HoneyB

Hello,

We will be submitting our application through Alberta's AINP Family Stream in a few months. Please can anyone help with the following 2 queries:

1. The AINP forms ask for "...accessible funds in a recognised Canadian financial institution".

Do we need to open an account with a Canadian bank ie Scotia, RBC, BMO and transfer money there now (I've researched and found this option is available to non-residents although with restrictions)

or

Should we open an international account with HSBC and transfer to this new account now (I have an existing account with them already which I had before we were married)

or

Is it ok to keep our funds in our UK accounts (not HSBC) which therefore shows our funds in sterling not CAD$?

2. For copies of supporting documentation, do they need to be certified true copies (eg. for birth certificates etc) or are normal photocopies accepted?

Thanks

Settlers_Unlimited

Any type of account in any Western European bank (pounds/euros) will work. Send them a statement.

Photocopies are enough. I think they mention it somewhere that if something needs to be certified copy, it's stated explicitly. I can't remember what can it be though, but some documents need to be originals - they indicate that in checklists.

HoneyB

Thank you very much.

Zap0ne

Hi

This is off on a slight tangent but I have a couple of thoughts.

The HSBC thing all sounds fine and dandy but the newcomers I have helped get settled here had difficulty accessing the money quickly. This became a stressful headache as you have a lot of out going money in the first few days of landing. Deposits, food, shelter, cars, fees etc. In reality there are not many branches either with makes it a pain. I would suggest that the main stream banks like RBC, TD, BMO, Scotia will generally have better branch coverage in your local area and opening an account will not cost you 100 quid for the privilege.

Another thing is that is good for you can get is your credit report on-line through Experian or Equifax. This is important to have and can become a nightmare to get once you leave the UK. Take full advantage of getting this report and also keep the electronic copy also for convenience. If you are planning to rent accommodation, this has become one of the 'standard' asked for documents from Landlords here in Toronto.

To further help, make sure that you have a file of your references. Most rental applications are going to need you to supply references. Again this is simple to get before you leave.


Hope that this is helpful

HoneyB

Thanks for replying.

If we went the HSBC route this would only be for pre arrival with a view to opening a main street Canadian account as soon as possible but keeping the HSBC Canada account open for the link to the HSBC UK account which we would keep open.

Previous posters on here have used sterling as proof of funds so it threw me to read the specific request for funds in a "recognised Canadian financial institution".

Anyway, I'll do some more digging.

Thanks for the advice on the credit report and references.

HoneyB

For those who may also be looking for info on copies of supporting documents I've found it on the CIC website. Click on the London/Great Britain link on the following page:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...pplication.asp

Apparently all documents must be notarised photocopies except the police certificate which must be the original (Appendix A Checklist).

Now I just need to find out about my bank query.....

dawnzocalgary

You should just give them a call, we sponsored the sister in law through this route - summer of last year, and at that time everything was VERY confusing as they hadnt really got everything in place. I called them lots, as the website tended to say different things from what we were told at an info night out here......in the end they gave me all the answers we needed.

At that time funds HAD to be in a canadian bank account for at least 3 months before the application could be submitted, so we avoided that by showing the funds for them.