# At 8pm tonight I became a Permanent Resident of Canada **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 14, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541 "2008-09-14T06:38:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/1 "2008-09-14T06:38:28Z")
YEAH! It was years in the making, several thousand dollars in fees, and lots of forms, but we got our papers tonight at the border. Even though I’m living in Canada I have to “land” at the border. We had to leave and re-enter. So we went to the States for dinner and “landed” after. _does happy dance_ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/2 "2008-09-14T07:00:00Z")
Well, congratulations for you! So, where are you living in our lovely land? ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/3 "2008-09-14T07:07:24Z")
At the moment, New Westminster BC ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/4 "2008-09-14T07:13:30Z")
Have they already issued you an igloo, or is something that comes later? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/5 "2008-09-14T07:27:12Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > At the moment, New Westminster BC You’re about 26 driving miles from me. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/6 "2008-09-14T08:57:19Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Have they already issued you an igloo, or is something that comes later? 😉 Not happening. Ya gotta buy your own, with Canadian Tire money. Welcome, Seven! ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/7 "2008-09-14T15:29:13Z")
Congratulations. Prepare the beaver! Man the canoes! Arrange the Nanaimo bars for the post-ritual feast. And now we can even tell you the secret Canadian password.\* Use it anywhere you want to be known as a Canadian. [sub]\*It’s “Oh! I’m sorry.”[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/8 "2008-09-14T15:35:35Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > YEAH! > > It was years in the making, several thousand dollars in fees, and lots of forms, but we got our papers tonight at the border. Even though I’m living in Canada I have to “land” at the border. We had to leave and re-enter. So we went to the States for dinner and “landed” after. > > _does happy dance_ You had to land at the border? That’s just weird. I got my Canadian citizenship in 1974 and didn’t have to “land” anywhere. Anyway, congratulations. The 21st century looks pretty damned good for Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/9 "2008-09-14T15:44:56Z")
Congratulations, neighbour. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/10 "2008-09-14T18:47:58Z")
Congratulations! Welcome aboard. _smooch_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/11 "2008-09-14T19:01:34Z")
Oooh, BC - that’s nice! Have you got your Nanaimo Bar and butter tart recipes yet? Bought your first case of Hawkin’s Cheezeys? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/12 "2008-09-14T19:12:58Z")
Welcome, welcome! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/13 "2008-09-14T19:14:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > You had to land at the border? That’s just weird. I got my Canadian citizenship in 1974 and didn’t have to “land” anywhere. > > Anyway, congratulations. The 21st century looks pretty damned good for Canada. ’ He mentions permanent resident, not citizenship. For the first, you do have to “land” in Canada. My first husband and son were in Canada with me, and they both had to cross the border to the US, and then return to Canada. We made it a week-end in the US, is my memory serves me well. Edited to add the main part: CONGRATULATIONS, Seven! ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/14 "2008-09-15T07:24:00Z")
> [@lynxie](#): > > Not happening. Ya gotta buy your own, with Canadian Tire money. > > Welcome, Seven! In my two years in country I’ve collected about $6-7 in Canadian Tire Money. I’m saving up for some tires. > [@Leaffan](#): > > You had to land at the border? That’s just weird. I got my Canadian citizenship in 1974 and didn’t have to “land” anywhere. We won’t have to do that for citizenship, just PR. The paperwork is designed for people getting their permanent residence final BEFORE they arrive to Canada. All the directions are written as such. We got work visas first and have been living in country for two years. When our PR paperwork came through we were also given stamps in our passports which were sort of a temporary permanent residence. They were good for a handful of months. If we didn’t “land” before that time we would have to start the whole process again. I’m sure if we wanted we could have just gone to the border (or a “point of entry”) and walked in on the Canadian side. All they did at the border was give as a white piece of paper which stated we were “landing” and they sent us inside. I think the guard inside just tossed that paper. We brought the stack of paperwork he processed. But, we followed the rules and landed per the directions. It was fun. I was hoping the US border guard would ask the reason for our entry into the states and how long we planned to stay. “Oh, we’re just going to be here for about 5 minutes. We’re entering so we can leave and “land” in Canada.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/15 "2008-09-15T12:54:10Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > In my two years in country I’ve collected about $6-7 in Canadian Tire Money. I’m saving up for some tires. Hey, there’s a lot more to Canadian Tire than just tires. (One of their old advertising slogans.) > [@](#): > > I was hoping the US border guard would ask the reason for our entry into the states and how long we planned to stay. > > “Oh, we’re just going to be here for about 5 minutes. We’re entering so we can leave and “land” in Canada.” This probably happens more than you think, so it likely wouldn’t have fazed the guard in the least. He’d just think, “Those wacky Canadians,” and move on to the next person. Certainly, my wife had to do the same thing, though like **MoodIndigo1** ’s family, she made a weekend of it, catching up with her friends in the US (she’s American), then heading “home” to Ontario to properly “land.” Anyway, even though she went through it, she still doesn’t quite understand it. Neither do I, but I’m glad she’s here. 🙂 Anyway, welcome! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/16 "2008-09-15T14:07:40Z")
welcome aboard, **Seven**! bring on the moose & poutine! (we don’t do that candy-assed “goat & pie” thing up here in our welcomes…) ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/17 "2008-09-15T14:26:07Z")
Shouldn’t it be moose and tourtiere? 🙂 Geeble gobble geeble gobble. One of us! One of us! ---
**Author:** ![mudkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@mudkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mudkicker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/18 "2008-09-15T14:34:57Z")
Congratulations! I’m thinking of doing that too. [Unless there’s any Dopers from Melbourne who want to marry me? You’ll get a European passport… ::bats eyelashes::] ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/19 "2008-09-15T14:44:24Z")
Welcome, welcome. One more fun person in the party! No idea when I’ll be out to BC to buy you a drink, but keep in touch if you head out to the Toronto area and we’ll throw you a DopeFest. Meantime, you’ll have to make do with those west coast dopers… ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541/20 "2008-09-15T15:34:07Z")
Welcome/Bienvenue! ([Don’t forget to get a “real” SIN now](http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/sc/sin/index.shtml) if this wasn’t included in your landing paperwork.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-8pm-tonight-i-became-a-permanent-resident-of-canada/463541.md?page=2)