Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[scylla]

So we've been tracking my husband's passport which left Fort Erie on Wednesday. The post office said there was ZERO chance that we'd get it yesterday but suddenly the tracker said it was delivered! Checked the mail and there it was! So we decided right then to drive to the border. We left within half an hour and my husband landed last night around 8:30!!

So thankful this is over for us, and hopeful for speedy processes for everyone else, especially for those who have been waiting longer than I did.

woo hoo

Congrats!!! Must feel great!

 

[yooper]

...Does anyone have suggestions for the extension of visitors status? ...

I've not done the official 'visitor visa' route. Am just here as a 'visitor', not with any official permission. My understanding is that an US Citizen can travel and visit Canada for periods of up to 6 months. I've returned to the States several times, both before and after PR application, and so far no troubles at all -- even driving over with a carload of stuff. I declare everything, if asked. Never asked about PR paperwork, although my wife (CDN) offered it up once when I was Designate Driver back from an event in Bellingham WA -- and the border officer didn't seem to care. (I brought my case of beer over duty-free, but the Canadians in the car were hassled about 2 bottles of wine each!)

These trips to back to the US in my mind anyway, constitue a reset of the 6 months visitor limit. In my case, I have relatives in the State that I could stay with if I had to while waiting -- but so far, so good.

Am I flirting w/ danger here?

 

[yooper]

Hi Everyone... Glad to find this forum and there are soooo much information!
I am American citizen and my fiancee is Canadian, we have not decided when to get married yet( just got engaged!). I will be moving to Canada and work here. I want to prepare for this LONG process time, anything I can do right now to prepare for this?
1)Can I start the FBI background check?
2)Do you think I need a lawyer for this?

Never lie, but do not tell them you are 'working' in Canada as a visitor. Keeping out people taking jobs from Canadians is one of their core purposes. If you really are working in Canada, then you may be breaking the law, and should be very careful. Should you be caught in some way, it wouldn't be a step-forward with you immigration paperwork, would it. For the same reason, I drove dead-on the speed limit here. No need for any brushes with the law.

I don't think you need a lawyer, but an advisor might help if you really have work-related issues/concerns.

 

[yooper]

Status changed on ECAS to 'In Process'.
Never did receive any kind of AOR. I as Applicant never have received any correspondence in mail or email. Got my File # (F#) from email to my sponsor saying 'Sponsorship Approved', and case being transferred to Buffalo. It wasn't clearly marked, but the F# was the trick to following this on ECAS.
Many thanks to you, ddobro2, for your efforts. Its a great comfort.

 

[mjh49783aa]

I'm afraid you might be. As for myself, I've been told three different stories in regards to how long I can stay as a visitor before I got married. One story was 6 months minus a day, implying that the clock resets when you reenter. Meanwhile, I was also told not to stay longer than three days per week, with the implication that four days a week means you're staying in Canada longer than you're outside of it. Finally, I was told once that yes, it's six months minus a day, but for a whole twelve months. Now, do they mean for a calendar year? Does the year 'start' when you first enter? Damned if I know, let alone keep track. So, I stay for 2-3 days, leave for at least four, and endure my wife begging for me to stay longer just for me to say, 'Sorry. I can't.' because I'm just not willing to take that risk. It is incumbent upon me, the visitor, to follow the rules, and not my wife. This is basically why this reality I face doesn't compute in her head. Then, I'd have to hear he go on about how she used to go to the States all the time for Taco Bell, (because the Taco Bell in Canada just sucks!) and I just reply to her, "You're just very lucky, and you don't even realize it, because if you make coming over that much of a habit, they will stop you!"

So be very careful.

I've not done the official 'visitor visa' route. Am just here as a 'visitor', not with any official permission. My understanding is that an US Citizen can travel and visit Canada for periods of up to 6 months. I've returned to the States several times, both before and after PR application, and so far no troubles at all -- even driving over with a carload of stuff. I declare everything, if asked. Never asked about PR paperwork, although my wife (CDN) offered it up once when I was Designate Driver back from an event in Bellingham WA -- and the border officer didn't seem to care. (I brought my case of beer over duty-free, but the Canadians in the car were hassled about 2 bottles of wine each!)

These trips to back to the US in my mind anyway, constitue a reset of the 6 months visitor limit. In my case, I have relatives in the State that I could stay with if I had to while waiting -- but so far, so good.

Am I flirting w/ danger here?

And yes, the Taco Bell in Canada really does suck. Badly!

 

[yooper]

I'm afraid you might be. As for myself, I've been told three different stories in...So be very careful.

Thanks for the advice. I'm reminded that I've seen this advice in the past..... --> Carry a copy of PR application --> Prove ties to the USA (like my house mortgage statements) --> Prove enough money to stay (bank statements).

I can't find the 6-months rule on the website anymore... here's what I found on cic.gc.ca:

Visiting Canada: Who is eligible

To visit Canada, you must:
-have a valid travel document, such as a passport;
be in good health;
-satisfy an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home and family, that will take you back to your country of origin;
-satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit; and
-have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.
You may also need:
-a Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship (see Visas and exemptions below)
-a medical examination; and
-a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.
from: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp

= = =
Visitor Visa Exemptions

Many people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:
citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia (Republic of), Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa;
from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp#exemptions

 

[jbruce]

Hearing all this talk about visitor visas makes me think I should ask the forum-mind about my summer plans.

My application was just recently sent to Buffalo (October 17th we received confirmation that my wife was an eligible sponsor), so following the spreadsheet here and the CIC website prediction of 11 months, I suppose we're hoping that my PR gets finalized at least before next October. (Is that a fair assumption?)

My wife and I are expecting our first child at the end of May. Because of insurance, she has to deliver up there as well as receive prenatal care, so I'll be visiting her there more than her visiting me in the U.S. As a university professor I will be finishing my semester in the middle of May, at which point I'm planning to go up, be there for the delivery and spend the summer with my wife and new baby in Toronto.

So, that's the first question. Will I be able to spend the summer in Canada?

Let's say I do spend the summer up there. Well, then there are two options at that point: If my PR comes through, stay up there, or come back to the states with my wife and baby and wait for her green card application to go through.

So, that's the second question. If I am a visitor next summer and my PR comes through, can I just stay up there and switch the status of my visa? Or, if I know that my PR might be coming soon can I extend whatever visitor status I may have to just cover me until my PR comes through?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jayde]

Hearing all this talk about visitor visas makes me think I should ask the forum-mind about my summer plans.

My application was just recently sent to Buffalo (October 17th we received confirmation that my wife was an eligible sponsor), so following the spreadsheet here and the CIC website prediction of 11 months, I suppose we're hoping that my PR gets finalized at least before next October. (Is that a fair assumption?)

My wife and I are expecting our first child at the end of May. Because of insurance, she has to deliver up there as well as receive prenatal care, so I'll be visiting her there more than her visiting me in the U.S. As a university professor I will be finishing my semester in the middle of May, at which point I'm planning to go up, be there for the delivery and spend the summer with my wife and new baby in Toronto.

So, that's the first question. Will I be able to spend the summer in Canada?

Let's say I do spend the summer up there. Well, then there are two options at that point: If my PR comes through, stay up there, or come back to the states with my wife and baby and wait for her green card application to go through.

So, that's the second question. If I am a visitor next summer and my PR comes through, can I just stay up there and switch the status of my visa? Or, if I know that my PR might be coming soon can I extend whatever visitor status I may have to just cover me until my PR comes through?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, you can visit, and most US citizens get 6 month visit visa when they come to visit after applying for their PR (some have received 1 year).
Yes, if your Passport request arrives while you are in Canada, it is a simple matter of sending your passport, waiting for it to come back to you and then you go and "Land". My husband and I just did this last night, drove to the border and he landed. he's been "visiting" since June, and now he's a permanent resident.

Basically, when you come to visit, you let them know that you have the intent of visiting until your application is processed. Sometimes they like to see that you have ties to the states to go back to in case the application is denied, (we had my husbands belongings in storage) but your job as a professor would definitely suffice. They put a visitor record in your passport that permits you to stay (generally for 6 months) and you cannot work or study in Canada during that time. Then you just wait out the process.

There is a chance that your application can be approved before you even come up in May, but I wouldn't hold my breath. (We applied in March and were approved in October, some are faster, some are much slower).

So yes, it is more than possible that you should be able to stay in Canada for the summer. As long as you are clear that you are "visiting" while you wait out the process and not "moving" here... border officials seem to be pretty good. At least all the ones we met have been.

 

[canuckofchicago]

Hey ddobro2,

I just wanted to give you an update.

on 10/06/2011 my wife, the applicant, received a letter waiving all additional documents and interview. They have now requested the Right to Permanent Residence Fee. So hopefully it wouldn't be too long.

CanuckofChicago

 

[ddobro2]

congratulations!

So we've been tracking my husband's passport which left Fort Erie on Wednesday. The post office said there was ZERO chance that we'd get it yesterday but suddenly the tracker said it was delivered! Checked the mail and there it was! So we decided right then to drive to the border. We left within half an hour and my husband landed last night around 8:30!!

So thankful this is over for us, and hopeful for speedy processes for everyone else, especially for those who have been waiting longer than I did.

woo hoo

 

[jstnmlr]

So, that's the first question. Will I be able to spend the summer in Canada?

for what it's worth...

On my last trip up, which was my first trip since putting in PR paperwork, I prepared for the worst. I had letters form my employer, person I rent a room from, copies of my AOR letter and a copy of my flight itinerary. I went to the normal booth (upon arriving by plane) and I simply said I was visiting friends & family and then he asked if I was from there and what family. Not wanting to lie I told him my wife and he told me to see the officers at the secondary window, which I end up at every time I go up. There the lady was shocked I had all the paperwork and assumed I had prior problems getting in. She was very nice and after a little Q&A session I received a 6 mo visa with the exp date written in. Sadly I could only stay for 8 days. I imagine it's easier to come in via plane then car though as your probably more likely to stay if you drive in.

 

[Eddy070]

Hey ddobro2,

I just wanted to give you an update.

on 10/06/2011 my wife, the applicant, received a letter waiving all additional documents and interview. They have now requested the Right to Permanent Residence Fee. So hopefully it wouldn't be too long.

CanuckofChicago

Congrats on your recent update. Was the update through snail mail or email

 

[canuckofchicago]

Congrats on your recent update. Was the update through snail mail or email

Hi Eddy070,

Thanks for your congrats. It has been 6.5 months, but it has been a long process. We received this notification via snail mail.

One more step to go - paying for the RPRF fee.

 

[Eddy070]

That's so cool as it won't be long for you guys. We have been waiting for over 8months now still not sure how long it's going to be; Just tired of crossing our damn fingers as it really hurts...lol. Hoping nextweek will bring more PPR/PRV news. Goodlucky to everyone still waiting for it going to be alright.

 

[Maple3]

Ask around on Facebook or work friends. Most people have a photoshop pro friend and a picture taken on a plain white wall can easily be fit into specs in about 5 minutes. As someone else stated and pro/semi pro photographer can do this with their eyes closed. Places that do passport photos usually dont have the ability to do it because they can't adjust the measurements.



Thanks jstnmlr, we are still working on getting the right specs done, had them done at Sears and they turned out way to big. Now going to take them back and see if they can take regular pics to the proper size that we need. :