Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 6:42 pm Between 1996 and 2006, I lost ten years - significant? Ya!

On Friday, I realized that my record of landing said that my original entry to Canada was 4 July, 2006.

I read on the Internet that amendments can be made for such errors.

My trip to the immigration office was dreadful as usual. I told the front desk lady that my original entry date to Canada was wrong. She went and saw Officer Lori Wilson who said that the date shown is of when I last entered Canada.

OMG! I leaned forward and explained to the lady that I had been locked in Canada from when I entered in 4 July, 1996. I told her I could not leave the country.

She went away again and came back and asked me to sit down. Then Officer Wilson came and told me that she does not know how they came up with that date. She proceeded to tell me that it was not a big deal.

My answer to her was that I filled out so much paper that always asked me my original date of entry. I said to her I could NOT believe the error. She continued to say that it is not important to change the paperwork unless I want the change for myself. Jesus, who else would I be changing for? She cannot just say a difference of 10 years is not important.

The more she told me it was not important, the more I knew it was . In fact, it one of the things that can be amended on forms date of original entry. Why would Officer Wilson try to discourage me?

Errors in the following information may be corrected on a record of landing:

Citizenship
Family name
Given name(s)
Sex
Date of birth
Marital status
Place of birth
Date of original entry
Country of birth
Date of landing

She said I can have it changed but it is a process. I just finished one huge process with immigration and surely, setting the records straight is not going to bother me. Ten years from now when I have to explain why my records differ, it might be too late.

The reason I knew I could correct the error was doing some research on the Internet. I asked the Officer if there is anything she can do to help the process or should I look on the Internet and she said Internet.

I will go ahead and set the records straight.

This too shall pass.