Lost passports for qualifying period - Available options for applicant and CIC

[nkam]

Guy, would appreciate itemised response to the following questions please:
1. Does travel history form USA show the country from which you arrived or will it just show arrival and departure dates?
2. My passports for the entire 4 years were lost; I got my CBSA travel history and Form I-94 from USA, would this be enough to convince the officer?
3. What are the likely options- as what I am likely to be asked by cIC -in my case having lost the passport?
4. I have not got a pre-test RQ even though I explained in my application cover letter that my passports were stolen.
5. Not having been asked to submit RQ indicate anything or have any significance?
6. Do CIC obtain landing cards for applicants who lost passports form CBSA? is that something I can do myself?
7. Do CIC obtain travel history directly from foreign countries or would they ask me to do that myself?

 

[links18]

1. It shows the port of entry. If it is a land port on the Canadian or Mexican border, its obvious what country you came from. It may also show the airport from which you departed.

2. Who knows what will convince the particular officer you draw. Maybe. Maybe not. Did you report your missing passport to the police? Do you have a police report or report#?

3. What do you mean? People lose or have passports stolen all the time. Having reported it to the police at the time you discovered it missing/stolen will probably make your story more credible.

4. You didn't get a pre-test RQ or you didn't get one yet?

5. Not really. You have to wait to see what the officer does at the test date.

6. No. CIC and CBSA are two different agencies and CIC needs your permission to get records from CBSA. Did you give CIC permission to get a list of your entries from CBSA?

7. CIC generally can't get travel records from other countries. They might ask you to get it, they might not. If you think it will help your case then why not get them regardless, if you can?

 

[nope]

Guy, would appreciate itemised response to the following questions please:
1. Does travel history form USA show the country from which you arrived or will it just show arrival and departure dates?
2. My passports for the entire 4 years were lost; I got my CBSA travel history and Form I-94 from USA, would this be enough to convince the officer?
3. What are the likely options- as what I am likely to be asked by cIC -in my case having lost the passport?
4. I have not got a pre-test RQ even though I explained in my application cover letter that my passports were stolen.
5. Not having been asked to submit RQ indicate anything or have any significance?
6. Do CIC obtain landing cards for applicants who lost passports form CBSA? is that something I can do myself?
7. Do CIC obtain travel history directly from foreign countries or would they ask me to do that myself?

I wouldn't worry too much about preparing stuff ahead of time -- you don't know what you are going to need. If you've been living in Canada for the correct number of days, and can prove it, you're not going to have any problems, but your application might take longer than some. Basically;

- if you get RQ, this is the information that supports your presence.
- pay stubs, which ideally are not from something easy to fake
- lease agreements
- utility bills
- family stuff, like your kids going to school
- medical records

Basically, an honest application looks like an honest application, it doesn't have to be perfect. I told you how my wife was missing about 18 months on her passports, and was asked about it, but it didn't affect her. Your missing passports are part of your complete picture. If it includes the above things, and they all make sense, you're fine. If your missing passports are part of a picture in which you work as an import-export consultant, rent a basement that's paid in cash, never go to a medical provider, and get large amounts of money wired into your account from around the world, then CIC is likely going to have more detailed questions.

 

[Politren]

Hi nkam

One of the things they definitely don't like to see is lost passports so be ready for some extras in your case.

 

[nope]

Thanks for the insights, the documents I intend to rely on are:
1. Notice of assessments both federal and provincial.
2. Driving license held in good standing for four years with up to date address
3. Provincial medical card held with up to date address for four years
4. CBSA entry history
5. I-94 entry from USA
6. Travel history from my home country
7. In addition, my Credit Reports from TransUnion proving address history and overall credit rating.
8. Lease agreements and some receipts
9. Professional associations with my Engineering Institute

Here's the thing, though -- absolutely nothing you've put up here proves an extended presence in Canada.

1) an assessment just shows that you've filed your taxes
2) a driving license shows you got a driving license
3) a provincial medical card shows that you applied for a provincial medical card
4) a CBSA history shows that you came into Canada on some dates, but not when you left
5) I-94 history shows when you were entering or leaving the United States
6) Travel history from your own country proves nothing about Canada
7) Credit reports prove nothing. How many of the things on them can be done from abroad?
8) Lease agreements are better.
9) Professional associations prove nothing.

Here are the things that give residency a high probability: a record of employment at a job, one where you have to be present, which can't be done at a distance, and at an organization that you don't own or isn't associated with you in any way; a record of using medical services, or dental services, etc.,; attending a school or having children in school; being part of a neighbourhood sports league, etc.

You do NOT want to show up, with all of your passports missing, with a huge file of half-evidence that never quite adds up to demonstrating residence, arguing about how your police reports make your story credible. Everything above, with the possible exception of the leases, is both formal and beside the point; find the actual things that represent living your life in Canada.

This is particularly important, because you have two citizenships already (from what I understand of your other posts), one of them is visa exempt, and CIC is aware of this.

 

[cassied]

i lost passeport covering 3years when i applied and the officer didn't ask me anything like extra document. he didn't even ask me anything about that passeport. so i think it depends who will be the officer in your test.

 

[nkam]

Hi Cassied,

Your experience provides me some comfort.

Would you please indicate what documents you submitted in your case that convinced the Officer. The passport today is by no means is an absolute proof of residency. I hear of people using more than one passport with different names, most countries no more stamp passports, and even visas are sometimes issued outside passports on Cards.

Would appreciate your experience. I was actually considering to abandon my application altogether because I don't have my passports for the qualifying period.

Regards

 

[cassied]

when i submitted the application i wrote a letter to explain them that i lost my passeport covering 3years and in the interview he ask me if i found the passeport and i said no. then he just verified PR card , passeport and landing paper no more question.
good luck

 

[links18]

Did OP report lost/stolen passport to the police or not?

 

[nkam]

Folks,

Do immigration officers accept I-94 online for travel history to and from USA or they specifically ask for FOIA official version?

 

[nkam]

To Links 18: yes, reports were filed to the concerned police force at the time.

 

[screech339]

Folks,

Do immigration officers accept I-94 online for travel history to and from USA or they specifically ask for FOIA official version?

FOIA are used for American citizens, if I am not mistaken. I may be completely wrong on that.

Foreign nationals uses I-94 records for travel history. I will be using the online I-94 online records for my wife's citizenship application. If you look closely, the online does specify how long the record is good for. It has a expiration date below the OMB No.

 

[links18]

To Links 18: yes, reports were filed to the concerned police force at the time.

Get a copy of it and show it to officer if the missing passport becomes and issue.

 

[nkam]

Thanks for your advice all, I-94 will certainly tehn cover some years when read with CBSA entries. One more question which may look absurd.

Does it make sense to have my CV and business card with me in an interview with the officer? was anyone asked about his business card in an interview? I assume this is a possibilty for self-employed and freelancers. Please share your experience!! :

 

[Canadiandesi2006]

Folks,

Do immigration officers accept I-94 online for travel history to and from USA or they specifically ask for FOIA official version?

Try to obtain ASAP travel histories from CBSA, Canada and FOIA, these are the strongest proof but it takes 4-6 weeks to get.

As a backup / additional proof prepare a chart with your travel dates and corresponding I-94 (Attached the cards too) for immigration officer review. If you dont get the above reports in time, try to convince the immigration officer, that's best bet.

Wish you all the best.