Operational Bulletin 426 – May 29, 2012

Pilot Project for the Issuance of Temporary Resident Counterfoils for Clients Residing in Canada and Holding Valid Study or Work Permits

Summary

This Operational Bulletin (OB) provides information about a new pilot project at the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O). The Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) will commence processing the new Temporary Resident Visa applications for applicants holding a:

• Valid study permit or,
• Valid work permit

This change comes into force with immediate effect.

Background

At present, work and study permit holders from various visa required countries, who reside in Canada, can apply for extending their study or work permit in Canada. However, they cannot apply for getting the authorities to place a new temporary resident visa counterfoil in their passport.

The temporary resident visa enables foreign nationals to leave and re-enter Canada during their period of study or work. Merely holding a valid work or study permit does not negate the need for an applicant to hold a temporary resident visa. However, applicants seeking to re-enter Canada from a contiguous territory could receive an exemption from the temporary resident visa requirement. This is in accordance with R190 (3) (f). Applicants wishing to leave the contiguous territory would need to have a new counterfoil for re-entry. These applicants typically obtain these counterfoils by mail at a visa office in the United States.

Therefore, the authorities have realised that they would need to support the re-alignment of their North American processing network. To achieve this, the authorities conceived this pilot project.

This pilot project would enable applicants, who are already holding a valid work or study permit to apply for a new temporary resident visa counterfoil. These applicants could apply for this new counterfoil at the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O). The Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) is nothing more than an extension of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) overseas visa network.

However, this pilot project does not preclude clients from continuing to apply for a new temporary resident visa counterfoil at the visa office serving:

• Their country of nationality or,
• The country in which they are currently residing and for which they have received legal admission

Instructions

The authorities have mandated that clients from visa required countries would need to apply for a temporary resident visa counterfoil. They could apply for this temporary resident visa counterfoil at:

• The Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) or,
• The visa office serving their country of nationality

However, this is only applications for clients from visa required countries who are:

• Present in Canada and,
• Holding a valid study or work permit

This is effective as of May 29, 2012.

Procedures

As a result, applicants would need to submit Applications for Temporary Resident Visas. They would need to submit these at the Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O). They would need to refer to the CIC website for obtaining the instructions on how they could apply.

Officers would need to encourage the applicants to apply for a multiple entry visa. Officers would process the completed application as per the usual procedures applied to visitor visa applications at other visa offices abroad. This includes the requirement of an interview, if necessary.

The Process for the Submission of Applications

The Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) will not provide any walk-in services. Therefore, applicants would need to submit their applications via mail or courier.

Some applicants might desire to send their applications via mail. Therefore, they would need to direct the complete application package to the following address:

Case Processing Centre – Ottawa

Temporary Resident Visa Section

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

P. O. Box 9640

Ottawa, Ontario

Canada K1A 0C1

However, other applicants might want to send their applications by courier. Therefore, they would need to direct the complete application package to the following address:

Case Processing Centre –Ottawa

Temporary Resident Visa Section

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

365 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, ON

K1A 1L1

The Methods of Payment

All the applicants would need to submit their application fees through the same means as other in-Canada applications. Thus, they could submit their application fees via:

• An online submission or,
• A payment made at a Canadian financial institution (these applicants would need to refer to the detailed information provided on the CIC website)

The Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) will not accept any other forms of payment. This includes payments submitted via:

• Money orders
• Certified cheques or,
• Bank drafts

The Process in case the Officers Require to Conduct a Further Examination

Situations could arise where the officers might need to:

• Conduct an interview or,
• Conduct a further examination

In these cases, the officers would typically forward the application to a visa office. This visa office would have an office within the US.  These could include the visa offices at:

• New York
• Los Angeles
• Detroit
• Seattle or,
• Washington, DC

The US visa office would finalise the application. This would include issuing:

• The counterfoil (if approved) or,
• The refusal letter

Thereafter, the officers would send the passport to the applicant. They would also send a letter to the applicant. The letter would notify the applicant that the authorities have transferred the file.

External Client Enquiries

Officers would need to direct enquiries to the:

• CIC Call Centre or,
• Case Processing Centre – Ottawa (CPC-O) via e-mail at [email protected]

The Expiry of Directives

These directives would remain in force, until the authorities provide any other notice to the contrary. The authorities would also communicate any further instructions as and when needed.

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)