Hi guys,

I'm coming to Calgary on the 23rd and will stay in a hotel for the first couple of weeks. I was wondering if I need a residential address to apply for a PR card, SIN card, AHCIP card, and bank account or is a hotel address ok?

I wouldn't use a hotel address, as your cards will not come before you leave the hotel, and it is very easy for things to go astray in a hotel.

When applying for my SIN card and PR card and bank account, we used a friends address as they did not require any proof of address, just identity.

for the Health card, We could not use a friends address as we needed to provide them with proof of address/ residency in the province. If you are at a hotel, you will not be able to provide proof of residency.

I don't have a friend's address to send these to, so do I have to wait until I get a place before I can apply for them?

Is there nobody who you know who can do this for you? They don't even have to be a real friend, For me, it was a nice canadian I met on a recce. despite only meeting me that one time, they did a lot of running around for me (Looking at apartments and sending me pictures before I arrived).

With the PR card, you can give them an address later. With the SIN card, If you apply for it straight away, it may come whilst you are still at the hotel.

As for the Health Card, you may be able to get away with using the hotel address (sometimes you get someone who is willing to bend the rules).

I know that some have used a UPS mail receiving service, but again that is not 100% reliable, as sometimes the staff may put your stuff in the wrong box. This will not work with the health card.

When I came over, I also stayed in a hotel for a couple of weeks, but I arranged more permanent accommodation within the first few days. Once I had my signed lease, it was easy to sort out my health card.

I know that we obtained our SIN cards at the time that we applied for them, and I am fairly sure the same applied to our health cards. You are likely to require proof of a residential address (lease agreement, title documents) to be able to apply for health cards anyway. Why the rush? Why not apply for them when you finally land?