- Aug 25, 2009
- 6
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Buffalo
- NOC Code......
- 0213
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- 17-SEP-2009
- Doc's Request.
- 19-NOV-2009
- AOR Received.
- 14-APR-2010, In Process 08-SEP-2010
- Med's Request
- 14-SEP-2010
- Med's Done....
- 04-OCT-2010
- Passport Req..
- 18-NOV-2010
- VISA ISSUED...
- 23-NOV-2010
- LANDED..........
- 03-JUN-2011
Hello all,
We recently landed in Canada through Peace Bridge, Buffalo and wanted to share our experience with you.
We drove over the Peace Bridge in Buffalo over to Canada. There was no checkpoint on the US side. The checkpoint on the Canadian side looked just like a tool booth. We drove our car up to the checkpoint window and an immigration officer was sitting in it. She asked my why were we going to Canada. We told her that we had come there to land as a PR. She asked for our passports and also asked how long will we be in Canada. She asked the total of currency that we were carrying and if we were importing the car we were driving. Ours was a rental car and I said no, but also mentioned that I have to import a car later. She asked if I had a goods to follow list and I said yes.
Then she gave us a yellow slip and asked us to park our car ahead of the checkpoint on the right, where another immigration officer asked us a couple of questions on similar lines as above. We were then directed to a small building to complete landing process.
In the building, there was a very small line. We only had to wait for 5-10 minutes. The immigration officer there asked us for our Passports and COPR forms. We had to sign COPR forms (do not do this before hand, you have to sign in front of the officer). He gave one copy of the COPR forms back to us (keep it safe, it is very important paper for immigration). He also asked for proof of funds, for which I had taken by bank statement. He asked how long will we be in Canada and I said that we had come for landing and are planning to move in a couple of months after finalizing jobs, etc. He asked which address was I giving for landing and I told him that it is my close friend's address and I am planning to stay with him till I get a place of my own. He said that the PR card should be sent at the same address (wrote the address on the COPR form).
Then he asked us to see the customs officer, sitting just opposite to him. The customs officer asked us about goods to follow list, which I had pre-written. He also took the yellow slip that we had got at the checkpoint before. He checked it and wrote the total. He then signed and stamped it and gave me a copy, which he asked me to bring along with the goods later. Remember to take printed photos (2 copies) of jewelery if you have mentioned it on the goods to follow list.
He then asked us to go to the payment counter, where they gave us a receipt that mentioned total value of goods to follow. As a new PR, you do not have to pay duty, so the duty was $0 and we did not have to make any payment there.
We then went back to our rental car and drove into Canada. Canada looks just like US, except the road signs are in Km and not in Miles.
On our way back, we went over the same bridge, this time from Canada into US. The checkpoint was on the US side this time and the immigration officer asked for our passports and asked why had we gone to Canada and how long were we there. We then drove into US.
Hope this helps!
Some general notes.
1. Be sure to stop and WAIT at the stop sign just before the tool booth window. It says STOP in big letters but it also says in small letter just under it to wait for the vehicle ahead of you to clear the window.
2. Make sure you read Qorax's all about landing thread for documentation required at the time of landing. One exception (maybe the rule changed?) is that you do not have to fill any PR card application form. The immigration officer said that the COPR form itself will be used to apply for the PR card and the photo on the COPR will be used for the same. So, no need of photos either.
We recently landed in Canada through Peace Bridge, Buffalo and wanted to share our experience with you.
We drove over the Peace Bridge in Buffalo over to Canada. There was no checkpoint on the US side. The checkpoint on the Canadian side looked just like a tool booth. We drove our car up to the checkpoint window and an immigration officer was sitting in it. She asked my why were we going to Canada. We told her that we had come there to land as a PR. She asked for our passports and also asked how long will we be in Canada. She asked the total of currency that we were carrying and if we were importing the car we were driving. Ours was a rental car and I said no, but also mentioned that I have to import a car later. She asked if I had a goods to follow list and I said yes.
Then she gave us a yellow slip and asked us to park our car ahead of the checkpoint on the right, where another immigration officer asked us a couple of questions on similar lines as above. We were then directed to a small building to complete landing process.
In the building, there was a very small line. We only had to wait for 5-10 minutes. The immigration officer there asked us for our Passports and COPR forms. We had to sign COPR forms (do not do this before hand, you have to sign in front of the officer). He gave one copy of the COPR forms back to us (keep it safe, it is very important paper for immigration). He also asked for proof of funds, for which I had taken by bank statement. He asked how long will we be in Canada and I said that we had come for landing and are planning to move in a couple of months after finalizing jobs, etc. He asked which address was I giving for landing and I told him that it is my close friend's address and I am planning to stay with him till I get a place of my own. He said that the PR card should be sent at the same address (wrote the address on the COPR form).
Then he asked us to see the customs officer, sitting just opposite to him. The customs officer asked us about goods to follow list, which I had pre-written. He also took the yellow slip that we had got at the checkpoint before. He checked it and wrote the total. He then signed and stamped it and gave me a copy, which he asked me to bring along with the goods later. Remember to take printed photos (2 copies) of jewelery if you have mentioned it on the goods to follow list.
He then asked us to go to the payment counter, where they gave us a receipt that mentioned total value of goods to follow. As a new PR, you do not have to pay duty, so the duty was $0 and we did not have to make any payment there.
We then went back to our rental car and drove into Canada. Canada looks just like US, except the road signs are in Km and not in Miles.
On our way back, we went over the same bridge, this time from Canada into US. The checkpoint was on the US side this time and the immigration officer asked for our passports and asked why had we gone to Canada and how long were we there. We then drove into US.
Hope this helps!
Some general notes.
1. Be sure to stop and WAIT at the stop sign just before the tool booth window. It says STOP in big letters but it also says in small letter just under it to wait for the vehicle ahead of you to clear the window.
2. Make sure you read Qorax's all about landing thread for documentation required at the time of landing. One exception (maybe the rule changed?) is that you do not have to fill any PR card application form. The immigration officer said that the COPR form itself will be used to apply for the PR card and the photo on the COPR will be used for the same. So, no need of photos either.
