Thought I'd share my experiences in case it helps others. Click the Spoiler buttons to see! Timeline in signature. Haven't moved yet, but I am an official Permanent Resident of Canada!
Total time to PR: 6 months
I applied outland as a US citizen. No dependents, straight forward. At the time of the application, we had dated for 6 years and were married for 1.5 months.
Disclaimer: I am not qualified to answer any questions, I can only share experiences unique to my application.
PREPARING TO APPLY
THE APPLICATION
> Proof of contact & visits
> Proof of relationship (my favorite! 
)
Triple check that everything is signed and included. Get a tracking number! We didn't receive any notification that they received it, only tracking told us they did. We did not require a signature upon receipt.
Two months of silence, and then--!
AOR1/SchA/PCC
MEDICAL
SA, AOR2, CSQ
Lots of silence, when suddenly--!
BGC/DM/PPR
COPR
LANDING
MOVING
OTHER ERRANDS
Total time to PR: 6 months
I applied outland as a US citizen. No dependents, straight forward. At the time of the application, we had dated for 6 years and were married for 1.5 months.
Disclaimer: I am not qualified to answer any questions, I can only share experiences unique to my application.
PREPARING TO APPLY
Read through the official immigration site. Start at the checklist!
I created a new gmail account for organization purposes.
I created a new gmail account for organization purposes.
- In the browser Chrome, you can switch between users. This let me switch between regular gmail and my immigration gmail to have unique tabs, bookmarks, etc.
- My immigration account bookmarks are sorted as thus:
- Step 1: Canada || Step 2: Quebec || Step 3: Move || Other bookmarks
- In the Canada tab I saved the checklist, guide, photo requirements, etc. Quebec tab was about the CSQ. Other bookmarks had pages from this forum.
Took 1.5 months to prepare (due to waiting on marriage certificate; we already had birth certificates, passports, IDs, etc.)
Follow the checklist! So important. Remember, don't use staples! I used paperclips to keep sections sorted.
We applied with one form out of date by almost a month and were fine, but I don't know what variables were at play such as it being a minor form, the person who looked it over, grace period etc. Don't risk it, double check.
I did not add a cover letter since we're straight forward with no gaps to explain. I only sent what the checklist asked for.
Follow the checklist! So important. Remember, don't use staples! I used paperclips to keep sections sorted.
We applied with one form out of date by almost a month and were fine, but I don't know what variables were at play such as it being a minor form, the person who looked it over, grace period etc. Don't risk it, double check.
I did not add a cover letter since we're straight forward with no gaps to explain. I only sent what the checklist asked for.
Contact: (9 pages total) Put together in Google Docs. They're more interested in that we were talking to each other rather than what we were talking about.
The header was "Proof of relationship to sponsor • Proof of contact • Page #". Added images of gifts/cards we had physically mailed to one another, then added our online chat info.
I downloaded a program that let me view Skype chat logs. It shows usernames and dates of contact, which is all I needed. On Discord, I ran a search by year which reveals how often we spoke to one another. Put screenshots of all the above on the Google Doc.
I noted who was who with our usernames, put in one actual conversation sample, and stated that we could provide more upon request.
Visits: Showed airplane tickets. After I moved closer to the border, I had a ton of Greyhound bus tickets to add. Showed screenshots of Facebook posts of my spouse publicly talking about visiting me via car. I kept all these together in a Google Drive folder so we could both add as needed.
The header was "Proof of relationship to sponsor • Proof of contact • Page #". Added images of gifts/cards we had physically mailed to one another, then added our online chat info.
I downloaded a program that let me view Skype chat logs. It shows usernames and dates of contact, which is all I needed. On Discord, I ran a search by year which reveals how often we spoke to one another. Put screenshots of all the above on the Google Doc.
I noted who was who with our usernames, put in one actual conversation sample, and stated that we could provide more upon request.
Visits: Showed airplane tickets. After I moved closer to the border, I had a ton of Greyhound bus tickets to add. Showed screenshots of Facebook posts of my spouse publicly talking about visiting me via car. I kept all these together in a Google Drive folder so we could both add as needed.
)1. Photos: (7 pages total) Okay, I had fun with this! Loved seeing the passage of time with the photos lined up. Used Google Docs so we could see the document together.
I shrank and placed 3 images per page to the max of 20 images. I used chronological order and printed it in color on regular paper at the library.
[image on the left] [#, date of image, location, short description on right]
Sample description below...
On the header of the google doc, I had "principal applicant's name • dob • Proof of relationship"
---
These are the two options I chose to further prove relationship:
2. Important documents: (1 page total) My spouse is listed as my beneficiary through work, so I had them send a document verifying this that I could add to the packet.
3. Relationship recognized by friends/family: (2 pages total) Showed screenshots of family group chats in Google hangouts. Picture of all the wedding cards we received. Screenshots of our public engagement notice on Facebook and that people liked/commented on it.
I shrank and placed 3 images per page to the max of 20 images. I used chronological order and printed it in color on regular paper at the library.
[image on the left] [#, date of image, location, short description on right]
Sample description below...
And so forth until 20! If you take pics with an android phone, turn on the auto backup on the Google Photos app. On a computer, go to photos.google.com and it shows the dates of the photos and everything and is just really convenient.
On the header of the google doc, I had "principal applicant's name • dob • Proof of relationship"
---
These are the two options I chose to further prove relationship:
2. Important documents: (1 page total) My spouse is listed as my beneficiary through work, so I had them send a document verifying this that I could add to the packet.
3. Relationship recognized by friends/family: (2 pages total) Showed screenshots of family group chats in Google hangouts. Picture of all the wedding cards we received. Screenshots of our public engagement notice on Facebook and that people liked/commented on it.
Two months of silence, and then--!
AOR1/SchA/PCC
> AOR1
We received an email with a UCI number and application number. The email directed us to "link" the application online. You get 5 attempts to link your account before it will lock you out for the day.
I don't recall my combo, just that I figured it out on the second day by googling every solution others had tried. I also remember that I had to leave off anything about location. There is a method of linking without using the location option, but it was too long ago and I didn't write it down.
> Requested documents
The order that you receive document requests will vary for each person. I received Schedule A (SchA) and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) request as soon as I was linked and signed in. I already had both documents ready to go!
Note: When you upload a document and it takes you back to the document requests page, you still have to hit one more button at the bottom to actually submit it.
We received an email with a UCI number and application number. The email directed us to "link" the application online. You get 5 attempts to link your account before it will lock you out for the day.
I don't recall my combo, just that I figured it out on the second day by googling every solution others had tried. I also remember that I had to leave off anything about location. There is a method of linking without using the location option, but it was too long ago and I didn't write it down.
> Requested documents
The order that you receive document requests will vary for each person. I received Schedule A (SchA) and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) request as soon as I was linked and signed in. I already had both documents ready to go!
Note: When you upload a document and it takes you back to the document requests page, you still have to hit one more button at the bottom to actually submit it.
There's no immigration-approved doctor in my entire state, so I booked an appointment in Canada to coincide with my next visit. I forget how much it was.. $140 CAD? They took a urine sample, blood sample, chest x-ray, briefly spoke to a doctor and that was it. Lots of waiting between each step, but happened all in one day.
I never received notification that I had passed medical. Just saw it when checking GKEY.
I never received notification that I had passed medical. Just saw it when checking GKEY.
About the same time as the medical request, we received Sponsor's Approval (SA), notice that we'd be processed in Mississauga (AOR2), and the same letter mentioned we should get a Certificate of Selection (CSQ) if applying to Quebec (which I was). This apparently isn't the official CSQ request, but because it was mentioned I had it ready to go by the time the official CSQ request came!
Quebec mailed us the CSQ about a month after our application, not including a week setback-- when you mail payment, regular checks don't count, it must be officially certified. They returned the packet back to us quickly so we could amend that.
Quebec mailed us the CSQ about a month after our application, not including a week setback-- when you mail payment, regular checks don't count, it must be officially certified. They returned the packet back to us quickly so we could amend that.
BGC/DM/PPR
All at once! Received an email with a file attached that was the Passport Request (PPR). The next day I noticed that the background check (BGC) had changed status. There was no notification of this, just saw it on GKEY. Same for Decision Made on ECAS.
My small town doesn't have actual Fedex or UPS branches, but does have drop boxes for them. Since PPR requires specific mailing and USPS said they couldn't do it, this was tricky. I went with the Fedex online label maker and had to DIY the mailing without any employee help. I goofed a little, but Fedex called me and it was smoothed out with nary a delay.
I also had problems getting photographs of the exact required size.. had to travel out of town to get to a Rite Aid that had a machine that could handle it.
My small town doesn't have actual Fedex or UPS branches, but does have drop boxes for them. Since PPR requires specific mailing and USPS said they couldn't do it, this was tricky. I went with the Fedex online label maker and had to DIY the mailing without any employee help. I goofed a little, but Fedex called me and it was smoothed out with nary a delay.
I also had problems getting photographs of the exact required size.. had to travel out of town to get to a Rite Aid that had a machine that could handle it.
Two weeks after mailing the passport photocopy, I got an email from CPC saying I didn't include a prepaid shipping label. Was the label I sent not the right one? Who knows. I replied to the email as instructed with a new label on the same day, and that tracking number went live after only a day or two. Received COPR in the mail in week!
Did a soft landing via Greyhound bus at the border. I sat at the front and had no checked luggage under so I could be first in line to chat with the border guys. I was still the last person out, but it wasn't a long wait! They took my papers for a few minutes, stamped, had me sign and that was it.
Not moving until August. There was a note written on the back of my copy of the COPR saying "no B4 issued at this time."
Not moving until August. There was a note written on the back of my copy of the COPR saying "no B4 issued at this time."
- SIN card: The day after soft landing, I went to Service Canada for a Social Insurance Number. They said normally you get the card the same day, but because I landed at a land border they had to process my SIN card by hand and will mail it to me in 6 weeks.
- French class: Applied online for the free government sponsored course. Snail-mailed additional papers. Was told it could take 2 months to process the application. Will see!
- Phone: Public Mobile (to-do)
- Bank: TD Bank (to-do)
