My Landing
Las
I completed my landing process by flying to Toronto on June 2nd 2006. I
will document here the main points in my landing process for anybody
who is interested.
1) Landed in the Pearson airport around 1.30 pm. I brought he following
documents with me.
a) COPR
b )Passport with the visa
c) List of items bringing with me and goods to follow. 2 copies each.
d) Bank statements to show that I had the minimum funds required for a
single skilled immigrant.
2) While in the airplane filled the customs form. The first stop after
getting out of the plane was customs. The customs officer looked at the
customs form and the goods lists and directed me to the immigration
section.
3) I was asked to sit and wait at the immigration section. When it was
my turn the officer asked me sign the COPR and gave me my copy. She
also took down my address in Canada for the PR card. Asked me how much
money I have and entered that in the computer but did not look at my
bank statements. She also informed me about the landing fee re-fund and
gave a form to request the re-fund. Then she directed me to a Welcome
Lady who gave me a Welcome to Canada pack and forms for the SIN card
and medical insurance.
3) Next stop was another customs officer who took my Goods to Follow
list and entered it in the system. He filled a different form for my
car and gave me a copy of that. ( TIP - When you do the Goods lists,
don't just put the value of each item, also show the grand total ).
That was the final step in the landing process.
4) Took cab and got to my hotel. Spent the next 2 days doing tourist
stuff in Toronto.
5) Monday took my SIN application to the office at 25, St Claire East
and handed it over. Also mailed my application for the landing fee
refund.
6) My return flight to the US was Monday evening. Took the Bloor west
subway line to Kippling and tok the airport shuttle.
( I was returning to the US with the valid I-94 and an expired H1B visa
stamp. So for those who are in the same situation here is how it went.
At the ticket counter, the lady issued my boarding pass and asked me to
go thru US immigration. In Canadian airports the US immigration is done
in the Canadian side. ( TIP - Do not surrender your I-94 if you are in
the same situation). US officer checked my passport, checked the I-94,
asked a few questions about what I do in the US and took the
fingerprints and passed me through. It is advisable to bring a letter
from your US employer, recent pay stubs and tax returns. In my case the
officer did not ask for those though. )
Well, that's it. Hope this helps!
L