Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[danzob]

They now issue COPR for everyone.

"Note: As of December 1, 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will no longer issue a Permanent Resident counterfoil to applicants from visa exempt countries. All applicants approved for permanent residence, whether they hold a passport from a visa exempt country or from a country requiring a visa for Canada, will continue to be issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document."

Congratulations again, bloodyguitars!

Hi GOGOGO,

Does this mean that the passport will not bear any stamp or visa?
The COPR will suffice as a "visa" to travel to Canada for landing purposes?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Isometry]

Hi GOGOGO,

Does this mean that the passport will not bear any stamp or visa?
The COPR will suffice as a "visa" to travel to Canada for landing purposes?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Dan

Assuming that you're visa-exempt, then yes. (You'll need your passport too, of course) The COPR is a really boring looking normal sheet of paper, and that gets stapled to your passport when you land. The stapled COPR can act as proof that you're a permanent resident until your actual PR card comes in.

 

[danzob]

Assuming that you're visa-exempt, then yes. (You'll need your passport too, of course) The COPR is a really boring looking normal sheet of paper, and that gets stapled to your passport when you land. The stapled COPR can act as proof that you're a permanent resident until your actual PR card comes in.

Thanks Isometry! But what do you mean by visa-exempt? I am a citizen of a country that requires tourist visa to enter Canada, what is the implication of this on my end? Please enlighten as the visa office did not provide any letter of instructions when I received my COPR and submitted docs. Appreciate your inputs.

Thanks in advanced!

 

[Amoss]

Many congrats amoss! I still have heard nothing and my file has been with Buffalo (and now ????) for exactly 1 year today.

P****d off doesn't even come into it right now :'(

Oh man, I feel for you. And you have contacted your MP? I would for sure if you haven't yet. It's not fair that they don't tell you anything and are taking wayyyy too long

 

[OhCanadiana]

Thanks Isometry! But what do you mean by visa-exempt? I am a citizen of a country that requires tourist visa to enter Canada, what is the implication of this on my end? Please enlighten as the visa office did not provide any letter of instructions when I received my COPR and submitted docs. Appreciate your inputs.

Thanks in advanced!

Visa exempt means you don't need a tourist visa. Since you do, that means you will get both a CoPR and a very pretty visa in your passport. To do that, the VO will request your passport when they are done approving your file to place the visa and will mail it back to you along with the CoPR.

 

[simb]

Visa exempt means you don't need a tourist visa. Since you do, that means you will get both a CoPR and a very pretty visa in your passport. To do that, the VO will request your passport when they are done approving your file to place the visa and will mail it back to you along with the CoPR.

i know the applicants from visa exempt countries (whether having the passport of that country or not) does not need a visa just copr will be done.
but does that mean when requested for pp, we need to send the pp ?

 

[computergeek]

i know the applicants from visa exempt countries (whether having the passport of that country or not) does not need a visa just copr will be done.
but does that mean when requested for pp, we need to send the pp ?

If they ask for your passport, you must send them your passport. Otherwise they will send you a letter advising you of your error and ask you to send it again.

 

[Isometry]

i know the applicants from visa exempt countries (whether having the passport of that country or not) does not need a visa just copr will be done.
but does that mean when requested for pp, we need to send the pp ?

Yes. However, if you're visa-exempt, the PPR will often allow you to send photocopies of the passport rather than the actual passport.

 

[danzob]

Visa exempt means you don't need a tourist visa. Since you do, that means you will get both a CoPR and a very pretty visa in your passport. To do that, the VO will request your passport when they are done approving your file to place the visa and will mail it back to you along with the CoPR.

They did ask for my passport (with two expired Canadian tourist visa on it) and still they did not provide the visa or any stamp at all.
What I received is just the COPR.

Can someone who has the same case as I am advise and share? if you were able to travel to Canada with just the COPR?

 

[computergeek]

They did ask for my passport (with two expired Canadian tourist visa on it) and still they did not provide the visa or any stamp at all.
What I received is just the COPR.

Can someone who has the same case as I am advise and share? if you were able to travel to Canada with just the COPR?

You are posting this in the Buffalo thread. Are you inside the US? If so, you can cross at a land border with just a COPR. If you plan on flying, then you would require the one-use TRV (or a "counterfoil" as it is referred to in various documents).

This OB discusses the fact that the visa office no longer needs to issue the TRV/counterfoil for visa-exempt countries: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2011/ob348a.asp but a quick look didn't turn up further information in my search (I looked at OP 1 "Procedures" and OP 2 "Family Class", although there is a reference in OP 2 indicating that a TRV is needed for someone not-visa exempt, but the section is also discussing ARCs).

If you are not visa-exempt, then the visa office screwed up by not issuing one. Since you are in the Buffalo thread, it is distinctly possible that they just didn't even think about the fact you would need one. If you can get to a land border crossing between the US and Canada, it won't matter, as you can land at the border with just the COPR. Otherwise, you need to contact the visa office and advise them that you also need a TRV.

 

[hsquared]

Re: Thread for outland Buffalo applicants

Hey guys!

Anyone with updates? My case processing date has passed and still no update from their end. I feel like cic is on summer holidays?

 

[g-man]

Assuming that you're visa-exempt, then yes. (You'll need your passport too, of course) The COPR is a really boring looking normal sheet of paper, and that gets stapled to your passport when you land. The stapled COPR can act as proof that you're a permanent resident until your actual PR card comes in.

I was told that the COPR is not complete proof of PR status. Why? I have no idea. But what they did say to me when I inquired about travel with the COPR is that while it is OK to use as a PR when crossing a land border, it is not OK to to so when flying. So thus far when flying back I have been crossing as a visitor as I used to. The CBP agents do look at me funny after seeing the COPR in my passport but other than that I haven't had issues.

 

[happylaw]

I hope we hear some good news this week for those of us waiting!!

 

[Isometry]

I was told that the COPR is not complete proof of PR status. Why? I have no idea. But what they did say to me when I inquired about travel with the COPR is that while it is OK to use as a PR when crossing a land border, it is not OK to to so when flying. So thus far when flying back I have been crossing as a visitor as I used to. The CBP agents do look at me funny after seeing the COPR in my passport but other than that I haven't had issues.

I used the stapled COPR as proof of residency when I flew back into Canada before getting the PR card, but YMMV.

You CAN use the COPR as proof of residency for things like getting your driver's liscense, SIN number, healthcare, etc.

I think the COPR isn't complete proof of residency because it has absolutely no security features. There's nothing to stop me from photocopying it and changing the name and stapling it to my brother's passport or whatnot.

 

[caledonia]

Has anyone had any correspondence with Ottawa? I still havent heard back after contacting them numerous times. I checked my e-cas today and they had updated my address that I had changed a couple of weeks ago, anyone know if this is a good sign? I contacted my MP so hopefully she will be able to help. Its frustrating watching so many people get their ppr who applied months after me! (although I am happy for them! )