My landing experience was very uneventful, that's why I didn't post it in detail. Well, here goes... I took the British Airways flight via Heathrow. It was very comfortable and it landed almost 1 hour earlier and so I had to spend around 6 hours in transit in Heathrow. My son and I took a good nap in the airport after putting some long chairs together
We arrived in Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport around half an hour earlier than expected. At the passport section, I informed the officer that I am a landed immigrant. She directed me to the immigration section. We were given a token there and after 5 minutes waiting, a lady called us to her booth. She asked me whether I prefer to be spoken to in French or English. I said I do understand French, but prefer English since I'm more comfortable in that. She asked me about the funds I'm carrying, and I told her about the Scotiabank account and I already wire transferred some amount from India, and I have cash of USD 4500 with me. She put in the total amount in the COPR and the disembarkation card. She wanted the Canadian address to send the PR cards to, and I gave it to her. I did not have any goods to follow. Though I had the B4 form filled up and ready, she never asked for it. She said my son will love it here in the snow because there are many activities, but cautioned me to be careful of the cold. We even cracked jokes! Then she asked me to wait and after about 15 minutes, she called me back to give the passport, COPR (she made me sign it again because the carbon copy wasn't very clear), and a copy of the B4 F form (she told me it's actually irrelevant since I didn't have any goods to follow) in which she had just written clothes and personal effects (I had laptop, digital camera, external hard disc, etc. but she never asked for anything). Then she wished me good luck and directed me to the Quebec immigration counter.
At this counter, the lady was very business-like and she spoke to me in French only, but I could follow her and respond easily. When I didn't get words in French, I used English and she was okay with it. She gave me pamphlets, set up an appointment with the immigration services agent and also gave me addresses to apply for SIN, health card, etc.
Then we collected the baggage and went out through the customs - there I gave the filled up and sealed disembarkation card which we get on the flight. Customs didn't ask me anything.
Within around 40 minutes, everything was over. My brothers are in the US and they had come in to receive me and they were waiting for me outside. We went to their hotel suite near the airport and spent the night there. The next morning, we went to the shared accommodation I had arranged earlier from www.easyroommate.com and voila! I'm settled in now.
This is the 4th day here, and I've already got my SIN number, health insurance application filed, OPUS card for public transit taken for both of us, bank account validated and debit card got, school board visited for my son's admission. In fact, it's been a smooth ride so far, thank God!
That's it for now. Feel free to ask any doubts. Good luck with your processing, see you in Montreal soon!
