US outland applicants' thread :)

[Bargeld]

Personally I don't see why they'd have a problem with it on goods to follow, the problem might be if they think you're essentially staying with that car in Canada without going through proper procedures first -- they can be quite anal about doing things the right way. If you explain your predicament to an officer and are honest I don't see why there should be an issue.

If you think you're going to be told different things call more than one point of entry and ask for more pieces of information (without telling them you called others).

Here's another topic discussing the issue:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/got-copr-landing-questions-and-vehicle-concerns-t136260.0.html

From the sounds of it, you want to convey the car is merely visiting and you will export+import later. I don't see it as a guaranteed success but it's probably your best shot.

 

[Tullysgirl]

E-cas now shows "Medical results have been received." (showed up sometime in the last two weeks I think) Does this mean they were "acceptable"??

With the PPR and missing form already sent in (waiting on my FBI clearance (2nd one) and CIC's deadline for everything is May 6th, would you say I'm in the home stretch and should look forward to COPR end of May, God willing?

 

[Bargeld]

Ignore the e-Cas message, once you get PPR you are in the "home stretch". I hope their processing of PPR's isn't so bad as to where you would expect COPR by May (are they worse now than the 2-3 weeks expected via mail before?), but this is where you should be relaxing a bit.

 

[Tullysgirl]

Ignore the e-Cas message, once you get PPR you are in the "home stretch". I hope their processing of PPR's isn't so bad as to where you would expect COPR by May (are they worse now than the 2-3 weeks expected via mail before?), but this is where you should be relaxing a bit.

AWESOME!! So, who wants to answer a few questions??

What seems to be the "standard" theses days when one knows when COPR is done? Look for it on e-cas? E-mail?
I understand I must land within a certain time frame? Is that when the PR card is sent?
Do I need to wait for the card to seek employment?

 

[parker24]

AWESOME!! So, who wants to answer a few questions??

What seems to be the "standard" theses days when one knows when COPR is done? Look for it on e-cas? E-mail?
I understand I must land within a certain time frame? Is that when the PR card is sent?
Do I need to wait for the card to seek employment?

When it's sent you mean? When you get it in the mail

The deadline to land is when your medicals expire or when your passport does, whichever comes first. Your PR card will come in the mail 4-8 weeks after you land. When you land, the paperwork goes to Nova Scotia to get the PR card processed.

You need to get a SIN to work, after you land (same day even) go to Service Canada to get one

 

[Tullysgirl]

When it's sent you mean? When you get it in the mail

The deadline to land is when your medicals expire or when your passport does, whichever comes first. Your PR card will come in the mail 4-8 weeks after you land. When you land, the paperwork goes to Nova Scotia to get the PR card processed.

You need to get a SIN to work, after you land (same day even) go to Service Canada to get one

LOL great info on landing and SIN, thanks Parker!

But, how will I be notified I have COPR? What's the typical way- Emails? E-cas notification?

 

[parker24]

LOL great info on landing and SIN, thanks Parker!

But, how will I be notified I have COPR? What's the typical way- Emails? E-cas notification?

There isn't really a way. It'll just be sent to you via the mail. Some of them will come via e-mail. SOME people noticed "Decision Made" when their COPR is on it's way, but with us it was just "You have mail here in TN!" haha

 

[Tullysgirl]

There isn't really a way. It'll just be sent to you via the mail. Some of them will come via e-mail. SOME people noticed "Decision Made" when their COPR is on it's way, but with us it was just "You have mail here in TN!" haha

So, I need to wait for the PR card before going across the border to the US, to get my things, to come back for the one time duty free entry?? And before landing?

 

[parker24]

So, I need to wait for the PR card before going across the border to the US, to get my things, to come back for the one time duty free entry?? And before landing?

No, you can put it all on the B4 form and it will still be duty free. You can get it anytime. My husband still has things in his mom's house in TN haha. I would wait for the PR before traveling. Some POE's are kind of strict about travelling without it.

 

[IslandAnnie]

So, I need to wait for the PR card before going across the border to the US, to get my things, to come back for the one time duty free entry?? And before landing?

When you land with your COPR, you fill out a B4 for what you have with you at that time... you fill out a separate B4a for "goods to follow" (that you will be bringing later). The form will be stamped at the border and then you can bring those items anytime in the coming year. Then after you get your PR card you can go back and bring the items you listed as "to follow".

 

[Tullysgirl]

No, you can put it all on the B4 form and it will still be duty free. You can get it anytime. My husband still has things in his mom's house in TN haha. I would wait for the PR before traveling. Some POE's are kind of strict about travelling without it.

When you land with your COPR, you fill out a B4 for what you have with you at that time... you fill out a separate B4a for "goods to follow" (that you will be bringing later). The form will be stamped at the border and then you can bring those items anytime in the coming year. Then after you get your PR card you can go back and bring the items you listed as "to follow".

Ok, so....when will I know when I have to land? IslandAnnie says it's with my COPR (which will show up in the mail....eventually?)

In my head, I was thinking I'd be getting COPR, I'd go back to the States, get my stuff, cross the border and land with my COPR email/printout.... am I living in a fairytale land again?

 

[Bargeld]

LOL great info on landing and SIN, thanks Parker!

But, how will I be notified I have COPR? What's the typical way- Emails? E-cas notification?

I don't know if the COPR's from Ottawa are the same as since they changed locations from Buffalo, but it should be a large distinct paper potentially combined with counterfoil on the US passport, if they still do things the same way. You will know you have it because it will be mailed to the address specified and you'll physically have it in your hands.

Be SURE to claim as much as you can on your B4a for whatever is not in your possession on the B4 to give yourself room to bring in your stuff duty free later. Be thorough with relatively conservative (not excessively conservative) price estimates, make a photocopy.. they were nice enough at Queenston Lewiston to guide me through the landing process as there wasn't a crowd at the border there at the time and they weren't in the slightest bit busy.

As for the border thing, the COPR and passport will pretty much give you guaranteed first entry, keep the paper they give you (might attach it to your passport) as that will be useful if you (if you're the American/applicant) want to attain citizenship later, and to be on the safe side wait until the PR card arrives to the Canadian address before travelling. As soon as possible after landing apply for your SIN and depending on which province you go to, possibly health card as well (for Ontario gotta wait I think it was 3 or 6 months after landing to be OHIP eligible).

 

[Bargeld]

Ok, so....when will I know when I have to land? IslandAnnie says it's with my COPR (which will show up in the mail....eventually?)

In my head, I was thinking I'd be getting COPR, I'd go back to the States, get my stuff, cross the border and land with my COPR email/printout.... am I living in a fairytale land again?

You will physically have the COPR and passport from the mail, that's your signal to land. COPR is your main documents for first entry as PR.

If the American has their passport and COPR they can leave Canada to get their stuff, as they need the passport for travel anyways (in fact they technically don't have to land next time they come back to Canada either, but if you are getting possessions to take into Canada obviously you want to land with your possessions on you maing sure it's on B4 and possessions/goods to follow on B4a), and logically can bring their stuff into Canada to land, just inform the CBSA officer at the border that you wish to land so they can give you a slip and send you in. Just keep an eye on the date on the COPR where it says you must land by, supposedly a year after medicals (that's the date I had to land by).

Once you give the CBSA your COPR while landing they will either give you a piece of it to keep or attach it to the American passport, upon landing I'd recommend filing it somewhere (if they attach it to the passport can take it out after landing) to keep until ready to apply for citizenship. After landing I'd recommend waiting for the PR card before travelling outside Canada again. If they give you any other official landing documents keep those too, it might be helpful like in the case of swapping DL if you wish to do that route.

 

[computergeek]

I don't know if the COPR's from Ottawa are the same as since they changed locations from Buffalo, but it should be a large distinct paper potentially combined with counterfoil on the US passport, if they still do things the same way. You will know you have it because it will be mailed to the address specified and you'll physically have it in your hands.

They now use plain paper (legal size) for the COPR and the no longer issue counterfoils to people with passports from visa-exempt countries - it looks like these are changes that occurred just after you landed, Bargeld.

As for the border thing, the COPR and passport will pretty much give you guaranteed first entry, keep the paper they give you (might attach it to your passport) as that will be useful if you (if you're the American/applicant) want to attain citizenship later, and to be on the safe side wait until the PR card arrives to the Canadian address before travelling. As soon as possible after landing apply for your SIN and depending on which province you go to, possibly health card as well (for Ontario gotta wait I think it was 3 or 6 months after landing to be OHIP eligible).

The rules for health care vary by province. Ontario is the only province of which I'm aware that will not extend health benefits to outland applications until you land. BC (for example) extends health benefits to dependents (including spouses) with an application pending, and the same appears to apply for AB, SK, NS and PEI.

I had to travel across the border twice before my PR card arrived and I've traveled twice since then. I've NEVER been asked for my PR card and nobody has EVER looked at my COPR.

 

[Shylox]

I had to travel across the border twice before my PR card arrived and I've traveled twice since then. I've NEVER been asked for my PR card and nobody has EVER looked at my COPR.

Well, it's good to know that I spent a few thousand dollars and almost 2 years on this application to get a card that I might never even have to use. But on the other hand that's good to know because I'm not sure I'll get my PR card in time to visit my family in May.