US-based applicants, let's connect here

[Adrouault]

Just want to get a thread going to see if I'm the only US-based person applying for EE, and if not, let's turn this into a thread where we can share stories, questions, and all that.

I'll start, I'm from NYC, and I was going up to Toronto for a weekend to take the CELPIP, since I was in Rochester that week anyway. When I get to the border, and am asked the purpose of my trip to Canada, I said "I'm taking the CELPIP," and before I could say anything further, the CBSA agent said "best of luck moving here!" and waved me through.

 

[canada_eagle]

Just want to get a thread going to see if I'm the only US-based person applying for EE, and if not, let's turn this into a thread where we can share stories, questions, and all that.

I'll start, I'm from NYC, and I was going up to Toronto for a weekend to take the CELPIP, since I was in Rochester that week anyway. When I get to the border, and am asked the purpose of my trip to Canada, I said "I'm taking the CELPIP," and before I could say anything further, the CBSA agent said "best of luck moving here!" and waved me through.

Welcome. There are plenty of US based folks going to Canada. Of course not all of them are in this forum. I have my application in progress and am waiting for IRCC to correct a document that they sent me. It is supposed to contain my name for a Police cert request. Instead it has my 5 year olds name in it.

 

[moose17]

I love that border agent story! We haven't actually been to Canada except on a short layover for a flight to Europe so things like that are reassuring.

Anyway I'd love to have a place to discuss US-specific issues, whether it be here or on facebook or elsewhere! Some of the logistics get interesting and it's hard to find answers sometimes (like if we get an ITA and then PR we'll probably do a soft landing and use it to choose where exactly we'll live and then not move for months but I've heard of US CBP getting upset at people doing that without importing the car at that time) - not to mention there's the whole hate on "people moving to Canada because they hate the president" thing and no place that I know of to delve into that with others in this position. I did see that this forum has a US section but it seemed pretty quiet.

 

[21Goose]

I landed on the 29th of June and spent the weekend in Toronto. It was pretty funny when we'd tell people we were moving from the US - the general reaction was - "You're running away from Trump, aren't you?", followed by "Welcome to Canada, we're nice".

Got this reaction at both banks where we opened accounts, on the HOHO bus tour, various stores.. pretty much everywhere. It was quite refreshing.

And yes, the first CBSA agent was super friendly and welcomed us to Canada. The second one wasn't that effusive, but I suspect she was having a bad day, since she seemed irritated with her colleagues more than with us.

 

[moose17]

That's awesome! To be clear, I meant hate on the moving to Canada thing from other Americans - but it's great to know Canadians are cool about it as I assumed If this works out, telling some of our family members is going to be very awkward. In reality, we looked at leaving the US ~2012 (for Australia) and didn't end up doing anything with it because health care looked to be improving but now we have a chance with this and are taking it, if Canada will have us.

 

[systix]

Hi @Adrouault .. fellow US Resident ... Here's my timeline:

March 15, 2017 - Decided to go in for Canadian Express Entry permanent residency process
March 15, 2017 - Ordered Post Secondary Degree ECA with WES Canada
March 15, 2017 - Requested University to deliver Post Secondary Degree transcripts to WES Canada
March 16, 2017 - Sent copy of Post Secondary Degree certificate by myself to WES Canada
March 18, 2017 - Booked IELTS for self & spouse to be taken on April 8, 2017
March 16, 2017 - University Transcripts for Post Secondary degree delivered to WES
March 18, 2017 - Post Secondary Degree certificate delivered to WES
March 27, 2017 - Downloaded FBI Fingerprint forms and got spouse & self's fingerprints taken at local police department
March 27, 2017 - Sent FBI Identity History & Summary Check (IHSC) fingerprint & forms packages for both spouse & self, to FBI
March 29, 2017 - FBI IHSC package delivered to FBI (West Virginia)
April 03, 2017 - My own WES Online ECA received (equivalency as expected)
April 05, 2017 - Requested for Spouse's WES USA account to be transferred to WES Canada with new email ID so that spouse's Post Secondary Degree ECA could be requested
April 07, 2017 - Appeared in Indian Consulate, Chicago to request for Indian PCCs for both spouse and self, got them same day (possibly due to the fact that both my spouse and me had renewed our passports at the Chicago Consulate itself)
April 08, 2017 - Spouse & self appeared for IELTS in Michigan. Reading seemed to be specially confusion, concurred with multiple applicants
April 10, 2017 - Ordered Spouse's Post Secondary Degree ECA with WES Canada
April 10, 2017 - Requested WES USA to send spouse's post secondary degree documents to be sent to WES Canada
April 11, 2017 - My own WES ECA received physically
April 21, 2017 - Got IELTS results online for Spouse and self
April 22, 2017 - Started filling out Online Express Entry Profile
April 18, 2017 - WES USA delivered spouse's documents to WES Canada
April 29, 2017 - Got IELTS results physically for Spouse and self
May 10, 2017 - Spouse's WES Online ECA received (nothing unusual)
May 14, 2017 - Completed and submitted online Express Entry Profile (CRS 470)
May 15, 2017 - Requested current employer (and only employer) for reference letter. Got one from personnel officer but had some corrections required
May 15, 2017 - Spouse's WES ECA received physically
May 17, 2017 - ITA received
May 21, 2017 - Started filling out post ITA forms online
May 31, 2017 - Final employment reference letter received
June 02, 2017 - FBI confirmed credit card charged for IHSC packages for both spouse & self
June 02, 2017 - Medical tests appointment booked for both spouse and self for June 12, 2017
June 03, 2017 - FBI confirmed that IHSC packages for both spouse and self were processed without issues, but final results cannot be delivered via phone, must wait for letter to arrive home
June 09, 2017 - FBI IHSC received, nothing unusual, standard 'background clear' message
June 12, 2017 - Appeared for medical tests with eMedical Panel Physician, spouse all ok, doctor request me to follow up regarding couple of things with primary care physician. Still gave us both the eMedical Acknowledgement Form stating that final submission will be done once Primary Care Physician gives a status if anything is up with me or all 'ok clear'
June 15, 2017 - Requested Proof of Funds Letter from financial institutions, got them same day
June 16, 2017 - Followed up with primary care physician. Nothing too bad, required to appear for another follow up June 23, 2017 for final 'ok clear' message to be sent to eMedical Panel Physician
June 16, 2017 - Spouse and self appeared for photographs to be taken at a local photo studio in CIC/IRCC format (including physical copies)
June 16, 2017 - Prepared all affidavits required and recommended and signed & notarized
June 17, 2017 - Prepared LoE for required / recommended sections
June 18, 2017 - Scanned and prepared all documents
- Marriage License Certificate
- Passport / ID Documents
- eMedical Acknowledgement Form
- Educational Degree + Transcripts + WES + IELTS
- Affidavits
- Employment Reference Letters
- Police Clearance Certificates
- Proof of Funds
- Photographs (Digital versions)
- Letter of Explanation
June 18, 2017 - Completed all post ITA forms and uploaded all scanned documents
June 19, 2017 - Double and triple checked all documents / forms
June 19, 2017 - Submitted eAPR late at night (11.30PM EST). Paid App fee as well as RPRF up front
June 20, 2017 - Received AoR and fee receipt after about 1 hr after eAPR submission (12.40AM EST)
June 23, 2017 - Followed up with primary care physician. Nothing untoward serious, confirmation / 'ok clear' letter given to myself, which I sent to eMedical Panel Physician
June 26, 2017 - Followed up with eMedical Panel Physician, but could not get through
June 28, 2017 - Followed up with eMedical Panel Physician, who confirmed they got Primary Care Physician's 'ok clear' message. They sent us a copy of our medical results and confirmed eMedical system was updated with our file finally submitted
June 28, 2017 to July 13, 2017 - Tense Waiting
July 13, 2017 6.00AM - Medicals Passed. Background Check Status is still 'Not Applicable'
July 13, 2017 12.00 Noon - Background Check Status is updated to 'Your background check is in progress' .. which is message similar to IP2 but figuring this is just a IRCC/CIC glitch and I might be in IP1
July 13, 2017 5.00 PM - Background Check Status is updated to 'Not Applicable' .. thus figuring it was just a IRCC/CIC glitch right now I am in IP1/NA2

 

[Adrouault]

I love that border agent story! We haven't actually been to Canada except on a short layover for a flight to Europe so things like that are reassuring.

Anyway I'd love to have a place to discuss US-specific issues, whether it be here or on facebook or elsewhere! Some of the logistics get interesting and it's hard to find answers sometimes (like if we get an ITA and then PR we'll probably do a soft landing and use it to choose where exactly we'll live and then not move for months but I've heard of US CBP getting upset at people doing that without importing the car at that time) - not to mention there's the whole hate on "people moving to Canada because they hate the president" thing and no place that I know of to delve into that with others in this position. I did see that this forum has a US section but it seemed pretty quiet.

That's why I created this thread. We're kind of in a funny situation, LOL, with many particular questions/issues.

 

[Adrouault]

Maybe we want to make an FB group? Or keep it here, either way!

 

[canada_eagle]

Maybe we want to make an FB group? Or keep it here, either way!

I don't have a facebook account. So I vote to keep it here

 

[moose17]

That's why I created this thread. We're kind of in a funny situation, LOL, with many particular questions/issues.

Yes! And the employment letter - a lot of advice even for current jobs seems to be "just be honest and tell them you're immigrating!" That's so incredibly not an option for us. I can't even describe how poorly that would go over where we are (a very, very red state)!

 

[Vaibhav.goel85]

I am Vaibhav located in Virginia.

Started process 2 months back got ITA 12th July.
In process of getting FBI PCC and INDIAN PCC both sent on 17th July

 

[Adrouault]

Yes! And the employment letter - a lot of advice even for current jobs seems to be "just be honest and tell them you're immigrating!" That's so incredibly not an option for us. I can't even describe how poorly that would go over where we are (a very, very red state)!

I feel like regardless of red/blue state, most people in this country can't understand anyone leaving, for ANY reason. We've been the destination country for so many immigrants, that in the collective consciousness there's some kind of mental barrier preventing people from understanding that people want to leave.

 

[moose17]

I feel like regardless of red/blue state, most people in this country can't understand anyone leaving, for ANY reason. We've been the destination country for so many immigrants, that in the collective consciousness there's some kind of mental barrier preventing people from understanding that people want to leave.

True. I've been lucky in that my circles of friends and acquaintance have a lot of people who have either traveled a lot or know enough who have to see it more practically, and most of them hate the administration so there's no extra element of being insulted on behalf of the politicians they voted for. Some have also moved countries for different reasons before so it's an idea a lot aren't really phased by. I've also seen people who don't know what I'm doing say in the abstract "if anyone can qualify for a place like Canada, go for it!" so that's made me feel a little less crazy.

My husband's bosses though are not among that group, so let's just hope that conversation is held off until we (hopefully) get PR and he's (hopefully) giving notice!

 

[Adrouault]

True. I've been lucky in that my circles of friends and acquaintance have a lot of people who have either traveled a lot or know enough who have to see it more practically, and most of them hate the administration so there's no extra element of being insulted on behalf of the politicians they voted for. Some have also moved countries for different reasons before so it's an idea a lot aren't really phased by. I've also seen people who don't know what I'm doing say in the abstract "if anyone can qualify for a place like Canada, go for it!" so that's made me feel a little less crazy.

My husband's bosses though are not among that group, so let's just hope that conversation is held off until we (hopefully) get PR and he's (hopefully) giving notice!

Last week, I got into an argument with someone who supported the ACA repeal. When it got heated, they said "If you don't like it, LEAVE!"

I chuckled to myself, and muttered, "Planning on it!"

 

[Adrouault]

So, do you all have target dates by which you're hoping to be in Canada? I'm hoping by New Years.