Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[scottishmaple]

OMG don't mention London, every time the COPR's start getting issued and everything seems to be going well, they slip back in to their zombie state of mind and nothing happens for weeks. I think it looks like that is where they are at lol.

I have to say that I have noticed this myself....things don't seem to be moving in London and I have been looking at the spreadsheets for May June and August and the London Spreasheeet

 

[bryandd]

Hello,

So - I landed in Vancouver yesterday evening (midnight!) without a COPR and was given 6 months entrance. The whole process was rather easy and friendly. Basically showed up at the border for visitors with my partner (Canadian), and when asked how long I intended to stay, I told her 6 months, and explained that I had applied for PR. I mentioned that the first part had been approved. She didn't ask for the letter, a return ticket, or proofs of funds (I had all 3 but was not asked for any...), asked me where I lived before (current address), and that was it. Wrote 180 days on my customs forms, stamped my passport, and that was it.

One tip for the ones doing the same - don't fill out customs forms as a family (like we did first). It sounds obvious, but after 24h awake and a long flight, i didn't think about it... - but of course, I can not fill out a form together with my partner as he lives here and I don't - technically. So I was kindly asked to fill out another separate form at the border directly, and it didn't create any trouble. She asked what I was doing for a living, if I still had a job (no), and that was it.

No questions about possible luggage, how much i was bringing in the country, etc.

Very easy process in my case, hope it will be the same for the ones flying without COPR...

So now - I'm in Vancouver, and will try to settle here and wait out my PR

Cheers,
Sweden

Congrats Sweden! We were wondering if you'd made it okay. We just had all our stuff picked up by the shipping company yesterday, and now it should be enroute to Alberta soon! We're still going over at the end of november with or without the COPR as well, so hope that they get some of us Aprilcants sorted! So jealous you're in Vancouver..the sushi restaurants are amazing there! All the best to you!!

p & b

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hello,

So - I landed in Vancouver yesterday evening (midnight!) without a COPR and was given 6 months entrance. The whole process was rather easy and friendly. Basically showed up at the border for visitors with my partner (Canadian), and when asked how long I intended to stay, I told her 6 months, and explained that I had applied for PR. I mentioned that the first part had been approved. She didn't ask for the letter, a return ticket, or proofs of funds (I had all 3 but was not asked for any...), asked me where I lived before (current address), and that was it. Wrote 180 days on my customs forms, stamped my passport, and that was it.

One tip for the ones doing the same - don't fill out customs forms as a family (like we did first). It sounds obvious, but after 24h awake and a long flight, i didn't think about it... - but of course, I can not fill out a form together with my partner as he lives here and I don't - technically. So I was kindly asked to fill out another separate form at the border directly, and it didn't create any trouble. She asked what I was doing for a living, if I still had a job (no), and that was it.

No questions about possible luggage, how much i was bringing in the country, etc.

Very easy process in my case, hope it will be the same for the ones flying without COPR...

So now - I'm in Vancouver, and will try to settle here and wait out my PR

Cheers,
Sweden

Hey Sweden!!

Really glad to hear that your landing went so easily, bodes well for us in December . Hope you get your PR soon, enjoy Vancouver!!

 

[Herjeet]

Congrats Sweden, so glad you didn't have any problems entering Canada! I'm there next month on the 15th!! Hope to have a COPR by then but not counting my chickens to soon!! Welcome to paradise!

 

[RebeccaOttawa]

For all of you who are planning to arrive or have arrived in Canada before receiving COPRs - what exactly is your plan? I don't completely understand what the COPR is or how this whole process works. When you eventually receive approval from London, will you have to submit your passport to the UK to obtain a COPR? Also, once the COPR is issued, will you have to leave Canada and then return? If so, can you leave for only a brief period (e.g. cross the border into the U.S.?) Would be very grateful if someone could explain this all to me!

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[chopsticks]

Hello,

So - I landed in Vancouver yesterday evening (midnight!) without a COPR and was given 6 months entrance. The whole process was rather easy and friendly. Basically showed up at the border for visitors with my partner (Canadian), and when asked how long I intended to stay, I told her 6 months, and explained that I had applied for PR. I mentioned that the first part had been approved. She didn't ask for the letter, a return ticket, or proofs of funds (I had all 3 but was not asked for any...), asked me where I lived before (current address), and that was it. Wrote 180 days on my customs forms, stamped my passport, and that was it.

One tip for the ones doing the same - don't fill out customs forms as a family (like we did first). It sounds obvious, but after 24h awake and a long flight, i didn't think about it... - but of course, I can not fill out a form together with my partner as he lives here and I don't - technically. So I was kindly asked to fill out another separate form at the border directly, and it didn't create any trouble. She asked what I was doing for a living, if I still had a job (no), and that was it.

No questions about possible luggage, how much i was bringing in the country, etc.

Very easy process in my case, hope it will be the same for the ones flying without COPR...

So now - I'm in Vancouver, and will try to settle here and wait out my PR

Cheers,
Sweden

Congratulations, really very happy for you!
Stay blessed!

 

[Woffles]

For all of you who are planning to arrive or have arrived in Canada before receiving COPRs - what exactly is your plan? I don't completely understand what the COPR is or how this whole process works. When you eventually receive approval from London, will you have to submit your passport to the UK to obtain a COPR? Also, once the COPR is issued, will you have to leave Canada and then return? If so, can you leave for only a brief period (e.g. cross the border into the U.S.?) Would be very grateful if someone could explain this all to me!

Thanks in advance for your help

I'm already in Canada so when I get the COPR I'll probably just go to the border and back, maybe do a day trip or something like that. I have a British passport so I believe I am exempt from the PPR. I'm guessing the paperwork will be mailed/emailed to me.

Congrats Sweden, hope the time difference isn't screwing you too bad right now!

 

[bryandd]

For all of you who are planning to arrive or have arrived in Canada before receiving COPRs - what exactly is your plan? I don't completely understand what the COPR is or how this whole process works. When you eventually receive approval from London, will you have to submit your passport to the UK to obtain a COPR? Also, once the COPR is issued, will you have to leave Canada and then return? If so, can you leave for only a brief period (e.g. cross the border into the U.S.?) Would be very grateful if someone could explain this all to me!

Thanks in advance for your help

Hi Rebecca, if the applicant is from a visa exempt country then, upon approval of the application, the London visa office will issue a document known as a Conformation of Permenant Residence or COPR. The applicant doesn't get a passport request and visa stamp from london as you can land in Canada with your COPR. If the applicant is outside of Canada when they get the COPR then its straight forward, catch a flight to Canada, bring all your stuff, satisfy the border officials and start living in Canada.

Alternatively the applicant can 'move' to Canada as a visitor without the COPR to wait for it to be issued. There are a few things to consider though: you can't work or get medical insurance as a visitor, and you may also have to satisfy the border officials that you do not intend to settle in Canada (as this is a violation of a visitor's visa), that means that you might have to supply proof of intent to go back to your own country (return flight etc). The COPR can be posted to a Canadian address and then the applicant can 'flagpole' , that means cross the border out of Canada or go to an international airport and re-cross to land officially with their COPR as a permanent resident.

Hope that makes sense, any questions just ask.

P

 

[Karo1108]

Hey,

No- Do not be patient, you are outside the waiting time period, therefore if you or your S.O are living in Canada I would call CIC immediately and find out what is happening. I do not think you can call CIC regarding stage 1 if you are overseas. I would be heavily frustrated as well and certainly the time for patience has elapsed, they are working from July 26th and beyond therefore you are 2 weeks behind schedule and those figures will be updated tonight or tomorrow.

Good luck

OK so I have emailed London Office and they replied (surprisingly) saying that they still haven't received our file - We have asked my mother in law (who leaves in Canada) to call the call center but they ask us to authorize her to call by filling in the "Use a representative" form which we don't really want to do as it might slow down the process of our application...
Do you have any other idea on how we can get an update on the status of our application? The website still hasn't changed and still shows Application Received on July 9th and Medical received.

Thanks !

 

[R151NG5UN]

OK so I have emailed London Office and they replied (surprisingly) saying that they still haven't received our file - We have asked my mother in law (who leaves in Canada) to call the call center but they ask us to authorize her to call by filling in the "Use a representative" form which we don't really want to do as it might slow down the process of our application...
Do you have any other idea on how we can get an update on the status of our application? The website still hasn't changed and still shows Application Received on July 9th and Medical received.

Thanks !

Hey Karo,

The only option you have left is to google how to obtain a Canadian number whilst overseas. There are call companies that when you dial redirect you through to a Canadian number to make the call cheaper. Finding one may take some time but I am pretty sure they do exist. Failing that I believe Skype has something similar where you can once again fool the computer to make it look like your inside Canada. Other than that I guess you can E-mail Mississagua with a CSE.

good luck

The COPR can be posted to a Canadian address and then the applicant can 'flagpole' , that means cross the border out of Canada or go to an international airport and re-cross to land officially with their COPR as a permanent resident.

Flagpolling is a great idea and would be perfect but I saw on another thread that there is about a 6 week wait, you actually have to book an appointment and they fit you in when they can. I saw somebody who wanted to flagpole through Calgary and was told we can fit you in, in 6 weeks. Depending where you are if you choose to flagpole expect a wait. Maybe that day trip to the states is calling.

 

[bryandd]

Flagpolling is a great idea and would be perfect but I saw on another thread that there is about a 6 week wait, you actually have to book an appointment and they fit you in when they can. I saw somebody who wanted to flagpole through Calgary and was told we can fit you in, in 6 weeks. Depending where you are if you choose to flagpole expect a wait. Maybe that day trip to the states is calling.

All this jargon you have to learn when you go through this process is mind boggling! Its like learning a new language! I thought flagpolling WAS when you made the trip over the physical border just to turn around again... ??? I was also under the impression that you could do this quickly at a big international airport aswell....and that the 3rd option is to 'land' at your local CIC office, but you need an appointment..which takes ages to get... Do the airport and the CIC office equate to the same thing?

 

[Jim1980]

Hi,
I've just sent my forms off (arrived 01/10/12) and impatiently waiting for any news!
How do I get my progress put into the London VO spreadsheet, it seems like a great way to monitor whats going on.

Thanks
Jim.

 

[johare12]

Has anyone sent additional information without being prompted? I'm thinking about sending our new Canadian joint bank accounts and lease agreement (only a 3 month contract) and maybe a few new pictures. I'm not sure if they will ask for more or not but as we are applying common law I just can't help but worry. Do you think I should send it just incase or just wait and see if they even want it?

A second question if anyone can answer it, I was under the impression that you could drive for 6 months with a uk license but I read online that it is 60 days! Is this true? We don't want to "forfeit" our UK licenses until everything has been approved. Anyone familiar with this process?

Thanks

 

[Laurenhannah]

All this jargon you have to learn when you go through this process is mind boggling! Its like learning a new language! I thought flagpolling WAS when you made the trip over the physical border just to turn around again... ??? I was also under the impression that you could do this quickly at a big international airport aswell....and that the 3rd option is to 'land' at your local CIC office, but you need an appointment..which takes ages to get... Do the airport and the CIC office equate to the same thing?

Hi Bryandd,

You're right... the flagpole option is definitely the best, no appointments, just drive over the boarder and hope its not busy! When i landed (a few years ago now!) we just drove to the boarder, they made us drive across the 'line', come back and was all done in 30 minutes.

You're also correct that you can 'land' at your local office, where you do need an appointment though. I think the airport and CIC office equate to the same thing.

If possible, definitely just flagpole it!

We will be heading back to the UK for a visit once my boyfriend receives his COPR so will land when we return.

Hurry up London!

 

[SaMoS]

All this jargon you have to learn when you go through this process is mind boggling! Its like learning a new language! I thought flagpolling WAS when you made the trip over the physical border just to turn around again... ??? I was also under the impression that you could do this quickly at a big international airport aswell....and that the 3rd option is to 'land' at your local CIC office, but you need an appointment..which takes ages to get... Do the airport and the CIC office equate to the same thing?

It is my understanding that you can only flagpole at land borders...