landing experience
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Landing with AP
Landing with AP (H1 extension still pending)
My H1 B extension has been under process for more a year now (name check for H1B I guess), but I am planning to use my AP for re entry. I have been here in US for 6 years and have never gone out.
Do you folks see any issue with that? Read thru the whole forum but there are lot of questions in regards to AP but very few answers.
Please share experiences of landing with AP and returning back to US.
Thanks,
Raas
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Landing with AP (H1 extension still pending)
My H1 B extension has been under process for more a year now (name check for H1B I guess), but I am planning to use my AP for re entry. I have been here in US for 6 years and have never gone out.
Do you folks see any issue with that? Read thru the whole forum but there are lot of questions in regards to AP but very few answers.
Please share experiences of landing with AP and returning back to US.
Thanks,
Raas
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Canadian citizenship?
Hi, I am curious whether any of you guys landing are planning to apply for canadian citizenship in the future and how are you going to do that if you stay in U.S. the whole time? And how are you even going to keep your PR without 2 year presence in canada out of every 5 years?
What is the point of landing in canada if you plan to live in U.S. anyway?
Hi, I am curious whether any of you guys landing are planning to apply for canadian citizenship in the future and how are you going to do that if you stay in U.S. the whole time? And how are you even going to keep your PR without 2 year presence in canada out of every 5 years?
What is the point of landing in canada if you plan to live in U.S. anyway?
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
A significant number of people apply for Canadian PR as a safety net, in case their GCs don't come through. When they do get their GCs, they simply stop paying visits to Canada and thus effectively, give up their Canadian PR status.
Don't you have to live in canada for at least 2 years out of every 5 to keep your PR? I thought simply visiting every once in a while will not allow you to maintain PR status...
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
You are right about the 2 out of 5 years regulation. However, that does not deter people from using Canada as a safety net 
Landing in couple of days
Hi All Gurus especially Air_Canada,
I work in USA and am in India on vacation. I plan to land in Toronto by air next week with my wife and then after staying there for a week proceed to USA. Few questions:
a) Do I have to fill B4A and B4 forms or a simple excel sheet with 'goods accompanying' and 'goods to follow' would do?
b) I am taking print outs of all the bank statements from web + some 200 canadian $ in cash? Is that ok or u see any problems?
Any other tip.
Thanks for your help. Please reply asap.
Thanks
Deep
Hi All Gurus especially Air_Canada,
I work in USA and am in India on vacation. I plan to land in Toronto by air next week with my wife and then after staying there for a week proceed to USA. Few questions:
a) Do I have to fill B4A and B4 forms or a simple excel sheet with 'goods accompanying' and 'goods to follow' would do?
b) I am taking print outs of all the bank statements from web + some 200 canadian $ in cash? Is that ok or u see any problems?
Any other tip.
Thanks for your help. Please reply asap.
Thanks
Deep
air_canada
Registered Users (C)
Look for these details in my previous posts as well . Its here http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=220438
These are standard forms - If you take every thing in Excel , they 'll give you the form at the airport and you 'll waste time filling it again
Money is the one of the prime requirement and the immigration officer needs to enter the figure in your COPR docs . I would suggest you to keep the cashier's check for the required sum OR ( if not possible ) keep at least 60-70% + your credit cards and bank letters and copy of your bank deposits - Try to keep the total amount ( instruments only - ie cashiers checks + currency ) less than 10k CAD$$ in order to avoid filling up another form at customs.
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Help needed from the Gurus - Urgent
Triple Citizen, Air Canada and other Gurus,
Following is my information:
I need to land in Canada by June 16th, currently my I-485 has been under process for an year stuck in name check.
I have been here in US for 6+ years and I have not gone outside ever since I came here in 2001. I applied for my 7th year H1 B extension and that is also stuck in security clearance for 14 months now.
I do have EAD and AP. But I have very common muslim name (almost every case of mine takes longer than usual) and I am worried about the consequences of landing and coming back.
Appreciate the response from you all.
Thanks,
Raas
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Triple Citizen, Air Canada and other Gurus,
Following is my information:
I need to land in Canada by June 16th, currently my I-485 has been under process for an year stuck in name check.
I have been here in US for 6+ years and I have not gone outside ever since I came here in 2001. I applied for my 7th year H1 B extension and that is also stuck in security clearance for 14 months now.
I do have EAD and AP. But I have very common muslim name (almost every case of mine takes longer than usual) and I am worried about the consequences of landing and coming back.
Appreciate the response from you all.
Thanks,
Raas
Reply With Quote
Wrong Address for PR card. Urgent help.
Hi Air Canada and other gurus,
I need help urgently. Thanks every body for help especially Air_Canada. I landed in Toronto from New Delhi yesterday. The whole process was smooth. The immigration officer took the forms and she asked me to tell the address on which I want the PR cards to be mailed. She wrote that on to the COPR forms. And she said welcome to canada and said PR cards will be mailed to you after 6 weeks at this address. I was also happy till that point. After I reached the hotel, I saw the carbon copy of the COPR form that she gave me and I noticed she has noted the wrong apt no i.e. instead of apt 1713, she has noted 1317. Now what should I do?
I'm still in Canada and will be here for next 5 days and then will go to USA for a week and will go back to India. Can I go some where or call some one to correct that or am I screwed?
Please help.
Thanks
Deep
Hi Air Canada and other gurus,
I need help urgently. Thanks every body for help especially Air_Canada. I landed in Toronto from New Delhi yesterday. The whole process was smooth. The immigration officer took the forms and she asked me to tell the address on which I want the PR cards to be mailed. She wrote that on to the COPR forms. And she said welcome to canada and said PR cards will be mailed to you after 6 weeks at this address. I was also happy till that point. After I reached the hotel, I saw the carbon copy of the COPR form that she gave me and I noticed she has noted the wrong apt no i.e. instead of apt 1713, she has noted 1317. Now what should I do?
I'm still in Canada and will be here for next 5 days and then will go to USA for a week and will go back to India. Can I go some where or call some one to correct that or am I screwed?
Please help.
Thanks
Deep
No you can either try changing this yourself online or calling the PR call center. Since you are inside Canada this number will work for you since they can only be called within canada.
https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/?app=coanotify&lang=en
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/call.html#prcard
https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/?app=coanotify&lang=en
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/call.html#prcard
Port of Entry to fill AOS for US GC
I landed in canada thru peace bridge (Dec 06) and reentered US thru Rainbow bridge, using AVR. At the entry point on the US side the officer asked all the routine questions and gave back my passports and all the stuffs and just let me go, he didnt put any entry on the passport that I reentered US on so and so date.
The question is: I am trying to fill the AOS questionnaire for the company lawyer to file for 485 and one of the question is "Date and Port of Last Entry into the United states" - what should i put here ?
1)Should i put Niagara Falls,USA
2) or should i put Chicago (entered US from india in sep 05).
Any advice is appreciated,
Thanks,zen
I landed in canada thru peace bridge (Dec 06) and reentered US thru Rainbow bridge, using AVR. At the entry point on the US side the officer asked all the routine questions and gave back my passports and all the stuffs and just let me go, he didnt put any entry on the passport that I reentered US on so and so date.
The question is: I am trying to fill the AOS questionnaire for the company lawyer to file for 485 and one of the question is "Date and Port of Last Entry into the United states" - what should i put here ?
1)Should i put Niagara Falls,USA
2) or should i put Chicago (entered US from india in sep 05).
Any advice is appreciated,
Thanks,zen
cadenceboy
Registered Users (C)
Landed in Toronto through Peace Bridge
Hi All,
Thanks for those who posted theire experience here. It's time for me to share my landing experience with you.
My wife and I just landed in Toronto through Peace Bridge on May 26 and came back on May 28.
Preparation:
I followed the list on this forum and prepared all the necessary documents.
I reserved a car from Avis. When I pick up the car, I told them I was driving to Canada and then they gave me an additional auto insurance card used in Canada. As recommended, I chose Peace Bridge office for landing.
On the Canada border:
I didn’t stop at the US border and directly drove into the entrance lane in Canada side. After I told the officer in the booth that we were landing as Canada permanent residents, he instructed us to park the car and go into the immigration building.
The whole process went very smoothly. It was about 40 min, including some delay due to the officers’ shift. The immigration officers were very nice. We gave them the passports with immigration visa, landing papers, bank of statement and bank check, and our friend’s address. They neither asked for our I-94 card as some officers did in other bridges, nor questioned me about our friend’s address. The copy of the land paper was stapled on the passport. In additon, I did ask the officer to check if the ID photos are qualified. Then we presented the goods list and goods to follow list to the custom officers, and got both lists stamped. Finally in the cashier’s window, the officer stapled a printed form on the top of the goods to follow list.
By the way Ezpass tag worked well in the Canada side of the bridge.
In Toronto:
We visited some friends there and also went to the City Hall and the CN tower. Please be aware that the sales tax in Toronto is very high (~15% usually). On Monday, we went to one service center to apply for the SIN cards, which took about 1 hr, and got the papers with the Social Insurance Number printed on. Then we spent another one hour to open a checking account in TD Trust with those papers.
On US border:
It took about 10 min. The only small problem is that the officer looked at my wife’s documents for quite some time and then asked why there is no valid H1B visa on her passport. We explained that because my wife got H1B visa approved within US only expired F1 visas are shown on her passport. Then the officer agreed on it and let us through.
I hope these information could help you.
Hi All,
Thanks for those who posted theire experience here. It's time for me to share my landing experience with you.
My wife and I just landed in Toronto through Peace Bridge on May 26 and came back on May 28.
Preparation:
I followed the list on this forum and prepared all the necessary documents.
I reserved a car from Avis. When I pick up the car, I told them I was driving to Canada and then they gave me an additional auto insurance card used in Canada. As recommended, I chose Peace Bridge office for landing.
On the Canada border:
I didn’t stop at the US border and directly drove into the entrance lane in Canada side. After I told the officer in the booth that we were landing as Canada permanent residents, he instructed us to park the car and go into the immigration building.
The whole process went very smoothly. It was about 40 min, including some delay due to the officers’ shift. The immigration officers were very nice. We gave them the passports with immigration visa, landing papers, bank of statement and bank check, and our friend’s address. They neither asked for our I-94 card as some officers did in other bridges, nor questioned me about our friend’s address. The copy of the land paper was stapled on the passport. In additon, I did ask the officer to check if the ID photos are qualified. Then we presented the goods list and goods to follow list to the custom officers, and got both lists stamped. Finally in the cashier’s window, the officer stapled a printed form on the top of the goods to follow list.
By the way Ezpass tag worked well in the Canada side of the bridge.
In Toronto:
We visited some friends there and also went to the City Hall and the CN tower. Please be aware that the sales tax in Toronto is very high (~15% usually). On Monday, we went to one service center to apply for the SIN cards, which took about 1 hr, and got the papers with the Social Insurance Number printed on. Then we spent another one hour to open a checking account in TD Trust with those papers.
On US border:
It took about 10 min. The only small problem is that the officer looked at my wife’s documents for quite some time and then asked why there is no valid H1B visa on her passport. We explained that because my wife got H1B visa approved within US only expired F1 visas are shown on her passport. Then the officer agreed on it and let us through.
I hope these information could help you.
I landed in canada thru peace bridge (Dec 06) and reentered US thru Rainbow bridge, using AVR. At the entry point on the US side the officer asked all the routine questions and gave back my passports and all the stuffs and just let me go, he didnt put any entry on the passport that I reentered US on so and so date.
The question is: I am trying to fill the AOS questionnaire for the company lawyer to file for 485 and one of the question is "Date and Port of Last Entry into the United states" - what should i put here ?
1)Should i put Niagara Falls,USA
2) or should i put Chicago (entered US from india in sep 05).
Any advice is appreciated,
Thanks,zen
write the most recent entry - whether they stamp your passport or not is irrelevant, write the truth...
Things to do after landing
Hi,
Thanks for your help for my earlier queries. As some of you know, I've landed successfully. I've also applied/got SIN. Now what are the other things I need to do? I plan to stay here for 3-4 days more and then go back to US/India.
Should I open a bank account? Any tax implications?
Should I get a drivers license?
Any other formalities like medical cards or any thing that I should do while I'm here.
Any help is highly appreciated.
Thanks
Deep
Hi,
Thanks for your help for my earlier queries. As some of you know, I've landed successfully. I've also applied/got SIN. Now what are the other things I need to do? I plan to stay here for 3-4 days more and then go back to US/India.
Should I open a bank account? Any tax implications?
Should I get a drivers license?
Any other formalities like medical cards or any thing that I should do while I'm here.
Any help is highly appreciated.
Thanks
Deep
If you do not have any immediate plans to stay in/return to Canada, you do not have to open bank accounts, get driver's licence and health cards. (in fact, you should not do this and enter complex issues). Even SIN card is not necessary. The only thing which is an absolute MUST for those who plan to return to the US (and use Cdn PR as a back up plan) is to apply/get a PR card.
Some Landing and AVR questions... Please advise
Hi,
Here is my current situation:
I'm currently on H1 visa here and my wife entered on H4 but later converted to H1 B. My son is US citizen. We last entered in US in Dec 2003. Our stamped visa has expired and we applied for renewal in US itself (while it was still possible in 2004) but missed the deadline and our passports were returned without the new visas and the old stamped visas with "Cancelled withour Prejudice" stamp on it. My I-94 on new H1 approval is valid till 2010 and wife's is valid till 2008. My passport expired last year and I got a new passport from Indian consulate in San Francisco. The new passport is completely blank and has no visa stamped on it.
I've received the approval of my case last week and have sent my passport for stamping to LA consulate. I plan to visit Canada as soon I receive my passports back. I plan to stay there for couple of days only.
Here are a few questions:
1. Will there be any problem while coming back to US using AVR? Please share your expertise / experience.
2. Is there a prefered way to enter Canada i.e via road vs air and location i.e. Vancouver vs Toronto. I'm in California and would prefer to fly to Vancouver but can change my travel mode and destination based on your experience / advise.
3. What documents will I receive from Canadian consulte along with my Passport?
4. If I enter through Vancouver, will there be any issue if I give the address of some other place (eg. Toronto) for my SIN, PR cards?
5. I want to return to US ASAP and would like to make the trip over the weekend only if possible. I know I won't be able to SIN card since the office will be closed and my understanding is PR card is applied at the border / airport on landing. If I come back without applying for SIN, could there be any issues?
I would really appreciate your response.
Thanks.
Hi,
Here is my current situation:
I'm currently on H1 visa here and my wife entered on H4 but later converted to H1 B. My son is US citizen. We last entered in US in Dec 2003. Our stamped visa has expired and we applied for renewal in US itself (while it was still possible in 2004) but missed the deadline and our passports were returned without the new visas and the old stamped visas with "Cancelled withour Prejudice" stamp on it. My I-94 on new H1 approval is valid till 2010 and wife's is valid till 2008. My passport expired last year and I got a new passport from Indian consulate in San Francisco. The new passport is completely blank and has no visa stamped on it.
I've received the approval of my case last week and have sent my passport for stamping to LA consulate. I plan to visit Canada as soon I receive my passports back. I plan to stay there for couple of days only.
Here are a few questions:
1. Will there be any problem while coming back to US using AVR? Please share your expertise / experience.
2. Is there a prefered way to enter Canada i.e via road vs air and location i.e. Vancouver vs Toronto. I'm in California and would prefer to fly to Vancouver but can change my travel mode and destination based on your experience / advise.
3. What documents will I receive from Canadian consulte along with my Passport?
4. If I enter through Vancouver, will there be any issue if I give the address of some other place (eg. Toronto) for my SIN, PR cards?
5. I want to return to US ASAP and would like to make the trip over the weekend only if possible. I know I won't be able to SIN card since the office will be closed and my understanding is PR card is applied at the border / airport on landing. If I come back without applying for SIN, could there be any issues?
I would really appreciate your response.
Thanks.
Landed sucessfully
Hello,
I have landed, with my family, via Rainbow bridge and completed the final step towards the Canadian PR.
Paid the toll, drove over the bridge on the Canadian side, on the border
Officer: reason for travel to Canada
Me: we are landing as permanent resident
Officer: How many people are in car
Me: told the number of people
He gave a yellow paper and directed to go into the building behind his cabin.
Inside, the first desk are of customs department, when I showed the paper, they directed to go around the desk towards the immigration department. I handed over the piece of paper and upon asking gave all COPRs and passports.
Immigration office: Are you landing today
Me: Yes, but I'll move permanentaley after 2 months. (I should have just said Yes and nothing else)
IO: Why
Me: I have wind up in US yada yada...
At this point he didn't like that I was not landing permanently
IO: What is your status in US
Me: H1
IO: Do you have papers
Me: gave the H1 and H4 approvals
IO: You have such and such period left, so technically you can stay in US untill that period
Me: Yes, I can stay, but I will be moving permanently in 2 months
IO: proof of funds
Me: gave the cashiers checks of $8500
IO: any other proof of funds
Me: No..
Intialled and signed the COPRS for myself and my kids, my wife signed her. (Make sure the signature doesn't go outside the green box.. I had a hard time keeping my signatures within the box)
Finally he asked us to sit on the bench as he completed the formalities. After about 15 minutes, he called and gave all the passports with stapled COPRS.
When I asked, where the PR cards will be mailed, he said, when you move here permanently we'll update your address. I said thank you, he didn't even said welcome to canada or any other gesture...
At the customs counter I handed the yellow paper and B4/B4A forms, they stamped B4/B4A and photographs of jewellry. In one of the forms I mentioned the details of car, the officer asked about the title, which I didn't had, luckily I had a letter from financing bank, showed that letter and she was ok.
Came out of the building, and went towards the Niagara falls, I was looking for a public phone, finally found one. I called 1-888-242-2100 (you can call this number only from canada) and updated the address for our PR cards, alternatively you can update the address online too.
Stayed for one night... and left for US next morning. On the US side, gave all the passports and H1/H4 papers
Immigation officer scanned the visas into his computer and after couple of minutes he handed over all the papers and let us enter the US.
Bottom line.. the toll free number and AVR works.
I Thank everybody on this forum for posting their questions and answers and landing experiences, without which I couldn't have completed my journey towards the Canandian PR.
Thanks and good luck to all.
Hello,
I have landed, with my family, via Rainbow bridge and completed the final step towards the Canadian PR.
Paid the toll, drove over the bridge on the Canadian side, on the border
Officer: reason for travel to Canada
Me: we are landing as permanent resident
Officer: How many people are in car
Me: told the number of people
He gave a yellow paper and directed to go into the building behind his cabin.
Inside, the first desk are of customs department, when I showed the paper, they directed to go around the desk towards the immigration department. I handed over the piece of paper and upon asking gave all COPRs and passports.
Immigration office: Are you landing today
Me: Yes, but I'll move permanentaley after 2 months. (I should have just said Yes and nothing else)
IO: Why
Me: I have wind up in US yada yada...
At this point he didn't like that I was not landing permanently
IO: What is your status in US
Me: H1
IO: Do you have papers
Me: gave the H1 and H4 approvals
IO: You have such and such period left, so technically you can stay in US untill that period
Me: Yes, I can stay, but I will be moving permanently in 2 months
IO: proof of funds
Me: gave the cashiers checks of $8500
IO: any other proof of funds
Me: No..
Intialled and signed the COPRS for myself and my kids, my wife signed her. (Make sure the signature doesn't go outside the green box.. I had a hard time keeping my signatures within the box)
Finally he asked us to sit on the bench as he completed the formalities. After about 15 minutes, he called and gave all the passports with stapled COPRS.
When I asked, where the PR cards will be mailed, he said, when you move here permanently we'll update your address. I said thank you, he didn't even said welcome to canada or any other gesture...
At the customs counter I handed the yellow paper and B4/B4A forms, they stamped B4/B4A and photographs of jewellry. In one of the forms I mentioned the details of car, the officer asked about the title, which I didn't had, luckily I had a letter from financing bank, showed that letter and she was ok.
Came out of the building, and went towards the Niagara falls, I was looking for a public phone, finally found one. I called 1-888-242-2100 (you can call this number only from canada) and updated the address for our PR cards, alternatively you can update the address online too.
Stayed for one night... and left for US next morning. On the US side, gave all the passports and H1/H4 papers
Immigation officer scanned the visas into his computer and after couple of minutes he handed over all the papers and let us enter the US.
Bottom line.. the toll free number and AVR works.
I Thank everybody on this forum for posting their questions and answers and landing experiences, without which I couldn't have completed my journey towards the Canandian PR.
Thanks and good luck to all.