scrubbedexpat074

Just thought I'd run through my landing experience.

I watched the green fields of England disappearing behind me and I thought "What have I done?". All the main reasons for leaving were slding out of my mind much too quickly, still I got over that on the plane!

We got into Ottawa at about 18:30 on Monday, passport control took longer than immigration and customs. Having a complete B4 form with us won the heart of the customs man and he signed us off immediately and that was it.

In the following 24 hours we have exchanged our driving licenses, bought a car and insured it... Now we just have to get over to Halifax

Everything has gone like clockwork, everyone is so helpful and cheerful (compared to life in Hove!), VERY early days I know, but it's been great so far.

Biggest tip - get your B4 done before you leave and have a reasonably detailed list of items to follow as well.

Next stop Quebec and the inlaws, then onward!

Mark

steals

Hello whats a b4

Patsy

Good luck...lucky u.....

Judy in Calgary

Well done, Mark. All the best.

Judy in Calgary

It's the Personal Effects Accounting Document. It's the form that a settler (an arriving immigrant) gives to a customs official to demonstrate that the goods said immigrant is bringing into Canada are possessions that he/she has owned for some time. They are not new purchases that ordinarily would be subject to customs duty.

It's important to indicate (usually by way of a list that is appended to Form B4) the possessions that the immigrant does not have with him/her in his/her luggage but that will be arriving in Canada at a later date. They are referred to as Goods to follow.

It's explained in detail on this web page entitled Settling in Canada.

Although you in any case need to prepare a "Goods to follow" list for the customs people, it actually serves a dual purpose. You need it for insurance purposes as well.

Crispie

Congrats at your landing experience!
The front page of the B4 is the one they like to see as the detail of the goods to follow just got a cursary glance. It was probably the same guy we had as he was chuffed to not have to do it himself!
We landed in Ottowa (it was supposed to be Halifax) at about 1 am on Saturday morning and the place was in crisis. Passport control took ages but the real drama was at the immigration desk where an officer had literally just died. The delays were terrible but the connecting flight to Halifax was held for us (2hrs) so we were relatively lucky. We left a queue of over 20 still waiting who had no flight.

steals

Thanks very much for your help steve