Passport Return: Canada Post strike

[skyzee 182]

Well, I'm certain I've lost years of my life from this all. Delivery date has been pushed to 14th, and status is "check delivery progress" which just has lines showing that the mail is delayed due to strike. I know others have also seen this, but doesn't make seeing the line any easier. No line indicating it's having been shipped to PO so I suspect I won't see anything again today. I'm thinking of going to the PO anyways and also the sorting facility in Richmond to harass CP staff members, not that they can do anything, more for me to feel like I'm doing something rather than sitting around refreshing Canada Post tracking page all day.

[arellah 125]

23 hours ago, skyzee said:

You get your original civil documents back, but not the original police certificate or medical report. Out of these two items, they only handed back the xray and vaccination records for me as well. I'm guessing you would need a new police certificate and medical when filing for aos and most likely done within the US when the time comes. Best to check with other threads though on Aos procedures. 

They will mail the police reports back with your Visa.

[skyzee 182]

Nail biting action to the very end... after getting on phone with a rep and supervisor at Canada Post who, albeit were both very nice and sympathetic, explained that she couldn't do anything for me given the sensitivity of the document and the strict rules that were given to them by the US Embassy, and explained she would get into trouble if she tried to intercept the package.  She mentioned that it would most likely get to the PO by today or tomorrow, but that she couldn't make any promises without a supervisor intervention. She then gave me the phone number for the people staffing AIS website to ask them to open a case with Canada Post to expedite the package, which ended up in me just getting frustrated and agitated all over again trying to talk to the rep (ie. business as usual).

 

But, after I got off the phone with the useless rep at 11:05am, lo and behold, I got the Canada Post notification email saying that my package was ready for pickup at the Burnaby PO, 2 minutes after the tracker updated. I picked it up and activated it an hour later at the Blaine Peace Arch land crossing. Had some anxiety inducing moments with CBP not knowing how to activate an IR1 visa there, which I wrote about more in detail in my timeline description, but otherwise, was painless once the officer figured out what to do.

 

Finally, the root canal is over. Best of luck to the rest still waiting. And yes, I can confirm that the police certificate was included in the return package, but not the medical.

[BChance 38]

10 hours ago, skyzee said:

Nail biting action to the very end... after getting on phone with a rep and supervisor at Canada Post who, albeit were both very nice and sympathetic, explained that she couldn't do anything for me given the sensitivity of the document and the strict rules that were given to them by the US Embassy, and explained she would get into trouble if she tried to intercept the package.  She mentioned that it would most likely get to the PO by today or tomorrow, but that she couldn't make any promises without a supervisor intervention. She then gave me the phone number for the people staffing AIS website to ask them to open a case with Canada Post to expedite the package, which ended up in me just getting frustrated and agitated all over again trying to talk to the rep (ie. business as usual).

 

But, after I got off the phone with the useless rep at 11:05am, lo and behold, I got the Canada Post notification email saying that my package was ready for pickup at the Burnaby PO, 2 minutes after the tracker updated. I picked it up and activated it an hour later at the Blaine Peace Arch land crossing. Had some anxiety inducing moments with CBP not knowing how to activate an IR1 visa there, which I wrote about more in detail in my timeline description, but otherwise, was painless once the officer figured out what to do.

 

Finally, the root canal is over. Best of luck to the rest still waiting. And yes, I can confirm that the police certificate was included in the return package, but not the medical.

So happy for you!! You’re detailed experiences are so helpful and awful at the same time! Congrats!!!

[skyzee 182]

3 hours ago, BChance said:

So happy for you!! You’re detailed experiences are so helpful and awful at the same time! Congrats!!!

Glad they are. By the way, she also said something interesting. She said had it been a direct to address service, she might have been able to send an intercept but not for straight to post office.

 

But, on the other hand, I had mine shipped to the post office, and they didn't make a big fuss for pickup even though the embassy messed up the recipient address. In ais, I specified my package to be sent to the post office and that my friend at her own address would be able to pickup as an authorized user. What ended up happening instead was that embassy sent to post office using my name but my friend's address. I showed my license, he said address didn't match what sender had put, but said because my name matched and it was being sent to post office, it was fine and released the passport to me. 

 

From talking with Canada Post, it sounds like they do make a deal out of the address matching if it's being shipped to an address rather than a post office. Ymmv, maybe I got a post office clerk who didn't know the rules. Sure sounded to me like address needs to have matched regardless of which method.

 

Just something to think about, I was seriously on the fence between Canada post delivering directly to an address or post office but eventually ended up with post office option since I thought there would be less of a chance it'd get lost if it was sent to a post office. If I were to go back, I'd have done direct to address because I know for sure the address would be listed as my friend's and she would have been able to pickup for me. 

[BChance 38]

1 hour ago, skyzee said:

Glad they are. By the way, she also said something interesting. She said had it been a direct to address service, she might have been able to send an intercept but not for straight to post office.

 

But, on the other hand, I had mine shipped to the post office, and they didn't make a big fuss for pickup even though the embassy messed up the recipient address. In ais, I specified my package to be sent to the post office and that my friend at her own address would be able to pickup as an authorized user. What ended up happening instead was that embassy sent to post office using my name but my friend's address. I showed my license, he said address didn't match what sender had put, but said because my name matched and it was being sent to post office, it was fine and released the passport to me. 

 

From talking with Canada Post, it sounds like they do make a deal out of the address matching if it's being shipped to an address rather than a post office. Ymmv, maybe I got a post office clerk who didn't know the rules. Sure sounded to me like address needs to have matched regardless of which method.

 

Just something to think about, I was seriously on the fence between Canada post delivering directly to an address or post office but eventually ended up with post office option since I thought there would be less of a chance it'd get lost if it was sent to a post office. If I were to go back, I'd have done direct to address because I know for sure the address would be listed as my friend's and she would have been able to pickup for me. 

Skyzee, thanks for sharing. I debated this intensely too and I went with home delivery because of ID issues. I hope it works out faster. I have to stay in MTL until I get it. Booked a return flight and hoping I left enough time. 8 days after interview I fly back.

[skyzee 182]

7 minutes ago, BChance said:

Skyzee, thanks for sharing. I debated this intensely too and I went with home delivery because of ID issues. I hope it works out faster. I have to stay in MTL until I get it. Booked a return flight and hoping I left enough time. 8 days after interview I fly back.

What a pain having to stay in MTL just for that. You might also want to consider asking the US Embassy during your interview to make an exception and allow you to pickup - I'm thinking that under your circumstances, they would allow it, although I hear that they mess up on that too (ie. approve pickup at Embassy but then end up putting it in the mail with Canada Post anyways)

 

Best to just have a contingency plan for everything that could go wrong, because I've learned over the past 17 months that if you think it can go wrong... it probably will.

 

One other thing you may want to consider is pre-filling a letter of authorization with your Airbnb host https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=letter_of_authorizat&cattype=kb&cat=atthepostoffice&subcat=services. Technically, since it's his address and his ID, if for whatever reason Canada Post messes up the delivery to your Airbnb house and you need to pickup at the post office, you'll need the letter of authorization to do so since you don't have ID with his address on it. You probably won't need it, but doesn't hurt to have it.

[BChance 38]

3 minutes ago, skyzee said:

What a pain having to stay in MTL just for that. You might also want to consider asking the US Embassy during your interview to make an exception and allow you to pickup - I'm thinking that under your circumstances, they would allow it, although I hear that they mess up on that too (ie. approve pickup at Embassy but then end up putting it in the mail with Canada Post anyways)

 

Best to just have a contingency plan for everything that could go wrong, because I've learned over the past 17 months that if you think it can go wrong... it probably will.

 

One other thing you may want to consider is pre-filling a letter of authorization with your Airbnb host https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/kb/details.page?article=letter_of_authorizat&cattype=kb&cat=atthepostoffice&subcat=services. Technically, since it's his address and his ID, if for whatever reason Canada Post messes up the delivery to your Airbnb house and you need to pickup at the post office, you'll need the letter of authorization to do so since you don't have ID with his address on it. You probably won't need it, but doesn't hurt to have it.

Thank you!!! I will print it out and do that. I already listed his name and address when I registered my interview and then at the end I paid the extra $21.00 for home delivery. So both bases are covered. Thanks so much for your input about asking the embassy to make an exception for me. I will do that if I need it. Xo

[BananaButton5 175]

4 minutes ago, BChance said:

Thank you!!! I will print it out and do that. I already listed his name and address when I registered my interview and then at the end I paid the extra $21.00 for home delivery. So both bases are covered. Thanks so much for your input about asking the embassy to make an exception for me. I will do that if I need it. Xo

Just wondering, how did you already select the delivery method? I think when we set up the interview we selected home delivery, but is it possible to change it somehow? 

[BChance 38]

3 minutes ago, BananaButton5 said:

Just wondering, how did you already select the delivery method? I think when we set up the interview we selected home delivery, but is it possible to change it somehow? 

When you create an account with AIS, the first part asks you to who and which post office you want it delivered and then at the end it asks you if you want to upgrade to a home delivery address. I did both

[BChance 38]

5 minutes ago, BananaButton5 said:

Just wondering, how did you already select the delivery method? I think when we set up the interview we selected home delivery, but is it possible to change it somehow? 

Plus, I think you can change the location up until 6AM the morning of your interview

[skyzee 182]

Technically, the congratulations letter they hand you at the interview says you can change it up until they actually ship it. I did continue to see the option to change home delivery / even setup courier up until they provided the Canada Post tracking number in which case it disappeared, but was too paranoid to change it given the AIS website itself says you can only change it up until 6am day of interview.

[IndigoFlowers 130]

Just FYI, I had my interview last Thursday (Dec 6th) and have my visa and “do not open” envelope in hand today, exactly a week after my interview! Pick-up was at the post office. I’m so excited to finally have it in my hands. 

 

Best wishes to everyone! 

Edited December 13, 2018 by IndigoFlowers

[Alyssamac90 40]

1 hour ago, IndigoFlowers said:

Just FYI, I had my interview last Thursday (Dec 6th) and have my visa and “do not open” envelope in hand today, exactly a week after my interview! Pick-up was at the post office. I’m so excited to finally have it in my hands. 

 

Best wishes to everyone! 

Just curious, where do you live? Congrats!

[IndigoFlowers 130]

13 minutes ago, Alyssamac90 said:

Just curious, where do you live? Congrats!

Winnipeg!