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Questions &
Answers about the application process
 I
submitted my application for permanent residence at the
Buffalo office. Then, I transferred my application to Singapore.
I have now decided to withdraw my application. Will the
office in Buffalo or Singapore issue the ROLF refund?
I
recently married. How do I add my spouse to my application?
My
wife has recently given birth. Do I need to add this child
to our application? Do I need to get a passport for the
baby? What are the next steps?
I
have a question about the application process. Who can I
contact?
I
have given you my fax number, my telephone number and my
e-mail address. Why are you responding to my questions by
regular mail?
What
fees must I pay?
Who
is included in my application?
What
about my dependents who will not accompany me to Canada?
Should
I pay someone to complete my forms and advise me on my application?
I
cannot fit all the information on the application form and
am unsure who should be included in my application.
Do
I need a passport or travel document?
Must
I or others in my family attend an interview?
Do
professionals need registration and licensing to work in
Canada?
For
how long is my immigrant visa valid?
I
intend to live in the Province of Quebec upon my arrival
in Canada. Are there any special requirements for immigrating
to this province?
Q: I submitted my application
for permanent residence at the Buffalo office. Then, I transferred
my application to Singapore. I have now decided to withdraw
my application. Will the office in Buffalo or Singapore issue
the ROLF refund?
A: Your refund will always be issued by the office which finalizes
your application and not from the office where you initially
paid the ROLF. In this particular case, the refund will be issued
by Singapore. Exception: ROLF payments for Family Class applications
will be refunded by the CPC in Mississauga.
Q: I recently married.
How do I add my spouse to my application?
A: You must immediately inform our office of your marriage in
writing. If your spouse is not a Canadian citizen or Permanent
Resident, he/she will be required to complete an application
form, pay the processing fee, be medically examined, and provide
documents such as police certificates. Your spouse must have
a valid passport.
Q: My wife has recently
given birth. Do I need to add this child to our application?
Do I need to get a passport for the baby? What are the next
steps?
A: If your child was born in Canada, he/she is a Canadian Citizen
and does not need to be added to your application. You must
send a copy of the baby's birth certificate to our office but
no medical examination or fee is required. If your child was
born outside of Canada, he/she must be added to the application.
You must submit a copy of the baby's birth certificate, the
processing fee (currently $100.00 Canadian) and the baby must
be medically examined. You must also obtain a passport for the
baby.
Q: I have a question
about the application process. Who can I contact?
A: Before contacting anyone, you should read the entire application
kit, which contains answers to many of your questions. You may
also wish to contact our immigration inquiries line (click here
for the immigration phone number and hours of operation.) After
listening to several minutes of recorded messages, you will
be transferred to an operator. Please be prepared to wait "on
hold" for several minutes. If you are in Canada, you may also
wish to contact the Canada Immigration Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100.
Another alternative is to send a fax or letter to our office.
Please state your specific question(s) and include your daytime
telephone number and fax number (if you live in the USA or Canada)
and your complete mailing address.
Q: I have given you my
fax number, my telephone number and my e-mail address. Why are
you responding to my questions by regular mail?
A: If you are living in Canada or the USA we will usually respond
to you by fax or phone but never by Internet. If your fax machine
is not turned on or not functioning properly, our office cannot
respond by fax. In these cases, the document(s) will be mailed
to you by regular mail. Please be advised that electronic mail
is not used by the Immigration section as confidentiality of
information being sent cannot be guaranteed and the sender could
be in contravention of Canadian privacy legislation. If you
reside outside of North America the Consulate will ONLY respond
to you by regular mail.
Q: What fees must I pay?
A: Your sponsor must pay a processing fee to support your application.
The processing fee is non-refundable, even if your application
is refused. The Right of Landing Fee (ROLF) is required of every
adult aged 19 or over in your family but, unlike the processing
fee, is refundable if an immigrant visa is not issued or used,
or if you withdraw your application. The ROLF can be paid at
any time during the application process, but must be paid before
an immigrant visa can be issued. You will also have to pay other
fees such as those related to the medical examination and police
clearance.
Q: Who is included in
my application?
A: If you are married your spouse should be included as a dependent.
You must also include on your application all dependent children
whether they are accompanying you to Canada or not. (See "Important
Words to Know" for a definition of dependent children.) Your
dependents must pass background checks and medical examinations.
All family members 18 years of age or over must complete their
own individual application form.
Q: What about my dependents
who will not accompany me to Canada?
A: All of your dependents, whether they will accompany you to
Canada or not, must pass medical examinations and background
checks. All of your dependents, whether they will accompany
you to Canada or not, must be included Part A of your application
form or, if they are 18 or over, must complete their own application
forms.
Q: Should I pay someone
to complete my forms and advise me on my application?
A: In some cases (for example, if you have difficulty understanding
the form) you may wish to pay someone to help you fill in the
information or to give you advice. However, this does not mean
that your application will get special attention or necessarily
be approved.
Q: I cannot fit all
the information on the application form and am unsure who should
be included in my application.
A: You should complete the form by printing or typing clearly
and you must sign your application form. If you need more space
to answer any questions, attach separate pages. When you have
signed the form, it becomes a legal document and the information
you have provided must be truthful, complete and correct. It
is an offence under the Immigration Act to knowingly make a
false or misleading statement. If any information changes before
you arrive in Canada (even if your visa has already been issued),
you must inform the visa office to which you applied in writing.
Q: Do I need a passport
or travel document?
A: You and your dependents must have passports or travel documents
which are valid. If any documents are soon to expire, you should
renew them. Diplomatic, official, service or public affairs
passports cannot be used to immigrate to Canada. You must have
a valid regular or private passport when you arrive. The validity
of your visa may be affected by the validity of your passport.
Q: Must I or others
in my family attend an interview?
A: A visa officer will review your application and decide if
an interview is necessary. If so, you will be informed of the
time and place. Your spouse and dependent children aged 18 or
over will be asked to come with you. The visa officer may ask
about your job, work experience, education, reasons for migrating,
plans and preparations. The officer may also ask about your
family, spouse and/or dependents or your health, financial situation
or past difficulties with the law. There may also be questions
to determine your ability to settle successfully in Canada.
Q: Do professionals
need registration and licensing to work in Canada?
A: In Canada, approximately 20 percent of occupations are regulated
to protect the health and safety of Canadians (e.g., nurses,
engineers, teachers, electricians). People who want to work
in regulated occupations need to obtain a license from a provincial
regulatory body. Licensing requirements often include education
from a recognized school, Canadian work experience and completion
of a technical exam. Fees for exams can be costly and are the
responsibility of the applicant. Final assessment by the provincial
authority can only be done after you are in Canada with permanent
resident status.
Q: For how long is my
immigrant visa valid?
A: Normally, immigrant visas are valid for 6-11 months from
the date of issuance. The validity date is based upon the earlier
of your or your dependents' passport validity date(s) or of
the medical validity date. IMMIGRANT VISAS CANNOT BE EXTENDED
ONCE ISSUED. IF APPLICANTS DO NOT USE THE VISAS WITHIN THEIR
VALIDITY, THEY MUST REAPPLY FOR IMMIGRATION TO CANADA.
Q: I intend to live
in the Province of Quebec upon my arrival in Canada. Are there
any special requirements for immigrating to this province?
A: Yes, if you wish to live in the Province of Quebec, your
relative is required to obtain an undertaking with the Government
of Quebec (referred to as an "engagement") assuming responsibility
for you. Your sponsor will send you an original copy of this
"engagement" which is to be attached to your application.
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B213 - 2099 Lougheed Hwy, Shaughnessy Square, Port Coquitlam, BC.V3B1A8 Canada.
