How do I replace my Canadian visa? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 12, 2013

How do I replace my Canadian visa? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 12, 2013

Dear Miss Powell,

I recently lost my passport with United States (US) and Canadian visas. Can you please tell me what I need to do to get a replacement Canadian visa?

- S.R.

Dear S.R.,

The first step is to make a report to the nearest police station that your passport has been lost or stolen. You will be required to give a detailed report of the last time you were in possession of the passport. You will also need to provide information such as where you were when you last saw it or the last place that you had stored it.

After you have made the police report, you should visit Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) to report that your passport was lost or stolen. You will be required to complete a 'particulars of a lost passport' form. PICA will first check to see if your passport was found and delivered to them. If not, they will give you a letter to return to the police to start an investigation regarding the loss of your passport. The police will examine the issue and deliver a statement of investigation/ police report for you to make an application for new passport. If you had a machine-readable passport, this process could take three to four months to be completed.

Once your passport has been replaced, you will need to get a copy of the police report and submit a new application for a temporary resident visa at the Canadian High Commission's visa office. You will need to go through the same verification process as before to satisfy the immigration officer that you are still eligible and admissible. Do not short-cut the application. Ensure that the form is completed properly, signed and dated. Submit all the supporting documents to prove your economic, financial, and social ties to Jamaica. You will need to give the reason for needing the visa at this time. Ensure you have an updated invitation letter or document outlining the purpose of your visit and intended length of stay.

You may also be required to complete a replacement-of-immigration document and a declaration concerning your lost or stolen document. So be prepared to submit the following information:

1. Detailed explanation concerning the circumstances which led to the loss of your passport with your visa. This would be the same information that you provided to the police initially.

2. Evidence that you have made efforts to find it such as:  where you looked, contacting the police, reporting it to the passport office.

3. The last date and place that you used your passport and visa.

You may also be asked to declare that you understand that if the document is later found, that you will advise the Canadian Embassy and that you understand that multiple occurrences of loss or stolen documents will prevent you from having the visa replaced in the future.

I would recommend that you resubmit your application immediately, as the new rules for application will begin in September 2013 and will be more expensive. Once you have a received your replacement passport and visas, you should scan or photocopy these documents and keep them in a safe place for future reference, if needed.

Your passport and visas are important documents. If stolen, it can lead to stolen identity. It is also time consuming, costly and, frankly, a hassle to replace, so be very careful with these documents in the future.

Best of luck!

Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada, bars, with office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Her areas of practice are in immigration, real estate, personal injury, family, commercial, and administration of estates. Submit your questions and comments to Email: info@deidrepowell.com Subject line: Immigration Tel: 613.695.8777 Fax: 613.695.8778