Home Visas and Immigration IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE NEW YORK AREA General Information

General Information

IMPORTANT NOTICE

After December 31, 2003, the Permanent Resident (PR) Card will be the proof of status document required by permanent residents seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

The PR card increases Canada's border security by improving the integrity of the immigration process. It also provides cardholders with secure, convenient proof of their permanent resident status when re-entering Canada.

Effective January 1, 2004, permanent residents returning to Canada without a valid PR card will not be permitted to board their carrier. They will have to apply at the nearest Canadian visa office to obtain a limited use travel document to re-enter Canada for a fee of $50 Canadian or $42 US. Permanent Residents of Canada in the United States or Bermuda can apply for this document at the Canadian Consulates General located in Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angles, New York City, Seattle, or The Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Minneapolis do not offer immigration visa services or information.

MAILING ADDRESS:

The Canadian Consulate General
Immigration Secion
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York, NY
10020-1175 USA

* The offices of the Canadian Consulate General are located on the Concourse Level of 1251 Ave. of the Americas (6th Ave.), at West 50th Street in Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan. (Directions to the Consulate)

E-MAIL ENQUIRY.  Click here.

HOURS OF OPERATION:

• Applicants for Temporary Resident Visa (Visitors)

  Monday to Friday
  8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  Applicants will be admitted during these hours only.

• Applicants for Work Permit/Study Permit/Temporary Resident Permit/Travel Document for Permanent Resident Abroad

  Monday to Thursday
  1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Applicants will be admitted during these hours only.

The daily number of applicants cannot be predicted and therefore, dependent children under 18 years of age, who are included on the application for Temporary Resident Visa, are not required for interview. Regrettably, they will not normally be admitted to the visa office waiting room. Kindly do not bring your children to the Consulate.

• Approved Immigrants Applicants
  
  Starting June 28, 2002, we no longer issue a separate landing document to approved immigrants (IMM1000). Once an application is ready to be finalized, we will contact the applicant to request for original passport(s). Permanent Resident Visa will be affixed to the passport(s). Applicants are given two options to submit their passport(s):
  
  1) Pick-up option - Passports are brought in person and return the following Thursday.

  Applicants who choose this option should bring their original passport(s) on Thursday only between 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and passport(s) may picked-up the following Thursday between 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.

         2) Mail-in option - Passports are sent by mail and returned by mail within 30 days.

         Applicants who choose this option are responsible to ensure proper mail handling  of their passports. For residents of the USA, we strongly recommend that you provide a pre-paid, self addressed return Express Mail Tyvek envelope (size 11.625 x 15.125). Consult your local post office for postage. Postage depends on the weight of the package (# of passports being mailed).  We will not return your passport(s) using courier services (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc). Passport(s) by mail that are sent without a return envelope will be returned by certified mail (USA) or registered mail (Canada and Bermuda). We will only mail your permanent resident visa(s)/passport(s) to addresses in USA, Canada or Bermuda.

Additional Important Information:

* Check that your passport and each accompanying dependents' passport are valid at least one year from the date of your immigration medical examination.
* Make sure there is at least one completely blank page, other than the last page in each passport. If dependent children are included in their parent's passport, an additional blank page should be available for each included dependent.

To use this option now, select e-Client Application Status.


Due to Canadian Privacy legislation, individual cases cannot be discussed over the telephone or by e-mail and must be dealt with by letter or by fax.

• Any requests regarding the status of an application, MUST be submitted in writing, either by letter or by fax. Please make sure you sign your request and include your full name, date of birth and file reference number. We are only able to reply within 8 to 10 weeks.

Average Processing times.

If you are seeking information on immigration or require application forms for applying for permanent residency, please do not fax your request to this office.  To obtain any information or forms concerning permanent residency, visit  www.gc.ca or contact the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo at:

The Canadian Consulate General
Immigration Area Processing Centre
3150 Marine Midland Center
Buffalo, New York 14203-2800
USA
Fax: (716) 858-9591