WOW! Approval without an interview? What's next? Please advise

[infoseeeker]

Dear all,

We just receive some great news in the form of an email, indicating the following...

Dear_______

This refers to your application for permanent residence in Canada.

Your immigration visa(s) are ready to be issued. Please submit your passport to our Office...

they go on asking for

- Passport (valid for 12 month from the date of your immigration medical examination)
- check that you have sufficient free pages in your passports so we may insert your immigration visas
- provide the following additional document: New photosx4

If you are not able to come in person, you may authorise your representative to act on your behalf including the collection of your passport(s) if you can provide with a letter of authorisation.

Please note that you are to enter Canada before 01-AUG-2012. Otherwise, you will need to undergo and pass a new medical examination before an extension of your validate date to enter Canada can be done.

Ok now the QUESTIONS:

1. Does this really mean that my wife has gotten her PR? Really??? No interview? What else can we expect?
2. We are planning to fly to KL office to drop off her passport to get the visa done. But just wondering how long does this take? Can this be done on the same day?
3. During this visit to the office to get the visa papers, will they return our application package? We submitted a lot of personal photos and articles. we really want those returned. How can we get them back?
4. Since she is required to "Enter Canada before 01-AUG-2012", we plan to do a short trip to visit but this is certainly not the date we can relocate back to Toronto as we are full time employees in Singapore and resignation takes 2 months here.... If we just do a 1 week trip back to Toronto, will this be ok? What are we likely to expect when we land in Pearson Airport? We had originally planned to move back in Jan/Feb 2013. Will this be ok?


Thanks so much to you all for the continued support and help with this entire procedure. To those who also applied, keep your spirits up!!! Wishing you all the best!!!

 

[Isometry]

1. Yes, really. Congratulations!
2. This varies by visa office, your PPR might say. If not, you can contact them and ask.
3. Maybe. My photos and such were returned, but that's not a guarantee.
4. Yes, you can land, turn around, go back and take care of wrapping up everything in Singapore. However, be sure to have your B4s filled out, because if you want to import something later when you move, it's supposed to be listed on the B4 when you land.

 

[thisdj1]

wow congrats to you. I fyou dont mind me asking when did you apply? and which country are you from
this will give me an idea of time frame

thanks

 

[canadianwoman]

They may just automatically return your evidence, but some visa officers and offices don't do this routinely. So just ask them for it, either while you are there, or by letter.

 

[infoseeeker]

Hi Isometry!

Thank you so much for the help with the answers! I still can't believe it! I mean we just kept on telling ourselves to be patient and that there would be no way that they could reject us given the insanely huge package we sent in with our applications!

The information you have about the B4 forms is extremely helpful. So I guess that just means that I have to print a bunch of those forms out and fill in as much things as I can which details the items which I plan on bringing back with my wife and I when we relocate back correct? Is there a guide somewhere that states what must be in the form. We have a lot of stuff ranging from kitchen wear, to many electronics and lot of things here and there. I just want to find out what we need to put down. Do pictures help? I mean I can already imagine our list being so long that we will not be able to fit it the 1 form...

Also, we aren't sure what moving/shipping company we will use yet, do we have to have all of that information filled out already in the B4 forms by the time we land in August 1st? What happens if we change moving companies afterwards?

I also plan on moving some stuff that I've had in storage in California back to Canada after we relocate. Guess we should list those items as well correct? Thanks again. This is very useful information!

1. Yes, really. Congratulations!
2. This varies by visa office, your PPR might say. If not, you can contact them and ask.
3. Maybe. My photos and such were returned, but that's not a guarantee.
4. Yes, you can land, turn around, go back and take care of wrapping up everything in Singapore. However, be sure to have your B4s filled out, because if you want to import something later when you move, it's supposed to be listed on the B4 when you land.

 

[infoseeeker]

Hello there,

Thanks! We submitted our package in late Nov 2011. We are applying to the Kuala Lumpur office, but we are in Singapore. Hope this helps! You can read up on the other timeline threads. They are very helpful!

wow congrats to you. I fyou dont mind me asking when did you apply? and which country are you from
this will give me an idea of time frame

thanks

 

[infoseeeker]

They may just automatically return your evidence, but some visa officers and offices don't do this routinely. So just ask them for it, either while you are there, or by letter.

Thanks for the information CanadianWoman. We will see when we submit the passports in May/June as that its only when we can fly to KL to do the visa papers. Thanks!

 

[sakamath]

...this is certainly not the date we can relocate back to Toronto as we are full time employees in Singapore and resignation takes 2 months here.... If we just do a 1 week trip back to Toronto, will this be ok?

As you may be aware, after your spouse lands in Canada, CIC would mail her PR card to a 'Canadian address'. The time this takes varies and could be upto a month. While you are free to leave Canada at any time you wish, your spouse can only re-enter Canada with a valid PR card. You should consider this before leaving back. Some people provide the address of a trusted person in Canada who in turn mails the PR card to home country so that returning back does not become an issue.

 

[cms418]

As you may be aware, after your spouse lands in Canada, CIC would mail her PR card to a 'Canadian address'. The time this takes varies and could be upto a month. While you are free to leave Canada at any time you wish, your spouse can only re-enter Canada with a valid PR card. You should consider this before leaving back. Some people provide the address of a trusted person in Canada who in turn mails the PR card to home country so that returning back does not become an issue.

The PR card application guide states that you need to pick up the card in person... is this not true?

 

[tintin79]

You are one lucky person

 

[CharlieD10]

The PR card application guide states that you need to pick up the card in person... is this not true?

First time PRs automatically receive their card in the mail after landing.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Congratulations. On the B4s, the story is:

If you are a returning Canadian, you get to fill out one B4/B4A set that will allow you to import goods duty free as long as you've been out of Canada for at least one year and have owned, used, and possessed the items for at least 6 months (6 month req't waived if you've been out of Canada for five years). If you are importing any item over 10,000 Canadian you will have to pay duties on the amount over 10k. The government gives you one opportunity to tell them what you are bringing in so you need to fill out all the forms upfront and then you can bring it in over time but be sure to include everything upfront.

Similarly, your wife, as an immigrant can fill out one B4/B4A set which she has to turn in on her first visit where she intends to live in Canada more than 12 months. She does not have the 10k limit per item.

As for filling out the forms, you can group like items together - eg clothes $xxxx if the value isn't huge or you can break it down a bit to say suits $xxxx, formal gowns $xxx, casual clothes $xxx. Same for lower value items like household goods, toiletries, etc. If you eat importing thing over several trips (or on plane ve shipment), try to separate line items per trip so that you don't run into issues when they cross items off as you import them.

For jewelry and electronics, you need to list them one per line item and include: for jewelry a photo (can be one you took yourself and printed) - don't forget wedding bands! - and for electronics you should include model and serial number. You may also want to take photos of furniture if you aren't importing t immediately. You can complete multiple B4A forms and just number them. Folks have also reported using other formats (Excel, packing lists) successfully.

If you can take an extra copy, it will make life easier for you and the CBSA agent since they keep one and give one (once stamped) back to you.

The B4 is available at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/b4-eng.pdf
And the B4A is at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pbg/cf/b4a/

Detailed instructions are at http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5113-eng.html

Are you importing a car? If so, there's a few more detailed instructions so I'll dig for some posts where I summarized things to consider.

 

[cms418]

First time PRs automatically receive their card in the mail after landing.

Can you point me to this on a gov website? Can't find it?

 

[sakamath]

Can you point me to this on a gov website? Can't find it?

Refer to question #8 in the following link
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/pr-card/index.asp

 

[cms418]

Refer to question #8 in the following link
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/pr-card/index.asp

thanks! It appears some people will need to pick it up..