US outland applicants' thread :)

[triple p]

So my US citizen hubby is landing in a couple of weeks at 10:00pm at Vancouver International Airport (transfer through LA). What does the landing process look like? Does it matter that he is arriving so late at night? We will ensure he has his US passport and COPR document. Will they give him his PR card application forms as soon as he arrives in Vancouver?

Can he apply for his SIN and MSP at the airport? If not, I guess we can go to a service Canada site the next day with his driver's licence to get his SIN. In terms of the B4 forms, are they given to him in Vancouver? I guess he will need to fill out forms for the items he brings in initially and the items he will bring later. We would appreciate any additional advice to ensure an easy landing.

 

[CDNPR2014]

So my US citizen hubby is landing in a couple of weeks at 10:00pm at Vancouver International Airport (transfer through LA). What does the landing process look like? Does it matter that he is arriving so late at night? We will ensure he has his US passport and COPR document. Will they give him his PR card application forms as soon as he arrives in Vancouver?

Can he apply for his SIN and MSP at the airport? If not, I guess we can go to a service Canada site the next day with his driver's licence to get his SIN. In terms of the B4 forms, are they given to him in Vancouver? I guess he will need to fill out forms for the items he brings in initially and the items he will bring later. We would appreciate any additional advice to ensure an easy landing.

landing is quick and easy. he will hand him his passport and COPR, tell them he's landing as a PR, they will ask him the questions on the COPR, stamp, stamp and send him on his way as a PR.
not sure about SIN at Vancouver - not all airports provide this service.
the B4 form is NOT provided at landing. It is the PR's responsibility to have this printed and filled out BEFORE getting to the border. (google Canada B4 form for a copy). Items can be grouped together on the sheet with an estimatefor each group (boxes of books, boxes of clothes, etc). He will give the papers to the officer, they will review, confirm what he has, and stamp, stamp, send him on his way.

 

[SeaVan]

How long does it take for my wife to receive her COPR to come in the mail?. She is a US Citizen and we had a decision made on March 1st,2016

 

[Aquakitty]

How long does it take for my wife to receive her COPR to come in the mail?. She is a US Citizen and we had a decision made on March 1st,2016

A few days if the mailing address is in Canada, a couple weeks if in the US.

 

[Panamai]

A few days if the mailing address is in Canada, a couple weeks if in the US.

Don't worry if it takes a bit longer. It took mine 3 weeks and I live in Canada, just a 2 hour drive from Ottawa! I'm not sure why mine took so long. I got DM on ecas around Nov 5, but my COPR wasn't issued until Nov 17.

 

[Aquakitty]

Don't worry if it takes a bit longer. It took mine 3 weeks and I live in Canada, just a 2 hour drive from Ottawa! I'm not sure why mine took so long. I got DM on ecas around Nov 5, but my COPR wasn't issued until Nov 17.

Yes, that's true. There's no way to know with CIC and Canada post involved. For instance, I once had a document take a month and a half from California, for no known reason. My spouse's COPR only took a few days though and we are across the country from Ottawa, heh.

 

[Snowisland]

Have you imported your USA car with its title in your maiden name even though you are married and dl, ins, pp and copr are in married name?
Also it has a recall for paint chipping but only if the paint is chipping send mine is not. Do I have to get recall clearance?
2009 Honda Civic, yes has day running lights.
Thank you.

 

[jesseyinzi]

If your spouse is American and there are no red flags in your application, it most likely won't take 17 months. A lot of Americans are seeing more like 5-8 months processing time.
However, there is always the option of applying inland, which is a longer process, but there is a permission to work in Canada part way through the process.

Read up on it, here is a place to start:

Thanks!!

 

[jamsham12]

So my US citizen hubby is landing in a couple of weeks at 10:00pm at Vancouver International Airport (transfer through LA). What does the landing process look like? Does it matter that he is arriving so late at night? We will ensure he has his US passport and COPR document. Will they give him his PR card application forms as soon as he arrives in Vancouver?

Can he apply for his SIN and MSP at the airport? If not, I guess we can go to a service Canada site the next day with his driver's licence to get his SIN. In terms of the B4 forms, are they given to him in Vancouver? I guess he will need to fill out forms for the items he brings in initially and the items he will bring later. We would appreciate any additional advice to ensure an easy landing.

I landed at midnight in Calgary, i was the only one in immigration, was pretty great actually. The landing took me 10 minutes, i heard some airports have service Canada kiosks inside where you are able to get a sin, the airport in Calgary did not so I went to a service Canada in Calgary and got my sin in 5-10 minutes, you will need to show the COPR before Service Canada will issue the SIN. For the driver license, i would print out a abstract showing the drivers records in which he can go to a registry to swap the U.S license to a Canadian license. In terms of the P.R card forms, theres no need to fill out additional forms, once you land, you will receive the card in about 50-60 days.

 

[fleuredeflorida]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread, but I have a question for folks who "visit" their spouses in Canada while waiting for processing of outland application. I am planning to come up to Canada in mid-April, and at that time will just be bringing two suitcases with me, and my cat. Some friends of ours mentioned to me that bringing the cat as a visitor might raise a red flag at customs. Has anyone had experience with visiting the country with a pet (a cat, specifically, and/or any other small animal in a carry-on carrier bag)? Is it better to drive in from Buffalo than flying in? Would this really raise questions/a flag? I feel like people travel with pets all the time, even cats, so I didn't think it would be an issue but their warning that this could be an issue is worrying me.

Appreciate any feedback on your experiences! Thanks!

 

[Mybarbiehead]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread, but I have a question for folks who "visit" their spouses in Canada while waiting for processing of outland application. I am planning to come up to Canada in mid-April, and at that time will just be bringing two suitcases with me, and my cat. Some friends of ours mentioned to me that bringing the cat as a visitor might raise a red flag at customs. Has anyone had experience with visiting the country with a pet (a cat, specifically, and/or any other small animal in a carry-on carrier bag)? Is it better to drive in from Buffalo than flying in? Would this really raise questions/a flag? I feel like people travel with pets all the time, even cats, so I didn't think it would be an issue but their warning that this could be an issue is worrying me.

Appreciate any feedback on your experiences! Thanks!

I cross at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo and I bring my chihuahua with me for every visit. I hand her rabies certificate along with my passport to the border guard. They have never given me a hard time about the dog. Make sure you have an actual rabies immunization document that has been hand-signed by the vet (they won't accept stamped signatures). They just ask me the usual questions--where am I going, who I'm visiting, how long am I staying. Sometimes they'll ask if I have a job, how I met my husband, and what we both do for a living and where we work. I've never spent more than a minute or two answering questions. They don't even glance at my dog's crate, although one time the guy at the toll booth asked what her name was and sang a song to her, lol.

Just make sure that you can satisfy them that you have sufficient ties back home. I've never had to produce paperwork to prove I have a job/place to live, but if you have any bank statements, utility bills, etc., it certainly wouldn't hurt to take it with you just in case.

 

[Decoy24601]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread, but I have a question for folks who "visit" their spouses in Canada while waiting for processing of outland application. I am planning to come up to Canada in mid-April, and at that time will just be bringing two suitcases with me, and my cat. Some friends of ours mentioned to me that bringing the cat as a visitor might raise a red flag at customs. Has anyone had experience with visiting the country with a pet (a cat, specifically, and/or any other small animal in a carry-on carrier bag)? Is it better to drive in from Buffalo than flying in? Would this really raise questions/a flag? I feel like people travel with pets all the time, even cats, so I didn't think it would be an issue but their warning that this could be an issue is worrying me.

Appreciate any feedback on your experiences! Thanks!

I just want to add that from what I've read on this forum and with my own experiences, the major land crossings tend to be the most likely to give you trouble. I would fly in if I were you, but that's just my opinion.

 

[ayrazar]

I was talking to someone who immigrated from the states today, and they were like 'oh when your husband gets his paper permanent residency (which I took to mean COPR) make sure you go through the Buffalo border cause then you'll get the stamp right away without having to wait the 6 weeks!'

I literally have no idea what she's talking about. The experience of landing is the same at any immigration-equipped border crossing right? We plan on using the Landsdowne crossing.

 

[Aquakitty]

I was talking to someone who immigrated from the states today, and they were like 'oh when your husband gets his paper permanent residency (which I took to mean COPR) make sure you go through the Buffalo border cause then you'll get the stamp right away without having to wait the 6 weeks!'

I literally have no idea what she's talking about. The experience of landing is the same at any immigration-equipped border crossing right? We plan on using the Landsdowne crossing.

Actually, every border crossing does immigration now. That's why they've phased out (or are in the processes of phasing out) the immigration locations on the CBSA website. No idea what she means though, because they stamp you when you land. How long ago did she immigrate? Maybe at the time there was no immigration at whatever crossing she chose.

 

[ayrazar]

Actually, every border crossing does immigration now. That's why they've phased out (or are in the processes of phasing out) the immigration locations on the CBSA website. No idea what she means though, because they stamp you when you land. How long ago did she immigrate? Maybe at the time there was no immigration at whatever crossing she chose.

I think it might be a time thing. She also told me she came across on the express program cause they were 'already married before' so I figured her info probably wouldn't apply to me..