+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

My Landing Ordeal, pls read and learn from it

Ozzie

Star Member
Aug 3, 2006
55
1
USA
I left for Vancouver, BC on the 9th of October from Miami to Seattle, and than to Vancouver. Everything went fine on the US side I did my exit registration, since I was on H-1B visa; I had to go thru the whole process.
Took a Flight same day from Seattle to Vancouver, landed in BC at 8 pm. Went to Immigration waited for my turn, Visa officer asked me how can I help you, I said I’m here to process my Landing as an Immigrant.
She was very nice and polite , she asked me 3 usual questions!

Have you ever been arrested?
Have you ever been denied entry to Canada?
And one more question which I can’t recall right now. My answers to all the questions were “NO”.

Then we both continued talking about general stuff, she said Tim Horton’s coffee is better I said naaaa Starbucks is better, and we laughed and cracked jokes, she than asked me how much money I had on me I said $ 13,000 all in travelers checks… she took my word, and we kept on having an amusing conversation.

Here’s the climax!

She took a look at my COPR, and asked what my date of birth is; I told her my date of birth! She asked me again and told her the same thing again, then she says well Sir your COPR says another date of birth, I’m like what? she says yes, and asked me to have a seat, she went back to her office came back in 20 min looked something on her computer and said to me this isn’t good, I’m like what do you mean she said well your passport has your birth date that you are telling me, but your COPR has a different date. I said now what? she went back to her office came out after 30 mins, and said I’m giving you a form for further examination, she held my passport and my COPR and said sorry sir I can’t grant you a landed immigrant status at this moment, and on the form she wrote that I have to report to the Airport immigration on the 15th of October, and if I don’t show up then she will issue a warrant for my arrest.
Guys I’m not kidding I literally pissed in my pants… I’m like this is not happening someone kick me or slap me so I can come outta this nightmare, but it was for real..

She said two things..

She will have to get it sorted out with the LA consulate, where the visa was issued, if it just a clerical error than there’s no problem, but if this is the date that the visa officer is been taking from day first than probably my background checks were done on a wrong birth date, and I’m not the person who should be here. That’s it she made me sign the papers and said you have 5 days, and hopefully by 15th she will get this thing straighten out either I’ll stay or go back.

Next day I called my attorney, and explained the whole situation, gave them the visa officer name, and told them please look in to this. After 30 mins I received a call from the attorney’s office and was told that they are calling the LA consulate right now, and hopefully will hear something by end of the day. Well after and hour and a half I received a call from the attorneys office again, telling me that they have managed to talk to one their associates in the consulate and got in touch with the Immigration Program Manager, after checking my file, they found out that back in Jan visa officer stuck a note on my file “ to update the system with my correct birth date, and that LA consulate acknowledged that it was a error from there side, and nothing to worry about, they have already called the immigration at Vancouver International Airport and cleared my name.

So today 14th of October, I received a call on my cell phone from the Visa officer at the port of entry saying that everything has been straighten out from LA consulate and that I can come today before 5pm at the airport to complete my Landing…..

Guys Guys Guys I request all of you please check you COPR 2000 times before you making your landing check every little piece of information so that no one has to go thru what I did 4 sleepless nights, stress, worry and disappointment.

One more thing yes it is not important to have a lawyer to file for Canadian Immigration, but times like these lawyers play a big role I mean I can’t thank my attorney’s office for the prompt action his office took to help me here.
 

Oloye

Hero Member
Oct 4, 2007
327
11
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Ozzie,
That is a great arror on the part of the immigration officer that handled your case. Nevertheless congrats that your case was sorted out quickly.
LET US KNOW THE OUTCOME OF TODAY'S MEETING WITH THEM
 

soj

Hero Member
Feb 23, 2007
217
2
ozzie,
it is good to read ur story,it is even better that everything got sorted out.so enjoy ur life in canada.soj
 

Eduardo Picazo

Hero Member
Feb 19, 2005
399
3
123
Reynosa, Mexico
Hey my friend Ozzie!!!!

Let me tell you that I felt so bad because of you when I started reading your landing experience, I really did my friend, my heart got painfully... of course I almost felt like you, my COPR had an error as well, under my dependants list came my wife's name and last name but my Children both of them had my wife's last name not mine and I noted this error just 5 minutes before entering to the immigration at the Calgary airport... my blood got frozen during all the interview, it was nice and the officer having good time with my Kids he was practicing his Spanish... well... in my case he did not realized this error (because each of their own COPR was correct) and my Kids were registered under my last name

So Please, everybody!!! Once you receive your COPR read it carefully letter by letter, number by number in order to avoid a possible hard time like friend Ozzie

Anyway!!! Congratulations and thanks God everything has been cleared

Cheers,
Eduardo
 

Kenta

Newbie
Jun 18, 2007
4
0
My dear friends,

Thanks for your sharing experiences of landing. Hope it helps us for avoiding such happening.
God luck for you all. Kenta
 

Oloye

Hero Member
Oct 4, 2007
327
11
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
It is nice reading your ordeal this will really help us in checking that all is correct from the immigration office that handled our cases.
Have a nice time in Canada.
Oloye
 

vikkee1975

Newbie
Nov 2, 2007
4
0
I have an error in COPR for my wife. There is an error in her middle name spelling on the COPR document and on the visa ?

What can be done ? Pls reply.
 

Yojimbo

Star Member
Oct 31, 2007
81
1
wow... that would completely suck. After years of waiting, planning, and on the moving date... "yeaaahhhh, you're gonna have to come back after five days to see if we start the 1-year process again... yeaaahh"

good luck with the new life...
 

Eduardo Picazo

Hero Member
Feb 19, 2005
399
3
123
Reynosa, Mexico
vikkee1975 said:
I have an error in COPR for my wife. There is an error in her middle name spelling on the COPR document and on the visa ?

What can be done ? Pls reply.
Hi vikkee1975
it's good to know that you had realized the error on time, you have go to the Visa Office and ask them for a correction ASAP and avoid problems upon your landing in Canada

Regards
Eduardo
 

vikkee1975

Newbie
Nov 2, 2007
4
0
I and my family are already in canada on work permit. I have also informed Buffalo embassy about the mistake in the middle name for my spouse.

My question is should i wait for them to reply or complete my landing (i was planning to go to niagara falls entry point) and there inform the officer about it so he can update ?

Pls reply asap

Thanks
 

PMM

VIP Member
Jun 30, 2005
25,494
1,950
Hi

vikkee1975 said:
I and my family are already in canada on work permit. I have also informed Buffalo embassy about the mistake in the middle name for my spouse.

My question is should i wait for them to reply or complete my landing (i was planning to go to niagara falls entry point) and there inform the officer about it so he can update ?

Pls reply asap

Thanks
1. Depends on the error on the middle name. If the middle name contains too many letters (12 or 13) it will be shorted as the computer system can handle it.
2. If that is not the problem, fax Buffalo, outline the problem, and wait for instructions. (as long as the COPR is not expiring in the mean time)

PMM
 

vikkee1975

Newbie
Nov 2, 2007
4
0
Thanks PMM,

I might be asking this again, but i am becoming very impatient now. I might have a new job offer in hand but because of this delay in landing i might risk losing it.

I have informed them via fax and email on Nov 2nd. My wife middle name should be "Aaditya" instead it is "Additya". Can't this simple (one charecter) change happen at the POE ? How much long should i wait for them to reply ?

Pls reply ...