+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

FSW-O USA why so long?

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
My background check status didn't change from "Not Applicable" until after I received PPR. Then it went directly to "in progress" status for not even a day before going to "complete" status. I didn't get an email when the status changed.
Ok thanks.
 

jackbauer

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2017
337
223
Category........
Other
Fully agree...I'm 73 days in with no medicals passed. The only thing I'm thinking is maybe because the background checks should go faster due to the immense info sharing between the US and Canada, that part of the process might go quicker than most other countries. I really hope our process doesn't drag on longer than 6 months! Fingers crossed!
There's not an immense amount of sharing btw the US of A & Canada. All they share is demographic info. like fingerprints, DOB, Entry/Exit/Crime info. and nothing else. Read the Intergovt'al agreement btw CBSA & DHS, you'll know better.
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
Anyways the agreements have nothing to do with the way they pick up applications for processing. They have some priority by which they start picking application for processing. Like cec, fsw o, and then fsw inland, pnp and so on.
 

TealTokki

Full Member
Mar 31, 2017
22
4
Maryland, USA
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
16-05-2017
AOR Received.
April 5 2017
IELTS Request
Jan. 7 2017
Med's Request
May 3 2017
3 more people updated myimmitracker this evening. So that is at least 5 in our group to be passed today. Its nice to see progress.
 

ILoveBritishColumbia

Star Member
Mar 7, 2017
82
40
NOC Code......
5211
App. Filed.......
28-4-2017
AOR Received.
28-4-2017
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
18-4-2017
Passport Req..
24-07-2017
Today my background check status changed from "Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check" to "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." It was never in "Not Applicable" status, so is this IP2 or just a different wording for IP1? I think I read somewhere that it can skip over the "NA" status, but I know these statuses also vary quite a bit in their wording and sequence-- in other words, they don't always follow the same predictable pattern. Has anyone else residing in USA seen this particular sequence?
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
Today my background check status changed from "Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check" to "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." It was never in "Not Applicable" status, so is this IP2 or just a different wording for IP1? I think I read somewhere that it can skip over the "NA" status, but I know these statuses also vary quite a bit in their wording and sequence-- in other words, they don't always follow the same predictable pattern. Has anyone else residing in USA seen this particular sequence?
Same thing happened to me yesterday. After medical pass, it was next step is to background check for one week and yesterday it changed to we are processing your background check. Even I am not sure if it would be IP1 or IP2. It was never in NA status at all. It's just one week from medical pass, and time frame seems too short to be IP2.
 

summerxx

Hero Member
Jun 12, 2016
439
131
Today my background check status changed from "Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check" to "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." It was never in "Not Applicable" status, so is this IP2 or just a different wording for IP1? I think I read somewhere that it can skip over the "NA" status, but I know these statuses also vary quite a bit in their wording and sequence-- in other words, they don't always follow the same predictable pattern. Has anyone else residing in USA seen this particular sequence?
Me! My background check status followed the exact pattern as you mentioned.
 

ILoveBritishColumbia

Star Member
Mar 7, 2017
82
40
NOC Code......
5211
App. Filed.......
28-4-2017
AOR Received.
28-4-2017
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
18-4-2017
Passport Req..
24-07-2017
Same thing happened to me yesterday. After medical pass, it was next step is to background check for one week and yesterday it changed to we are processing your background check. Even I am not sure if it would be IP1 or IP2. It was never in NA status at all. It's just one week from medical pass, and time frame seems too short to be IP2.
Me! My background check status followed the exact pattern as you mentioned.
Thank you for your replies! Very interesting... this seems to be a pattern for FSW-O USA residents to skip "NA". I agree that it seems too soon for IP2, so it is probably just a variation on IP1.
 

summerxx

Hero Member
Jun 12, 2016
439
131
Thank you for your replies! Very interesting... this seems to be a pattern for FSW-O USA residents to skip "NA". I agree that it seems too soon for IP2, so it is probably just a variation on IP1.
I guess so. I've been sitting on that status since June 20th, probably another indicator that it's not a real IP2.
 

ILoveBritishColumbia

Star Member
Mar 7, 2017
82
40
NOC Code......
5211
App. Filed.......
28-4-2017
AOR Received.
28-4-2017
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
18-4-2017
Passport Req..
24-07-2017
I guess so. I've been sitting on that status since June 20th, probably another indicator that it's not a real IP2.
I just found the full timeline of an applicant whose BG status went through the same pattern. On Mar. 24, @harmanm had their BG status change from "next step is to conduct a background check" to "background check is in progress" with no "NA" in between:

hey Baji

i am confused aswell.......

My status before was your app is in process. next step is to conduct background check and today it changed to Background check is in Progress.
it never went to NA NN or NS.

Do you have any idea about this?
Yesterday they received PPR and apparently the BG status never changed (to NA or IP2) prior to the application being approved... it stayed at "IP1" the whole time, for a total of 120 days!

Hi guys

Just got my PPR email... exactly at 6 months mark...my details are as follow

Cec inland
Aor 7th Jan
Meds Pass 8th March
Same day BG status : NEXT STEXP BG
BG : in progress 24th March
PPR 6th July

Visa office Vegreville, Alberta

Thankyou everbody for their support throughout this process. Was a long journey and had lost hope now. But cic kept its word for 6 months processing time. Love you CIC. Thankyou guys. Hope everbody gets their PPR soon now.
So it's possible that our applications will stay in this BG status the whole time without ever cycling through "NA" and "IP2"... and it could stay that way for a long time. I think the lesson is that you can't always tell what stage your application is at based on the wording of the BG status.
 
Last edited:

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
True.. that's just people's guesswork. I know someone from March, an US resident, who went through same pattern. He cleared medicals on 56 th day, then had NBG for 17 days and then background in progress for one week and then passport request. So this is probably the flow for inland/ US applicants.
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
I just found the full timeline of an applicant whose BG status went through the same pattern. On Mar. 24, @harmanm had their BG status change from "next step is to conduct a background check" to "background check is in progress" with no "NA" in between:



Yesterday they received PPR and apparently the BG status never changed (to NA or IP2) prior to the application being approved... it stayed at "IP1" the whole time, for a total of 120 days!



So it's possible that our applications will stay in this BG status the whole time without ever cycling through "NA" and "IP2"... and it could stay that way for a long time. I think the lesson is that you can't always tell what stage your application is at based on the wording of the BG status.
I checked his case.. It has taken six months months for ppr despite being cec. That seems abnormal for the stream. He probably needed a longer background check or chosen for additional clearance or audit case?
 

ILoveBritishColumbia

Star Member
Mar 7, 2017
82
40
NOC Code......
5211
App. Filed.......
28-4-2017
AOR Received.
28-4-2017
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
18-4-2017
Passport Req..
24-07-2017
True.. that's just people's guesswork. I know someone from March, an US resident, who went through same pattern. He cleared medicals on 56 th day, then had NBG for 17 days and then background in progress for one week and then passport request. So this is probably the flow for inland/ US applicants.
Good to know that it can proceed faster even with this pattern of BG status changes... PPR after one week of IP1 is amazing! Is this person on the Tracker? It would be nice to see the details of the case.
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642