Hi Guys,
It's been a long time since I posted- just thought I'd come back and share my landing experience-
LANDING: DAY 1
I landed in Toronto Airport (YYZ) terminal 1. The whole process at Toronto airport took almost 90 mins (from aircraft door to airport exit gate). The word 'Welcome to Canada' was heard more than 10 times in between
..It was a very tiring journey though, I hate long-haul flights...Try to get some sleep so that you don't arrive completely exhausted...
You get a Customs Declaration card on the flight to Canada as follows-
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/e311-eng.pdf
Make sure to fill up as Visitor because you are landing 1st time, you are not a Resident yet.
1st step: Passport Control counters, there was a short queue in the visitors line (BTW, we should go to visitors queue not residents queue, because at this point, we are not residents yet), it took around 10 mins max. Officer asked for the purpose of my visit (which is immigration), took our passports, and customs declaration, asked some basic questions about travel to Ebola-affected countries, then asked if I had any Goods to follow, I indicated Yes, so he marked my Customs Declaration as GTF and scribbled some other notes, then asked to go to Immigration section just behind the Passport Control Counters. (And in between he welcomed me to Canada
)
2nd Step: Immigration Section: The officer took my passport, COPR, asked few questions (like is the information on COPR all correct no spelling mistakes, etc., do I have any other dependents, etc. Then he asked me how much funds I am bringing for settlement.Now I was carrying part of the money as Cash and part in Forex Travel Card and for the remaining amount, I had taken an Indian bank balance certificate. I told him clearly the individual amounts and the type of instrument (be honest always in your answers) and was about to bring out the Documents, but he said that's fine no need to show it
. And then he asked me whether I had a Canadian address for residence (I recommend that you print the address in a paper and give it to them instead of dictating it). Then asked me to sit in the lobby until he finished his work. This took around 20mins. At the end of which, he kept the COPR with the photo, gave me back the 2nd copy of the COPR without the photo along with his sign and stamp, told me that I was now a PR (yay!!!) and that I had to spend 2 years/ 730 days to maintain my PR obligations and also about my rights as a PR. And also told me that the Airport Service Canada center for SIN was closed at this time, so to make sure that I visited one soon (Note I landed at 11.30 am during working hours but the counter was still closed, so it seems there is no way to predict when it will be open). Then he directed me to the Newcomers' Welcome counter.
3rd Step: Newcomers Welcome counter; They gave me some brochures and papers titled Welcome to Canada, health insurance forms, and some child tax return docs and some other papers.
4th Step: Baggage Carousel: My bag was already in the carousel, I just collected it.
5th Step: Customs- at the exit, a Customs official checked my Declaration card, saw that 'GTF' was written on it, and directed me to customs office next door, I entered there, the officer took the good to follow list (I prepared B4 form+Individual Excel Sheets+Gold Pics attached exactly as per qurax's guide here->
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/form-b4-goods-to-followaccompanying-list-how-to-t44793.0.html). The officer was really happy to see my organized preparation, she stamped all the pages (B4 form+Excel Sheets+Gold pic) and asked me to wait a bit. Then she entered the total value in her system and gave me an official printed form for tax-free import. This process took another 15mins.
This was the last step in the airport. Note also, in case you do not have a Canada SIM yet, and you wish to call your family immediately about safe landing, there's a free Chatr stall set up currently where you can make a call home for free...(just in case the Airport wifi isn't working)
DAY 2
6th Step: SIN numbers (ServiceCanada Office in Etobicoke): I went to the SC office the next day dot at 8.30 am. Note that these Offices handle quite a bit of Govt. paperwork, so many people may come here for different reasons, so get in early to avoid the Queue. A nice Officer asked me to fill a form with a few details like fathers name, mothers name, correct spelling, etc.. Then generated SIN on the system and printed SIN numbers on an A4 paper. There are no longer SIN cards. And he explained that this SIN Printout and number needs to be guarded for life as most sensitive and personal information
..This process took around 15mins.
4 days after landing, my ECAS status changed to 'Complete'. And inside, it has changed to the new format of ECAS. An 8th (and final) line has been added->
"You entered Canada at the Lester B Pearson International Airport, Terminal No. 1 office on September XX, 2015 and became a Permanent Resident."
Thanks to all the seniors of this forum for all your help and hope this helps a few people....Cheers and good luck!!
