ARCHIVED – Notice – Alberta Flood special assistance measures

Alberta Flood special assistance measures: New measures in place to help those affected by the flood include free replacement of passports and immigration documents and extension of immigration status.

NOTE for all affected residents: If you are affected by the flooding in Southern Alberta and require immediate assistance, please contact the Alberta Red Cross information line at 1-866-696-6484. The most up-to-date information about affected communities is available at www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca.

Notice to affected residents

As a result of the flooding in Southern Alberta, passports and other documents belonging to Temporary Residents, Permanent Residents and Canadian Citizens may have been lost, damaged or destroyed.

To support affected residents, the Minister approved special measures to waive some fees and other specific requirements for both temporary and permanent residents as well as Canadian citizens until September 19, 2013.

These special measures include waiving fees for the replacement of

  • permanent resident cards,
  • Canadian passports,
  • work permits,
  • study permits, and
  • visitor records.

Procedures and contact information

To qualify for these special measures, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they have been directly affected by the flooding. A government-issued identity document showing a residential address in an affected community or registration with the Red Cross will be sufficient for this purpose.  All requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Scheduled appointments at CIC Calgary were cancelled for June 20 to June 28, 2013. CIC will ensure that these appointments are rescheduled. You do not need to call CIC to reschedule.

If necessary, provide CIC with an alternate address.  If you are a permanent resident or Canadian citizen you can request a change to your address online. If you are a foreign student or worker, please contact the CIC Call Centre to change your address. Please contact CIC at 1-888-242-2100 (press 7). The agent will ask standard security questions then assist you.

Affected Temporary Residents

If you are a temporary resident living in the area affected by the flooding who meets the following criteria, your temporary status will be automatically extended or restored until September 19, 2013:

  • You had legal status on June 20, 2013, and your status will expire before September 19, 2013; or
  • Your status as a visitor, student or worker has expired and your restoration period falls between June 20, 2013, and September 19, 2013.

When completing an application, either by mail or online, the application form will indicate what supporting documentation you need to include or upload. If you cannot include or upload a copy of a supporting document because it was destroyed or lost as a result of the flood, you must instead include a Letter of Explanation for each missing document. The letter, written by you, needs to state that the supporting document was destroyed or lost as a result of the flood.

For questions or further information, please contact CIC at 1-888-242-2100 (press 7). The agent will ask standard security questions and then advise you on how to proceed with an application. Or, please send an email to Prairies-Situation@cic.gc.ca - with “URGENT: FLOOD” in subject line – that includes your Unique Client ID (UCI#), if known, full name, date of birth and city and country of birth and an agent will contact you.

If your status is about to expire

If you are a temporary resident residing in an affected community whose status is about to expire you will have your legal status in Canada automatically extended until September 19, 2013. If you need to extend your status beyond that period of time, please submit a regular application for extension, including supporting documentation, to CIC. Regular application fees will apply. Please visit our web site for information on how to extend.

If your documents were lost, damaged or destroyed

If you are a temporary resident in one of the affected communities whose immigration status documents (work or study permit or visitor record) were lost, damaged or destroyed, please:

Please write “URGENT: FLOOD” on the cover of the envelope.

The application for the replacement immigration documents must be received between June 20, 2013, and September 19, 2013.

You will be provided with a free replacement of documents and your request will be processed on a priority basis.

Temporary foreign worker applications (changing employer due to flood)

If you are a temporary foreign worker in Exshaw, Canmore, High River, Siksika Nation, Stoney Nation and Tsuu T’ina Nation and you are changing employers due to your present place of employment being affected by the flooding, your application for a work permit for a new employer will be expedited.

Note that your present status and conditions have been automatically extended until September 19, 2013. You must self-identify by indicating “URGENT: FLOOD” on your application to benefit from expedited processing.

If you submit a paper application, you must indicate “URGENT: FLOOD” on the outside of the envelope. Obtain the Application to Change my Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM 5710) package from the Citizenship and Immigration website. Mail the application and the required supporting documents to the Case Processing Centre, Vegreville, AB.

If you submit an electronic application, immediately after submitting it, you must send an email to the Prairies-Situation@cic.gc.ca inbox  - with “URGENT: FLOOD” in the subject line – that includes your UCI , Application ID #, full name, date of birth and city and country of birth to allow CIC to flag the application for expedited processing. Find the electronic application here.

Complete the Come to Canada questions, obtain your Personal Checklist and follow the steps for submission.  In order to have the fee waived, select the answer ‘No, I am not required to pay a fee’ in the Come to Canada questions and then provide proof of exemption (e.g.: a Letter of Explanation indicating you live in an affected area).

These new work permits will be issued on a priority basis and no fee is required.

Affected Permanent Residents

If your immigration document was lost, damaged or destroyed

If you are a permanent resident and your immigration documents were lost or damaged, please:

Please write “URGENT: FLOOD” on the cover of the envelope.

The application for the replacement card must be received between June 20, 2013, and September 19, 2013.

For questions or further information, please contact CIC at 1-888-242-2100 (press 7). The agent will ask standard security questions and then advise you on how to proceed with an application. Or, please send an email to Prairies-Situation@cic.gc.ca - with “URGENT: FLOOD” in the subject line – that includes your Unique Client ID (UCI#), if known, full name, date of birth and city and country of birth, and an agent will contact you.

Your request will be processed on a priority basis and replacement fees will be waived.

Affected Canadian Citizens

If your citizenship status document was lost, damaged or destroyed

If you are a Canadian citizen and your citizenship status documents were lost, damaged or destroyed in the flood, you are eligible for priority processing until September 19, 2013.

To replace your citizenship certificate, please:

Please write “URGENT: FLOOD” on the cover of the envelope.

Please note that CIC no longer issues the plastic wallet-sized citizenship cards.

For questions or further information, please contact CIC at 1-888-242-2100 (press 7). The agent will ask standard security questions and then advise you on how to proceed with an application. Or, please send an email to Prairies-Situation@cic.gc.ca - with “URGENT: FLOOD” in the subject line – that includes your Unique Client ID (UCI#), if known, full name, date of birth and city and country of birth and an agent will contact you.

Regular fees apply, but your request will be processed on a priority basis.

If your passport was lost, damaged or destroyed

If you are a Canadian citizen and your passport was lost or damaged in the flood in Southern Alberta, you will be provided with a free replacement. These special measures will be in effect until September 19, 2013. For passport-related questions, please call 1-800-567-6868.

If you have general questions about CIC programs and services please visit our online Help Centre.

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