LANDING FAIL :P

[Foreignsaurus]

Hi guys.. what's up?!

Bad news for me..

Tried to land yesterday but it didn't happen... i went to the rainbow bridge.. didn't have problems on the US side even tho I had no Visa.. I told them I wanted to make the flag pole procedure to land in Canada and it was fine. The problem was at the Canadian border.. for some reason the officer wanted me to show proof of funds, but I am under arranged employment and I am currently employeed.. then she asked me the employment letter.. which I obviously don't have since it was sent to the immigration office in the beginning of my application.. that's sort of a requirement to start the process.. then I pointed out (and shown her the paragraph on the letter I got from the immigration, listing the documents I have to provide at the border) that this letter is already on my file and it's not required at this time. The letter says I should provide a work permit as proof that I have valid AOE, and that this was validated by my lawyer.. her only response was "Your lawyer is obviously wrong".. I got effing pissed off when she said that on the tone she said.. but hey.. I am not crazy to argue with an immigration officer while trying to land.. so I just tried to find something intelligent to ask.. but nothing came to my mind other than "so, that means I have to cross again?" and she said "yes".. then I took my things and left..

basically I'll have to do it again.. cross the bridge and landing at the Canadian border once again.. I'll probably do it this Friday, February 11th..
According to my lawyer, this letter is "just some bullshit requirement at this point...", I got the HR department of my company to get another letter (they just printed the same letter from before, just different date) with company stamp, hand signature, etc.. and I'm doing it again.. my new concern now is walking into the US border asking to do a flag pole procedure, again, in less than a week.. but I guess whatever happens will happen..

I'll write here again with a lot more details about this last weekend and about the next weekend..
see you guys.. take care

 

[Simon123]

hey Foreignsaurus

sad to hear that i will land on 19th feb from US and i also got my PR under AEO ... dont know what do they mean about job offer letter since we submitted that during the proccess and also the AEO.

Do i need to get a new offer letter just to kind of tell that i am still employed?

your inputs will help ... i dont wanna water my $1000 on waste landing

 

[Foreignsaurus]

This letter is BS.. coz like you said.. we sent it in the beginning of the application.. however, due to this situation I had on my landing, I'd really recommend you to get a new letter stating the same things from your previous one, but this time, have the HR enforce the fact that you're currently employeed on a full time position.. this kind of thing won't hurt and will likely help you to avoid wasting time like I wasted.. Even tho it's not written anywhere, she leterally pulled this requirement out of her head.. I choose to comply with the request..

take care

 

[Pippin]

What a disappointment, but good of you to alert people here to the issue!
I am no expert, but I would think if you explain to the American side what happened on your first attempt and show them the document you are bringing to make the Canadian "happy", you shouldn't have a problem this time if they let you through before. I found the post below and thought you might find the list of docs he took was interesting. Good Luck.
http://www.trackitt.com/canada-discussion-forums/canadian-experience-class/485417435/landing-experience-at-rainbow-bridge-niagara-falls
Landing experience at Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls

Posted by singhisking (126) 09 Feb 2010
Finally got my landing done and became a permanent residence of Canada on 9th February 2010.

Landed at Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls.

Here is the list of documents that I carried:

Passports - all applicants
Work permit - all applicants
Confirmation of Permanent Residence Letter - all applicants
Pay stubs from last 3 months – ***Very Very Important ***
Reference letter from my employer - ***Very Very Important ***
Bank Statement for last 3 months - ***Very Very Important ***

Crossed the bridge to get a refusal letter from US custom office (Flag Pole) - 1 hr

On US side, told the officer that I am here for flag-poling and he took the passports from us, requested to park aside and go to 2 second floor in the building for some paper works. – Total time 1 hr

With refusal letter US custom officer guided us to drive back to Canadian side.

Paid 3 USD to cross the Bridge

On this side informed the Canadian officer that we are here for landing. He asked us basic questions about whether I bought anything from the duty free store, weapon or any goods to follow etc...

After that we were requested to park near the building and enter for further landing process.

In building officer asked me whether I had committed to any crime, any change to family members, any goods to follow etc

He did asked for my financial proof and job offer/reference letter - I had old reference letter which he not accepted but when I gave him bank Statement and pay slips of last 3 months. He took those as acceptable proofs for fund.
.
After 1.5 hrs waiting he called us and request to verify all info in the forms and then simple congratulation and remind me to update my health card and sin card.

Officers from both sides were pretty gentle from my point of view. You shouldn't run into any issue as long as you know what you are doing there.

For me over all landing process was smooth but time consuming - 2.5 hrs

Good luck all !!!

 

[Foreignsaurus]

Thanks buddy.. this post sounds a lot like what happened to me, except for the stuff they requested.. I'll post my experiences here next week, I hope

 

[Simon123]

i think my case is little different as i got PR with AEO and i dont have LMO like u guys had.

But on the other, if they did asked me about the reference letter or proff of funds then i am planning to show them my offer letter which has a validity date of march 2011 and my last 3 monhs bank statement. The problem here is my last 3 months bank statement has $8000 - $10,000 only ..

so the question here is can i just take cash of $13000 USD while landing its me and my husband both ... what do u guys think?

 

[Foreignsaurus]

If you're under skilled worker immigration with arranged employment, you don't need to show proof of funds..

Go on this link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/funds.asp
It says that right below the table of required funds

 

[glowingheart]

Hey man im so sorry to hear that

Can you please let me know your timeline
When you applied to cio
When you sent your full docs to buffalo
Medicals requested
Etc

I just want to know how fast or slow they are moving since im in process in buffalo

Thanks

 

[MCBoy]

Guys. There are lot of mixed information here. Yes, I know that the requirement says that "you don't have to show proof of funds" if you have an arranged employment. But, is that what is happening practically?

Anyone who has crossed the border without it? If I have to save money I have to start today.

All I have in my account is $400.

 

[Foreignsaurus]

When I was denied the stamp, she said I should provide proof of funds OR have some sort of letter from my company (although I'm effing pissed off due to the fact that this is a requirement for the beginning of application and it's not mentioned on list from the letter I got along with my passport).

 

[Simon123]

Thanks Foreignsaurus

MCBoy,

Thats what i wanted to ask... to be on safe side we have decided to carry 13k USD in cash and a copy of our AEO and job offer letter.

Guys. There are lot of mixed information here. Yes, I know that the requirement says that "you don't have to show proof of funds" if you have an arranged employment. But, is that what is happening practically?

Anyone who has crossed the border without it? If I have to save money I have to start today.

All I have in my account is $400.

 

[Foreignsaurus]

Big thanks to Pippin for your posting..
Just logged on ADP to print my payment stubs and got CIBC to print my bank statements from the last 3 months (just in case, I'm thinking of bringing a copy of my T4 as well) and got the letter from my company yesterday.. I really hope it doesn't snow too much for the rest of the week so I can go there friday and get this over with..

 

[Pippin]

Dear Fsaurus: You made my day and you are welcome. I love it when my sleuthing proves to have SOME use! Look forward to hearing that your danced around the flagpole successfully this time! Welcome to Canada......

 

[Foreignsaurus]

I have landed..
nobody asked for the employment letter this time lol
i'll write more details later..

 

[malu_danger]

Congratulations!!

Please do share the details. Can you tell me if on you record of landing it shows the company you work for as your sponsor? And what other forms you had to bring or fill out at the time of landing?

I have applied as FSW2 (LMO) with job offer but my company closed down. I have asked my lawyer and he told me that I dont have a legal obligation to inform the VO of this change. My work permit is still valid and I can provide proof of funds but no employment letter but I dont know if thats enough.

Thanks!