Why don't some people have to send their passports in

[Mrs.Purcy]

Browsing though many threads I notice that many people are required to send their passports while others don't have to and simply write "exempt" underneath their profile. My question is why? Do some people not have to send their passports in? I know this sounds stupid but what exactly do they need to do with the passports..? And why don't some people need to send their passports in?

Sorry if my questions are silly, but I really am curious!

 

[Zarilenth]

If you're from a visa exempt country (where you don't need to apply for a visa to enter) you don't need to send in the passport.
If you do send in the passport they attach a visa so the applicant can enter the country as a PR.

 

[kaisin82]

i'm from a visa exempt country and they asked me to send in my passports to them. my passport has been with them for close to 2 months.

 

[Mrs.Purcy]

If you're from a visa exempt country (where you don't need to apply for a visa to enter) you don't need to send in the passport.
If you do send in the passport they attach a visa so the applicant can enter the country as a PR.

And what about people who are from visa exempt countries? What do they have to do if they don't have a visa? Do they send the visa to them and then they come to Canada and show it to CIC officers?

 

[Mrs.Purcy]

i'm from a visa exempt country and they asked me to send in my passports to them. my passport has been with them for close to 2 months.

that's interesting. Why would they keep your passport for so long?

 

[Zarilenth]

And what about people who are from visa exempt countries? What do they have to do if they don't have a visa? Do they send the visa to them and then they come to Canada and show it to CIC officers?

They don't need a Visa they just get the copy of their permanent residency (COPR) that they show to the immigration officers.

And like kaisin said sometimes you can get a passport request from a visa exempt country. I am not sure why!

 

[kaisin82]

It's the visa office. If u get a visa office that is processing at snail pace, then expect to wait a long time. I applied in 2011 and still waiting.

Not sure why they still request out passports but hopefully nothing happens to them

 

[rhcohen2014]

It's the visa office. If u get a visa office that is processing at snail pace, then expect to wait a long time. I applied in 2011 and still waiting.

Not sure why they still request out passports but hopefully nothing happens to them

according to your profile, your visa office is Singapore, which I don't believe is visa exempt? For visa exempt countries (like US and UK), they ask for copies of the passport instead.

 

[kaisin82]

Oh I see. I thought it is based on the passport. Singapore passport requires no visa when travelling to canada

 

[little_apple]

People who can travel to Canada without a visa USUALLY don't have to send their passports in. The only get their COPR by mail. Some VO's ask for passport copies just to see if the passport is still valid and not expired.

People who need a visa to travel to Canada, ALWAYS have to send their passports in. They get a visa sticker in their passport + the COPR.

I saw people from visa-exempt countries getting a passport request because their VO mostly worked on applications from non-visa exempt countries. For example: a guy from Japan (visa-exempt) applied through Manila (mostly non-visa-exempt applicants). I received a passport request. But he contacted Manila and received his passport back.

You can always contact them and ask why they need your passport if your are visa-exempt. And Singapore is visa-exempt, see here http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp?country=Singapore