and asked me to sign in three areas. He also instructed me to write the date as he did (year-month-day) and not the way we write it in the states, saying how in Canada they don't have any standardized date format. I noticed he had not filled in the "last entry date" and "undertaking (mos)" section and asked him about it, and he said that those would only be filled if I had been in Canada before on another visa like a work permit or student visa, as sometimes the time spent on those visas counts towards things like citizenship.
Finally, he stapled and folded my CoPR into my passport. I asked him if it would be okay to unstaple it as I'm renewing my passport soon and he said it would not be a problem, especially once I've received my PR card. He directed me to customs, where I'd be able to do my goods to follow. He also said that usually there's a booth there to get my SIN, but since it was a weekend, they weren't open, so I'd have to go to a Service Canada (and not Service Ontario!) another time. He congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I thanked him and went on my way.
As I proceeded, I was stopped by a little kiosk by the door. He asked to see my CoPR and started entering information into his computer. I asked what it was for and he said they collected information on new permanent residents. As he said that, someone walked out of a room down the hall with a red bag and came towards us. He pulled some documents from the bag and said he was giving me some information like a guide to getting/using a SIN and healthcare, tips on integrating into Canada, and a welcome book (PDF linked at end). I thanked him, got my passport/CoPR back, and went on down the hall.
Goods to follow:
The hallway led to baggage claim. I located the appropriate carousel and saw that it was pretty much empty. I looked around a bit to see if they'd pulled my bag off to the side, but then I saw my bag come around the bend and grabbed it. Since I didn't see a window for customs, I just got in line like everyone else. I handed the officer at the desk my customs form and explained that I needed to see customs because I was a new permanent resident. He pointed me down a long hall to the right and handed my form back.
Customs was nearly empty and there were only two other groups there the entire time I was there. I waited at the "wait here" sign for 5 or so minutes before an officer entered one of the booths and waved me over.
I explained that I was a new PR and needed to do my goods documentation. He said that he needed to see my customs document first, which I handed over. He looked at it for a bit and noted some things, then asked me if there was a reason I had checked no to "unaccompanied goods." I had totally forgotten that "goods to follow" count as unaccompanied goods, since I planned on bringing all my goods over with me when I moved permanently. I apologized that I didn't realize that's what it meant, and he made some more notes and asked me about my goods. I provided my list of goods (an excel sheet with categorized items, estimated values on each item and a total value at the end). I explained how I had set it up and noted that the value at the end included my car. He said that for these purposes the car needed to be separated from the value of the goods, but otherwise did not make any comments on my items. He told me it would be a few minutes and started preparing a form BSF186 on my behalf. In the goods section, he just wrote "see attached". He asked for the address I expected to be at and I provided the typed address again. He then stamped each page of my goods list, my CoPR, my passport, and the BSF186. On my CoPR and passport stamps he wrote "GTF" and a code number on them, which I believe corresponds to their internal documentation.
He then took the papers to the back and I presume copied them, then returned with a receipt for $0 taxes paid. He had removed the staple from my original list and re-stapled it (upside down and out of order...) to the receipt and BSF186. He handed the packet to me and said I should provide it when I bring the rest of my goods and I won't have to pay any taxes on them. I thanked him and he told me to follow him and he would show me to the exit. As we got to the door, he congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I headed down the hall.
The hall looped around to the left and connected to the arrivals exit that most people come out of after getting their checked bags. It was now about an hour and 10 minutes after my flight had landed and my boyfriend was there waiting for me at arrivals.
I was never asked about my accompanying goods and clearly had a big checked bag with me at the time, so even though I was prepared to give them a list, it doesn't seem to matter to them.
Getting a SIN:
Since the SIN desk was closed when I landed, we went to the local Service Canada on Monday morning. The place was almost completely empty. I approached the front kiosk and informed the woman there that I was a new PR and needed a SIN. She entered my name in their system and asked for my postal code. She told me to take a seat and that I'd be called up in a few minutes.
I was called up almost immediately after I sat down. The woman at the booth confirmed my situation with me and told me to take a seat after I handed over my passport and CoPR. Then she asked me to state my name (since I have a middle initial on my CoPR I need to state it when I talk to them) and birth date. She also asked for my parents' names, the date I landed, and my address. Finally, she confirmed the information I had provided to her with me, then printed off my SIN on a piece of paper and handed it to me, along with a packet explaining what it's for and when I need to and don't need to provide my SIN. The paper explains that they don't issue "cards" any more and that the paper is all I'm going to get, so it was important to keep it safe.
Helpful Links:
Landing in Canada (Settlement.org)
Welcome to Canada book (IRCC)
What happened:
I checked in for my flight as usual in the US. As a US citizen, I only provided my US passport as my travel document and made no mention of my intent to become a PR. I checked one larger bag with some items that I'm leaving with my SO to lighten the load later on.
The flight was pretty uneventful and I chatted with a lady from Toronto for the duration of it. They passed out customs forms early in the flight and I filled out the basic info, but I ended up leaving both the "visitor" and "resident" sections blank because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to put. I also forgot that goods to follow count as "unaccompanied goods" and checked "no" for this. It should be "yes."
The first hall I encountered was passport control. Although I hold a US passport, I asked the assistant where I should go and he directed me to the "all other passports" line. When I got to a counter and explained my situation, the officer took my customs form and wrote a bunch of things on it in sharpie and highlighter and explained that I would go to immigration to have my forms signed. She asked me if I had goods to follow and I said yes, so she told me there was a chance that I might do my goods at immigration, but that I would probably do them at customs. She then instructed me to head down the hallway to the right to immigration.
I was the only person at immigration. I stood at the "wait here" sign for a couple of minutes before one of the officers waved me over to his window. He was very kind to me and asked me if I was coming on a student or work permit. I told him I was becoming a permanent resident and he was surprised, saying they don't get a lot of Americans and that the last one he processed was probably four or five months ago. He cross-checked my information between the passport and CoPR to make sure it was accurate (something you should also do when you get your CoPR, by the way) and then started entering things into his computer. We chatted a little bit about the process and he said it's the worst when you had large families because then it's difficult to keep track of all the forms during processing, so sometimes one of them gets missed and someone has to come all the way back to get things fixed. He asked me if I had been convicted of any crimes (no), if I had any dependents (no), and how much money I had on me. I asked him if he meant cash and he said yes, so I answered honestly, saying it was around $200. He seemed concerned and said that I had stated in my application that I had like $15k. I explained that that was all in my bank account and that I had the latest statement if he wanted to see it. He said no, that he just needed to report how much I was bringing in with me. I was a little concerned but it doesn't seem to have affected anything.
After about 5 minutes he was done entering things on the computer and and filled out the blank sections on my CoPR. He asked if I had an address for my PR card and I provided him a typed copy, which he then wrote on the CoPR and entered into the computer. Then he handed me both CoPR forms and asked me to sign in three areas. He also instructed me to write the date as he did (year-month-day) and not the way we write it in the states, saying how in Canada they don't have any standardized date format. I noticed he had not filled in the "last entry date" and "undertaking (mos)" section and asked him about it, and he said that those would only be filled if I had been in Canada before on another visa like a work permit or student visa, as sometimes the time spent on those visas counts towards things like citizenship.
Finally, he stapled and folded my CoPR into my passport. I asked him if it would be okay to unstaple it as I'm renewing my passport soon and he said it would not be a problem, especially once I've received my PR card. He directed me to customs, where I'd be able to do my goods to follow. He also said that usually there's a booth there to get my SIN, but since it was a weekend, they weren't open, so I'd have to go to a Service Canada (and not Service Ontario!) another time. He congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I thanked him and went on my way.
As I proceeded, I was stopped by a little kiosk by the door. He asked to see my CoPR and started entering information into his computer. I asked what it was for and he said they collected information on new permanent residents. As he said that, someone walked out of a room down the hall with a red bag and came towards us. He pulled some documents from the bag and said he was giving me some information like a guide to getting/using a SIN and healthcare, tips on integrating into Canada, and a welcome book (PDF linked at end). I thanked him, got my passport/CoPR back, and went on down the hall.
Goods to follow:
The hallway led to baggage claim. I located the appropriate carousel and saw that it was pretty much empty. I looked around a bit to see if they'd pulled my bag off to the side, but then I saw my bag come around the bend and grabbed it. Since I didn't see a window for customs, I just got in line like everyone else. I handed the officer at the desk my customs form and explained that I needed to see customs because I was a new permanent resident. He pointed me down a long hall to the right and handed my form back.
Customs was nearly empty and there were only two other groups there the entire time I was there. I waited at the "wait here" sign for 5 or so minutes before an officer entered one of the booths and waved me over.
I explained that I was a new PR and needed to do my goods documentation. He said that he needed to see my customs document first, which I handed over. He looked at it for a bit and noted some things, then asked me if there was a reason I had checked no to "unaccompanied goods." I had totally forgotten that "goods to follow" count as unaccompanied goods, since I planned on bringing all my goods over with me when I moved permanently. I apologized that I didn't realize that's what it meant, and he made some more notes and asked me about my goods. I provided my list of goods (an excel sheet with categorized items, estimated values on each item and a total value at the end). I explained how I had set it up and noted that the value at the end included my car. He said that for these purposes the car needed to be separated from the value of the goods, but otherwise did not make any comments on my items. He told me it would be a few minutes and started preparing a form BSF186 on my behalf. In the goods section, he just wrote "see attached". He asked for the address I expected to be at and I provided the typed address again. He then stamped each page of my goods list, my CoPR, my passport, and the BSF186. On my CoPR and passport stamps he wrote "GTF" and a code number on them, which I believe corresponds to their internal documentation.
He then took the papers to the back and I presume copied them, then returned with a receipt for $0 taxes paid. He had removed the staple from my original list and re-stapled it (upside down and out of order...) to the receipt and BSF186. He handed the packet to me and said I should provide it when I bring the rest of my goods and I won't have to pay any taxes on them. I thanked him and he told me to follow him and he would show me to the exit. As we got to the door, he congratulated me and said welcome to Canada, and I headed down the hall.
The hall looped around to the left and connected to the arrivals exit that most people come out of after getting their checked bags. It was now about an hour and 10 minutes after my flight had landed and my boyfriend was there waiting for me at arrivals.
I was never asked about my accompanying goods and clearly had a big checked bag with me at the time, so even though I was prepared to give them a list, it doesn't seem to matter to them.
Getting a SIN:
Since the SIN desk was closed when I landed, we went to the local Service Canada on Monday morning. The place was almost completely empty. I approached the front kiosk and informed the woman there that I was a new PR and needed a SIN. She entered my name in their system and asked for my postal code. She told me to take a seat and that I'd be called up in a few minutes.
I was called up almost immediately after I sat down. The woman at the booth confirmed my situation with me and told me to take a seat after I handed over my passport and CoPR. Then she asked me to state my name (since I have a middle initial on my CoPR I need to state it when I talk to them) and birth date. She also asked for my parents' names, the date I landed, and my address. Finally, she confirmed the information I had provided to her with me, then printed off my SIN on a piece of paper and handed it to me, along with a packet explaining what it's for and when I need to and don't need to provide my SIN. The paper explains that they don't issue "cards" any more and that the paper is all I'm going to get, so it was important to keep it safe.
Helpful Links:
Landing in Canada (Settlement.org)
Welcome to Canada book (IRCC)
