My Quebec Landing Experience
The following is the my landing experience at the Montreal airport.
Landing Experience:
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1. Left US for Montreal. The flight attendant had given the Canadian customs form, which I completed in the flight.
2. Reached Montreal Airport from the US in the evening. Since, there were quite a few flights arriving at that time, there was a big queue for the immigration. Reached the immigration counter after about 30 mins, and the person at the counter looked at my passport and asked what was the purpose of my visit. I told I was immigrating to Quebec, and then he asked how much money I was bringing. I told him I have US$7,000. He did not ask for the cashier's check or any bank statement. He noted on the Custom's form that I was coming with US$7,000. After that he instructed me to to an another line which was specially for immigraton.
3. Went and stood in that line. This queue though not long was moving very slowly. I had to stand for nearly 30 minutes before I reached the counter. At the counter, the immigration officer looked at my passport, took the IMM5292 form. She asked if I had any address in the Quebec area -- I gave my friend's address in Montreal. She noted the address on the IMM5292 and told me that the PR card will come at this address. She gave me one of the copies of the IMM5292 to me. She stamped my passport with the day of landing and wrote the IMM5292 Document# on the passport.
4. After that she took me to an another room where I was asked to sign on a form. This signature is the one that will be on the PR card. Then an another person asked me stand in front of a digital camera and took pictures for the PR card. This completed the landing procedure for Canadian immigration. They also gave a packet which had some basic information about Canada and how to apply for the SIN number. The packet also had the application for the SIN.
5. However, since I had gone through the Quebec immigration process, I had to go another room for the Quebec immigration. There I had to wait for another 30 minutes before I went to counter. There they asked for my CSQ. The lady made a copy of the CSQ and returned the original copy to me. Then she asked if I wanted to get an appointment with the MRCI center which helps the new immigrant getting settled in Quebec. I said I did not want an appointment now and will take later if I needed it.
6. After that I went to the baggage area to retrieve my baggage and then went to the Canadian customs. There an official asked what was the purpose of my trip. I told I was immigrating and then he asked if I had any food items with me. I said no and then he asked what stuff would be following me. I had not prepared any list and I just told him that some books and clothes will only follow me. Then he stamped the IMM5292 and I was done.
7. The above concluded my landing procedure.
8. The next day I went to the office in downtown Montreal to apply for the SIN number. The person at the counter looked at my application, entered some information in the computer and asked me to wait. After about 10 minutes, an official called my name, and I went to her cubicle. She looked at my application and checked it. Then she asked for my passport and the copy of the IMM5292 that I had with me. She looked at them and then gave them back to me. She also gave me a receipt for the SIN application, and told me that I should be getting the SIN in about 3-4 weeks at the address that I had mentioned on the form. So basically, the whole process was over in 15 minutes (10 minutes for waiting and 5 minutes with the official)
9. Then the next day I called department responsible for issuing the medical insurance card. They asked me whether I had already taken an apartment myself or was living with a friend. I said that I was living with a friend. The person on the phone then said that I would have ask my friend to give a letter certifying that I was staying with him, and also that my friend would have to get this letter notoarized. Once the letter has been notarized, she said that I should come to their office to apply for the medical insurance card. She also said that the medical insurance card will not be applicable for 3 months. Since I plan to take my own apartment in the next few days, I postponed the application, and will apply when I finally move into my own place.
Hope the above information is helpful to some.....