Hi All,
I hope everyone here and your families are in good health and doing fine. This is my timeline:
AOR - 4/May/2019
Golden Mail - 2/March/2020
Passport sent for stamping - 03/March/2020
Visa and CoPR recd- 14/March/2020
NDVO
Now I’m in such a dilemma that my Visa and medical expires on the 21/April/2020. I don’t know whether it is a good idea to travel before this that is after the April 15th and before the April 21st as International flights will not be operating in India before April 15th or to inform CIC about the situation and that I cannot travel due to Corona Virus as it is not safe to travel. I would really appreciate it if anybody travelling now or travelled recently can give me some inputs as to what would be the best thing to do at this situation. If I have to inform CIC how long will the process of re-doing medicals and re-issuing visa and CoPR take? How are things in Canada? What are the options to travel from the airport to any hotel or air bnb? Will the job market be okay in one month’s time? Thank you so much in advance for all your replies. This forum has helped me cope with all my anxieties and worries during my waiting period for the PR. Thank you, prayers and good luck coming to all in this forum.
Hi,
I am also in the same situation, My CoPR will expire on 27th April. I have raised a webform stating that I will not be able to travel and got a very generic response. Also many carriers donot have any flights operating in April, for ex: Air Canada has suspended their flights for April. I have also written to NDVO and waiting for a response.
I think even if the lockdown is lifted, there might still be a ban on international flights operations. Europe and US are now the epicenter of this pandemic. I saw that Japan has banned flights from Europe, US and Canada and many countries might follow the same approach. I hope we get some positive response on this from IRCC for situation like ours.
Below is the response I received for the Webform
Reply from IRCC
Good day,
Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Coronavirus - Approved PRs
We verified the information you provided. The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on IRCC clients.
If you are outside Canada:
On March 20, 2020, the Government of Canada
provided updates on exemptions to travel restrictions in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the health and safety of Canadians.
If you were approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but have not landed yet, you will be able to come to Canada. The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry.
You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
We invite you to consult the
How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC page to answer your most common questions about travel restrictions and exemptions.
If you are inside Canada:
We understand that these measures will affect several IRCC clients, including those who have received a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and are currently inside Canada.
Validating a COPR at a Port of Entry (POE)
· Due to the current travel restrictions, you should
not travel to a POE to validate your COPR.
· Travelling to a POE from inside Canada for the purpose of getting immigration services is not considered essential travel, and you will not receive these services.
Appointment at a local IRCC office
· All in-person permanent resident landing appointments at the local IRCC offices have been cancelled.
· We are looking into alternative means to provide permanent resident landing services, including possibly by telephone.
· You will be contacted directly to reschedule your appointment.
· Local offices are reduced to critical services, therefore, no appointments can be scheduled at this time.
What happens next?
· Maintaining a legal temporary resident status is an important requirement. If your status is about to expire, you must apply
online for an extension (
visitor,
student or
worker).
· We invite you to visit our
website regularly to receive up-to-date information as more announcements are made.
Please be assured that we continue to closely monitor the situation closely and will provide you with the most current information as the situation evolves.
Sincerely,
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I clicked on the link "
How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC" and found the below
When will the exemptions be in place? Should people being exempt rush to Canada immediately?
Temporary foreign workers, some international students and approved permanent residents who haven’t yet landed are now able to enter Canada.
The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry.
You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
With travel restrictions in place in many countries around the world and international air travel reduced during the COVID-19 outbreak, we don’t recommend that those who are exempt from travel restrictions immediately try to travel to Canada.