US to Canada, inland/outland question

[canuck_in_uk]

Does she get the SIN with the PR card? Or can we go to a service Canada and get her set up as soon as we cross the border?

If we did decide to do an inland, she will have to file for temporary work permits over and over again until the PR is approved?

If we're married, is it easier for her to move up there with out a job?

I guess I don't understand that you need a work permit to get a job, but you need a job to even apply for the permit, but that could take months, what employer would wait that long?

She needs to go to a Service Canada to get a SIN. Some major airports have Service Canada kiosks.

Don't do inland!!!!

Being married to you doesn't allow her to move to Canada. She can come as a visitor but cannot officially move to Canada until her PR app is approved.

The work permit system is set up that way on purpose to prevent foreign workers from taking jobs from Canadian citizens/PRs.

 

[canadianwoman]

Apply outland.
During the application processing time, you two can stay in the USA. If you do this, you will have to include proof in the application that you plan to move to Canada when she gets her PR.
If you moved back to Canada a couple of months before she would probably get her PR, then you would not have to include so much proof - if the visa officer asks about your plans, you can show them that you have already moved back. If you apply while living in the USA, you would have to include some proof anyway, but moving back before she gets the PR means you have solid proof you can send them later. Moving will not delay the PR processing.
She can also come to Canada with you as a visitor while you wait. She has to be clear that she is a visitor when she crosses the border. If you apply outland, she cannot work, but outland is generally very fast for Americans.

 

[CaroM8]

Whatever you do, don't apply inland!!

 

[db80]

For US visa office outland applications, where does the applicant have to send the passport for PR visa stamping once the applicant receives PPR (Passport Request) letter? Is it to one of the Canadian visa offices in USA or to CPC-Ottawa?

 

[CDNPR2014]

For US visa office outland applications, where does the applicant have to send the passport for PR visa stamping once the applicant receives PPR (Passport Request) letter? Is it to one of the Canadian visa offices in USA or to CPC-Ottawa?

if the person is a US citizen (or visa exempt), they do not send their passport. IF they receive a passport request (some people are waived the PPR), then they will need to send a copy of their passport to the ottawa visa office. they will receive instructions for this. If a person is not a US citzen and requires a visa, they will receive instructions for sending the passport to ottawa for processing.

 

[db80]

if the person is a US citizen (or visa exempt), they do not send their passport. IF they receive a passport request (some people are waived the PPR), then they will need to send a copy of their passport to the ottawa visa office. they will receive instructions for this. If a person is not a US citzen and requires a visa, they will receive instructions for sending the passport to ottawa for processing.

My wife is not visa exempt and her visa office is New Delhi, India but since she is residing in US (or was residing in Canada during the application was in process) her PPR states that she can submit her passport to CPC-Ottawa. At the same time, PPR also says "If you have a mailing address in Canada and if you and all the accompanying dependents on your application are currently in Canada and plan to be in Canada for at least three months, you may submit your passport(s) to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa.".

This made me wonder how do non-visa exempt US outland applicants typically send the passport across the border to Canada? Is it even legal to courier passport from US to Canada? And does CPC-Ottawa mail back visa stamped passports to USA? Speaking with a CIC call center agent, the agent was sure that CPC-Ottawa will only mail back passports if you have a Canadian mailing address. I am confused!!

 

[CDNPR2014]

My wife is not visa exempt and her visa office is New Delhi, India but since she is residing in US (or was residing in Canada during the application was in process) her PPR states that she can submit her passport to CPC-Ottawa. At the same time, PPR also says "If you have a mailing address in Canada and if you and all the accompanying dependents on your application are currently in Canada and plan to be in Canada for at least three months, you may submit your passport(s) to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa.".

This made me wonder how do non-visa exempt US outland applicants typically send the passport across the border to Canada? Is it even legal to courier passport from US to Canada? And does CPC-Ottawa mail back visa stamped passports to USA? Speaking with a CIC call center agent, the agent was sure that CPC-Ottawa will only mail back passports if you have a Canadian mailing address. I am confused!!

I even though i don't know the answer, I would not believe what the CIC call centre agent says. They are known to be wrong. I do know Ottawa requests a returned stamped envelop to mail it back and there are people who have successfully gotten their passports back in the us. here are 4 options i would recommend:
1. find the ottawa visa office thread and seeing if anyone there has an answer.
2. send a case specific enquiry to Ottawa and asking them what to do.
3. if you're currently in canada, have it sent to you and meet her at the us border (if you're close enough to drive) then drive her to canada to do the landing.
4. if you're not in canada, find someone in canada who is willing to receive the passport and will be able to send it to her in the us. I don't think that is illegal to do.

and if all else fails... send the passport as instructed and hope it gets sent back in the US.

 

[db80]

I even though i don't know the answer, I would not believe what the CIC call centre agent says. They are known to be wrong. I do know Ottawa requests a returned stamped envelop to mail it back and there are people who have successfully gotten their passports back in the us. here are 4 options i would recommend:
1. find the ottawa visa office thread and seeing if anyone there has an answer.
2. send a case specific enquiry to Ottawa and asking them what to do.
3. if you're currently in canada, have it sent to you and meet her at the us border (if you're close enough to drive) then drive her to canada to do the landing.
4. if you're not in canada, find someone in canada who is willing to receive the passport and will be able to send it to her in the us. I don't think that is illegal to do.

and if all else fails... send the passport as instructed and hope it gets sent back in the US.

Thanks for the reply and suggestions.

We both live in a US border city so I have no issues driving to Canada and mailing my wife's passport to CPC-Ottawa with a prepaid return envelope to one of my Canadian friend's address. When my wife's passport comes back I can cross the border again and pick it up. But the PPR specifically says the following which is my issue:

"If you have a mailing address in Canada and if you and all the accompanying dependents on your application are currently in Canada and plan to be in Canada for at least three months, you may submit your passport(s) to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa."

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thanks for the reply and suggestions.

We both live in a US border city so I have no issues driving to Canada and mailing my wife's passport to CPC-Ottawa with a prepaid return envelope to one of my Canadian friend's address. When my wife's passport comes back I can cross the border again and pick it up. But the PPR specifically says the following which is my issue:

"If you have a mailing address in Canada and if you and all the accompanying dependents on your application are currently in Canada and plan to be in Canada for at least three months, you may submit your passport(s) to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa."

why is that an issue? Ottawa is the visa office that processes US applications, so since that is where her residency currently is, it is assumed her approval will be issued from there. remember, the letter is a generic form letter sent to ALL applicants all over the world. it's not specific to your wife. the form is suggesting if a person is in canada instead of their home country, they can send it to ottawa.

 

[db80]

why is that an issue? Ottawa is the visa office that processes US applications, so since that is where her residency currently is, it is assumed her approval will be issued from there. remember, the letter is a generic form letter sent to ALL applicants all over the world. it's not specific to your wife. the form is suggesting if a person is in canada instead of their home country, they can send it to ottawa.

Oh Ok. In that case, even if I request New Delhi visa office or CPC-Ottawa to change my visa office to New York or Los Angeles, they would ask me to submit it to Ottawa anyway? I read in Express Entry forums that people in US managed to change the visa office from CPC-Ottawa to Los Angeles just for PR visa stamping purposes so that passport does not have to be mailed across the border.

In any case, assuming I can send my wife's passport to CPC-Ottawa, do you recommend mailing it from US with a US return address prepaid envelope (from private courier or Canada Post) or physically cross the border and mail it from Canada with a Canadian return address prepaid envelope?

 

[Omegabyte]

1) AFAIK, New York and Los Angeles don't do Family Class PR visa processing anymore. Los Angeles is only used if there's an interview required for US applicants.

2) I'd go with sending it via FedEx or Purolator to Ottawa VO from within Canada, and giving a Canadian address as the return address.

 

[db80]

Thanks CDNPR2014 and Omegabyte!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

At the same time, PPR also says "If you have a mailing address in Canada and if you and all the accompanying dependents on your application are currently in Canada and plan to be in Canada for at least three months, you may submit your passport(s) to the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa.".

Every PPR email states that. As your wife is not in Canada, she doesn't qualify to send her passport to CPC-Ottawa. It doesn't matter that she is residing in the US. She needs to send her passport to New Delhi or contact IRCC to request if she can submit it elsewhere.

 

[db80]

Every PPR email states that. As your wife is not in Canada, she doesn't qualify to send her passport to CPC-Ottawa. It doesn't matter that she is residing in the US. She needs to send her passport to New Delhi or contact IRCC to request if she can submit it elsewhere.

Thanks! When you say contact IRCC you mean CPC-Ottawa or some other specific CIC office other than NDVO?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks! When you say contact IRCC you mean CPC-Ottawa or some other specific CIC office other than NDVO?

She should send a CSE to the ND VO and ask if she can submit the passport here.