Hi All,
I would like to share my Calgary Landing Experience.
I had booked deal with Priceline from Boston to Calgary from 13th Feb to 16th Feb with Hotel. I paid 733 dollars including everything (Flight + Hotel in Downtown). My flight was via Chicago. BOS-ORD-YYD.
I stayed in Downtown hotel called 5 Calgary Downtown hotel. Nice hotel for PR landing, because everything is around (SIN and Health Card) Bank is little far but it's really easy to get used to with downtown. I really enjoyed there. I mean really... In just a day I'm like familiar with enough to find out any address.
I started my journey on 13th Feb 2011. I had flight from Boston at 6.55 AM with Chicago connection. I reached Calgary at around 1.00 PM local time. As soon as I got off the flight it was a quite a long walk to reach to the Port of entry. In flight, flight attended had given me a custom forms I already had that filled out. at Port of entry lady welcomed me and asked how long you are going to stay I told her that I'm immigrating and I would be staying for 3-4 days as I have interview scheduled with perspective employer. Then she asked me to follow red line towards immigration office. As soon as I entered officer called me and asked me from where you coming and how long it took to get immigration visa stamped. Then he asked for Canadian address. He warned me that there are cases where people apply for the green card and PR both at the same time. So He just wanted to make sure that I'm not misusing it. I told him that I won't because I waited for 2 years. This was finished in all about 25 minute, and then I went to baggage claim collected my bag from united counter because it was already +1 hour. After collecting bag I went to custom where I told lady that I'm immigrating she told me to follow again a red line to go to Immigration customs their they gave me a form to declare all my belongings. I filled out and signed it and headed toward exit. On Arrival side there is office for the Airport shuttle they charge $15 each way to drop you almost anywhere in town. They run every 30 mins. I boarded in shuttle and finally arrived at hotel around 3.30 PM. it was Sunday so I couldn't do anything. I have to wait until next day. On Monday first I went to SIN and then for the Health Card. these two locations are around hotel just 10 to 15 min walking distance. Hotel staff helped me finding office and they gave me map and directions to both these locations. On second day I went for the Bank (http://www.pcfinancial.ca/) this is zero dollar charge account. Bank location was far from hotel so I had to take a train to get there. But it was convenient and easy to find.
On 16th Feb I had flight in morning 7.45 AM. Hotel Scheduled pickup for me for 4.20 AM. I reach to airport at around 4.45 AM from the Airline counter I got the Boarding pass and they tagged my Luggage bag and gave me two forms. 1) Custom 2) (Port of entry)I-94. I passed custom and headed to immigration. There I gave my Form, Passport (With Expired visa) and new I-797.Officer told me that I have expired visa I told him I have valid approval from I-797. he was not sure how this works so he called another officer and another officer told him that if he didn't left the continent and he was in Canada for 2 days then automatic re validation should works(according to AVR rule on got website you can enter within 30 days not 2 days).Officer started validating my visa and somehow he was seeing some issue with it so he took me to the secondary validation office there another officer verified everything and asked me who is your employer and when you are going to get your visa stamped, I said next month. He created new I-94 for me one thing I notice is that he did not make stamp on any page of my passport but he stamped on I-94(usually they do it on both).and finally went towards boarding gate.
Calgary SIN office Address
Harry Hays Building, Suite 270
220 4th Avenue Southeast
Calgary, Alberta
http://www.serviceCanada.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-display.cgi?rc=4802&ln=eng
Health Card office
246 250 - 6 Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3H7, Canada
(403) 299-2373
http://www.health.alberta.ca
Find nearest location from http://www.pcfinancial.ca/
ALL THE BEST TO ALL !!!