LANDING IN CANADA ??? -All You Need To Know.

[rizmayo]

To top off all the incompetency, let me tell you this as well. The Vancouver airport officials did not record our declared funds on the landing document as well (there is a field on the COPR 'money in possession') which the CBSA official conveniently penned in as a '0' whilst I was carrying $9000. We had trouble later trying to deposit that cash into our Scotiabank accounts as the bank did not believe we declared our funds and would not deposit them. Canada is a very inconvenient country mind you (and I've been living in a western country for the past 4 years before I went to Canada - and my jaws dropped at many of the things I saw in Canada. Quite backward in many ways).

As for taxable items and the goods to follow list, I find the idea absurd. Why is Canada so greedy as to tax personally purchased items overseas? I've been living in England for the past 4 years, and travelled frequently between England and Pakistan - and there is no such concept here (of goods to follow etc). Surely whilst I'm travelling to Canada from overseas, as long as the items are packed in my luggage, nobody should care? Can anyone here please expound upon taxable items?

Wow you have had all sorts of bad experiences with CBSA haven't you? I think if you have some time, once you have completed all your settling in formalities, you should document your complete landing and settling in experience with the members for this forum, it is a learning experince in its own right.

Regarding your question about taxable items, CBSA is not interested in your personal items that you bring in your bags. Many people document things like laptops, iPads and smartphones that are in their use on form B4e, when this is not the purpose of the form. The allowance Canadian government has given is really for house hold goods you would have in your previous residence, like furniture, fridge, oven, etc.

Regards,

 

[shef]

Hi Friends,

I am booking my excess luggage as Cargo in the same flight.... If anybody has already taken cargo, please advice as in how easy or difficult is it to get cargo cleared in Toronto and in short what is the procedure?

I am travelling by BA on 17th April from India to Toronto.

Thanks for all your help.

Shef

 

[jazibkg]

Thank you for your replies Rizmayo. I believe since we had no such taxable items of value (only stuff like iPads or personal clothing, prescription medicines, etc) on the list maybe that the officer did not want to consider B4e form.

At the time of landing I did not realize if this was a bad experience and it all seemed to have gone 'smoothly'. We had no trouble at the airport but started realizing some things later. For anyone reading this who hasn't landed, make sure the officials pen down the actual amount you are carrying on the 'money in possession' field, you may have an easier chance of depositing that cash into your bank accounts later.

Now to just receive our PR cards to end the misery. 77th calendar day since landing and still nothing (whilst their website claims the processing time as 37 calendar days...what a joke).

I hope things improve later in Canada. Hope the inconveniences end soon.

 

[rizmayo]

Thank you for your replies Rizmayo. I believe since we had no such taxable items of value (only stuff like iPads or personal clothing, prescription medicines, etc) on the list maybe that the officer did not want to consider B4e form.

At the time of landing I did not realize if this was a bad experience and it all seemed to have gone 'smoothly'. We had no trouble at the airport but started realizing some things later. For anyone reading this who hasn't landed, make sure the officials pen down the actual amount you are carrying on the 'money in possession' field, you may have an easier chance of depositing that cash into your bank accounts later.

Now to just receive our PR cards to end the misery. 77th calendar day since landing and still nothing (whilst their website claims the processing time as 37 calendar days...what a joke).

I hope things improve later in Canada. Hope the inconveniences end soon.

Ok I guess your misery really hasn't ended. You should call CIC on 1-888-242‑2100 ASAP to find out about the delay on your PR cards.

Usually the cards arrive within one week delay of the time published on the website, more then double the time is an indication of a problem.

Regards,

 

[jazibkg]

Ok I guess your misery really hasn't ended. You should call CIC on 1-888-242‑2100 ASAP to find out about the delay on your PR cards.

Usually the cards arrive within one week delay of the time published on the website, more then double the time is an indication of a problem.

Regards,

Called CIC last week and they couldn't locate a PR Card application on their systems and advised to call after 30 days. Quite a useless phone service as they didn't know whatever is going on. Going to call them up tonight and hope they can provide better answers today.

What kind of problem we are talking about though? I suspect again that Vancouver airport officials screwed up somewhere, delayed forwarding the application (or haven't forwarded the PRC application yet). What exactly is the process though, would the CBSA officials have to forward our PRC application as a physical paper application or is at an automated process? Any chance of it being lost in transit between Vancouver, BC and Sydney, NS?

The landing process was actually very convenient to be honest, and didn't seem miserable at all at the time. No hassle and no questions were asked.

 

[canvis2006]

To top off all the incompetency, let me tell you this as well. The Vancouver airport officials did not record our declared funds on the landing document as well (there is a field on the COPR 'money in possession') which the CBSA official conveniently penned in as a '0' whilst I was carrying $9000. We had trouble later trying to deposit that cash into our Scotiabank accounts as the bank did not believe we declared our funds and would not deposit them. Canada is a very inconvenient country mind you (and I've been living in a western country for the past 4 years before I went to Canada - and my jaws dropped at many of the things I saw in Canada. Quite backward in many ways).

As for taxable items and the goods to follow list, I find the idea absurd. Why is Canada so greedy as to tax personally purchased items overseas? I've been living in England for the past 4 years, and travelled frequently between England and Pakistan - and there is no such concept here (of goods to follow etc). Surely whilst I'm travelling to Canada from overseas, as long as the items are packed in my luggage, nobody should care? Can anyone here please expound upon taxable items?

Europe is way more advanced than Canada, in many many ways.

A lot of things here are backwards, slow and stupid, incuding many laws. One can only shake their head in disbelief. Even some of the customs laws are silly. Take those declaration forms, for example, what a waste of paper. In Europe/Schengen, you don't fill any forms, just go either the green zone or red zone, depending on goods carried. Easy and simple, and no wastage of paper/resources.

The Govt loves to tax people to the very core in Canada. That's why a lot of people prefer dealing in cash, as soon you will realize.

Hopefully you can find success and a better life here with your loved ones, it's better than a 3rd world country at least.

 

[rizmayo]

Called CIC last week and they couldn't locate a PR Card application on their systems and advised to call after 30 days. Quite a useless phone service as they didn't know whatever is going on. Going to call them up tonight and hope they can provide better answers today.

What kind of problem we are talking about though? I suspect again that Vancouver airport officials screwed up somewhere, delayed forwarding the application (or haven't forwarded the PRC application yet). What exactly is the process though, would the CBSA officials have to forward our PRC application as a physical paper application or is at an automated process? Any chance of it being lost in transit between Vancouver, BC and Sydney, NS?

The landing process was actually very convenient to be honest, and didn't seem miserable at all at the time. No hassle and no questions were asked.

My wife and kid were having issues with their PR and the Call Center was at least able to tell me the cards have gone into further review, but did not know the reason why. I contacted my area MP's office and they were able to find out that the delay was due to some inconsistencies in the data at the time of landing. The most probable reason for it was that the data was entered incorrectly by the CBSA officer at time of landing.

Not being able to locate your application after so many days is unheard of. PR cards for new immigrants is an automated process and all the CBSA officer had to do was input the address for PR card delivery (unless this is what he forgot to do). Assuming the CBSA officer has actually recorded your landing in the system, you can update the address for PR cards yourself here: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/changeaddress.do?app=coa ... However I would advise you to contact the call center again with your client ID (not file number) and see if they have done anything about your cards, as updating your address will mean you have to wait another 37 days from the day you update the address.

Regards,

 

[canvis2006]

Called CIC last week and they couldn't locate a PR Card application on their systems and advised to call after 30 days. Quite a useless phone service as they didn't know whatever is going on. Going to call them up tonight and hope they can provide better answers today.

What kind of problem we are talking about though? I suspect again that Vancouver airport officials screwed up somewhere, delayed forwarding the application (or haven't forwarded the PRC application yet). What exactly is the process though, would the CBSA officials have to forward our PRC application as a physical paper application or is at an automated process? Any chance of it being lost in transit between Vancouver, BC and Sydney, NS?

The landing process was actually very convenient to be honest, and didn't seem miserable at all at the time. No hassle and no questions were asked.

Call the office of the MP of your area (searrch by postal code), contact them about your PR Card issue.
They can help you in this regard, and also keep trying the phone to call centre. Some agents are very helpful while some are not. If they're not being helpful you should ask them for their name, and ask to speak with a supervisor, and get the name of their Director and his/her contact details.....do this politely and you will see they will quickly calm down and assist you in some way.

Sometimes PR Cards are also slow to arrive due to internal quality assurance procedures, which can take longer. But if whole family has not received, I would get pn it right away and go to MP office and get assistance......
Your copy of COPR + Passport is enough proof of you being a PR. No worries though, it will eventually be resolved. Just make sure you keep top of it.

 

[cam1234]

Hi Folks:

Question regarding "Goods to Follow". We are packing our belongings in the US and will have the movers come to take them to Toronto. Here is the problem, the movers will actually cross the border a day before us... can this be done?

The moving company insists all they need is a copy of COPR and B4/B4a, and that they will take our belongings to their storage hub near Toronto. When we get there, we would clear our things at a local customs office... anyone done this before? Anyone see a problem?

Thanks,
Cam

 

[aba2011]

Hi guys,
I found this thread through nekoel and found it very informative.

Today we got DECISION MADE and it appeared in our online application status.

How long you think will take time till we receive our passport from LVO. We live in ABU DHABI, UAE.

 

[BZ Mom]

Hi Folks:

Question regarding "Goods to Follow". We are packing our belongings in the US and will have the movers come to take them to Toronto. Here is the problem, the movers will actually cross the border a day before us... can this be done?

The moving company insists all they need is a copy of COPR and B4/B4a, and that they will take our belongings to their storage hub near Toronto. When we get there, we would clear our things at a local customs office... anyone done this before? Anyone see a problem?

Thanks,
Cam

Hi Cam,

Our belongings came to Calgary, AB one month ahead of us. The moving company should provide you with all the documents to present to the customs office. We did not have any problems..

 

[cam1234]

Hi Cam,

Our belongings came to Calgary, AB one month ahead of us. The moving company should provide you with all the documents to present to the customs office. We did not have any problems..

Thanks BZ Mom

 

[eemsley]

Does anyone out there know the answer to this question/ My spouse will be arriving in May from the Philippines. She has her pr paper, passport and visa. She was required in her original application to provide NBI Clearance from the Philippines. Since the time her application was processed and subsequently approved, her NBI Clearance has expired. My question is: Will she be asked for a current NBI Clearance at the airport in Manila or on arrival in Vancouver? It seems to me the NBI document was only needed for the original application for PR ?

 

[rizmayo]

Does anyone out there know the answer to this question/ My spouse will be arriving in May from the Philippines. She has her pr paper, passport and visa. She was required in her original application to provide NBI Clearance from the Philippines. Since the time her application was processed and subsequently approved, her NBI Clearance has expired. My question is: Will she be asked for a current NBI Clearance at the airport in Manila or on arrival in Vancouver? It seems to me the NBI document was only needed for the original application for PR ?

Yes that is correct, she only required clearance certificate at time of application. No one will ask her for it at the airport.

Regards,

 

[eemsley]

Thank you Rizmayo. That's what I thought. So she still has 27 more days before flight but already packed up. Ha we are like children waiting for Christmas. Take care.