Good morning. I shall continue the sugary Tuesday news (this actually occurred on sweet Monday, but we were celebrating, so just posting now). My wife landed yesterday in Surrey, B.C. and is now officially a Canadian Permanent Resident ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.
Some thoughts and advice on the interview (as it applies to this location, other locations may differ):
1. Plan to wait awhile once you get to the interview. Our appointment was for 1:30, but did not get called up until 2:30. Most people there were waiting to write their citizenship exam, or waiting on the results. They have four "bank teller style" wickets, only one of which is used for landing interviews. So we had to wait for three other couples before us.
2. Bring a copy of the landing confirmation letter. The security guy at the door takes it to give to the agent as proof of interview and to queue you in the wait room. If you don't have it, you don't get in.
3. Bring EVERYTHING they ask for in the landing confirmation letter and be organized. One couple ahead of us was searching through their folders and bags for documents, and had forgotten one item. They were sent home and told to wait for a new landing confirmation letter....can you imagine getting all the way to this stage and being so negligent? Wow.
4. Don't expect any privacy. The interview is conducted right at the wicket, in full view and earshot of at least half the room. And you must stand the whole time at the wicket, no chairs.
5. Expect to answer some clarifying questions. I had posted previously about our ordeal of withdrawing our first PR app after my wife returned home for her father's funeral in 2014. The agent asked why we withdrew that application and we had to tell the story. She wanted to make sure that we had not instead separated during that time over relationship issues (just another test of the legitimacy of our relationship). She also asked how long we had been married and we showed her our marriage certificate (we brought everything with us just in case). She asked us if this was our daughter (we had our 2-year old with us). She was satisfied with our answers up to this point.
6. She then said to my wife that the next three questions are the final phase before receiving her PR.
(a) Do you have an other husbands or children anywhere else in the world? (I nervously awaited her answer.....lol).
(b) Have you ever been convicted of a crime anywhere in the world?
(c) When did you last arrive in Canada?
That was it. She didn't ask if I still wanted to sponsor my wife (which of course depended on her answer to 6(a) above). The agent printed the COPR, signed it, had my wife sign it, and then congratulated her on becoming a PR.
We also received information on travelling before getting the PR card, on medical applications, and getting a new S.I.N. (which we did right after).
So glad it's over..... 8)
.
