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Canadian Experience Class Discussion Forum
Landing options for those who are in Canada? |
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What are the options to land for those who are already in Canada? Can we land at the local cic office?
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to rahimmanashia:
Excerpt from CEC Operation manual CIC website.
11. Procedure: Approving the application
If officers approve an applicant who is living outside of Canada, they should send the
permanent resident visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence to that address and
direct them to present these to an officer at a Canadian port of entry [R71.1(1)].
Pursuant to R71.1(2), if officers approve an applicant who is currently living in Canada
with valid status, they will:
• send their permanent resident visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence to
their address in Canada;
• advise the applicant that in order to be granted permanent resident status they have
the option of presenting these to an officer at a Canadian port of entry or contacting
the Call Centre to request an appointment at a local CIC, with their family members if
applicable.
Thanks,
Raj
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to itsraj:
According to my interpretation R71.1(2) I think we could even visit an (international) airport and land there - it is afterall a port of entry and we are landing within Canada. You would avoid potential delays in getting an appointment date in order to land at a local office....
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to canon:
But you might have to get "airside" (i.e., other side of security) in order to come back in - the idea is that you leave the country and re-enter. Could be a lot of hassle, I'd check into it first.
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to arthur:
What I pasted above is the new rule in the Citizenship and Refugee act thatthey implemented along with introduction of the CEC.
Previously we had no choice but to leave the country - i.e either go a border post (i.e do the flagpoling) or leave the country and when we come back we would land.
That's the reason why now we are not called "landed" immigrants anymore - coz technically speaking if we are already in Canada, we can land locally - ie at local cic office or port of entry - and border offices including international airports are ports of entry.
In theory that should work - but airports may have security measures.....I know some airports have an open counter for immigration (i.e that you can access directly without going through security or the departure gate....)
So, exploring the possibility if it turns out wait time for local office appointment is long.....
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to canon:
Immigration is usually the other side of customs and security, but as you say there maybe they have an office that is easier to access - presumably it would vary by airport and I wonder if the smaller airports might be more accommodating, especially if you show up at a quiet time of day. Let us all know if you manage it!
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to arthur:
Situation is similar like, walk on rainbow bridge half way and come back to Canada without entering into US custom. If I am not wrong while landing, officer asks for white paper – stating that your entry was rejected to USA (flag poling) or US entry stamp (if you were legally admitted to USA) and then they complete your landing process.
http://www.canada-city.ca/canada-immigration/po...
situation might be different, after they announced in-canada landing.
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to DrOctopus:
DrOctopus - you finally caught on...lol
arthur - in fact I recall seeing that immigration office right across the entry door in no other than the biggest international airport in Canada - i.e Toronto Pearson. You are right, in other cases you would need to go inside a door. In my city (Calgary), you would just need to enter the arrival door (only opens when a international flight has landed) and you would get the office. No security from what I remember. It's arrivals afterall.
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to canon:
I know it is arrivals - for domestic arrivals there is no immigration, so that is no use. For international arrivals you clear immigration then customs.
It all depends on: i) can you either get to the other side of customs or reach an immigration officer some other way, and, ii) will they deal with you when you get there. I'd say, either phone up and ask or someone needs to try it and let us know! If possible, it should be a convenient option.
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to arthur:
I'll see how long it takes for the cic hotline to give me an appointment at the local office. If it's like 2 weeks, then I'll either 1)show up at the local office and play stupid or 2) show up at the airport and play stupid. Don't feeling like waiting for 2 weeks to get someone to stamp my passport.
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Hi. I have a doubt. Every applicant has to go to Buffalo to have an interview?
In the case that I need visa to go to USA and I can not get it, how do I have the interview???
Thanks for any help
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to DrOctopus:
Effective Dec 20ish, 2008, "Canada Place" landing must be booked thru 1-888-242-2100. I would play stupid like aquamarine/canon at the local cic office to get landed.
I noticed that there are CIC offices at our International airports... again worth to try if you can't go to the border.
Roll the dice!
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I see, bhkish.
I am still waiting to get my passport back. Buffalo received it on January 30. I sent it using next day delivery service. Looks like Buffalo however takes all the time in the world to stick that visa to the passport. It looks like they take forever to place that visa on that passport.
So how did your landing go? Did you go to the border? I am tired of waiting and waiting. Waiting long enough for the passport. I think I will just go to the border to land. I am running out of patience to get that PR.
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to delhi2toronto:
They received our passports on Friday, VISA stamped on Monday (the next business day), they shipped out the passports with my return Priority Courier envelope on Tuesday, Canada Post didn't scan the envelope until Wednesday, I received the VISA on the next Tuesday...
The landing went... um... LOL
I will re-create my timeline to share my landing experience, stay tuned. :P
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I don't get it. No offence to you but I never saw Buffalo work on a file the next day. Usually there is a waiting time of at least a few days before it gets out of the mailing room. As a matter of fact they received mine on the same date as yours and the return mailer is not even in the system yet. Unless maybe if you have political connections. Either way, I am extremely jealous:)
I feel like slapping the immigration worker on his ass to get him to work. He needs to know that working one 1 file a day and taking smoke breaks for the rest of the day is not acceptable.
If they take that long to stamp a visa - it's plain testimony to inefficiency - coz it's just a straightforward process that takes them no more than 10 minutes. And that brings me to the point that no wonder they have developed such a backlog.
Well to get back at them, what I'll do is once I get my PR, I'll try to get a government job and join the slacker bandwagon.
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to delhi2toronto:
I did send them a fax to get my stamping prioritized (as i have a pending trip due in March), not sure the fax worked or they are just as fast for everyone else.
PS: Both canon and I got the VISA stamped pretty much the very next day, but he didn't do anything to speed up the process...
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to birdish:
when did you give your medical exarm
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to canon:
To land at a local CIC office, is there any rule like valid immigration document is a must. My WP is expiring soon and as per cic agent it will take 16 weeks to get my WP extended. I know I can work under implied status but will CIC office accept my expired WP while landing..
thanks,
Jenas
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to jenas:
Your implied status is OK to land within Canada, as you still hold a VALID temporary resident status. Your WP under implied status will no longer stand once you left Canada as per new "Operational Bulletin 092" dated on Jan 15, 2009.
The template letters that accompany visas must be amended by missions to include the following paragraph:
Please note that if you are already in Canada and have valid temporary resident status, you now have the option of obtaining your permanent resident status in Canada as opposed to leaving Canada and re-entering at a port of entry. Please contact CIC’s Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 as soon as possible to arrange an appointment with the nearest Citizenship and Immigration office to your place of residence. (You cannot call this number if you are outside Canada.)
In reality, nobody gives a damn, you will be OK.
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to birdish:
Can more of you share your experience trying to land "locally" for those that are already in Canada. How long did it take to get an appointment? Are there additional requirements? Particularly interested in those that did it recently in Ottawa. Can someone point to an official online cic document, having a hard time finding info on it. Thanks.
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to Patrick:
Patrick, I just received my landing visa, and I am in ottawa too. I callled CIC yesterday to schedule a landing appointment, and the agent told me it will take up to 2 months. And they will send us the appointment notice letter by Mail !!!!!! No idea how long it is gonna take. Min 2 weeks, I would say.
So near Ottawa, there are 3 border ports close. I plan to go there during the weekend. Only 1 hour and half drive to there.
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to Cosalinda:
Please let me know how it goes. Keep in mind that the Cornwall crossing is closed for the time being.
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to Patrick:
I have landed last month at cornwall and at that time itself I saw there was a new office that was under construction and they were telling they are shifting to the new building.
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to rahimmanashia:
If you have the US visa, then u can directly go to Buffalo office to get stamped and land on the same day in the border.
We are living in Toronto. We took Greyhound at 7.00a.m, reached buffalo consulate at 9.30 a.m, stamped our visa by 11.30 a.m. The official in the consulate told not to enter Canada within 3 hours because it takes 3 hours to update in the system. So we roamed there for sometime and took the 3.30 p.m bus at Buffalo to Toronto and landed at the border successfully. The bus stops there at the border till we complete the process. It takes only 15-20 mins. So its very easy to go by bus and finish all the things in the same day. All your eligibilites as PR will be applicable on the date of your landing. So its my advice to go directly if u have US visa.
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to jothi:
Kind of busy at work. I have no holidays now. Plus I have no visa. My bf is Canadian citizen. I was thinking to ask him to pick up the visa for me and I land at the same time.
compare the costs (ask days off at work, hotel, gas, blablabla), it is not very economical. So I mailed my passport and decide either land in Cic office or go to the closes border during the weekend.
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FWIW, here is an article about an FSW applicant who "landed" in Kitchener (Ontario):
http://www.bulletin.uwaterloo.ca/2009/ma...
Scroll down to the article titled "Drops from the daily data stream."
The link in the article to the relevant CIC bulletin no longer works. I wonder
if us CEC applicants are or will be given the option of landing at local
immigration offices in Canada?
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to itsraj:
I'm living in Canada but applying to UK, can I do the CIC office landing or will I have to flagpole?
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to jothi:
Hi Jothi...thanks for sharing the info as it can be really beneficial to newcomers..
also since am in Toronto could u please answer some questions for me:
1) what docs do i need to carry with me during the landing process?
2) what is COPR that people take to Buffalo for the stamping process?
3) also after we receive the PPR request can we just travel to Buffalo the next day or do we have to book an appointment in advance?
i do have the US visitor visa .
your help is appreciated
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to veenupies:
Hi, i am from Alberta but visiting my uncle here in Toronto and planning to do landing from Niagra side.
1- Can immigration officers at POE raise this issue as to why i am doing landing from here and not from Calgary side
2- For mailing address can i give Toronto address or the address has to match my PR Application's address
3- I want to know can i walk on the bridge towards US side and come back on Canadian side ? or i need to have a car with me
4- What kind of questions should i expect from Immigration officers and how worst the question can be ? I forgot to bring my salary slips with me can they ask for salary slips ?
Thanks and waiting for your feedback
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So I just received the letter requesting for my passport for the landed visa. I will be driving to Buffalo myself to accept the visa and drive back to Canada. I was wondering if I will be able to leave Canada after I receive my landed visa or do I have to wait to receive the actual PR CARD before leaving anywhere else? What are my options if I really need to leave and have a plane ticket due?
Thanks, EK
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to ethak:
Congrats !! do u have US visa ? and can u tell me if letter says that "you can send an authorized representative to collect visa " ? Thanks
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to muzmil:
Hi muzmil,
Thank you!
Yes I do have a US Visa. The document does not say anything about "authorized representative". There are 2 options: by Mail or by in Person.
Good Luck
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to ethak:
Hi, i got my PR visa stamped today at buffalo, i sent a representative to do the stamping. Now i am planning for the D-DAY i.e the landing process.
Can anyone please guide me what kind of questions an officer can ask for people that are on work permit already inside Canada ? I am planning to do landing in around 12-15 hours. so your prompt response will be very highly appreciated.
Thanks
Muz
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to muzmil:
Blogs such as this was of great help to me when i was planning my landing in Canada. I landed 5days ago with my wife and 2 children, and all went well, perfectly, despite the fact that i am on F-1 and my wife on H1-B. Thanks to God and the good contributions of kind hearted and good natured people on these blogs. Thanks to you guys though i do not know you but God will bless you immensely.
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Users watching this thread:
rahimmanashia, itsraj, canon, habib890, Costa21, delhi2toronto, multiman, jenas, Patrick, Cosalinda, jothi, mathematician, Brit34, veenupies, muzmil, ethak, FaisalNura50, windsordaki
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