landing..Please help

[yarn128]

[size=10pt]
Hi,

First of all, I would like to thank everyone in this forum for their help and support. My husband sponsored me to Canada, and now they have asked for a few things again.

I have been told that our application is near finalization, but I am very confused about it. I think people on this forum would be the best source of advice, so please let me know anyyy input you guys have about the following:



1) I recieved a phone call from an immigration officer, and then an e-mail notifying me that the process is in its last steps. Is that genuine? I mean I have never heard of anyone getting a phone call for this matter ???


2) The passport I have right now is a manual one. I have been told by agents that the visa to enter Canada will not be issued on a manual passport. I will need to provide a machine readable one...is that true??? Does Canada have any rules like that?

(I have been told that now all countries across the world are following this rule)



3) If the process is really in its last stages, my agent has told me that I will have only one month after the final approval to move to Canada.

However, I am working here, and I am unable to resign so quickly. So Can I show entry in Canada and then move back to wrap up everything ?


4) I have also heard that if I am living with my husband (my sponsor- a Canadian citizen), I don't have to fulfill the requirement of living 3 out of 5 years in Canada. And that I will maintain my PR status even if I live and work anyywhere in the world (as long as I am living with him)...is that true??


5) What are some of the things I have to be careful of when I enter Canada for the first time? What do I have to declare? and what do I have to bring?

I am panicking right now, because I don't know how long the PR card will take to arrive. I think I have to stay in Canada until my PR arrives, and that can take months.


Please let me know guys...it will be a hugeeeee help!


Thanks soooo much [/size]

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

What visa office is processing your application? If you tell us then maybe other people going through the same office can give you a better idea of things. Generally though yes the visa offices seem to be mostly communicating by email these days.

I am not familiar with what a manual passport is so I can't really give any input on that one. If you mention your visa office or home country others may be able to better help you.

When you receive your visa in your passport it will include a date by which you must land in Canada. This generally corresponds with the expiration of your medical exam results, but not always. You must come to Canada and enter officially as a landed resident (i.e. permanent resident) before that date, but you do not have to move here at that time. You can return home if you like, but you must obtain a travel document from immigration services before leaving the country (since you won't have a PR card at that time).

Yes, if your spouse is a Canadian citizen time spent living with him is counted towards meeting your requirement of living 3 out of 5 yrs in Canada. I believe this is done so that the Canadian sponsor is not limited in where he/she may travel to/work/live in the world throughout the course of your relationship.

I believe these are the two documents you have to fill out (bring at least 2 copies of each when landing) for landing: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/b4-eng.pdf and http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/b4a.pdf. You should declare whatever it is you will eventually be bringing with you to Canada, but you don't have to bring it all with you at the time of landing.

Other than that when you land I'll believe you'll need your passport with visa, Confirmation of PR letter (COPR) and the above documents filled out.

I hope that helps a bit. Hopefully others can add their comments and help better answer your questions!

 

[AllisonVSC]

Well said AmericaninQuebec. Just one correction though. The residency obligation is 2 out of 5 years, not 3 as you both mentioned.

 

[yarn128]

Thank you sooo much guys..I truly appreciate your help...not everyone would spend their time on answering a question from some stranger

let me clarify a few things, so someone in a similar situation might be able to help!

My husband filed my case in Canada, and he sent our file to the CPC Missisauga. Our visa office is Abu-Dhabi, and this is where I recieved a phone call from.

So I am very confused, as it says atleast 27 months for the application time on the website. However, I got a call from the embessy a looong before that. So I am getting worried...is it even genuine? or someone playing a trick on me ?? (I might sound stupid, but I had expected 27 months all along, and this is the reason I am getting worried)

 

[yarn128]

ohhh and for the passport, I have the one that is like hand written...not the electronic one...

Now, even for Pakistan we will have to use the electronic one from July 2012. So I have been told that the manual one I have will not work for the visa from the embassy.

So I am getting worried, as it will take toooo long for me to apply for an electronic (machine readable) passport at this point.


Please help!!! ???

 

[visita44]

Maybe she means her passport doesn't have the new biometric security features which is being use worldwide these days...

 

[yarn128]

[size=10pt]yes, sorry I meant that...I just didn't know how to describe it... :-[ :-[

soo will I be able to get the visa stamped on my manual passport? since I heard all countries around the world are requiring that now :-\[/size]

 

[somnorific]

You can return home if you like, but you must obtain a travel document from immigration services before leaving the country (since you won't have a PR card at that time).

You mean, obtain a travel document after leaving Canada from whatever country you are in before returning to Canada, correct?

What if you land in Canada but aren't ready to move fully yet, and stay with a friend - apply for a PR card, return to another country and have the friend ship you the PR card? Is that allowed?

Yes, if your spouse is a Canadian citizen time spent living with him is counted towards meeting your requirement of living 3 out of 5 yrs in Canada. I believe this is done so that the Canadian sponsor is not limited in where he/she may travel to/work/live in the world throughout the course of your relationship.

Is this 100% true in all cases? Could someone really be granted PR, land in Canada but then leave shortly afterwards and live with their sponsor for 3 years and be eligible for Canadian citizenship ??

Thanks in advance.

 

[CharlieD10]

You mean, obtain a travel document after leaving Canada from whatever country you are in before returning to Canada, correct?

What if you land in Canada but aren't ready to move fully yet, and stay with a friend - apply for a PR card, return to another country and have the friend ship you the PR card? Is that allowed?

Is this 100% true in all cases? Could someone really be granted PR, land in Canada but then leave shortly afterwards and live with their sponsor for 3 years and be eligible for Canadian citizenship ??

Thanks in advance.

1. Yes, you may have the PR card sent to you if you return to tie up matters in the country you emigrated from.

2. NO, you will NOT be eligible for citizenship, you will be eligible to keep your PR status. Citizenship requires 3 years PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN Canada, there is no way around that requirement, no exceptions are allowed. The exception for accompanying your citizen spouse outside the country counts ONLY FOR PR status.

 

[somnorific]

2. NO, you will NOT be eligible for citizenship, you will be eligible to keep your PR status. Citizenship requires 3 years PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN Canada, there is no way around that requirement, no exceptions are allowed. The exception for accompanying your citizen spouse outside the country counts ONLY FOR PR status.

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. One more question please ! I'm struggling with the processing times for this, as it's very hard to plan your move to Canada when you can't know for sure it will be approved - and once it is approved, there's such a small window in which to 'land'. So .. my question .. if I'm sponsoring my spouse, and everything is approved and my spouse gets PR status, "lands", obtains the PR card and goes back to live me with me for an "unspecified duration" - does this grant us the opportunity to move to Canada at any indefinite point in the future? This is what I'd ideally love to be able to obtain, as it lets us tie up loose ends here at our own pace, knowing that we are able to move together to Canada.

 

[CharlieD10]

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. One more question please ! I'm struggling with the processing times for this, as it's very hard to plan your move to Canada when you can't know for sure it will be approved - and once it is approved, there's such a small window in which to 'land'. So .. my question .. if I'm sponsoring my spouse, and everything is approved and my spouse gets PR status, "lands", obtains the PR card and goes back to live me with me for an "unspecified duration" - does this grant us the opportunity to move to Canada at any indefinite point in the future? This is what I'd ideally love to be able to obtain, as it lets us tie up loose ends here at our own pace, knowing that we are able to move together to Canada.

If he lands within the time given, then must return to wherever you are to tie up matters, then that is fine, and you can then move to Canada at a more relaxed pace. He is able to count time spent with you outside Canada towards his residency obligation. I would not, however, take the view that so long as he with you, you can then proceed to Canada at any indefinite point in time, and let years pass by heedlessly. Permanent residence is not an expedited visitor's visa. They expect people who become permanent residents to BE resident in Canada at some point.

 

[yarn128]

[size=10pt][size=10pt]Thankss but does anyone know about the manual passport ? I am talking about like a hand written one

I only have this one right now, and this is the one I sent before (photocopies)
So can I get a visa stamped on this ?[/size][/size]

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

[size=10pt][size=10pt]Thankss but does anyone know about the manual passport ? I am talking about like a hand written one

I only have this one right now, and this is the one I sent before (photocopies)
So can I get a visa stamped on this ?[/size][/size]

I've never heard of a handwritten passport. I honestly would contact the visa office by email or whatever other means they offer and ask them directly. They will be able to tell you whether they will accept your passport for visa issuance or not. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

You mean, obtain a travel document after leaving Canada from whatever country you are in before returning to Canada, correct?

No, there is a document that you obtain from CIC if you travel outside of Canada before you obtain your PR card. This will facilitate re-entry into Canada as a PR when you are traveling without your PR card. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/travel.asp

What if you land in Canada but aren't ready to move fully yet, and stay with a friend - apply for a PR card, return to another country and have the friend ship you the PR card? Is that allowed?

Yes as someone already mentioned that is allowed.

Is this 100% true in all cases? Could someone really be granted PR, land in Canada but then leave shortly afterwards and live with their sponsor for 3 years and be eligible for Canadian citizenship ??

Thanks in advance.

As was corrected by another poster, I misquoted that amount of time you must spend living in Canada and/or with a Canadian citizen spouse in order to retain status as a PR. It is 2 yrs and not 3 as I originally stated. Someone else already fully answered the rest of your question so I won't repeat that info.