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[Creampop]

I'll pretend it didn't sound as weird as you think it did. HAHA We decided to land in Niagara Falls, just because of our history... We drove up to the IO he asked who was in the car, how long we had be in US and how much we spent shopping? then asked for ID'd and I gave him the CoPR and in I went. It seemed as if they were sending everyone in of course because they had all been shopping.. Thank God I didn't have to stand in that line it took all of 10 mins I was the only one standing on that side so one guy came over took my papers asked if I was ready to land today I said yes, he read over the paper verified my address asked the 2 questions that are on the CoPR, verified my address again, told me to have a seat he was going to run a background check which took all of 5 mins I sure he didn't want to read the whole 13 years of my travel history LOL he called me back up to the desk, verified my address again told me to initial next to the 2 questions he asked me verified my address again HAHA and then sign the CoPR he took my copy stapled it to my passport told me this was good for land travel only until I received my PR card (where again he verified my address) by saying which will be mailed to balh blah blah in 4 to 6 weeks, it would enable me to apply for health care and SIN number. handed me my passport and said Congratulations Mrs X you are now a permanent resident of Canada, if we weren't so busy here today we'd throw you a party, he had the biggest smile on his face I couldn't help but laugh, you could tell today was one of those stressful work days... I have been into immigration alot and never saw that many people in there at one time. So with all those sad people standing in line to pay their duty, I walked out with a smile!

 

[computergeek]

Well It's official, I am now a permanent resident of Canada!! keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of you!

Congratulations! It's an awesome feeling.

Now, before you forget, start collecting evidence of your time in Canada so after 1095 days of residence in Canada you can apply for Citizenship (and then you can be completely done with CIC).

 

[backcountry]

Great story, Creampop, and CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[Creampop]

ok CG here's a question for you.... Hubby told me that they will count my time in Canada before being a PR as 1 day = 1/2 day and I am not in any hurry to become a Citizen (tests freak me out LOL) but how far back will they go? 13 years is a long time....

 

[OhCanadiana]

Congratulations, Creampop.

They will consider a four year period for naturalization and you need to have been in Canada 3 years (1095 days) so the maximum you can effectively go back is 2 years, depending on how often you've left Canada.

 

[computergeek]

ok CG here's a question for you.... Hubby told me that they will count my time in Canada before being a PR as 1 day = 1/2 day and I am not in any hurry to become a Citizen (tests freak me out LOL) but how far back will they go? 13 years is a long time....

The period of consideration for Citizenship is to look back 4 years. Thus, the minimum time to apply for citizenship is 2 years after landing - in that way you get credit (at 50%) for 2 years before landing plus the 2 years after landing, thus yielding the 1095 days (3 years) required.

 

[parker24]

The period of consideration for Citizenship is to look back 4 years. Thus, the minimum time to apply for citizenship is 2 years after landing - in that way you get credit (at 50%) for 2 years before landing plus the 2 years after landing, thus yielding the 1095 days (3 years) required.

??? Too many numbers haha.

I don't understand the whole half day thing either, but hubby is in no hurry (okay, I sorta am as he wants to be a citizen before we start a family haha). I'll use that calculator when he lands and see what date it says for him

 

[computergeek]

??? Too many numbers haha.

I don't understand the whole half day thing either, but hubby is in no hurry (okay, I sorta am as he wants to be a citizen before we start a family haha). I'll use that calculator when he lands and see what date it says for him

Yikes - it can take 2-3 years after applying for Citizenship to actually obtain it. This seems to be more common as well because the current government has been working to "crack down" on fraud, which includes up front residency questionnaires.

I've been reading about this for a while since I seriously doubt I'll qualify for Canadian citizenship in the forseeable future, as my job requires quite a bit of travel. So Canada is home for me, but if the customer is in Malaysia or Australia or Austria, the time I spend there working with them doesn't count.

Currently, there are three different definitions of "residence" in Canada. CIC (and the current government) push the "physical presence" test which means "you must be physically present in Canada". But the other two definitions (based upon court precedents) relate to whether or not you treat Canada as your residence more than just physically be there. The best example of this is the case of a family who was 2+ years short of the required residency and yet the Court said they'd met the residence requirement.

It makes the PR process look almost simple (well, for most people. I cannot imagine it would be more complicated than my own PR application process turned out to be.)

 

[parker24]

Yikes - it can take 2-3 years after applying for Citizenship to actually obtain it. This seems to be more common as well because the current government has been working to "crack down" on fraud, which includes up front residency questionnaires.

I've been reading about this for a while since I seriously doubt I'll qualify for Canadian citizenship in the forseeable future, as my job requires quite a bit of travel. So Canada is home for me, but if the customer is in Malaysia or Australia or Austria, the time I spend there working with them doesn't count.

Currently, there are three different definitions of "residence" in Canada. CIC (and the current government) push the "physical presence" test which means "you must be physically present in Canada". But the other two definitions (based upon court precedents) relate to whether or not you treat Canada as your residence more than just physically be there. The best example of this is the case of a family who was 2+ years short of the required residency and yet the Court said they'd met the residence requirement.

It makes the PR process look almost simple (well, for most people. I cannot imagine it would be more complicated than my own PR application process turned out to be.)

In short, CIC (and our government) likes to make things MUCH more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[naturalcub]

Please Help

Last Tuesday(20th) I got call from LA office and they said that they don't see RPRF payment in system.
I paid my RPRF on oct 17th so not sure how they can't see.
Anyways she told me fax or email them receipt that i did next day both fax and email.

I supouse to worried about anything at this point..
Please advice.

 

[parker24]

Please Help

Last Tuesday(20th) I got call from LA office and they said that they don't see RPRF payment in system.
I paid my RPRF on oct 17th so not sure how they can't see.
Anyways she told me fax or email them receipt that i did next day both fax and email.

I supouse to worried about anything at this point..
Please advice.

You can always follow up with an e-mail asking if they rec'd. But Faxes usually take about 4-6 business days.

 

[computergeek]

Please Help

Last Tuesday(20th) I got call from LA office and they said that they don't see RPRF payment in system.
I paid my RPRF on oct 17th so not sure how they can't see.
Anyways she told me fax or email them receipt that i did next day both fax and email.

I supouse to worried about anything at this point..
Please advice.

Not uncommon at all. CPC-M has to update your file to indicate that the fee has been paid. You should ALSO contact CPC-M. If you kept a copy of the receipt, I'd suggest sending them a copy of that receipt as well, along with an explanation that the LA office is holding up your file until they (CPC-M) update your file to indicate that the RPRF has been paid.

 

[naturalcub]

Thanks I will email them too.

is anyone here provide me the email for CPC-M

 

[OhCanadiana]

Thanks I will email them too.

is anyone here provide me the email for CPC-M

Use the RPRF paymemt link toward the bottom of http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/sponsor/spouse-apply-after.asp

 

[Creampop]

TY CG and OhCanadiana!