Applied for PR card ; Experiences and some useful info.

Q

Qwerty20

Registered Users (C)
We went to Canada to apply for PR card.

I live in Chicago, so we took a bus which starts at 5:30 Pm, Chicago-Detroit-Toronto. Reached Toronto at 6:30 AM.

Before we go;

I gathered all the information about Photographer’s, Notaries and post offices ( you can get all the info from Canada yellow pages on the net ) called them for their timings and rates near Greyhound Bus station ( in downtown), so that I need not take a cab or something. There’s a Black’s photo in Eaton’s Mall which open’s at 8:00 AM. They charge $11.99 And in so early in the morning they were not busy so it just took me 5min.
Here’s the link for Black’s in that area;

http://www.blackphoto.com/store_directory/storelist.asp?storeflag=B&province=ON&SortBy=

For notaries;
http://ca.yp.yahoo.com/ysp?CID=001F...9416600&RS=ON&STYPE=D&R=D&SRC=yahoo&MC=1&PI=1

And then I calculated how far is the Notary I selected from Black’s

http://ca.maps.yahoo.com/py/ddResults.py?Pyt=Tmap

I filled my applications online and took the print outs with me .



After we reach Toronto

So we had our picsdone over there. Then found a notary within 2 min walking distance . Got our documents notarized. Then I went to my friend's house where I ordered my fee receipt and Submission form. Filled them up , affixed the 2nd photo ( need not be notarized).We went to a Bank where we paid the fees. By the time it was 12:30 PM we mailed our documents.
I was able to complete all my work in 5 hours. We left for Chicago the same day in the evening. We always take a rental Car, while coming back.




My route;
Bus Station ( 6: 30 AM)-------Black’s Photo------Notary--------Bank-------Canada Poste---------Avis Car rental ( 7:00PM)------Chicago ( 3:00AM )

Documents to be notarized;
First page of Passport
Copy of landing papers
One of the 2 pictures
Marriage Certificate (If your wife's last name need to be changed)

lawyer needs to see two picture ID's
1. Passport
2. Driver's licence/ OHIP card

At the Border;
Same old questions
1. What's the country of your Citizenship?
2. Where r u coming from?
3. Where r u going?
4. Purpose of your Visit?
5. Is this your Car?
6. I like to see the trunk...put the car in park and open the trunk for me please.
And that's it
It just took us 5 min. or may be less.
 
So in your address history have you mentioned address of your friend for the last 2 years or your current addr in USA?
 
For Qwerty20
and Murcury6

If you have mentioned your Friend address for last 2 years stay in Canada but actually you were working and staying in US then it is illegal to provide Canada address for last 2 years on PR card application, one has to be honest because if you have not stayed in Canada for last 2 years and claim that you were in Canada than this kind of False information can haunt you later and CIC can find out that you were not in Canada, they have many ways to find out.
I hope that even if one was not in Canada he/she should provide the correct info, if you stayed in US then it is not a crime to get your PR card, only your PR status has to be valid

And when you apply for PR card you can provide Canada address because when you are applying you are in Canada

I have also come to know that few Lawyers/ Notary are applying Stamping PR Card documents while you are not in Canada and some friends in Canada go to them and get your PR Card application, Passport Copy, LP Copy, Photographs Notarized and pay the Fee in Bank and sending the Documents to PR Card Processing Unit from Canada on your behalf
You need not to Visit Canada to Apply for PR Card the Friends are taking care of applying and they mail you the Forms, supplementary Form, Fee Receipt and you get the Photographs according to Specification and copy of your first page of Passport, all material is being mailed to Canada, Friends/ relatives take care of getting notarized and once they gey letter from CIC to collect the card they visit Canada to collect it
 
I agree with ginnu, this can cause a lot of problems if you apply for citizenship. and as you said they have many ways to find out.
 
stay in Canada

I have asked this earlier also, that if one is staying in US with a Canadian Citizen (child & minor), will this stay considered as staying in Canada, did any body called CIC & confirmed ?
 
I am in US and will be going to Canada next week for applying for Maple card. I havent had my Health card yet, because never had a chance to apply for one..I only gonna have my passport/us drivers licence...Is this enough to get stuff notarized.

Is there gonna be a problem if I apply for health card after a year?
any border crossing experiences, what questions they ask at canadian entry point? driving by road
 
To AKMA,

Only if you stay in the US with your spouse who is a Canadian citizen, your stayment outside Canada will be accounted as satying in Canda for the sense of PR status. If you want to apply for the Canadian citizenship, then you have to physically stay in Canada for at least 3 years.
 
Thanks Mgyuan

Along with spouse it also says, child too, but it is not clear in the PR form, unless someone calls CIC & confirm. (for considering the stay in US as Canadian stay)

You are right, if one has to apply for citizenship then a stay of three years is obligatory in Canada, But right now PR card is the issue & what everyone is filling at work & education column during last 5 years.

May be some senior GURUS will comment or write on this issue.
 
AKAM,

For me the instruction is clear enough. On page 9 item 15, it says: "outside Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen who is your SPOUSE, or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent".
Therefore, if you are applying for the PR card and you have been staying in the US for more than 3 years (i.e. physically staying in Canada less than 730 days) in the past 5 years, you must be accompanying your spouse who is a Canadian citizen. If your child is applying for the PR card, then you or your spouse (child'e parent) must be Canadian citizen if your child has been outside Canada for over 3 years.
At least, I read the instruction in this way.
 
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