Hi All - Reading through all your posts here.Very detailed and helpful!
I am also from TCS and going to initiate my CA Visa this week.I have few queries and would be great if one of you can help.
While TCS team is looking through documents, can I finish my medicals on my own or TCS has to initiate the request?
I am currently in India, does anybody know the average time internal teams take to finish their due diligence.
3.Also if any of your friends have travelled recently from India to CA through TCS,how much time did it take for them in total to get the Visa in Hand.
Canada Visa Team from TCS is really slow in their response and they messed up every step in the process for me. I lost nearly 3 months because they missed to send relevant documents to Attorney.
Follow closely with them and involve your BRM and Canada Immigration HR (check with your local HR for the name) to get response for emails. They will ask for different levels of approvals every few weeks and forget they did that and ask them again after few weeks, so be ready to get frustrated
Regarding medicals - For India, the process is initiated by TCS I believe, could be different in this covid situation.
Actual process with IRCC takes only few days to 2 weeks, but overall from GMS request to Visa in hand, it could take 2-4 months based on follow ups with Visa team. I had to escalate every step of the way, even until last day to get the WP approval letter. Hope they improve their process and be transparent.
Hereâs my landing experience 7/12âŚtook taxi from Detroit airport to Windsor. Officer asked questions about why Iâm here, what documentation do I have, vaccination status and goods to follow list at the Tunnel toll plaza. took ~15min then handed over yellow slip along with documentation to go to the Customs area. Surprisingly, Didnât give BSF goods to follow form to fill. Officer at the Customs asked same questions and took documents went inside and came back after ~30min with work permit copy. There were no one except us at that time.
Weird thing is that Drivetest didnât allow to exchange DL when went next day said to come after 14days even after saying exempted from quarantine said they make their own rules doesnât necessarily follow federal rules.
crossed border in taxi. itâs actually âMetro Cabsâ official taxi/cab services for Detroit Metro AirportâŚseems like these taxi drivers cross the border several times taking passengers everyday as every officer familiar with the driver as they have some casual chat when greeted.
@Takita Great to hear your experience. Congrats on your safe landing.
Just a quick question, it may be very basic question, once we get approval here in USA for work permit, we will have to send our passports to VFS for stamping as per my understanding. Then what work permit stamps Canada border force does. I am a little confused here.
approval letter issued if itâs approved after applying for WP. Then depending on your situation you may need to send your PP if you donât have a valid Visitor visa or if they ask you to send PP even after having one or not having one to get a stamp after approval. the actual permit is issued at the border with approval letter and visitor stamp as a consular processing at the border which is again a letter with WP # with details such as start date, end date, any remarks, etc.,. The approval letter is like a bridge to get actual WP at the border. approval letter doesnât constitute as a WP. hope this helpsâŚ
Thanks a lot @Takita . It really helped, pretty clear now what will be the process. By any chance, do you know how long it takes for pp stamping after approval and what is the fastest possible option.
I really admire this community and all those who have been helping. This is really working as a guide for us.
By the way, any idea what all needs to be closed or put on hold before moving out of US. I mean anything to do for SSN or DL etc or any other document.
You can keep a/c or cc open and opt for a usps mail forward to get to a new canadian address. Youâll just have to go to a usps and ask for âmovers guide/mail forward formâ, fill out and can give back there it self or drop off at any usps drop boxes. I did successfully started receiving mails from my us address to a canadian address after ~3weeks.
I didnât do anything with SSN or H-1B. @Jose, @srhere, @swamiom, Did you do anything like updating, submitting anywhere anything before/after move?
DL - Like I said in my earlier post, I was told to come after 2weeks for DL exchange at Drivetest even for exempted category. Iâll post my experience once I exchange DL.
I didnât do anything with the SSN but will love to know if we could withdraw our money!!!
Experts @srhere@Jose - any idea on withdrawing money from our SSN or transfer to Canada ?
By âwithdrawing money from SSNâ do you mean 401k money? thatâd be taxed heavily if you try.
I think there was an option in 2020 that you can withdraw with a lowesr tax, showing economic hardship due to pandemic. But that clause expired in December 2020
There is a way to withdraw SSN money once acquiring minimum 40 credits by signing some form stating permanently leaving US and donât come back again, but Iâm not 100% sure.
Experts can advise if anyone did it or know the process.
I think they are referring to social security taxes FICA/SST. And yes, I vaguely remember reading that you need to have 40 quarters of contributions (10 years) to get any money back. Not sure of the details though.
SS/Med taxes collectively referred to SSN money. Another possible option is to transfer SS/Med taxes to CPP without any penalty if itâs allowed due to US-Canada tax treaty.