Hello Asivad,
Thank you very much for all the support you have given me and all of us. I am one of the rookies who've managed to crack the whole process with help from you and other seniors and I now have my passport stamped with the PR visa. ;D
I am planning to land by mid March in Toronto and was thinking things ahead and I have 2 simple questions.
1. I am planning to show the entire maintenance funds($12000 CAD) in a single travel check. Is that gonna attract the customs and add up to the length of the procedure? Am I better off splitting the amount in cash and check? Or... was that a pointless question? :
$12,164 - starting off with some nitpicking! Won't attract anything but keep the documentation handy just in case someone gets curios about source of these funds (no one should but doesn't hurt having the paper trail handy AND repeated questioning is the last thing you want at the end of an intercontinental journey). It's your money - IRCC/CBSA cannot tell you how to carry it around and in what form.
2. I haven't got any close relatives or friends in Toronto. So, if I was not able to find an address where I will be living for more than 2 months, how will I provide the border officials with an address to receive my PR card later? Is there a way to skip that procedure at the airport and update the address later when I find a permanent place to stay?
You'll probably be checking into a hotel or someplace nearby - provide that address when asked. You can always update this later. PR card TAT is beyond 100 days now - enough time for you to find a place of your own and update the address with the authorities. And yes, it would help to make initial accommodation reservations before you land and carrying that proof as well - you don't want to tell CBSA that you're planning to wing it after exiting the airport - would sound too cavalier coming from a fresh immigrant.
Finally, if any of you cool people know of any threads about Landing procedure, tips and precautions please link it here. I will do my research in there.
I imagine the process is fairly 'idiot proof' so there aren't too many threads discussing this one. Check other sections of the forum including 'Settlement Issues'.
Cheers!