Permanent Residence activated

I’ve been a Permanent Resident of Canada for 50 days now!

We were planning to have a wee recce trip together in the autumn, but it didn’t work out with Tim’s work, so I was resigned to taking a trip in spring 2012. Instead, my PR was confirmed incredibly quickly and I found myself booking a last-minute landing trip to Vancouver in some holiday time I already had booked off from work.

I arrived on a Tuesday night and left on Friday evening, so had very little time to do anything. Keeping close to UK hours meant that I didn’t have any jetlag at all, but I also didn’t have any evening activities or a chance to meet up with Tim’s family.

I won’t bore you with the tourist-y details of my trip, except to say that my highlights were:

• Circle Craft Christmas Market
• Neon exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver
• Seeing the Olympic Cauldron lit up at Canada Place
• Remembrance Day service at Victory Square, including singing ‘O Canada’ with other people for the first time :)
• Getting caught in a torrential thunderstorm on the seawall in Stanley Park

Details of the actual immigration process below...

Happy Halloween!

Our Canadian pumpkin :)

Success!

Guess I what picked up this morning? :)

It turns out that your visa is returned to you by recorded delivery, but my postman decided (for the first time ever!) not to leave a missed delivery card - grr. My visa sat in the delivery office for a fortnight, then was returned to CIC, who sent me the email about it being "not called for". It was reposted and he did leave a card this time, so I've got it now!

The package included:

1. My passport with the shiny new visa stuck in, which looks this (obviously with my details included!):

2. The Confirmation of Permanent Residence form (aka "COPR" or IMM 5292 (CON) B (06-2004)). I can't find a sample version of this, but it's the form that you sign when you land.

3. A letter of "instructions and information" - the full text is below for info.

Apart from the numpty postman, I can't believe it's all gone so smoothly! 158 days from sending the documents to Mississauga and 204 days from starting this blog.

I've actually got a fortnight off work coming up very soon, so I'm going to try to nip over to Vancouver and land then. I'll keep you posted!

Full text of letter:

A reply, but no answers

I replied to yesterday's email with my mailing address (as requested), but also asking what they meant by "not called for" and explaining that I received an email from them on 20th September asking for my passport, photos and the updated information chart.

Today...

Subject: RE: File: [my file number] [my name]
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:58:27 +0100
From: <re-london-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca>
To: [my email]
Dear [my name],


Thank you for your e-mail. Your passport will now be re-sent to the address below.


Please be advised that you must sign for the package.


Yours sincerely,


ACD

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!

As I said to a commenter, this is actually a really good example of why I set up this blog – I’ve searched online and on various forums and still can’t find anyone who has been sent this email, but I know I can’t be the first!

Confusion

Okay, now I'm worried! Just received an email from the CIC saying:

Subject: File: [file number] [my name]
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:55:32 +0100
From: <re-london-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca>
To: [my email address]

Dear [my name],

This e-mail is regarding your application for permanent residence.

Please be advised that your passport was returned to our office marked "Not called for".

Please provide your correct mailing address for return of your passport.


Yours sincerely,
ACD
Immigration and Medical Services Division | Direction de l'immigration et des services médicaux
Canadian High Commission | Haut-commissariat du Canada
38 Grosvenor Street
London, W1K 4AA | Londres, W1K 4AA
United Kingdom | Royaume-Uni

I've searched online for what "not called for" means, but I can only find stuff about applicants not being called for an interview - nothing about passports. I've sent them an email and I'm off to search the British Expats forum. I thought it was all going too smoothly :(

Passport request!

10 weeks after the London Visa Office received our file, I got a very exciting email from the CIC - I've been approved!

I have to send my passport, more passport photos (kinda wish I'd know that before - I would have got them printed at the same time I got the other 8!), and an updated information chart down to London and they'll attached my visa and return it within 6 weeks!

I can't believe it's all been so quick and (relatively simple) - fingers crossed they don't lose my passport now :)

Full text of the email and attached letter below...

In process

ECAS has been updated again! It now shows that the London office have started processing our application. Our timeline is now:

25th May – Paperwork received in Mississauga
28th June – Sponsor approved (34 days)
11th July – Paperwork received in London (13 days)
27th July – Started processing application (16 days)

Keep your fingers crossed!

In case you're interested, the actual wording on ECAS is below...

Medical results received

ECAS has been updated and our record now says:

We received [my name]'s application for permanent residence on July 11, 2011.

Medical results have been received.

I can breathe a sigh of relief – even though the GP wrote Tim’s details as the Principal Applicant, they’ve managed to match my records with the application. Not sure if the wee note I included explaining all this was needed, but it certainly calmed my nerves while we’ve been waiting!

P.S. Happy BC Day for yesterday!

Application received in London!

I was planning to write a post tomorrow about it being one month since Tim was approved, but I thought I’d quickly check the CIC website...

Permanent Residence Application Status – Application Received

We received [my name]'s application for permanent residence on July 11, 2011.

Woo, things are definitely moving forward!

• 25th May – Paperwork received in Mississauga
• 28th June – Sponsor approved (34 days – CIC estimates 40)
• 11th July – Paperwork received in London (13 days – very slow postman!)

Going by the CIC website, this next step could take 9 months. However, the British Expats timeline thread and the Trackitt spreadsheet both seem to be showing around 3 months from this point.

Obviously, all I want is to actually get approved, rather than pushing for a quick turnaround, but it would be great if our planned holiday later this year could be a landing trip too. Fingers crossed for 11th October :)

Happy Canada Day!

For your viewing pleasure, William Shatner sings 'O, Canada!'

Online tracking too

And that’s our application appearing on ECAS now – still only under Tim’s name, not mine, but I’m not complaining!

I could be worried that they’ve spelled my middle name wrong, but it’s correct on the actual email and I’m more concerned about the official correspondence than the online tracking.

In case you’re interested, the text on the website reads...

Approved as a sponsor!

Step 1 completed - Tim has been approved as a sponsor!

I've been counting down the days to Monday 4th July, as that'll be 42 days since our application was received by CIC, which was the processing time listed on the website (it's now dropped to 40 days). However, we got home from work tonight and, while we were preparing to go out to my mum's 60th birthday party, Tim got his approval email.

This is really exciting - I can't believe we're actually moving forward! Although, it does mean that if anything mucks up now, it'll probably be part of my forms :)

The text of the email from CIC is below, in case you're interested...

Go Canucks Go!

I've really surprised myself by watching the Stanley Cup finals and loving it! So much so, that I'm showing my support for the Canucks on my nails...

Go Canucks Go!

Nothing more to report about our application, but I'm spending tons of time looking at Vancouver websites and blogs :)

Delivered

According to the DHL tracking website, our paperwork was received on Wednesday 25th May at 12pm, signed for by "Borsha", which is an awesome name :)

We should find out by 6th July if Tim is approved as a sponsor, then it's the long wait for my part - could be as soon as October, but could be up to March.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Ready, steady, go!

We decided to avoid the possible Canada Post strike, so headed down to Staples yesterday and sent our paperwork off using DHL - £27.95 and it should be there on Wednesday.

I’m trying not to think about the actual paperwork, now it’s been sent off, as I know I’ll only panic about things I might have forgotten! The only thing that really worries me is that the GP filled in Tim’s details as the Principal Applicant, when the form actually has a box to tick for “same as above” i.e. me! I’ve added a wee note explaining the mix-up, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed the CIC will understand.

The CIC’s current processing times are 42 days to assess the sponsor, then 9 months for the applicant, although the average time on the British Expats Forum seems to be more like 4-5 months. I think the CIC estimates are more “don’t contact us within this time” times :)

Anyway, that’s the process started – eeeep!

One tiring day...

...one big pile of documents!

We spent the day finalising all of our forms, checking and double-checking everything, then I insisted that we photocopy it all - I don't want to have to do this again if our envelope goes missing!

I was planning to send the packet by Royal Mail AirSure, but it uses Canada Post for the final journey and they might  be going on strike next week. I think I'd rather pay the extra for a courier and be sure it got there safely.

So, let's see...

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Woo!

Forms, forms and more forms!

Right, now we’re down to the real nitty gritty!

The forms aren’t THAT bad, although I did find myself using the guidance notes and the British Expats forum fairly regularly as I went through them. You can download the forms from the website and fill most of them in directly on the PDF, but the text isn’t resizable, so I had to handwrite some of text when I needed to squeeze it in or to write PRESENT in date range boxes.

The Principal Applicant has to complete:

1. Application for Permanent Residence (form IMM 0008 GEN)
2. Schedule 1 (IMM 0008 1E)
3. Additional Family Information (IMM 5406E)
4. Spouse/Partner Questionnaire (IMM 5490E)

as well as signing the Sponsor’s Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 13344B).

I’ve also got additional pages for the Schedule 1 (to list my qualifications from school and more space for my personal history) and the Spouse/Partner Questionnaire (for all the details of our relationship – aww).

I need to include proof of our common-law relationship:

• I’m sending a bunch of photos from the whole time we’ve been together – all showing the two of us (obviously), but also ones with friends or family included too. I’ve added them to a Word document, with the date underneath and a line saying where the photo was taken and who with (e.g. August 2010 – Jane’s 30th birthday party at City Bar, with our friends Fred and Bob).
• I’m raiding our filing cabinet for relevant documents. I know we’ve got council tax bills, travel documents, and car insurance showing each other as an additional driver, but I’m also going to dig out a selection of bills showing that we live at the same address, even if we’re not both named on the same bill.

I’d like to get everything done this week and head off to the post office on Saturday morning, so I’m meeting the girls tomorrow to get the statutory declarations signed (and maybe have a wee glass of wine to celebrate them finally getting done!).

Moving forward

Yay - my police certificate finally arrived!

Boo - I’m right in the middle of a big piece of work and can’t really do anything else till it’s finished!

After this weekend, my first job will be getting all the forms, photocopies and photos pulled together. I’ll organise meeting up with my statutory declaration gang and, hopefully, that’ll be it!

I can't wait till it's all been sent off. Although I know I'll be posting "argh, why is it taking so long?" soon after :)

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The story so far...

Well, we're getting there:

• Still waiting for my police certificate. I've had an email saying they received it on 19th April, but I guess all the bank holidays have meant the 10 days processing time has gone out the window!
• I've got two friends lined up to do statutory declarations, but haven't been able to get them, me and my solicitor chum together to sign.
• The forms are pretty much done, but I still need to do a final proof-read (and hope I don't have to redo any of them, as they were saved on my work PC, which has died!).
• I've got a Word document set up with all our photos on it, so I need to write captions and dates for them. 
• I need to pull together a pile of bills, letters etc which show that we live together.

Then I just need to print everything off, photocopy everything and get it sent off!

The most important thing is done though - I've told my parents that we're thinking of moving! I had massively stressed myself about this, so I'm really pleased that they know and are supportive of our plans. It also means I can now tell everyone else :)

Cha ching!

Just to keep you up to date with how much the process has cost me so far:

• 8 professional photos - £10
• 2 sets of 5 regular passport photos - £10
• 1 for ACPO
• 4 for medical (the guide said take 5, the medical practice said bring 3, the doctor used 4!)
• 1 for x-rays
• Leaving 4 spare - no doubt they'll be needed for something!
• Medical - £100
• Blood tests - £34 (the doctor was very apologetic for this but said they just charge applicants how much it costs them)
• Postage - £10 (again, she was sorry but said it was one standard cost, no matter if it's just one person or a family, plus it was for registered mail and the package will include my x-ray films)
• X-rays - £120
• ACPO - £35 (my passport arrived the other day, so this form has finally been sent off!)

 A grand total of £319 so far and that doesn’t include the actual CIC fees :(

This is excluding my UK passport renewal as I'd be doing that anyway (£77, in case you're interested!)

Doctor, doctor

Woo - my medical examination and x-ray can be ticked off my list!

First things first - the doctor was fine with checking the photocopy of my currently-away-being-renewed passport in combination with my actual driving licence.

Also, I didn't need to worry about bringing medical records with me, as the doctor didn't need them. I guess they might be helpful if you have health issues to explain or if you're emigrating through another route where they need to check if you will put "excessive demand" on the Canadian healthcare system. Spousal sponsorship is exempt from that - hmm... are there any operations I fancy? :)

Ladies - she did ask about my last smear test and I was able to tell her the date, so maybe look up your diary before you go.

The doctor apologised that "a lot of today will be me filling in forms", but I just told her it was nice that someone else was doing them for a change!

The CIC website doesn't have an official copy of the medical form for you to download, as they send it directly to the doctors (or the applicants using different routes), but I've managed to find one on a random website, if you want to see what they asked.

Medical Examination

You need to include proof of a medical examination with your CIC forms and it has to be performed by an approved doctor. Luckily, there was one near me and I got an appointment within a fortnight. However, be aware that this step my require more planning if you’ve got to travel – in Scotland, there are only 4 doctors listed!

There is a form to fill out in the Western Europe Guide and you need to bring photo ID (original and a photocopy), plus 5 passport photos – I think I might be sick of forms and passport photos by the end of this!

You’ll also need to organise a chest x-ray as part of your medical. The medical group gave me the phone number of the radiology department at a local hospital when I booked my appointment and they booked me in for the day after my medical. You need to take a form from the medical with you, along with photo ID and ANOTHER passport photo!

The confirmation letter from the GP worried me a bit:

1. they’ve booked me for a different doctor than the “Designated Medical Practitioner” listed on the CIC website,
2. it specifically says you need your passport (not just photo ID), and 
3. it says it may be helpful to bring medical records with you.

However, I phoned up a very helpful receptionist who confirmed with the doctor:

1. the original doctor has left and this is the new CIC-approved one,
2. taking my actual driving licence and a photocopy of my old passport (that I luckily had!) will be enough, and
3. yes, it may be helpful, but just try your best to get them and don’t worry if you can’t (“ooh, no-one’s ever asked that before” – that’s interesting, it’s on your letter!)

I phoned my own GP and was told that they don’t give out medical records unless you go through their Practice Manager. As my appointment is on Thursday and they didn’t seem that bothered, I think I’ll just leave it.

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Police Certificate

Applicants from the UK need a police certificate from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The form is fairly straight forward, but it does need to be signed by a “professional individual” who has known you for over two years and isn’t related to you – luckily, I have a few solicitor friends :)

So I’ve got an envelope with the form, my signed photo, photocopies of a bank statement and a bill (for proof of address) and a cheque ready to go – I’m just waiting for my UK passport to be renewed and sent back to me!

Once I’ve finally got that photocopied and the whole lot sent off, it should be 10 days til I see if the police think I’m a criminal mastermind.

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Mug shots

CIC requires eight photos of the Principal Applicant and they can’t just be out of a photo booth. Appendix B of the Western Europe Guide lists the photo specifications needed and even includes a lovely picture for your photographer!

I went to the company Tim had used for the photos for his Canadian passport – a very nice wifie took my photos and I was walking out with my photos in 10 minutes. It only cost £10 for the eight photos, so I think this step is officially the cheapest one!

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The Plan

Tim is a Canadian citizen, so could move back to Vancouver any time he wants! I’ll need to be sponsored as his common-law partner – part of CIC’s Family Class. We’re applying “outland”, as we both live in the UK, which seems to be taking 4-5 months at the moment.

If our application is accepted, I’ll need to have a wee holiday to Canada to “land” and activate my Permanent Resident status, then I can return to the UK and, as long as I’m living with Tim, I’m deemed to be resident in Canada and we can take our time planning to actually move.

The landing trip has to be within a year of your medical, so our countdown starts next week!

I’m getting a bit ahead of myself though – in order to sponsor me, we both need to fill in a few(!) forms. They’re listed on the CIC website, along with a guide for both the Sponsor and the Principal Applicant and one for those applying from Western Europe, including the UK.

The Principal Applicant checklist is:

1. Application for Permanent Residence (form IMM 0008 GEN)
2. Schedule 1 (IMM 0008 1E)
3. Additional Family Information (IMM 5406E)
4. Spouse/Partner Questionnaire (IMM 5490E)
5. Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) – Not applicable for us, as we’re not using an immigration lawyer.
6. Copy of birth certificate – Photocopied and filed in my ‘Canada’ folder already :)
7. Children's information – Not applicable for us, as we don’t have kids.
8. Copy of passport – See below.
9. Proof of common-law relationship – Pile of documents, photos etc (think Green Card, but not faked!).
10. Police certificate
11. Proof of medical examination
12. 8 photos
13. Other documentation – Don’t think we’ll need to send anything else.

As we started to look what we’d need to do, we realised that both of our UK passports were close to their expiry dates, so sent them off for renewal. This is good in the long run, as it means any visas etc will be attached to a passport with a long time left to run, but I’ve got to wait for it to be returned before I can send off my police certificate request. And my first set of photos were rejected, so add some more time on now!

Tim has his own checklist to complete and, obviously, there are fees to be paid as well, but this is what we’re dealing with at the moment!

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Hello!

And welcome to our blog about moving to Canada from the UK.

I’ve lived in Scotland all my life, while my partner, Tim, was born in Vancouver, then moved with his parents to England when he was a kid. We’ve been together for a few years now and are considering moving to Vancouver at some point in the near future.

When we started looking into the process we'd need to go through, it became clear that there were a lot of things to consider and we thought that a blog of our experiences might help other people – as Tim calls it, "a single issue disposablog" :)

FYI, this blog is only our personal experience, so please don’t rely on anything you read here – Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) should be your main source of information.

I’ve found the British Expats forum to be a good way to search for answers and find out what our people have done, but again, don’t rely on it!