clareylou

So we applied last October (2014) under the FSW stream, fully expecting to wait 2-3 years using the CIC processing times as our guide. Imagine our delight and surprise to be called for our medicals last week! Yay!

My possible problem is this. Medicals booked for Tuesday coming. Assuming all is fine they will request our passports etc, however 4 out of 7 of our passports will expire in the middle of June 2016.

It is too early to renew them now (can't be more than 9 months in advance). I'm a little unsure of the exact timings of the visa and how long the passport needs to be valid for, at time visa issue and also on landing.

Can I bring old and new passport at time of landing if needed? The reason I'm stressing is, since this process has been considerably quicker than anticipated, we may not be in a position to land together immediately. Yes, we could all land early, then return, before settling for good but that would incur huge airfares for a family of 7! £5K at least. This process is expensive enough already!

Thoughts, advice, prior experience stories all gratefully received!

Clare

PMM

Hi


1. You COPRs (Visas) will be valid for 1 year from the date of the medical or the expiry of the passports, whichever comes first.
2. So if you having your medicals in May, then you should be fine, as your COPR will be valid to May/16 prior to the expiry of the passports.

clareylou

Phew that's good news. Are we allowed to land in Canada with less than one month on our passport, or should we apply for new ones as soon as we are able and take both, even though the old passports will technically be cancelled? Alternatively, is there the usual "get it done in 30 days" limit to send our passports in to get the COPR done, or could we delay sending them, accepting that it won't extend the expiry date on the stamp?

Twitcher1958

We were in a similar position when we came over with three of our passports - two were in the last 9 months so easy decision to renew before we came. My daughter's one had a little over a year left - unless things have changed, you can apply for a new passport with more than 9 months remaining, but you can only get a maximum of 9 months added to the new one.
My thinking was that it got it out of the way and also it was easier to get someone who had known us for long enough whilst still in the UK to countersign her photos.

clareylou

That's good advice. Will check the rules and processing times for UK passports and pull my finger out! Have researched further and it suggests our passport only needs to be valid for the duration of our stay, but that only really applies if we're going to be coming back, so not that relevant.
Thanks for the input all.

Jim Humphries

For landing as a PR passports need only be valid on the date of landing (because the person is coming to stay).
For visits the passport must have 6 months of validity remaining.

Zoe Bell

not true

Passports-Six Month Rule : British Expat Wiki

just means you'll only be admitted for as long as your passport is valid

clareylou

Thanks all for the advice. Weighing it all up, I think we'll use the passports we have, rather than aplying for new ones now. UK Passport office confirmed I could send them in now, but would only get nine months added to the expiry date, which would have been fine. Our only worry is not getting them back in time to send them off. We're told to allow 3 weeks turn around, but don't want to risk a backlog with holiday season coming up. CIC seem very fond of the 30th day rule and if it applies to this situation I could do without the extra grey hairs waiting for the postman.

Given the general consensus here that the COPR will be dated from the date of the medicals, the passport will be valid past that date by several weeks. Whilst we may not be in a position to rush to the airport before the start of the next school year, we won't be cutting it too fine either!

One thing to bear in mind is airline policies. Have been advised that some have their own passport expiry policies. Didn't see any on Air Transat's Web site, unless someone here knows otherwise?