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JoshC

Hero Member
Nov 3, 2018
870
1,263
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, ON
App. Filed.......
21-11-2018
AOR Received.
29-01-2019
File Transfer...
27-02-2019
Med's Request
19-02-2019
Med's Done....
25-02-2019
Passport Req..
14-05-2019
VISA ISSUED...
30-05-2019
oh thanks. I thought we have to bring it. thanks for clarifying
No problem, I got my biometric request today so I've been reading the letter religiously. :D Off to London on Monday to get it done.
 
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Jan 8, 2019
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Hey guys,
I received an email from CIC for biometric payment and upload it in MyCIC account, which I couldn't find it.
After googling it, I realized it is probably thought the web form, so I attached the receipt as pdf and add explanation and some details.
After a few days I received this email:

Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
We can confirm the reception of the documents.
If further information is needed, a request may be sent by the responsible office.
However, there is no information stating that you are a representative on this file. If you wish to obtain further information, the applicant must provide written consent to IRCC by completing the Use of a Representative form and submitting it via the IRCC Web form available on our website. You may also contact the appropriate governing body to verify that you are a member in good standing.

which made me confused, how can I get the biometric request letter? did I upload it in the right place and I just need to wait?

This email has been sent to me today too:

This message is being sent to confirm that the Application for Permanent Residence for your relative(s)
has been forwarded to the visa office in Ankara for further processing.

What does this one mean?

By the way, we been asked to do medical test, which has been completed a couple of days ago.
 

JoshC

Hero Member
Nov 3, 2018
870
1,263
Canada
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga, ON
App. Filed.......
21-11-2018
AOR Received.
29-01-2019
File Transfer...
27-02-2019
Med's Request
19-02-2019
Med's Done....
25-02-2019
Passport Req..
14-05-2019
VISA ISSUED...
30-05-2019
This email has been sent to me today too:

This message is being sent to confirm that the Application for Permanent Residence for your relative(s)
has been forwarded to the visa office in Ankara for further processing.

What does this one mean?

By the way, we been asked to do medical test, which has been completed a couple of days ago.
You’ll get a letter via GCKEY like the medical request one.

The second email confirms that your application has been sent to your local VO. Very good news :)
 
Last edited:
Feb 14, 2019
7
4
AOR Jan 31 - still can't link account
Hi all, first time posting here.... we submitted our application Dec 3, received the AOR email on Jan 31st, and I still can't link our account to the paper application. I've tried every combination I can think of. The application also can't be found in the online "check application status" tool and it's making me nervous.

Anyone having the same experience, or can offer advice?
 

kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
AOR Jan 31 - still can't link account
Hi all, first time posting here.... we submitted our application Dec 3, received the AOR email on Jan 31st, and I still can't link our account to the paper application. I've tried every combination I can think of. The application also can't be found in the online "check application status" tool and it's making me nervous.

Anyone having the same experience, or can offer advice?
If it's you and your spouse are you putting the #of applications as 2?
 
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Jan 8, 2019
10
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You’ll get a letter via GCKEY like the medical request one.

The second email is called MVO from what I’ve read and it’s stating that your application has been sent to your local VO. Very good news :)
Thanks for reply Josh. So what you mean is I did upload the receipt in the right place and I just need to wait to receive the update from CIC?

Thanks again.
 

ryester

Champion Member
Oct 11, 2018
1,150
675
AOR Jan 31 - still can't link account
Hi all, first time posting here.... we submitted our application Dec 3, received the AOR email on Jan 31st, and I still can't link our account to the paper application. I've tried every combination I can think of. The application also can't be found in the online "check application status" tool and it's making me nervous.

Anyone having the same experience, or can offer advice?
Are you sure you are not able to check the status in ECAS? Link is provided as follows,
https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/security.do?app=ecas&lang=en

If you can see your application in ECAS, then it is most likely the information you put to link your GCKey account is incorrect. The most common problem is the number of applicants, you need to include sponsor, as @kcward7 pointed out.
 
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Feb 14, 2019
7
4
Are you able to check the status in ECAS? Link is provided as follows,
https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/security.do?app=ecas&lang=en

If you can see your application in ECAS, then it is most likely the information you put to link your GCKey account is incorrect. The most common problem is the number of applicants, you need to include sponsor, as @kcward7 pointed out.
I've found the application in ECAS for the first time this morning! It says in process, so I guess I'll just keep trying to link the account (I have been putting in "2" applicants). I/we will still get emails for everything until we link the account, right? I'm just worrying that we will miss a step/request from them and that will mess up the process.
 
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kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
I've found the application in ECAS for the first time this morning! It says in process, so I guess I'll just keep trying to link the account (I have been putting in "2" applicants). I/we will still get emails for everything until we link the account, right? I'm just worrying that we will miss a step/request from them and that will mess up the process.
Linking isn't mandatory. Don't worry if it gives you grief - not linking doesn't mean you will miss something.
 
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ryester

Champion Member
Oct 11, 2018
1,150
675
Linking isn't mandatory. Don't worry if it gives you grief - not linking doesn't mean you will miss something.
Haha, that is true but easy for you to say. Anyone would freak out if he could not link to GCKey account, it is like a significant milestone loss :-D
 

ryester

Champion Member
Oct 11, 2018
1,150
675
I've found the application in ECAS for the first time this morning! It says in process, so I guess I'll just keep trying to link the account (I have been putting in "2" applicants). I/we will still get emails for everything until we link the account, right? I'm just worrying that we will miss a step/request from them and that will mess up the process.
If you already find your application in ECAS, you don't need to worry. That means your application is already in the system. It may take a bit longer to make the data available in GCKey account. But still try to make sure the information you put to link is accurate, and remember you can try up to 5 times per 24 hours before you GCKey account is locked out for linking.
 
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kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
Haha, that is true but easy for you to say. Anyone would freak out if he could not link to GCKey account, it is like a significant milestone loss :-D
Never bothered with it myself until we had been approved 11m in out of curiosity more than anything (used ECAS the whole way instead) - it's not like I didn't go through this process. GCKey is just one more thing to stress about (and an unreliable update system) in an already stressful situation IMHO. There's this stigma that you have to do it - you don't. Just clarifying that for people who get very anxious about not being able to. It won't negatively impact the application.
 
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ryester

Champion Member
Oct 11, 2018
1,150
675
Never bothered with it myself until we had been approved 11m in out of curiosity more than anything (used ECAS the whole way instead) - it's not like I didn't go through this process. GCKey is just one more thing to stress about (and an unreliable update system) in an already stressful situation IMHO. There's this stigma that you have to do it - you don't. Just clarifying that for people who get very anxious about not being able to. It won't negatively impact the application.
Absolutely, the whole process is like a mind game. I cannot help myself checking between ECAS and GCKey everyday. I think it made me a lunatic. lol
 

schweisy

Hero Member
Dec 7, 2018
451
663
Berlin
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Vienna
App. Filed.......
07-12-2018
AOR Received.
07-02-2019
File Transfer...
11-03-2019
Med's Request
19-02-2019
Med's Done....
11-03-2019
VISA ISSUED...
24-05-2019
Agreed, it seems AOR2 didn't use to be a thing from what I've read. This may highlight the reason why nobody can agree on what actually constitutes AOR2.

Some people receive the initial 'we've transferred your application to xxxxxx visa office' and then don't get an email showing it's been received, whilst others do not get any emails until their local VO confirms they have it.

In reference to the email you receive from the local VO:
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/wife-got-an-email-but-not-sure-what-it-means.501987/#post-6111477

The whole process seems messy... there's people from October still behind people in December. o_O
Yeah, it seems like the only (semi) predictable steps are the early ones that are completed in Canada by the CPC, i.e. AOR1, Biometrics, SA and Medical. After that, once it starts its path to the VO, it seems to be kind of a crapshoot which messages you'll receive and how long they take! (Granted, I also imagine some background checks are more involved than others, some relationships require more investigation than others, etc, which would explain some of the timeline differences.)

On a similar note, from the moment our GCKey account went live it has said "we are processing your background check" when I believe that doesn't really start until it gets to your VO (and indeed in ECAS it doesn't say "We started processing your application" in the PA's details per the image you posted above from the other thread). Unless you are completely obsessive (and let's face it, even if you are, like *cough* some of us here), it gets pretty confusing trying to figure out what things mean or what to expect next. Once we get past the medical request I'm probably just going to give up all expectations or predictions and just keep my fingers crossed I guess!