Visitor Visa for my mother from India

[priya_dj]

Dear all,

I am a PR and applied visitor visa for my mother in India online, on April 26th. Her previous visa expired along with her passport and we noticed it very late. She has her US visa and wants to travel to both USA and Canada to visit her grand children.

We would like her to participate in some ceremonies in May (sadly we missed to notice the visa end date), so I am wondering when can we expect CIC to get back? I read the processing time is 21 days if I apply from India. Is it working days or calendar days?

My friend applied last December and got the passport request in 3 days. So the processing time is seasonal?

My brother in US wants her to travel there first but that would mean she has to cancel her current application and do it again from US. What are the chances of refund and approval if she applies from US?

Please share your thoughts.

Thank you so much!

 

[Bryanna]

so I am wondering when can we expect CIC to get back? I read the processing time is 21 days if I apply from India. Is it working days or calendar days?

That's in calendar days.

Do note the processing time on the IRCC website is only an estimate. It is not a fixed, guaranteed time within which a TRV will be processed.

She should have applied under the CAN+ program as she is eligible.

My friend applied last December and got the passport request in 3 days. So the processing time is seasonal?

Not at all. It depends on the volume of applications received by the visa office each week + the quality of an application

My brother in US wants her to travel there first but that would mean she has to cancel her current application and do it again from US. What are the chances of refund and approval if she applies from US?

Did she submit a paper app or an online submission?

 

[priya_dj]

That's in calendar days.

Do note the processing time on the IRCC website is only an estimate. It is not a fixed, guaranteed time within which a TRV will be processed.

She should have applied under the CAN+ program as she is eligible.


Not at all. It depends on the volume of applications received by the visa office each week + the quality of an application



Did she submit a paper app or an online submission?

Dear Bryanna,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I was never aware of the CAN+ program but now its too late isnt it?

She submitted online.
I am in need of your advice to help me decide something. As I said, my brother wants her to be there in the US at the earliest to take care of his daughter. Is it worth to cancel the online application? Can she apply from the US saying she would like to visit me in Canada? Few of my friends say it is difficult for Indians to obtain TRV while applying from the US. Please guide me. Can she apply under CAN+ program while being in the US?

We had already cancelled her Canadian tickets as we noticed the visa expiry only at the last moment. She was supposed to leave India on May5th and we applied online for the visa on April 26th. Can I cancel the application saying the tickets are already cancelled and she will not be traveling to Canada anymore but to the US from where she would re-apply. Would this be satisfactory for a refund?

Based on your reply, I am planning to cancel the online submission today and book tickets to the US.

Thanks a lot once again!

 

[Bryanna]

Dear Bryanna,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I was never aware of the CAN+ program but now its too late isnt it?

It's late now to request CAN+ processing.

She submitted online.

That's great (at least in your mom's case)

I am in need of your advice to help me decide something. As I said, my brother wants her to be there in the US at the earliest to take care of his daughter. Is it worth to cancel the online application? Can she apply from the US saying she would like to visit me in Canada? Few of my friends say it is difficult for Indians to obtain TRV while applying from the US. Please guide me. Can she apply under CAN+ program while being in the US?

Please do NOT cancel her current Canada TRV application. The correct word is 'withdraw' the application.

Based on your reply, I am planning to cancel the online submission today and book tickets to the US.

Again, please do not do withdraw her Canada TRV app. You can certainly go ahead and book her tickets to the US.

Your mom has good chances of getting a Canada TRV with her current on-going application as she has already visited Canada + she has a valid US visa + as she has applied from India, her ties to India are much stronger as compared to if she applies when she is in the US.

If she gets a passport request when she is in the US then she can submit/mail her passport to either the NY/LA VACs (whichever is nearest) for the TRV stamping. She does not have to return to India to submit her passport

 

[priya_dj]

It's late now to request CAN+ processing.



That's great (at least in your mom's case)



Please do NOT cancel her current Canada TRV application. The correct word is 'withdraw' the application.



Again, please do not do withdraw her Canada TRV app. You can certainly go ahead and book her tickets to the US.

Your mom has good chances of getting a Canada TRV with her current on-going application as she has already visited Canada + she has a valid US visa + as she has applied from India, her ties to India are much stronger as compared to if she applies when she is in the US.

She can travel to the US. If she gets a passport request when she is in the US then she can submit/mail her passport to either the NY/LA VACs (whichever is nearest) for the TRV stamping. She does not have to return to India to submit her passport

Dear Bryanna!

Your reply made my day. Sorry about the confusion on "withdrawal/cancellation".

So you confirm it is possible for her to submit her passport to the VACs in the US? So instead of waiting (as you say if 21 days is just an estimate), is it a good idea to book tickets to the US?

Once again, thank you so much!!!

 

[Bryanna]

Dear Bryanna!
So you confirm it is possible for her to submit her passport to the VACs in the US? So instead of waiting (as you say if 21 days is just an estimate),

I'm absolutely sure that this is doable. Quite a few applicants have done so. Check for member 'Tara' posts.

It's pointless trying to withdraw her current application because you will not get a refund + it could take a few days/couple of weeks for the visa office to confirm that they have allowed you to withdraw the application. So you might as well continue with her current app.

is it a good idea to book tickets to the US?

Most certainly.

After she arrives in the US, you can include copies of her US>>India flight tickets + the US entry stamp (scanned).... and email the India visa office (the relevant one for the region/state where your mom lives) + a CSE.... and request for an expedited decision

 

[priya_dj]

I'm absolutely sure that this is doable. Quite a few applicants have done so. Check for member 'Tara' posts.

It's pointless trying to withdraw her current application because you will not get a refund + it could take a few days/couple of weeks for the visa office to confirm that they have allowed you to withdraw the application. So you might as well continue with her current app.



Most certainly.

After she arrives in the US, you can include copies of her US>>India flight tickets + the US entry stamp (scanned).... and email the India visa office (the relevant one for the region/state where your mom lives) + a CSE.... and request for an expedited decision

We expect her to travel sometime next week. (~15th to 22nd) - depends on fares. What if the passport request is received by then? What is the timeline to submit her passport?
Please let me know what a CSE means. Her secondaru education certificate?

She will be in New jersey for a month and then will be moving to Boston. I will google the email address of the relevant visa office and would probably reach out to you for a confirmation. Hope you dont mind.

Basically the email would be some sort of cover letter detailing she is in US now and wants the visa processing expedited?
Would that be all?

Thank you!

 

[Bryanna]

We expect her to travel sometime next week. (~15th to 22nd) - depends on fares. What if the passport request is received by then? What is the timeline to submit her passport?

You must factor in about 7-10 days for passport transmission to/from the VAC to the visa office.

If your mom gets a passport request when she is still in India + if she lives in the same city as the visa office then hopefully she can get the visa stamping in even 2-3 days. But, you'll have to be really careful as to how you go about this.

Please let me know what a CSE means. Her secondaru education certificate?

No, it is not a CBSE certificate

CSE = Case Specific Enquiry i.e. a web form through which you can contact CIC.

She will be in New jersey for a month and then will be moving to Boston. I will google the email address of the relevant visa office and would probably reach out to you for a confirmation. Hope you dont mind.

Sure, I'll help.

Basically the email would be some sort of cover letter detailing she is in US now and wants the visa processing expedited?
Would that be all?

Yes

 

[priya_dj]

Thank you so much Bryanna!

My mom lives is a different city hence should wait for 7 working days I guess.

If my brother is willing to wait until she receives her visa while in India, till which maximum date can I wait to send her off to the US? Would June 5th be alright? She applied online on April 26th? Sorry I know you said it is an estimate of 21 days + 7 days for passport submission but just checking since we are exploring best options.

Thanks again!

 

[Bryanna]

If my brother is willing to wait until she receives her visa while in India, till which maximum date can I wait to send her off to the US? Would June 5th be alright?

Your guess is as good as mine. It's a guessing game.

I suggest you book her tickets to the US depending on the best fares in May/June.... and not around a passport request guess-date. She can submit her passport to the NY VAC.

 

[priya_dj]

Dear Bryanna,

My mother just received her original passport request and she is already in the New York. As per your advice, I submitted online case specific enquiry to the Bangalore visa office along with copies of her US entry stamp and US tickets and requested she be allowed to submit her passport in the nearest VAC.

After the submission, the website said I should receive a reply within 28 working days (by email, regular mail or fax). Since she has only 30 days to submit her passport, what else is required to expedite this process? Can I also send direct emails to BAGLR-IMMIGRATION@international.gc.ca and NewYork-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca and info.canada@vfshelpline.com? Got these id's from CIC website.

Is there a way to know which visa office is processing my mother's application? I got mine from Bangalore and assume it is the same for her. As per CIC website, there are offices in Delhi, Chandigarh and Bangalore. Can I submit enquiries to all? If I could submit only once and I already did for Bangalore, can I include the email ids of Delhi and Chandigarh offices along with the Bangalore and New York email list?

Your help is much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Bryanna]

Hi,

You must email the NY + Bangalore visa offices asap to confirm that she can mail/submit her passport to the NY VAC. I would not wait for replies to the CSEs.

As your mother is from Pondicherry (just saw your other post), her passport would have been sent to the Bangalore visa office for stamping if she was in India.

You've got the correct email addresses. Do NOT email VFS because it is CSC in NY and not VFS


Cheers

 

[priya_dj]

Dear Bryanna,

Thank you so much for the confirmation. I emailed both the addresses with attachments of US tickets and entry stamp.

Few mins back, the Bangalore immigration office emailed me saying I should be contacting the New Delhi office. Hence I submitted online enquiry as well as sent an email to the Delhi office.
The NY office too emailed me asking me to contact the NYVAC. Hence I emailed the below id too. The email I received is provided below for everyone's benefit:

Dear Sir or Madam:
Passports may be submitted to the New York Visa Application Center (VAC) for applications approved outside the US. The VAC will send the passport to the NY Consulate for visa printing.
You may wish to contact the VAC directly regarding this process.
Phone Number: (646) 741- 0130
Email Address: ny-info@csc-cvac.com
http://www.csc-cvac.com/en-US/selfservice/cvac_welcome

Thank you!

 

[Bryanna]

Fantastic. Glad to know it's sorted

 

[priya_dj]

Fantastic. Glad to know it's sorted

Bryanna - the email doesn't mean an approval right? They are asking me to contact the ny vac email id and wait for a reply?