Hello!!!
I would just like to share my soft landing ( staying for 2 weeks only)experience in Vancouver August 26, 2016.
I arrived in Vancouver at 9 pm with my parents as TR and me as the new Immigrant. I led them to queue up towards the visitors lane but a volunteer led them right away to the queue for the airline crews.As I watched them from a far I was told to queue up for the Students and New Immigrants queue and was led to queue up to the visitors queue as the line was short there.
A female Immigration Officer was in charged of me , very friendly and loves to use the word ' perfect' for almost everything
I told her I am here to land as a new immigrant and to that she replied perfect! Then asked me about my COPR, checked it then give it back to me and asked me to get my luggage first then proceed to Immigration Office the one with a Green signage, as somebody will complete my landing there and check my POF.
So I proceeded to collect my luggage which miraculously took me about 5 mins then I proceeded to the Immigration Office but the steel gate was closed although I can see thru it that were counters with IO and some people inside so I retreated and looked around then another IO approached me and asked If I was student for Study permit ( O bless him!) I replied to him with a big smile that I am a new immigrant and he proceeded to give me direction to go over the other side after the Cashier signages where there was a glass door but I need to leave my luggages behind and just bring my purse and papers, thanked the kind IO.
I went inside the glass door and there were 5 IO in the counter and 3 young people queuing up, so I automatically went to the 4th available counter and declared I am a new immigrant, the guy IO asked to see my passport and COPR and asked me to sit downfor awhile and he will call me.
So I sat down infront of his counter and I noticed the other 3 counters were just seeing students for study permit.
After 5 mins he called my name and told me he will asked me the usual questions they asked the newly landed immigrants, am I married? I answered No, he pointed at his ring finger which I automatically raised up my fingers and showed him I have no wedding band in my ring finger, then he asked why? I replied a 'huh?!' then he smiled and asked if I have children ,I said none that I know of and he smiled again.He asked me If I was convicted of any crimes or refused entry from any country? which I replied no.
He then asked me for other documents which I handed him while telling him each of them- my lis of accompanying goods (2 copies), list of goods to follow(2 copies). He then checked them out then asked me If I am carrying more than CAD 10000 which I checked yes in the embarkation card. I said yes while handing him the Cross Border Currency or Monetary Instruments Report form, he read it then complimented me that he hoped that all new immigrants will be as prepared as I am.
then he said that's it He didn't asked me to show my money then he said he will just give the document for my goods to follow then he went inside after a few minutes came back with the goods to follow list form with the Accounting document number which he said I need to quote once my goods will arrived. Then he asked me to sign in the 2 copies of COPR wih 3 signatures one for the question Charged/ convicted of a crime or offence in any country, refused admission to Canada or required to leave Canada which he wrote No, then another signature for the no dependabts and the last signature was the I hereby certify etc at the bottom page. Asked me to write my Canadian Address where the PR card will be sent and told me incase I need to leave Canada and the PR card has not been sent to me I need a Temporary Visa for that.
Then he wished me good luck to my new life. I said my Thank you then left office , retrieved my luggage then handed the last piece of paper to the IO near the exit and seen my parents with my brother and his family waiting for me outside the arrival hall.
All the almost 4 years of preparing, waiting, etc has been fulfilled.
All the anxieties has vanished.
I was not asked whether I will be landing permanently or not. They didn't asked me to show my POF. Luckily there was no long queue and the interview was short and sweet.
Thank you to all the seniors, experts, forum members whom have been tirelessly contributing and giving advices and clarifications to people like me.
Much gratitude to all of you.