Landing Process and Necessary Info

Few days back, I landed in Canada (Detroit Windsor Tunnel) by a rental car, spent some time in the city and came back to Detroit using AVR. No issues.

Few points for everyone's benefit.

1) when you take the road to Canada, just before the toll plaza ($3.50 payable by cash/credit card) there is immigration office on your left hand side. You will find many cars parked over there.

If you want an exit stamp in your passport or need special registration, you need to park your car over there and don't come out until an officer comes to you.

You will be directed to follow the path to the office where you can perform Special registration. If you want to come back to USA using AVR, tell the same to the officer and he will issue you a new FIN number. You will be asked a few general questions, and will be fingerprinted as well.

Once done, take your car, pay the toll (US$3.50) and drive down.
On canadian side, you will be asked the purpose of visit. If landing, they will guide you to the immigration office (on right hand side). Park your car, go to the office. They ask for the landing papers and key in some information in the computer. They will also write some information on your landing document, make you sign it, and put a copy of the document in your passport, This is your temporary PR card. Then you need to declare the goods you are carrying and also the goods to follow.

They put a stamp on your B4 and B4A forms and will issue you a yellow slip that you can show to the customs officer to release your car. You are free to go now.

I landed on a holiday and couln't apply for SIN, Bank Account or Health Insurance Card. Anyways, when I go there again, I will apply for all of the above.

After spending a couple of hours in Windsor, decided to go back to US.
Paid USD3.50 at the toll plaza and entered the tunnel. No questions asked.
Once on US side, I was asked about the purpose of visiting canada and that if I have something to deeclare for customs. I told them that I didn't buy anything from Canada. The office checked my passport and Valid I-94, issued me a yellow slip, put it on my windshield and contacted someone in immigration to escort me.

I was directed to the same office where I did my special registration before. Same officers were there and hence no problems. They advised me to get a visa for future travel. They also mentioned that AVR is just for bordering countries and if I travel somewhere else, I will not be allowed back in US solely on I-94.

Again, they confirmed my I-94 details, but didn't ask for paystubs, employer's letter or anything else. They put an Entry stamp in my passport and that was it.

Just one advice, be clear in your mind and say the truth, you will not have a problem.
 
Hi All experts,

I plan to finish the final formality of PR by landing in Canada with my wife in the last week of May. We are in India right now on vacation. What I plan is to land in Toronto from India (New Delhi) and then after visiting couple of my relatives in Montread and Quebec City, enter USA by flight. Is there any issue if I land in Toronto directly from India instead of flying from USA? Can I go to Montread and Quebec City by car from Toronto? If I land directly from India, can I show as US bank statements as proof of funds? Also, any issue if I leave Canada with in a week of my stay over there.

Thanks
Deep
 
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.
 
Anyone Planning to Land in June from DC area?

We are planning to Land in canada in the month of June. If anyone planning at the same time, please let me know. We will be starting from DC area and thinking of landing through Peace Bridge.
 
Same kind of situation as immi can

Hi All,
I am in the same kind of situation as imm can.

I got my Canada visa for Landing. I have a valid H1b which expires on Jan 2010. My visa stamp has expired two years back. I will be staying in Canada for may three days for completing the landing process. Can I use the AVR to reenter into USA ? My Canadian Attorney is not able to confirm this AVR option.

Thank you.
 
Landing through Windsor tunnel, No problems

I owe it to this thread for useful information, so here is my experience:

We landed through Detroit-Windsor tunnel last week (First week of July 2007). Paid the $3.50 toll and drove to the Canadian border booth. He asked about our citizenship and purpose of visit and directed us to park our rental car and go to the immigration/custom building. Extremely friendly officer. Congratulated and welcomed us to Canada. No questions asked. Just asked us to sit while he finished the paperwork and then asked us to sign in the box. Friend's address was accepted for the PR card with no problem. That was it. No other questions asked and no other documents (proof of fund, ...) requested. Very smooth and nice. ~10 minutes max.

Custom was ok too. We already had the list of goods to follow, (fillable forms from http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=220438 ). ~15 minutes.

We spend about a week in Toronto and Montreal and absolutely loved both cities. We also applied for the SIN card at a Canada Service Center in Ontario. Then came back to the US through Sarnia/Port-Huron border using advance parole. It took us about 1 hour in vehicles line to reach the custom/immigration booth. Then we were directed inside the building and spent another hour in people's line and ~ half hour to clear our advance parole documents. No problems or anything, just took longer than it should have. The officers would frequently leave you and go do other stuff. Could have been a lot better. The officer was nice though and explained to us about the confusion in the advance parole expiration date. The expiration date is the date printed on the advance parole (which is one year from the date of issue), not the date on the stamp (which is one year from the date of crossing the border).

Our strategy was to always tell the truth, but don't say anything more than what was asked. No more explanation than needed. Just answer the simple questions the officers ask in the most honest and concise way. It worked for us and hopefully will work for everyone. I should add that unfortunately I do believe that the experience one might have either on the Canadian side or the US side largely depends on the officer and his/her mood at the time. So a little good luck never hurts!

Good luck to everybody!
 
Avr

Yes, You can use AVR. But keep I-94 when you crossing the border. Don't hand over to Canada people.

Good Luck..


Hi All,
I am in the same kind of situation as imm can.

I got my Canada visa for Landing. I have a valid H1b which expires on Jan 2010. My visa stamp has expired two years back. I will be staying in Canada for may three days for completing the landing process. Can I use the AVR to reenter into USA ? My Canadian Attorney is not able to confirm this AVR option.

Thank you.
 
Please Help

I got my Canada Visa which expires in August.

Is it possible to obtain a record of landing first and then go back to Canada at a later date (after date of visa expiry) to complete the landing process?

Thanks in advance.
 
Classification Type on B4

Hello,
Thank you for posting fillable B4 and B4a forms. We are flying to Canada Next week to complete our PR landing process and we are not taking any goods with us at this time.

What should I fill for classification Type
If I say Settler under this it says

"I am entering Canada with the intention
permanent residence for a period in excess of 12 months and I arrived in Canada on __________________ ."

but at this time I am not going to say more than 12 months... Is it ok to select this option? Please help Asap.

Thank you.
 
help needed with landing documents

hi all


we just received our stamped passports from canadian consulate. we have till mid september to land. along with passport they have sent the COPR forms. Is that all you get from consulate?

I thought you also get the B4 and B4A forms from them. is that not true?

pls let me know if i am supposed to receive these forms from them or do I get it from their website?

also what others docs to carry? I don't mind if you direct me to the correct thread here. i tried to read as much as i could but there is a lot to read.


thanks
dhm2002
 
Necessary Landing Information

Dear All

I want to know the necessary information about Landing at Toronot Airport.

Which documents and forms (other than Landing VISA) they need at Landing time.

If possible I can get these forms on the internet,

Thanks in advance.
 
(1) Proof of funds
(2) Goods to follow (for customs)
(3) Goods accompanying (for customs)

Thanks for the information.
Could you let me know where I can find the forms for

Goods to follow (for Customs)
Goods accompanying (For customs)


Other question is about "Proof of funds" should be in Canadian Dollars or it can be in other currencies like Euro

Looking forward to hear from you.
 
There are no forms. You can make your own excel spread sheet or word document and present them when you land.
It would be better if your proof of funds are in Canadian dollars.
Good luck!!!

Goods to follow (for Customs)
Goods accompanying (For customs)


Other question is about "Proof of funds" should be in Canadian Dollars or it can be in other currencies like Euro
 
what all to fill in the B4 forms

hi all

just wanted to know what all we are supposed to mention in good to follow list. we will of course fill in all the expensive things like jewellary, car, furniture, electornic stuff etc but are we also supposed to fill in clothes, kitchen stuff and small things like mixer or spoons etc?
i tried to search since somebody posted that there is sample form given (filled form ie) but I found only the fillable forms (that are empty) so was wondering if anyone has the link to that thread...


thanks in advance
dhm2002
 
Assests Transfer

Dear All

I need information about Assets or savings transfer procedure. Shall I have to declare these assets during my landing time or I can also declare after any time when we will settle in Canada.

Which department I have to contact.

Thanks and looking forward for answer.
 
Documents to bring

Dear All

We received our Landing Visa and other related forms.

In the covering letter it is mention "We strongly advise you that you carry with all of your personal and professional papers such as birth and marriage certificates, school diplomas and letter of reference.

I want to know it is important to carry all these documents with us or if some one has experience, if they (Immigration Office) ask about these documents again at the border of entry.

Looking forward to hear your experience and thanks

Sonu_Kumar
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, I was only asked for my visa, confirmation of PR form and proof of funds (like a bank statement) and nothing else.
All these documents that you mentioned might be more improtant for you if you are landing as a family (I landed as a single person). Also, I don't remember having a line in my cover letter like "we advise you to bring birth cert. etc". I'd recommend you bring as much info as possible just in case. Especially, proof about your family (proof of marriage etc, proof about your children etc.)
 
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