Which VO will my visa come from?

[JasonLee]

I finally got my PPR by email last week from CPP-O. It's a family class PR app and since I live in Los Angeles, I indicated LA in my application as the office for any interviews needed.

Once CPP-O finishes everything with my passport copy, do they transfer everything to LA for the LA office to issue the visa? Little unclear where it actually comes from.
Also, is the COPR the same thing as the visa or are they two separate douments that come together? I'm thinking they're separate since I saw that the visa is one-time use yet to get my Social Insurance Number, I have to show my passport and valid COPR from what I read.

Thanks

 

[Sweden]

I think Ottawa started issuing COPR but maybe LA does it as well - not too sure, as things are evolving for people going through Ottawa.

I suppose you are from the US, so in your case, you won't get a visa, as you are visa-exempt - they ask for a copy of your passport to make sure that they have the latest version but you don't need a visa to go to Canada. So you won't get one.
Instead - you will receive 2 copies of the COPR, one with picture, and one without. When you land, you sign both copies and the immigration officer will keep the one with picture, and it will be used to issue your PR card (you'll get it by mail about 35 days later at your canadian address). You keep the COPR version signed, and you go to any Service Canada to get your SIN. You will have to present your COPR signed, AND your passport stamped and dated (make sure it's done, most of the time it's not an issue, but if your passport is not stamped and dated as well as the COPR, you won't be able to get your SIN until you have the PR card). If you have COPR + passport stamped, it takes 10 min to get a SIN at any Service Canada. You'll get it on the spot, and the actual card will come by mail 10 days later.
Good luck,
Sweden

 

[JasonLee]

I think Ottawa started issuing COPR but maybe LA does it as well - not too sure, as things are evolving for people going through Ottawa.

I suppose you are from the US, so in your case, you won't get a visa, as you are visa-exempt - they ask for a copy of your passport to make sure that they have the latest version but you don't need a visa to go to Canada. So you won't get one.
Instead - you will receive 2 copies of the COPR, one with picture, and one without. When you land, you sign both copies and the immigration officer will keep the one with picture, and it will be used to issue your PR card (you'll get it by mail about 35 days later at your canadian address). You keep the COPR version signed, and you go to any Service Canada to get your SIN. You will have to present your COPR signed, AND your passport stamped and dated (make sure it's done, most of the time it's not an issue, but if your passport is not stamped and dated as well as the COPR, you won't be able to get your SIN until you have the PR card). If you have COPR + passport stamped, it takes 10 min to get a SIN at any Service Canada. You'll get it on the spot, and the actual card will come by mail 10 days later.
Good luck,
Sweden

Thanks Sweden! Yes, I'm US. When you say "stamped and dated" do you mean stamped in my passport or they stamp the COPR showing I landed? Also, I'm going to have a new passport when I land. Mine expires this coming December so I'll be renewing it in the next few months, definately before I land. They give us the old one back along with the new one, wondering if there's any issue landing on the newer passport I'll be getting vs the "old" one I have now (and just sent copies of for my PPR). I don't know if they match documents and would have an issue with the new passport (my old pp photo looks nothing like me today, a few agents have done a double-take!).

Since I'm needing to be legal to work ASAP and since it will take at least a month or more to get ready to come, I think I'll apply for the SIN by mail. Service Canada said you can do it out of country with a valid COPR and passport, just takes 20 days to get it instead getting the number right there in the office and the card 10 days later.

 

[IslandAnnie]

Since I'm needing to be legal to work ASAP and since it will take at least a month or more to get ready to come, I think I'll apply for the SIN by mail. Service Canada said you can do it out of country with a valid COPR and passport, just takes 20 days to get it instead getting the number right there in the office and the card 10 days later.

I believe by "valid" they mean one that has been validated at the border upon landing. I wouldn't think Canada would issue a SIN prior to someone actually landing. Unless you mean you will land and then return to the US to pack, etc.

 

[Sweden]

Thanks Sweden! Yes, I'm US. When you say "stamped and dated" do you mean stamped in my passport or they stamp the COPR showing I landed? Also, I'm going to have a new passport when I land. Mine expires this coming December so I'll be renewing it in the next few months, definately before I land. They give us the old one back along with the new one, wondering if there's any issue landing on the newer passport I'll be getting vs the "old" one I have now (and just sent copies of for my PPR). I don't know if they match documents and would have an issue with the new passport (my old pp photo looks nothing like me today, a few agents have done a double-take!).

Since I'm needing to be legal to work ASAP and since it will take at least a month or more to get ready to come, I think I'll apply for the SIN by mail. Service Canada said you can do it out of country with a valid COPR and passport, just takes 20 days to get it instead getting the number right there in the office and the card 10 days later.

well your COPR has your passport number, so for sure you will have to present it. I'm not sure how it works - I would send an email to LA about it. The point of the PPR is to make sure that they have the right passport number, so if you are not going to land with it, you should check that it's OK!

What I mean by stamped is: when you land, they will date and sign (and you sign too) the COPR, to prove that you have "landed". BUT they will also put a stamp on your passport + date and signature, to prove that you have landed. Service Canada will need to see the COPR signed AND the passport stamp + signature before being able to issue a SIN. One applicant here landed, and he got his COPR signed, but th officer forgot to sign and stamp the passport, and Service Canada refused to issue a SIN. the applicant had to wait until the PR card arrived to get a SIN.
good luck,
Sweden

 

[JasonLee]

I believe by "valid" they mean one that has been validated at the border upon landing. I wouldn't think Canada would issue a SIN prior to someone actually landing. Unless you mean you will land and then return to the US to pack, etc.

Hi Annie. I think they will based on what Service Canada's website says is required for documentation. However, it might only include COPR's that are post-landing, as you indicate. Besides, on second thought, I'm not sure I want to send off my COPR and US passport given how crucial those are (SC only accepts originals). I can just see that going bad.

From Service Canada website:

Permanent residents

You must provide one of the following primary documents:

Permanent Resident Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This is the only acceptable document if your claim was processed in Canada.

Confirmation of Permanent Residence AND visa counterfoil affixed to a foreign passport or a travel document

Confirmation of Permanent Residence AND foreign passport for visa exempt countries

 

[Sweden]

also - since it only takes 10min to get a SIN, you could just either do it the day you land, or do it the day before you want to start working! I suppose you'll get to Canada then start looking for a job, and getting a SIN is not a big issue, so you could wait and leave it for when you're in Canada...

 

[parker24]

Hi Annie. I think they will based on what Service Canada's website says is required for documentation. However, it might only include COPR's that are post-landing, as you indicate. Besides, on second thought, I'm not sure I want to send off my COPR and US passport given how crucial those are (SC only accepts originals). I can just see that going bad.

From Service Canada website:

Permanent residents

You must provide one of the following primary documents:

Permanent Resident Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This is the only acceptable document if your claim was processed in Canada.

Confirmation of Permanent Residence AND visa counterfoil affixed to a foreign passport or a travel document

Confirmation of Permanent Residence AND foreign passport for visa exempt countries

Yeah you will need both. And you can use it to get your health card too

 

[JasonLee]

also - since it only takes 10min to get a SIN, you could just either do it the day you land, or do it the day before you want to start working! I suppose you'll get to Canada then start looking for a job, and getting a SIN is not a big issue, so you could wait and leave it for when you're in Canada...

Sweden, regarding your post about Customs stamping the COPR but forgetting to stamp the passport....TRUST ME, I will put a post-it note with those directions on the cover of my passport and I will put the stamp in their hand and slam it down on my passport myself if I have to! ;D I'm not waiting weeks to be work-legal just because of an "oops".

I've been wanting to start digging for work now, just in terms of making contacts, discussing openings, etc. Not even sure if I can apply for jobs, legally, let alone get some kind of offer of employment contingent to landing. Sounds like the SIN process is pretty fast, I just need to minimize the unemployed time. I had an informational interview with an executive for a Canadian aerospace company (my field) and due to my US experience and especially my current employer in my particular role, he said I'll float to top of resumes, even without speaking French (phew! Thank God!). However, it's tough to get anything started without even being work authorized!

 

[Sweden]

Sweden, regarding your post about Customs stamping the COPR but forgetting to stamp the passport....TRUST ME, I will put a post-it note with those directions on the cover of my passport and I will put the stamp in their hand and slam it down on my passport myself if I have to! ;D I'm not waiting weeks to be work-legal just because of an "oops".

I've been wanting to start digging for work now, just in terms of making contacts, discussing openings, etc. Not even sure if I can apply for jobs, legally, let alone get some kind of offer of employment contingent to landing. Sounds like the SIN process is pretty fast, I just need to minimize the unemployed time. I had an informational interview with an executive for a Canadian aerospace company (my field) and due to my US experience and especially my current employer in my particular role, he said I'll float to top of resumes, even without speaking French (phew! Thank God!). However, it's tough to get anything started without even being work authorized!

you can apply, but unless your employer is willing to go through an LMO - you won't be able to work. Getting informational interviews is a good way to prepare, also because you have already applied for PR and gotten the passport request, so you can let them know that you will be available soon - and that once you cross the border, you're allowed to work right away - getting a SIN is the easiest thing in the world. I got my SIN in 10min ( landed on a saturday, got my SIN on a monday, started work the week after).

Since you're in the final stages, and you know that you'll have the PR soon, it's a good moment to start looking for work, as you have an idea of when your PR will come - so you're in a good position in front of an employer ( much better than saying...ahem... maybe in 1 month, maybe in 3...).

Good luck - you're almost there!
Sweden

 

[JasonLee]

Since you're in the final stages, and you know that you'll have the PR soon, it's a good moment to start looking for work, as you have an idea of when your PR will come - so you're in a good position in front of an employer ( much better than saying...ahem... maybe in 1 month, maybe in 3...).

Yes, provided the PPR to PR Received timeframe hold true. I checked the timeline spreadsheets for Ottowa apps and seems to be 10-60 days regardless of the VO (Buffalo, London, etc). It's been tough be certain about much of anything with CIC!