Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[prophet3]

I say go for it -- the GCMS notes are kinda interesting... and you can even fax or e-mail the request in, so you don't even have to pay for the postage!

For the proof of presence in Canada, I'm sure a copy of your PR card (or the PR Visa) would be enough -- we used my wife's visitor record both times and there was no question about it. This way, it's FREE!

where is written email address to request ?

 

[doctorkb]

where is written email address to request ?

http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes says:
atip-aiprp@cic.gc.ca

I've not tried e-mail -- I have a fax machine so have just used that, because it meant I could guarantee there wouldn't be questions about the signature.

I must say, the folks at the ATIP office seem to be the most friendly and get-'er-done people that CIC has on staff!

 

[prophet3]

http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes says:
atip-aiprp @ cic.gc.ca

I've not tried e-mail -- I have a fax machine so have just used that, because it meant I could guarantee there wouldn't be questions about the signature.

I must say, the folks at the ATIP office seem to be the most friendly and get-'er-done people that CIC has on staff!

thank you so much

 

[mmshock]

Brampton. Was DriveTest able to pull up your DMV records on their system? And are you from California?

Ahhhhahahaha. Look at something on their system? They barely even looked at the letter I was told I didn't need before they sent me out the door.

I have had two licenses over the past 3 years, one in KS and one in NE - both of which are meant to be exempt from needing an abstract (like California). Yeah not so much.

If you do find Brampton's DriveTest to be compliant let me know... I am not that far away!

 

[buffalo-toronto]

http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes says:
atip-aiprp @ cic.gc.ca

I've not tried e-mail -- I have a fax machine so have just used that, because it meant I could guarantee there wouldn't be questions about the signature.

I must say, the folks at the ATIP office seem to be the most friendly and get-'er-done people that CIC has on staff!

Could you provide the fax number for request. Thanks

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

I'm ready to land, and I don't want to traverse the frozen and unsafe Quebec roads on my way to Vermont to do so.

Hahaha! I really hope you're at least mostly joking here. I live out in the Eastern Townships (about 30 min from the border with VT) and we got hit with an insane amount of snow last winter, yet the roads were actually really quite clear and safe. They were actually worse in the spring when the snow started to melt, because of all of the potholes that appeared after the thaw. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend driving long distances in a snow storm, but stick to the main roads to the border and you'll be fine!

 

[francohoosier]

Hahaha! I really hope you're at least mostly joking here. I live out in the Eastern Townships (about 30 min from the border with VT) and we got hit with an insane amount of snow last winter, yet the roads were actually really quite clear and safe. They were actually worse in the spring when the snow started to melt, because of all of the potholes that appeared after the thaw. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend driving long distances in a snow storm, but stick to the main roads to the border and you'll be fine!

Lol this is why Québec is the only province that requires winter tires! I never had any problems, but I'm lucky enough to have a 4x4 with all-wheel drive. The biggest pain I find is parking in Montréal. Outside our apartment it's just parallel parking on the street. There's always enough space until the snow starts stacking up. Then about 1/2 the spaces are lost to mounds of snow from digging out the other half, and people park all kinds of crazy until they declare a snow removal operation.

<3 Québec

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Lol this is why Québec is the only province that requires winter tires! I never had any problems, but I'm lucky enough to have a 4x4 with all-wheel drive. The biggest pain I find is parking in Montréal. Outside our apartment it's just parallel parking on the street. There's always enough space until the snow starts stacking up. Then about 1/2 the spaces are lost to mounds of snow from digging out the other half, and people park all kinds of crazy until they declare a snow removal operation.

<3 Québec

I have a little Chevy Aveo and I survived the winter (thank god for snow tires though). I think every immigrant to Quebec should get a bumper sticker after their first winter that says that: I survived my first Quebec winter!

I haven't had the joy of parking in Montreal like that yet, but we're thinking about relocating there this spring so maybe next winter. Then I'll get a new sticker: I survived my first maudite Montreal winter! (A little Quebecois French thrown in for good measure.)

 

[francohoosier]

I have a little Chevy Aveo and I survived the winter (thank god for snow tires though). I think every immigrant to Quebec should get a bumper sticker after their first winter that says that: I survived my first Quebec winter!

I haven't had the joy of parking in Montreal like that yet, but we're thinking about relocating there this spring so maybe next winter. Then I'll get a new sticker: I survived my first maudite Montreal winter! (A little Quebecois French thrown in for good measure.)

ROFL! Totally calling the SAAQ and demanding mine!

 

[mcmasters]

I have some questions for anyone who went to live with their Canadian spouse to wait out your PR application.

1. Did you maintain an active address in the States while you waited for your resident status to come through?

If not...

>What did you do about a driver's license? Did you keep your U.S. DL? What did you list as the address on your DL?

>If you have a car, what did you list as your state of residence for insurance purposes? For car registration purposes?

I'm sort of worried about this because every time I cross the border the IO's on both sides ask me where I live (city). Once or twice they asked my address.

2. Did you keep your job in the U.S.?

>If yes, did you work remotely or commute back and forth?

>If not, how did you explain that you were unemployed to the IOs if/when you crossed the border between U.S. and Canada during your extended visit?

Now when I cross the IO's always ask where I work and what my job is. So if I say I'm unemployed, I figure that's going to raise a red flag for them.

These are just the questions I have off the top of my head. I'm sure there are a lot more PITA details I'm not thinking about right now concerning moving in with the hubs and giving up my job and apartment in NY.

When hubs and I talked about me coming to live with him until my PR was complete, my plan was to give up my apartment and quit my job, and stay at his place, doing unemployed chick stuff, while keeping my car in the apartment's parking space. My emergency back-up US address would be my parents' home in PA, if for some reason I had to leave Canada before my PR was done.

Thinking about it more, I realized that there would be issues if I had no more permanent resident address in the state of NY. My DL would no longer be accurate. What would I tell the car insurance company? I'm still making loan payments to the bank for my Vespa scooter - what would I tell them?

What do you do if you no longer have a mailing address in the States, but you're still dealing with American companies? Should I get a PO Box?

I can't afford to keep paying for my apartment if I'm not living in it and not working. I can barely afford it now. I suggested getting a super cheap room in an apartment where I would spend very little time for the sake of still have a NYS address and residence, but he thought that was a waste of money.

Doing that would still involve transferring my address again, but it would save me the hassle of having to transfer my info back to PA, which was a HUGE, looooong PITA when I moved to NYS in 2009.

Long rant over, what did you all do to compensate for this situation? What will come up as a red flag for the IO's and what should I not worry about?

There is a good possibility that I would be living at the hubs' without PR status into January, or at the longest (based on the 11-month rule) end of February. We talked about me moving in with him December 9th, so it could be 2 1/2 months that I'd be a "floater."

I would want to travel home for Christmas, and to make a few trips between my apartment and his to move my goods that don't require a moving truck. This will only be an issue from January on, since I will have my apartment until Dec 31st.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?

-Maddy

 

[ddobro2]

I "survived" a winter in Quebec too, but it wasn't such a big deal because I grew up in Chicago. The cold I was used to, but the major difference seemed to be that in Chicago, a crap load of snow would be dumpted on the city every now and then and what you'd see on the ground would be the remnants of that event. But in Montreal, I just remembered that it was constantly snowing.....like every day you go out, it's snowing, and not choosing to wear any water resistant head gear I was always having to restraighten my hair after.

I have a little Chevy Aveo and I survived the winter (thank god for snow tires though). I think every immigrant to Quebec should get a bumper sticker after their first winter that says that: I survived my first Quebec winter!

I haven't had the joy of parking in Montreal like that yet, but we're thinking about relocating there this spring so maybe next winter. Then I'll get a new sticker: I survived my first maudite Montreal winter! (A little Quebecois French thrown in for good measure.)

 

[ddobro2]

Classic Chicago! Cue the plastic folding chairs ;D

Then about 1/2 the spaces are lost to mounds of snow from digging out the other half, and people park all kinds of crazy until they declare a snow removal operation.

<3 Québec

 

[janamay1967]

I just got an email from Buffalo stating that they have FINALLY received the FBI clearance on my son (who is NOT immigrating) and they are sending the file to THEIR security process before final assessment. Does anyone know how long THEIR security process takes???? Am I looking at weeks and weeks and weeks?????

 

[Calgary-Bound]

No way!! I lived in Central West End in St. Louis!! I met my husband on vacation and we now live in Airdrie, right north of Calgary.

Wow I lived In Airdrie for 10 months when I was building the Bass Pro Shop at Cross Iron Mall.I met my wife while I was here working and now we live In Calgary.What a small world!

 

[ddobro2]

I actually wasn't. I'm totally with you about the speed of the snow removal activities in this area. In fact I think the mayor of our arrondissement does the best job in this regard......it is always among the first to get trucks to come in and pave the streets and sidewalks.....and as a pedestrian, it's really the sidewalks I care about! See, neither of us have a car, as we live a 7 minute walk from a Metro station in Montreal. We would be taking the old Communauto down to the border (we already have experience with this for picking up another document/picking up my belongings from Vermont). We've only used that in summer and fall - no precipitation on the ground. Thus, you can see why I have a little trepidation. It's not like I would want to land in the middle of a snowstorm, but if my COPR arrived around that time, I'd be very tempted

Hahaha! I really hope you're at least mostly joking here. I live out in the Eastern Townships (about 30 min from the border with VT) and we got hit with an insane amount of snow last winter, yet the roads were actually really quite clear and safe. They were actually worse in the spring when the snow started to melt, because of all of the potholes that appeared after the thaw. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend driving long distances in a snow storm, but stick to the main roads to the border and you'll be fine!