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Interview required but no date for a year? HELP

royalrumble

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Aug 8, 2021
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So I just got the GCMS notes and found out that the officer recommended an interview back in June 2021. Gckey says no interview required. Spousal tracker doesnt have anything about interview. ECAS doesnt say interview required.

But a year has gone by and no date as of yet. Lawyer is recommending a mandamus application? What should I do? Any alternatives?

File submitted - Oct 2020
Transferred to LVO - April 2021
Sponsor approval - April 2021
Biometrics - April 2021
Medicals - May 2021
PRIMARY OFFICE - LVO
SECONDARY OFFICE - Warsaw (where application was reveiwed and interview recommended)
 

scylla

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royalrumble

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Aug 8, 2021
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scylla

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Thankyou for that. I have already read through the warsaw thread.

What would you say regarding the interview date not been scheduled for a year now? Is mandamus the right way to go? Any alternatives?
Interview delays are unfortunately very common right now.

If your application is 100% straight forward, then I would say mandamus makes sense. If not, then I'm not so sure.

Do you know why the interview is required? Have you ordered GCMS notes to find out? Have you submitted any additional / supplemental documents to try to address the reasons why the interview has been called.

Are there any other complexities involved with your application?
 
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scylla

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Thankyou for that. I have already read through the warsaw thread.

What would you say regarding the interview date not been scheduled for a year now? Is mandamus the right way to go? Any alternatives?
Also, when did you originally submit your application? For mandamus, you generally want to be at 2+ years since the application was submitted.
 
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Jakka2

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So I just got the GCMS notes and found out that the officer recommended an interview back in June 2021. Gckey says no interview required. Spousal tracker doesnt have anything about interview. ECAS doesnt say interview required.

But a year has gone by and no date as of yet. Lawyer is recommending a mandamus application? What should I do? Any alternatives?

File submitted - Oct 2020
Transferred to LVO - April 2021
Sponsor approval - April 2021
Biometrics - April 2021
Medicals - May 2021
PRIMARY OFFICE - LVO
SECONDARY OFFICE - Warsaw (where application was reveiwed and interview recommended)
Hey Royarumble,
Does eligibility and background check shows in process in your GCKey and new PR tracker? Since after medical in May 2021, have you gotten any kind of updates on your application?
 

royalrumble

Star Member
Aug 8, 2021
161
27
Interview delays are unfortunately very common right now.

If your application is 100% straight forward, then I would say mandamus makes sense. If not, then I'm not so sure.

Do you know why the interview is required? Have you ordered GCMS notes to find out? Have you submitted any additional / supplemental documents to try to address the reasons why the interview has been called.

Are there any other complexities involved with your application?
Yes my application is not straight forward. I need an ARC. The officers notes says he is having doubts due that reason and questioning our marriage.

Althought that is completely understandable I dont get the 1 year delay in setting an interview date...even with the backlogs.

In regards to supplemental or other documents to remove the doubts about the genuiness of our marriage we are sending them our daughters birth certificate and two supporting letters from me and my wife trying to clear up the doubts in officers noted

Our application will be 2 years coming this October 2022. What do you think about our case? I am thinking after we send the supplemental docs via webform we will wait for their response and then send a demand letter. If no reply is received i feel mandamus might be the only option.

P.s I have not seen my baby girl since she was born in March 2022.
 

royalrumble

Star Member
Aug 8, 2021
161
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Hey Royarumble,
Does eligibility and background check shows in process in your GCKey and new PR tracker? Since after medical in May 2021, have you gotten any kind of updates on your application?
Yes so on the spousal tracker...one eligibility says was completed on June 2021 which was when the officer recommended an interview. The other date it shows as December 2021 when eligibility went back to in progress. Background in process as well. Info sharing complete. Security not started.

P.s complete dead silence since May 2021. No ADR or anything.
 

armoured

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Feb 1, 2015
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In regards to supplemental or other documents to remove the doubts about the genuiness of our marriage we are sending them our daughters birth certificate and two supporting letters from me and my wife trying to clear up the doubts in officers noted

Our application will be 2 years coming this October 2022. What do you think about our case? I am thinking after we send the supplemental docs via webform we will wait for their response and then send a demand letter. If no reply is received i feel mandamus might be the only option.

P.s I have not seen my baby girl since she was born in March 2022.
I would focus on the supplemental info first and get that in quickly and make it complete. Make it good. You want to convince the officer that there is now no need for interview. (A child being born in most cases might be decent evidence the relationship is real - athough it is not on its own 'proof'.)

From timing, it is obvious that you and your spouse have visited each other since your application. Emphasize the visits. Some other tips:
-facts, documents, supporting evidence.
-give everything new since application - look over the application forms for things that you should mention.
-Communication, visits, financial support, time spent together, friends and family (when you visited you saw others), etc. A few photos together since app and letters of support (from people who have seen you together since you were married) won't hurt.
-Written explanations: concise, factual, bullet points. Recap the information (briefly) from the original application.

Of course you can stress the issues being separated is causing you. But do not write some Russian novel length explanation of romantic pain: be specific (eg father separated from daughter). Mention costs, etc.

I'm not sure I understand the ARC aspect but normally I'd suggest applying for TRV (TRP?) even if the file has interview recommended.
 
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scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
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Buffalo
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Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
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AOR Received.
19-08-2010
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Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
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Yes my application is not straight forward. I need an ARC. The officers notes says he is having doubts due that reason and questioning our marriage.

Althought that is completely understandable I dont get the 1 year delay in setting an interview date...even with the backlogs.

In regards to supplemental or other documents to remove the doubts about the genuiness of our marriage we are sending them our daughters birth certificate and two supporting letters from me and my wife trying to clear up the doubts in officers noted

Our application will be 2 years coming this October 2022. What do you think about our case? I am thinking after we send the supplemental docs via webform we will wait for their response and then send a demand letter. If no reply is received i feel mandamus might be the only option.

P.s I have not seen my baby girl since she was born in March 2022.
OK - so this changes my answer a bit.

Has the ARC been approved yet? They may be holding off on the interview until the ARC has been approved. We have seen people without your application complexity wait this long for interviews.

I would definitely send supplemental evidence. I'm not sure it will make a difference. But worth a try. I would send more than the letters and birth certificate if you can.

I would not go for mandamus until you have exceeded at least 2 years of wait time at an absolute minimum and only once the ARC has been approved. Your application is not straight forward so IMO the 2 year mark may be a bit too soon for mandamus.
 

royalrumble

Star Member
Aug 8, 2021
161
27
I would focus on the supplemental info first and get that in quickly and make it complete. Make it good. You want to convince the officer that there is now no need for interview. (A child being born in most cases might be decent evidence the relationship is real - athough it is not on its own 'proof'.)

From timing, it is obvious that you and your spouse have visited each other since your application. Emphasize the visits. Some other tips:
-facts, documents, supporting evidence.
-give everything new since application - look over the application forms for things that you should mention.
-Communication, visits, financial support, time spent together, friends and family (when you visited you saw others), etc. A few photos together since app and letters of support (from people who have seen you together since you were married) won't hurt.
-Written explanations: concise, factual, bullet points. Recap the information (briefly) from the original application.

Of course you can stress the issues being separated is causing you. But do not write some Russian novel length explanation of romantic pain: be specific (eg father separated from daughter). Mention costs, etc.

I'm not sure I understand the ARC aspect but normally I'd suggest applying for TRV (TRP?) even if the file has interview recommended.
Thank You for the detailed suggestion. Yes I believe it is crucial to address the officers issue asap. I just wish I had ordered my GCMS notes sooner.

I will suggest my lawyer sending more evidence regarding our relationship and see what they say. As of now they only asked to provide the birth certificate and she specifically mentioned 'few sentences only' for our letters. I am guessing these days officers don't have too much time to review too much evidence and just skip over some stuff. But I will bring it up for sure. Doesn't hurt to ask. I appreciate the advice.
 

royalrumble

Star Member
Aug 8, 2021
161
27
OK - so this changes my answer a bit.

Has the ARC been approved yet? They may be holding off on the interview until the ARC has been approved. We have seen people without your application complexity wait this long for interviews.

I would definitely send supplemental evidence. I'm not sure it will make a difference. But worth a try. I would send more than the letters and birth certificate if you can.

I would not go for mandamus until you have exceeded at least 2 years of wait time at an absolute minimum and only once the ARC has been approved. Your application is not straight forward so IMO the 2 year mark may be a bit too soon for mandamus.
I appreciate the detailed suggestion. We have not heard anything back regarding the ARC. I am not sure why. Are you certain that ARC has to be approved first to move on to an interview to determine eligibility? Maybe eligibility going back to in progress in December 2021 is them working on the ARC?

The ARC application was sent with the spousal application by our lawyer. The 400$ ARC fees was also paid but the funny thing is in April 2021 it was returned citing overpayment. I don't know why that is but I asked in the other forum and someone said the primary office, which is LVO in our case, will ask for it.

Yes we will be sending the supplemental documents. But our lawyer didn't suggest anything more than the birth certificate and letters. I will bring up with them about sending more evidence.

I will again bring up with my lawyer about waiting for ARC approval and waiting for mandamus after 2 years and see what they have to say. I appreciate the help and your insight. Thank You.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,798
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Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
I appreciate the detailed suggestion. We have not heard anything back regarding the ARC. I am not sure why. Are you certain that ARC has to be approved first to move on to an interview to determine eligibility? Maybe eligibility going back to in progress in December 2021 is them working on the ARC?

The ARC application was sent with the spousal application by our lawyer. The 400$ ARC fees was also paid but the funny thing is in April 2021 it was returned citing overpayment. I don't know why that is but I asked in the other forum and someone said the primary office, which is LVO in our case, will ask for it.

Yes we will be sending the supplemental documents. But our lawyer didn't suggest anything more than the birth certificate and letters. I will bring up with them about sending more evidence.

I will again bring up with my lawyer about waiting for ARC approval and waiting for mandamus after 2 years and see what they have to say. I appreciate the help and your insight. Thank You.
I am not at all certain that the ARC has to be approved before the interview. I was just thinking it might be possible since if the ARC isn't approved the interview is then moot since the application is going to be refused. So if I was IRCC, I might want to see the ARC approved before scheduling the interview. However I have no idea if that's how it actually works.

The point of sending more evidence now is to try to make IRCC change their mind on needing an interview. Occassionally we see people here be successful in doing that. The interview is presumably needed since they have doubts about your relationship. IMO the evidnece you plan to send is pretty thin. You want to show that your relationship has been real and ongoing since submitting the application. So I would personally be included evidence of ongoing and regular communications between the two of you, if anyone is sending money to support the other person then I would also send that, if you have a joint bank account then I would send a recent statement, etc.
 
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royalrumble

Star Member
Aug 8, 2021
161
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I am not at all certain that the ARC has to be approved before the interview. I was just thinking it might be possible since if the ARC isn't approved the interview is then moot since the application is going to be refused. So if I was IRCC, I might want to see the ARC approved before scheduling the interview. However I have no idea if that's how it actually works.

The point of sending more evidence now is to try to make IRCC change their mind on needing an interview. Occassionally we see people here be successful in doing that. The interview is presumably needed since they have doubts about your relationship. IMO the evidnece you plan to send is pretty thin. You want to show that your relationship has been real and ongoing since submitting the application. So I would personally be included evidence of ongoing and regular communications between the two of you, if anyone is sending money to support the other person then I would also send that, if you have a joint bank account then I would send a recent statement, etc.
Thank you for the prompt answer. Lets see what my lawyer has to say about ARC being approved first or not. Maybe they are aware if they have dealt with previous cases that required an ARC.

Also yes I don't know why our lawyer has not said to add more evidence supporting our relationship. Maybe she is thinking that having a child is 'proof' enough. But as armoured mentioned that might still not be adequate proof. This will definitely be discussed

I appreciate all the help. I will keep you guys updated and if I have any more questions come up. Thank You so much.
 
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