Question:
I have questions regarding the independent
category. I have applied with my
wife to Buffalo, she's the main
applicant. We've received the interview
waiver and submitted extra docs
and also did the medicals and we're
at the waiting stage now. From my
understanding of the rules, the
landing papers' expiration date
is either the same as the passport's
expiration date or the medicals
whichever comes first.
My question
is this, what passport's expiration
date counts? is it that of the main
applicant or the earliest of both
applicants? My passport will expire
in the very near future (June),
and I'm concerned about renewing
it at this stage for fear of extra
processing delays. In case it is
my wife's passport expiration date
that counts (5/2007), I have an
option that will maybe save me time
but I'm not too sure about it:
I was told
by my embassy in the US that when
I renew my passport they will allow
me to keep my old passport since
it has the US visa on it. Would
it be an option for me to land in
Canada with both the old passport
(to match the number on the landing
papers) and the new passport (as
a valid travel document), or do
I still have to send the new passport
information to Buffalo and get the
landing papers reprinted before
landing?
My second
question: should we receive the
landing papers with my passport's
expiration date as the final landing
date, and due to tight timing we
won't be able to land by then, how
much delay will we incur if I renew
my passport then and ask buffalo
for an extension/review of the date,
and how should I proceed about this?
Answer:
It would be the earliest expiration
date of any of the applicants. If
your passport expires before your
wife's passport and before the one
year anniversary of your medicals,
then your visas would have the same
expiration date that is on your
passport. Unless you are prepared
to land in Canada before your passport
expires, you should apply for a
renewal immediately.
