<p>This isn't McGill specific, but it involves the whole Quebec immigration process and hopefully many of you will have to endure this <em>wonderful</em> process as you prepare to leave for McGill. (Unfortunately, I was rejected, but I got into Concordia, so we'll be neighbours :) )</p>
<p>My questions for the "proof of sufficient funds" part: Do they want to see the full four year's worth of funds available when I apply for my CAQ, or is it just a per year basis? (I've heard of both being accepted, but I just want to be sure.) Also, do they want to see the sufficient amount in savings/checking, or can it be considered through income as well? </p>
<p>Thank you for any help/guidance. Here I thought that just getting in to university was the hard part! </p>
<p>Good luck to all of you prospective McGillians.</p>
<p>Kelm, it's nice to see another Concordia-bound person here. </p>
<p>Just to answer all enqueries, let me provide a blanket review of the immigration process. </p>
<p>Prerequistes - Non Financial
You must agree to make studies your primary activity while in Quebec and Canada. As such you can't take anything like a full-time job.</p>
<p>You must also be able to provide health insurance for yourself, since you're not covered by the Regie de l'Assurnace-Maladie (Medicare). You should probably take out a policy before leaving the US, since private comprehensive health insurance is pretty hard to find in Canada.</p>
<p>Prerequistes - Financial
You must have enough to pay the following:
[ul]
[<em>]Tuition fees
[</em>]Costs of returning to your home country
[<em>]"Settling-in" costs (CA$500/US$425)
[</em>]Health Insurance costs (unless you're coming from one of the European countries with which Quebec signed a Social Security Agreement)
[/ul] Applying for a CAQ (Quebec Acceptance Certificate) for Studies
[ul]
[<em>]Complete the form, available online at [Immigration-Quebec[/url</a>]
[li]Pay the fee (CA$100/US$85) using the credit card form.[/li]<a href="For%20North%20Americans"></a> send the form and fee, along with a passport picture, a certified copy of the identity page from your passport, a certified copy of your admission letter, and proof of financial capacity (probably something like a bank statement) to:
[/ul]
Service aux Etudiants Etrangers
Centre de Services a la Clientele
285 rue Notre-Dame ouest
rez-de-chaussee, bureau G-15
Montreal (Quebec) H2Y 1T8
Canada
[ul]
[li]If you're approved, they'll send you back two copies of your CAQ. Keep one for your records. Take the one marked "Immigration Canada" and use it to apply for your Study Permit.[/li][/ul]
**Applying for a Study Permit*
[ul]
[li]Show up at a Canadian border crossing or at an Airport immigration checkpoint. [/li][</em>]Apply for your Study Permit there (just explain to the Immigration officer)
[/ul]
<a href="NB:%20The%20above%20process%20only%20works%20for%20North%20Americans,%20everyone%20else%20will%20have%20to%20apply%20through%20their%20nearest%20Canadian%20Embassy%20or%20Consulate">i</a>.*</p>
<p>Afterwards
Don't forget to take note of the expiration date on your CAQ and Study Permit. Always renew it several months before it's due to expire, otherwise, you might inadvertantly find yourself an illegal immigrant.</p>
<p>For more info, see the Immigration websites</p>
<p>Thank you very much. I found my answer on the application for for the CAQ which wasn't opening properly on the computer at my house, but I finally got it downloaded today on my laptop. Fickle things these are...</p>
<p>Question with the health insurance: would the the university supplied health insurance suffice? Or, okay you're saying privately. I'm covered here in the States, I'll just have to see if they go internationally. But I think I'll be alright with out it (private, that is). I usually go to the doctor about once every two years, haha. </p>
<p>glenalais: I'm all for a Concordia forum on here, what about you? :)</p>
<p>McGill requires U.S. students to be covered by McGill health insurance. I would not be anticipating the need for additional private insurance. Does anyone know differently?</p>
<p>I just have a question about proving financial capacity...what do we do if our bank accounts DON'T have the necessary amount of money (aka, we'll be paying for this with loans and what not)?</p>
<p>Very few students, or their parents, have the money saved to pay for four years of college. You can show your bank accounts and other savings, but you will also submit your tax returns and those of your parents to show you have a regular income from which to support on-going studies. This is more than a formality, but it is not too difficult for US students. They want to be sure you are not using McGill as an excuse to become an immigrant in Canada.</p>
<p>so I just send them a copy of my parent's 1040 along with all the other things for the CAQ and study permit, and that'll suffice for my "proving financial capacity" requirement?</p>
<p>It did for us. If I remember correctly, we sent the 1040's as well as a notarized letter from my employer with my annual salary listed. Also, account statements from savings/money market accounts. Never did get any questions. Once you get the CAQ, the study permit is basically the same information. You get the study permit at the border when you go up for school in August/September.</p>
<p>Neither will be easier to deal with. You are entering "bureaucracy land".
However, McGill does have an International Student Office which is fairly helpful as these things go. But, the information you will receive from McGill is a step-by-step guide describing what to do to get the CAQ and study permit. It is easy to follow, really.</p>
<p>Members here who have been thru the process can help you with questions.</p>
<p>If you try calling the Quebec immigration, all I can say is, "zut alors! sacre bleu!
Tabernacle!! Hostie!! Pour l'amour de Dieu!!. Bon chance."</p>
<p>Quebecers don't say "zut alors", "sacrebleu", "tabernacle" or "bon chance" (I know it's subtle for the last two). But even McGill bureaucracy ain't half as bad as any government bureaucracy (and there, nothing comes close to France bureaucracy, but I digress...).</p>
<p>This may sound stupid, but I just want to make things clearer for myself. If I have Canadian citizenship, would I need to fill out the Student CAQ/ Study permit for Canada or Quebec or both? I live in the US now... and have citizenship. And what would I have to say to Border officers? Has anyone been in the same situation?</p>
<p>If you're Canadian, then you just need your Citizenship Card, Canadian Birth Certificate, or (preferably) your Canadian Passport to cross the border - there's no need to go get a visa.</p>
<p>Canada permits Dual Citizenship, so just because you hold American citizenship doesn't mean you're not Canadian (unless, of course, you went down to the Canadian Embassy/Consulate and formally renounced your citizenship).</p>
<p>If you need to get your Citizenship Card, contact the CIC:</p>
<p>If you need your Birth Certificate, contact the Civil Registrar Office (or, for Quebec, le Directeur de l'etat civil) in your province of birth.</p>
<p>Quebec is (still) part of the Canadian Confederation. As such, the Constitution forbids the Government of Quebec from imposing restrictions on migration to Quebec by Canadian Citizens from the other provinces (or in your case, from abroad). The province only has control over external immigration.</p>
<p>In more simple language: for as long as Quebec is part of Canada (which will hopefully be the case for now and for a long time into the future), you, as a Canadian, will not need any sort of special permission to move there.</p>
<p>Glendalais, what's cooking for the election on Monday? I've read Boisclair is promising Montr?al new powers if elected; does that have any impact on the votes?</p>
<p>I am interested in this thread as a parent of a daughter attending a post-secondary school in Ontario and am also going through the study visa application process. I want to apply for her visa at the border crossing, but have a few questions and can’t get any live person to speak to with the phone number given by Immigration Services. The online or by mail option would not meet my daughter’s deadline for beginning classes. My question is this: is it possible to apply at a designated border crossing a few weeks before the start time of the program begins and then return to cross when she is ready to begin school? i see no reason why not, but just want to be sure we are not turned away after our trek.</p>
<p>Also, has anyone in the USA found a good phone number to reach a person in the Los Angeles Canadian consulate, where they handle study visas? Thanks!</p>