Hurlabrick

Our experience of landing to activate a spousal sponsorship CoPR.

Direct flight with Air Canada from LHR to YOW. My wife already has an ETA that predated her CoPR which is checked about 4 weeks ago and was still active. Double checked 2 days before the flight and no trace. So took out another ETA as AC have a reputtion for not seeing a COPR as enough to allow boarding. Got checked in OK at LHR. Dread to think what would have happened had we tried it without an ETA.

On the plane they explained that YOW we the pilot for an electronic customs form, so no paper customs forms. On arrival went to the hall and queued to be directed to one of about 15 touch screens to complete the customs input. Easy enough despite my input switching mid entry from my selected English to an arab script which of course i couldnt read! Not enough machines and huge queue formed. Got printed customs ticket and went to CBSA guy standing by the podiums. Explained we wanted to land as PR. He directed us to first pick up our luggage then go to the immigrations desks. Luggage was already on the carousel.

Explained the the immigrations CBSA officer we wanted to land as PR and handed over passports and CoPR and copy. Scribble scribble, a couple of questions about criminal convictions and confirm our dependants as stated (none), my wife to initial then sign both and welcome to Canada. She stapled the copy CoPR into the passport and directed us to the customs desks along the corridor. That part took maybe 6 minutes. They were happy to send the PR card to the address we gave them and didnt ask how long we would be there (my buddys address).

At the separate customs desk, I explained to the customs guy that we only wanted to land to activate the CoPR and not actually land as settlers on this trip as had to return for a short time to sell up etc. This didnt compute and he explained that as we had already landed for PR this was our one and only chance to declare our goods accomanpying and to follow. I had anticipated this and already had out best guess lists of goods with us. Rather than argue I just handed them over. He completed the form he needed to and asked us to complete and signthe declaration bit. We did and he stamped the forms and handed them to us explaining we must keep these, especially the gods to follow one as we would needto present it when our goods finally arrived. This customs bit took probably 20 minutes.

Then out and into arrivals. All done.

With that, picked up the hire car and 25 minutes later arrived at the house for champers. Welcome to Canada eh?

GermanytoCanada

Congratulations on your arrival.

Strange that they didn't know the process for landing temporarily and not declaring your goods to follow - we had no issues with this in Vancouver recently although I would imagine they get a lot more experience in Vancouver than Ottawa.

Enjoy the trip and best of luck with the rest of your move. Keep us updated!

Shakyuk

Sounds and easy and stress free experience. It's a shame about your goods to follow experience but I guess if you have the list that's all good. I'll have to make sure I have one prepared too.

Keep us updated, good luck

SchnookoLoly

Glad your process went mostly smoothly! Well done for having your Goods to Follow with you, though - this is why we warn to have it as a just in case!!

Welcome, eh!

PS, added this to the wiki page on Landing.

AshMyl

CONGRATULATIONS.. and thanks for sharing, esp the Goods to Follow part.

Vulcanoid

Congratulations on landing! Sounds like minor quibbles, but relatively straightforward. Enjoy the champagne

Former Lancastrian

I call BOLLOX on this

So we all know you can do a landing without establishing a residence in Canada. If not establishing a residence then you cannot be treated as a Settler under TI 9807.00.00.00 as per D Memo D2-2-1 and as clearly stated para 1

1. For the purpose of tariff item No. 9807.00.00, "settler" means any person who enters Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a residence for a period of not less than 12 months, but does not include a person who enters Canada for the purpose of

(a) employment for a period not exceeding 36 months;
(b) studying at an educational institution; or
(c) performing preclearance activities on behalf of the Government of the United States under the terms of the Agreement on Air Transport Preclearance between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America, signed January 18, 2001.

Now when reading through the other paras of the D Memo it reiterates this point.

So if the person is just doing a landing and not establishing a residence and could be absent for say 30 months from the date of landing how could they possibly produce a list of goods to follow when they still have the opportunity of acquiring goods within that 30 months and would not be on the list provided at landing?

Here is the actual D Memo

D2-2-1 Memorandum - Settlers' Effects - Tariff Item No. 9807.00.00

not2old

Bollox to you also FL

bureaucratic hippocritic nonsense & whatever else

As I read it, Hulrabrick covered it in his post, section c&p below

Former Lancastrian

So what happens when the person hands over their goods to follow list and then 30 months later the goods arrive and there are goods in the container that were not on the list when presented. Does the officer go on a rant about those goods not being declared and seizing them? Does the officer just accept this? If one reads the memo the goods being imported have to meet certain conditions.
I know what he said in his post Im merely pointing out there is no legal obligation to provide a list of goods to follow if not establishing a residence.

not2old

It was you "if one reads the memo" in quoting chapter & verse of the said memo, procedures doc/manual (are you still in a work mode?) ...which common folk have zero knowledge of or interest in at the time they are entering 'when in the hands of the powerful official' who makes the decision to get the 'green light or the red light'

Hurlabrick posted what happened & if the CBSA folks 'Bolloxed' it, so be it

Hurlabrick is in Canada, list of (intended) goods to follow acknowledged by customs, signed off

done sorted

Let that be a lesson the CBSA are human beings

That's about it

Snowy560

FL is right of course. I brought my goods to follow form 8 months after I landed and my husband brought his ... 5 years after he landed (no issues). We contacted CBSA in advance of doing the second and only shipped 5 boxes at that time.

Shakyuk

Whilst the information is often very good, sometimes I think the delivery could be better.

Former Lancastrian

Its free information and delivery what else do you expect

Hurlabrick

No offence taken, i thought FL was saying that the CBSA stance was b*llox which of course it was. I wish i had a print of that memorandum then i would have tried to stand my ground - not easy though at 1900 local time and more especially 0000 body and brain time.

I specifically explained that i was landing to activate pr only and not landing as a settler at this stage but would do so within a few months. He said something like 'the problem is you have already activated pr and this is your one and only chance to declare the stuff you want to bring into Canada'.

Fortunately i had read about such screw ups on BE and had a thorough and accurate list of goods, so put my 'plan b' into action.

Perhaps we should add the memo link that FL has given to the wiki page. I dont suppose i will be the last person this happens to!

Ingeb

congratulations, and many thanks for the informative post, will come in handy for us when it comes to activating PR