Question for US Citizens who have landed in Canada without the counterfoil

[StateOfConfusion]

Hey everyone,

So, I am busy planning my big move to Edmonton, and I am planning to use the PODS company to ship my household goods to my new city. The woman who does the logistics of the move called me today and she requested the following in order to get my container to clear customs:

1. Canadian Customs Form B4A (Personal Effects Accounting Document) - no problem, working on that.

2. A passport copy of the pods account holder (The account holder is the same person that needs to clear customs in Canada) and all members of your family moving to Canada. - not a problem either

3. Proof of immigration status. I.e. visa, work permit, etc (Only if you are not a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident). This is the one that concerns me....will have have any proof when I walk away from CBSA on May 23? She mentioned I would have some sort of certificate that proclaims my new legal status, but I thought now that the counterfoil is not in my passport, and I just have the COPR that it won't count. I just don't want to have to wait three months for my stuff to be allowed into the country. So, my question is do you have any form of "legal status" when you walk away from your POE upon landing?

4. A letter addressed to customs indicating the purpose of the move including a current phone number in the event that customs agent need to speak to you directly. - This seems odd to me too...the purpose? I am moving to be with my husband?

Anyway, if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Hey everyone,

So, I am busy planning my big move to Edmonton, and I am planning to use the PODS company to ship my household goods to my new city. The woman who does the logistics of the move called me today and she requested the following in order to get my container to clear customs:

1. Canadian Customs Form B4A (Personal Effects Accounting Document) - no problem, working on that.

2. A passport copy of the pods account holder (The account holder is the same person that needs to clear customs in Canada) and all members of your family moving to Canada. - not a problem either

3. Proof of immigration status. I.e. visa, work permit, etc (Only if you are not a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident). This is the one that concerns me....will have have any proof when I walk away from CBSA on May 23? She mentioned I would have some sort of certificate that proclaims my new legal status, but I thought now that the counterfoil is not in my passport, and I just have the COPR that it won't count. I just don't want to have to wait three months for my stuff to be allowed into the country. So, my question is do you have any form of "legal status" when you walk away from your POE upon landing?

4. A letter addressed to customs indicating the purpose of the move including a current phone number in the event that customs agent need to speak to you directly. - This seems odd to me too...the purpose? I am moving to be with my husband?

Anyway, if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

My two cents...

3. The COPR is usually the definitive proof of your landing and acquiring permanent resident status. You'll also have a stamp in your passport which could serve as additional proof. The visa counterfoil was used to give you permission to arrive to the border to land (allowing you to board the plane). In fact, you should keep the COPR for ever as proof that you are a PR - they usually suggest keeping it in a safe deposit box once you get the PR Card.

4. I would make sure to use certain key words in my description of the purpose of the move so they can quickly categorize you (look at the categories outlined by the B4, for example) ... for example, Canadian returning after living abroad after xx months/years or Settler moving belongings as part of relocation to Canada as new PR. If I had to guess, I would think it's to know whether your goods qualify to be duty free (kind of like interviewing you by proxy)

 

[StateOfConfusion]

Thank you so much OhCanadiana!! I appreciate it.

 

[pinklady]

The COPR is your confirmation of permanent residency and will be more than enough proof. The visa counterfoil was to allow you to enter Canada, but since you are a US citizen and therefore visa exempt this is no longer issued.
Do keep the COPR as you need to send a copy of if to apply for citizenship (a few years down the road I know!)
The purpose of the move is you applied for PR to be able to live with your Canadian husband.

Good luck!!

 

[OhCanadiana]

Thank you so much OhCanadiana!! I appreciate it.

You're welcome . Good luck, and enjoy your landing and move!

 

[StateOfConfusion]

I called the logistics woman back, and she seemed to think that I was going to get some sort of paperwork aside from my COPR when I land...she said it needs to be a seal or certificate to prove that I am in Canada. She is hurting my brain. I told her I am guessing my COPR would be it since the will sign and date it and it will be enough for the Canadian government...do they put a seal or something on my COPR when I land?

Maybe I am just getting lost in the details again. It's hurting my brain a lot. So close to being done, just need to hang in there a little longer.

 

[OhCanadiana]

I called the logistics woman back, and she seemed to think that I was going to get some sort of paperwork aside from my COPR when I land...she said it needs to be a seal or certificate to prove that I am in Canada. She is hurting my brain. I told her I am guessing my COPR would be it since the will sign and date it and it will be enough for the Canadian government...do they put a seal or something on my COPR when I land?

Maybe I am just getting lost in the details again. It's hurting my brain a lot. So close to being done, just need to hang in there a little longer.

It's got to be the COPR. Just send her a copy of the COPR once you land - that is THE legal document proving you ARE a PR once it is signed and stamped at the border. There is NOTHING more legal than the COPR ... not even the PR Card That's why it's such an important document!

She may not be familiar with the new COPRs which are on paper (they used to be larger than letter sized paper with multiple copies, etc so maybe it counts as a certificate. You shouldn't run into problems with COPR + copy of your passport as ID (your COPR copy won't have photo per new specs) + if you really want to overkill entry stamp in your passport.

ETA: Point her to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob379.asp if she's not familiar with the plain paper COPRs.

 

[StateOfConfusion]

It's got to be the COPR. Just send her a copy of the COPR once you land - that is THE legal document proving you ARE a PR once it is signed and stamped at the border. There is NOTHING more legal than the COPR ... not even the PR Card That's why it's such an important document!

She may not be familiar with the new COPRs which are on paper (they used to be larger than letter sized paper with multiple copies, etc so maybe it counts as a certificate. You shouldn't run into problems with COPR + copy of your passport as ID (your COPR copy won't have photo per new specs) + if you really want to overkill entry stamp in your passport.

ETA: Point her to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob379.asp if she's not familiar with the plain paper COPRs.

Oh that link is great! I sent it to her via e-mail, offered to send the currently unsigned copy of the COPR so she could just have an example of what it now looks like, and she responded with...."thanks". So, I guess that's that? I really hope so.

Once more, thanks again OhCanadiana. I really do appreciate the experience/advice/assistance. I don't know what I would do without this board and all the lovely folks that lend that helping hand.

-SoC

 

[OhCanadiana]

Oh that link is great! I sent it to her via e-mail, offered to send the currently unsigned copy of the COPR so she could just have an example of what it now looks like, and she responded with...."thanks". So, I guess that's that? I really hope so.

Once more, thanks again OhCanadiana. I really do appreciate the experience/advice/assistance. I don't know what I would do without this board and all the lovely folks that lend that helping hand.

-SoC

You're welcome Happy to help - happy landing and moving.