# Going for Holiday with a Visa



## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

Hi there, my wife and I are fortunate to have our Visas after three years of waiting. We are going in June for a vacation to Vancouver and want to land fully next year. We know we need to activate the visas but are unsure how we get our permanent residency cards, open a bank account and get SIN numbers without a permanent address yet? Any tips from people out there gratefully received.


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

DavidHudson said:


> Hi there, my wife and I are fortunate to have our Visas after three years of waiting. We are going in June for a vacation to Vancouver and want to land fully next year. We know we need to activate the visas but are unsure how we get our permanent residency cards, open a bank account and get SIN numbers without a permanent address yet? Any tips from people out there gratefully received.


Many congrats on getting your visas. I assume you do know you must "land" within one year of your medicals. I also assume from your post that you plan to "land" next year and it is only when landed you can arrange to get your PR cards and SIN numbers. You may be able to open a bank account when you visit in June. Apparently HSBC open accounts for prospective immigrants and there are quite a few branches in the Vancouver area. Just take your documentation with you as proof.
I hope this helps and good luck.


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## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

*Hmmm*

Thanks for the quick reply, we had our visas in December last year so we know we need to visit Canada within one year hence the vacation as we aren't ready to move over completely yet. From other posts and some of my research I thought we could activate the permanent residency status with a short visit and move out completely later than the one year deadline - am I wrong? If so I better get packing !!


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## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

I meant we had our medicals in December 09


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

DavidHudson said:


> Thanks for the quick reply, we had our visas in December last year so we know we need to visit Canada within one year hence the vacation as we aren't ready to move over completely yet. From other posts and some of my research I thought we could activate the permanent residency status with a short visit and move out completely later than the one year deadline - am I wrong? If so I better get packing !!


Sorry if I misunderstood. Yes you can "land" and activate your visas, return to the UK then return to Canada at your convenience, keeping in mind the 2 out of 5 rule. Upon landing you can go to Service Canada and obtain your SIN cards but your visas will have to be sent to a Canadian address or held for you to pickup when you next return. You can discuss this with the Immigration Agent at the airport. I assume you're aware that you must also bring a LIST OF GOODS TO FOLLOW when you "land".


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## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

Thanks for that, it seems like I was getting ahead of myself and trying to do to much first time we arrive. We will get advice from the Immigration staff I am sure. We want to do what you suggest and activate the visas (permanent residency) then move permanently next year which will meet the two out of five rule. We do know someone in Vancouver so might need to borrow their address if they are willing for post otherwise it can wait.


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## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

Sorry to keep asking questions, does that mean we need the list of goods to follow for June (it this vacation) when we activate the visas?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

DavidHudson said:


> Sorry to keep asking questions, does that mean we need the list of goods to follow for June (it this vacation) when we activate the visas?


If you activate your visas in June then the answer is YES. At that juncture you will be Permanent Residents of Canada, albeit going back in the UK.


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## K9DACE (Apr 9, 2010)

Hi there, your circumstances seem very similar to ours. Due to the set time restrictions, We will also be landing this June in Vancouver during a 3 week holiday returning back to the UK in July to sell our house and try and make some work arrangements and go for good hopefully Jan 2011. My job this weekend is trying to complete the 'goods to follow form' for next January!!! This is my first post but I have been reading these posts for a few weeks now and it appears you need some kind of form to be completed if you want to leave Canada (once landed) prior to the issue of your permanent residents cards, Can someone clarify this? Good Luck with the move!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

K9DACE said:


> Hi there, your circumstances seem very similar to ours. Due to the set time restrictions, We will also be landing this June in Vancouver during a 3 week holiday returning back to the UK in July to sell our house and try and make some work arrangements and go for good hopefully Jan 2011. My job this weekend is trying to complete the 'goods to follow form' for next January!!! This is my first post but I have been reading these posts for a few weeks now and it appears you need some kind of form to be completed if you want to leave Canada (once landed) prior to the issue of your permanent residents cards, Can someone clarify this? Good Luck with the move!


If you need the info the List of Goods to Follow form can be downloaded from:-
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pbg/cf/b4a/b4a-05b.pdf

Do not know what form you are alluding to. When you officially "land" your passports/documentation will be stamped/noted that you are PR of Canada. This will allow you to leave the country and return at your convenience to finally settle. You should/can discuss it with the Immigration agent. He will have experienced the same thing/question many times


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## K9DACE (Apr 9, 2010)

Thank-you for the link- I'll start writing. Apologises I must be getting confused but read this on the following website.... www permanent-resident-card com/freqaskedquestions aspx (sorry don't seem to be able to put in the full address)

'*3. If I applied for a PR card, can I leave the country? *
Yes. You can leave the country even if you do not have one but you must notify one of the Canadian Visa offices abroad to obtain a travel document to be able to come back into Canada. '

and

'*17. What do I do if I’m outside Canada and I don’t have my card?*
Canadian Permanent residents who are outside of Canada and wish to return, but do not have a PR card, can apply for a Temporary Travel Document. The application must be downloaded and submitted to the applicable Canadian visa office. '


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

K9DACE said:


> Thank-you for the link- I'll start writing. Apologises I must be getting confused but read this on the following website.... www permanent-resident-card com/freqaskedquestions aspx (sorry don't seem to be able to put in the full address)
> 
> '*3. If I applied for a PR card, can I leave the country? *
> Yes. You can leave the country even if you do not have one but you must notify one of the Canadian Visa offices abroad to obtain a travel document to be able to come back into Canada. '
> ...


As a British citizen these rules will apply to you:-

A permanent resident of Canada who is a British citizen is permitted to re-enter Canada with a British passport and does not need to have his/her PR card. Your documentation when you "landed" will be of assistance.

The Immigration Officer will definitely ask for your PR card and while it would be preferable if you had one to show, it is not essential. 

The absence of a PR card may cause a slight delay as the IO searches a database to confirm your PR status.


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## DavidHudson (Apr 7, 2010)

This is useful stuff to add to my inital question as I seem to be getting mixed messages on the PR card, a lot of paperwork says you will be given it as part of the immigration process but we havent got anything and we wont have a permanent canadian address for them to send it to until next year at the earliest so if we dont get it at the airport when we arrive I guess we have to reapply when we arrive permanently?


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

DavidHudson said:


> This is useful stuff to add to my inital question as I seem to be getting mixed messages on the PR card, a lot of paperwork says you will be given it as part of the immigration process but we havent got anything and we wont have a permanent canadian address for them to send it to until next year at the earliest so if we dont get it at the airport when we arrive I guess we have to reapply when we arrive permanently?


It will not be at the airport because the Immigration authorities will only mail them to a Canadian address or arrange for you to pick them up at a Service Canada office. The IO will assist you with this when you "land". If you are a British citizen it is not as essential that you get them quickly as it would be for another nationality. However it does make life much easier if you are entering and exiting Canada on a regular basis.


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