Still no PR Card

So, on 18th April, I used the CIC address notification service. The current processing time for first time PR cards is 46 days, which means I should have received it a couple of weeks ago!

The CIC website says “If you live inside Canada and if it has been longer than the time shown above since you applied, please contact the Call Centre”. However, wven though I’m not currently in Canada, I was able to use a VOIP service to call the number :)

After a LONG phone menu and a nice “our current wait time is 8 minutes” announcement (British call centres take note!), I got to speak to an agent. She looked up my file and said that the PR Card was “held as undelivered” back in January, but they did have my new address, so she wasn’t sure why it hadn’t been sent out yet. After putting me on hold, she confirmed that she’s put in a request for the card to be sent out again and I should get it in 2-3 weeks (i.e. when we’re in Vancouver for our summer holiday!).

The agent also mentioned that my deadline for applying for this first card was 11th July and, after that, I’d have had to reapply. This wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it would cost another $50 and I’d need more passport photos and documents certified.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Update

I’ve been a permanent resident for 162 days now, but there’s still no sign of the PR card. I assumed the woman at immigration meant that the delivery guy wouldn’t be able to hand it over if I wasn’t there, but reading the British Expats Forum, it looks like she meant she couldn’t even process the address.

So I’ve now used the CIC Address Notification system to give them Tim’s sister’s address. Apparently, they just post first-time PR cards, but you need to go to a CIC office to prove your identity for any replacements – we’re heading over to Vancouver in July, so I can go to an office then if needed!

The more important update is that we’re now engaged :)

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 :(