US outland applicants' thread :)

[CDNPR2014]

We were just as surprised as you are. My Canadian wife has a home in Alberta, so we decided to move my belongings up out of storage. When we arrived and explained to the Border Agent I was still maintaining a home in the States, we were applying for my PR, and that we'd be back and forth all summer, he whipped out the forms for me to declare my personal items and car. He indicated on the forms I was a "settler".

The agents at the border crossing we use know us quite well. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. We've always been very upfront about our travels and relationship. They know we're married. We get to sit in secondary every now and then while they update their info on us - never more than a couple minutes, though.

interesting. it just shows everything is dependant on the CBSA officer that greets you!

you do know there is more to do for the car than simply declaring it at the border, right? there is an entire export/import process you must go through in order to get it registered/insured in canada. you have to go through the RIV in canada to import it and the process is started at the land borders. i'm not exactly sure you can start THAT process until after you land. if the car is in both of your names, you may be able to import it under your wife's name.

 

[Waitingrk2015]

Hi everyone
I just want to share the goods news
Just check status online
Decisions made
And I get a email requesting for Ppr
But my husband passport will expire January 2017
So we going to renew passport and then send it to Immigation

 

[kyatto]

Hi everyone
I just want to share the goods news
Just check status online
Decisions made
And I get a email requesting for Ppr
But my husband passport will expire January 2017
So we going to renew passport and then send it to Immigation

We also got our DM today Really exciting. Congratulations!

 

[lalicatter]

Hi guys, I'm wondering if anyone knows the answer to this. I know when you land you're supposed to have the BSF186 prepared - but what if no goods are being 'imported'? Can you just NOT have the form and tell them that no goods will be following?

 

[Snowisland]

Hi guys, I'm wondering if anyone knows the answer to this. I know when you land you're supposed to have the BSF186 prepared - but what if no goods are being 'imported'? Can you just NOT have the form and tell them that no goods will be following?

Are you bringing anything at all? Laptop, cell phone, iPod, an overnight bag with a change of clothes.?
I crossed by land with my car, two cats and overnight bag. So I listed those items . Of course I had to import the car but you see my point, list anything. I used the b4 form, so not sure if that's the same form but it is used to declare what you are or will bring within the year so you will not pay duty.

 

[Canusa2016]

We also got our DM today Really exciting. Congratulations!

Does anyone have a sense of how long it takes once your background check is in process? We got SA on July 27, did medical upfront, paid upfront, and there shouldn't be a passport issue (I'm sponsoring my American husband who isn't changing his name or passport). The myCIC thing says it's been in process in Ottawa including background check in process since July 31..we are travelling a lot at the end of the month/September and would lovvvve to have this behind us before then.

 

[lalicatter]

Are you bringing anything at all? Laptop, cell phone, iPod, an overnight bag with a change of clothes.?
I crossed by land with my car, two cats and overnight bag. So I listed those items . Of course I had to import the car but you see my point, list anything. I used the b4 form, so not sure if that's the same form but it is used to declare what you are or will bring within the year so you will not pay duty.

Cheers, thanks very much. I was thinking like... 'big items' (furniture and so on), wasn't even thinking about clothes and personal electronics.

 

[JesseNewmarch]

Someone from the April Outland Applicant thread used Fieldprint and had no issues, to my knowledge. I believe they have already landed in Canada, though I dropped off the forums for a while (I lurked for a good chunk of May and part of June) because I was visiting Canada and getting married and didn't follow the story through. I have not sent my application in yet, as we're waiting on the marriage certificate, but I also used Fieldprint and I received an e-mail letting me know my results were ready for viewing before my husband and I had even left the parking lot of the place I had my prints taken. The posts I read in that thread were the reason I ended up going through a channeler rather than going through the hassle of getting fingerprint cards done. In the end, I think the cost ended up being about the same, as all the local police departments I checked with here had charges of between $10-15 per card, plus then the fee from the FBI itself.

Awesome thanks, Fieldprint happens to be one of the few channelers with an office in Boise which saves us having the extra step of getting cards taken and mailing them to a channeler. Good luck with your applications!

 

[Joyce_tosf]

Hey everyone!

I'm about to send in my application and was just wondering what everyone checked off for location of interview if it becomes necessary (New York, Los Angeles or no preference)?

Any idea if choosing a specific one will make the process any longer? Seems like a silly question, I know. Just trying to cover all my bases!

Thanks!
Joyce

 

[lalicatter]

Hey everyone!

I'm about to send in my application and was just wondering what everyone checked off for location of interview if it becomes necessary (New York, Los Angeles or no preference)?

Any idea if choosing a specific one will make the process any longer? Seems like a silly question, I know. Just trying to cover all my bases!

Thanks!
Joyce

Hi Joyce_tosf - it doesn't matter. From what I understand this paper isn't even used anymore, it's just included in the application for some reason. All interview applicants are sent to LA, regardless of what you check - so choose whatever option. It has no impact on processing times. In any case almost all US outland applications are not interviewed (only in extreme cases) so I would not worry about it.

 

[Sunset0505]

Does anyone have a sense of how long it takes once your background check is in process? We got SA on July 27, did medical upfront, paid upfront, and there shouldn't be a passport issue (I'm sponsoring my American husband who isn't changing his name or passport). The myCIC thing says it's been in process in Ottawa including background check in process since July 31..we are travelling a lot at the end of the month/September and would lovvvve to have this behind us before then.

3months to 14 months..http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp

 

[Canusa2016]

3months to 14 months..http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp

Turns out the answer is ... one week???

We got our decision made last night at 12:15 am! I got a notification email from MyCIC to check our application and it says we passed background checks and the application has been approved!!

So thankful that Ottawa is processing US applications so so fast!

 

[ryanntheredhead]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone else here submitted through Mississauga recently. I keep seeing Ottawa people going through quickly and I got AOR June 20 and still haven't heard anything about SA. And maybe this is a stupid question but I thought all US Outland applications had to go to Mississauga. Did I miss something huge here?

Just feeling a bit nervous that I did a whole bunch of work for nothing, or that I'll have to start from square one! Thanks for your help.

 

[Canusa2016]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone else here submitted through Mississauga recently. I keep seeing Ottawa people going through quickly and I got AOR June 20 and still haven't heard anything about SA. And maybe this is a stupid question but I thought all US Outland applications had to go to Mississauga. Did I miss something huge here?

Just feeling a bit nervous that I did a whole bunch of work for nothing, or that I'll have to start from square one! Thanks for your help.

You're right, they all start at Mississauga and once you get SA it is transferred to another office. Lots of US applications go through Ottawa which seems to be going very very fast in the past couple of months.

 

[Joyce_tosf]

Hi everyone! I need some advice. I just noticed that on the Additional Family Information form, for Section C regarding brothers and sisters...my sponsored spouse mispelled "single" and wrote "sigle" for one of his sisters.

I'm trying to figure out whether I should get him to fix the mistake and Fed Ex me a new copy or if we should just leave it? Anyone have any suggestions/advice?

Thanks in advance!
Joyce