I am an H1B visa holder in US and drove to Canada to complete the landing formalities at Lacolle POE. This site has given me so much knowledge in getting this far so I am just sharing my experience here hoping this will help someone.
Lacolle POE:
Me: 8 years (she was really shocked!)
CBSA: What kind of visas I stayed in US for 8 years with?
Me: Answered and showed her previous expired passport with old visas
CBSA: How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
Me: 2-3 months
CBSA: I need exact duration
Me: I need to explore work and living, etc so lets put 6 months
CBSA: What is the total value of items I am carrying in my car?
Me: I answered and showed her Good Accompanying document
CBSA: Do you have more than $10000 in cash or checks?
Me: No
CBSA: Ok. (Gave me my docs back along with a yellow slip and asked me to park my car and go to immigration office in building 2 section A)
Immigration Office:
Lacolle POE:
- I drove to St-Bernard-de-Lacolle POE at NY/QC border. There was ~15 minutes line approaching the gate. At 3.35pm when it was my turn, I drove to the booth and Gave CoPR and Passport and said to the agent that I am coming as 1st time PR.
Me: 8 years (she was really shocked!)
CBSA: What kind of visas I stayed in US for 8 years with?
Me: Answered and showed her previous expired passport with old visas
CBSA: How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
Me: 2-3 months
CBSA: I need exact duration
Me: I need to explore work and living, etc so lets put 6 months
CBSA: What is the total value of items I am carrying in my car?
Me: I answered and showed her Good Accompanying document
CBSA: Do you have more than $10000 in cash or checks?
Me: No
CBSA: Ok. (Gave me my docs back along with a yellow slip and asked me to park my car and go to immigration office in building 2 section A)
Immigration Office:
- I was waiting in line until an officer called me and asked me reason for coming and all my documents (CoPR, Passports, 2 copies of - Goods accompanying, Goods to follow and B4 form) and asked me to wait in the waiting area.
- After about 20 minutes officer started working on my file and called me at the desk. I explained how I had drafted the goods to follow document so he could understand it better.
- Officer asked me to write down my contact number, Canadian address and my bank balance amount. He also asked to see the bank statements. He then stamped each page and asked me to sign all pages and initial/date questions in CoPR document and sign both copies.
- I had all the documented prepared in advance and a family in next window didn’t have those documents. The officer handling my case was showing my documents to the officer in the side window asking him to tell the family what to prepare and how. (looked like the other officer was in training).
- He stamped my goods accompanying document and asked what I will be doing with my car. I said I don’t want to import my car yet, but will do that within 60 days time period and also showed him that I have already listed both my cars under GTF. He asked me to put more details of the cars in the B4 form (year, make, model, VIN number). He explained how goods to follow document will be maintained each time I bring stuff with me to Canada (Canada customs will open the luggage and check off things they see from the goods to follow list each time I bring things to Canada so that those things will be duty free).
- Officer was really nice and calmly explained how important is the CoPR document and that I should keep it safe with me at all the time until I get my PR cards (90 days) and anytime if I lose PR card, this document will help me get a replacement.
- If I need to travel outside the country, he suggested that I should do it by car and there will be no issues but if I travel by plane while waiting for PR card, I will need to contact consulate to provide me with some document that will enable me to come back to Canada.
- After all signatures and stamping, office gave me the stamped CoPR document and explained that now I am officially Canadian PR and I have all the rights as a Canadian citizen except voting. He also explained the rule of 730 days in 5 years to maintain the PR status.
- Lastly he congratulated me and asked me to go to cashier to get a number to take my car out from parking lot and that was it!
- Overall There was 15-20 minutes wait time and end to end process from approaching the gate to getting out of the parking lot with stamped CoPR took 1hr 25 minutes.
