Applying for study visa from the UK

[Nicoleef]

Hi,

My partner applied for a study visa and I applied for a work permit under a joint application. We submitted our biometrics on the 5th of Feb and nothing has changed since. We are coming up to waiting 17 weeks, is this normal? We have submitted web forms where they replied saying, in a short, that our applications are being processed. I know someone else going through a similar situation but is this the same for everyone applying from the UK?

Thanks

 

[Strygald]

Normal for the UK office, earlier this year their processing times were even showing 23 weeks. There are a few people on the forums at the moment that are experiencing long wait times with this office. I myself am on 29 weeks, with still absolutely no idea on whether i'll be approved or rejected. Honestly, I don't know what they could possibly be doing that takes 29 weeks.. are they checking if i'm an international spy or something?

 

[Nicoleef]

Normal for the UK office, earlier this year their processing times were even showing 23 weeks. There are a few people on the forums at the moment that are experiencing long wait times with this office. I myself am on 29 weeks, with still absolutely no idea on whether i'll be approved or rejected. Honestly, I don't know what they could possibly be doing that takes 29 weeks.. are they checking if i'm an international spy or something?

Yeah I did see that but I guess I was naive to think that because we applied before that time it wouldn’t affect us. And what?! 29 weeks?! That’s appalling!!! Are you applying by yourself or are you taking someone with you? Have you sent a web form?

 

[Strygald]

Yeah I did see that but I guess I was naive to think that because we applied before that time it wouldn’t affect us. And what?! 29 weeks?! That’s appalling!!! Are you applying by yourself or are you taking someone with you? Have you sent a web form?

I applied by myself for a study permit, I dropped off a paper application at the VFS Global office in London and gave biometrics at the same time. I started sending case specific enquiries using the web form after I missed the first course start date, usually a month or two apart. It didn't take long for me to realize their response is just a copy/paste text that doesn't include any useful information. The last thing I did was send a complaint using the complaints form but that was either ignored or maybe it has made them go even slower, who knows?!

Anyway, sorry to hear you're stuck with ridiculous waiting times too.. I can't think of any other organization on the planet that takes this long to do things!

 

[Nicoleef]

I applied by myself for a study permit, I dropped off a paper application at the VFS Global office in London and gave biometrics at the same time. I started sending case specific enquiries using the web form after I missed the first course start date, usually a month or two apart. It didn't take long for me to realize their response is just a copy/paste text that doesn't include any useful information. The last thing I did was send a complaint using the complaints form but that was either ignored or maybe it has made them go even slower, who knows?!

Anyway, sorry to hear you're stuck with ridiculous waiting times too.. I can't think of any other organization on the planet that takes this long to do things!

Have you tried calling them? When we called the London office to ask for help they told us they only deal with paper applications, so you might get somewhere? And we did the same (sending a web form) they do say the same thing to everyone lol. Yeah I’ve heard if you complain/send a web form they take longer but I don’t know how true this is. And yes it’s absolutely ridiculous!! I really do hope you get somewhere soon 29 weeks is insane!!

 

[Strygald]

Have you tried calling them? When we called the London office to ask for help they told us they only deal with paper applications, so you might get somewhere? And we did the same (sending a web form) they do say the same thing to everyone lol. Yeah I’ve heard if you complain/send a web form they take longer but I don’t know how true this is. And yes it’s absolutely ridiculous!! I really do hope you get somewhere soon 29 weeks is insane!!

I didn't try to call them.. the 'Canada high commission, London' website states not to call them for immigration and visa issues.. don't think it would help my case. I've just sent them yet another CSE, i'm hoping they just get fed up of needing to reply to me and throw me a decision(even a rejection is a positive at this point!)

by the way, I heard from some that ordering GCMS notes may help speed up the processing but from my personal experience that is BS.. in case you were thinking of trying that!

 

[SamC10]

I have just found out my application needs additional verifications and that is why it is taking so long. Great.

 

[Strygald]

I have just found out my application needs additional verifications and that is why it is taking so long. Great.

That sucks, hopefully those additional verifications wont take long.

 

[Nicoleef]

I didn't try to call them.. the 'Canada high commission, London' website states not to call them for immigration and visa issues.. don't think it would help my case. I've just sent them yet another CSE, i'm hoping they just get fed up of needing to reply to me and throw me a decision(even a rejection is a positive at this point!)

by the way, I heard from some that ordering GCMS notes may help speed up the processing but from my personal experience that is BS.. in case you were thinking of trying that!

Oh, maybe not then but do you have any reason for them to reject you? So hopefully after all this waiting you will have a positive outcome! And how do you order GCMS notes? We can’t seem to find how to do it? At this point our cut off date before we defer is end of this month so it can’t hurt trying right?

 

[Nicoleef]

I have just found out my application needs additional verifications and that is why it is taking so long. Great.

Oh no! This is good and annoying news for you guys I guess, how did you find this out? Did they contact you? At least you’ve had some sort of answer now! But it would have been nicer if they let you know how much longer it was going to be

 

[SamC10]

Oh no! This is good and annoying news for you guys I guess, how did you find this out? Did they contact you? At least you’ve had some sort of answer now! But it would have been nicer if they let you know how much longer it was going to be

Well as I was getting no update from IRCC themselves yesterday I contacted the local MP by my mum and dad in Canada. He contacted his contact to give me an update on my account!!!! It was a long shot but they were very helpful They advised to email again explaining my situation is urgent as the house I live in has sold and I need to know whether to arrange further accommodation. See if they reply to that...I haven't heard from them about my last query tho so I dont hold much hope.
They werent able to provide me with timescale because they couldn't see what the additional verifications were and cause they are completed by outside partners it is outside any normal times. I just have this bad feeling it is going to be a long wait.

 

[Strygald]

Oh, maybe not then but do you have any reason for them to reject you? So hopefully after all this waiting you will have a positive outcome! And how do you order GCMS notes? We can’t seem to find how to do it? At this point our cut off date before we defer is end of this month so it can’t hurt trying right?

my situation is similar to Sam's... my mum and 3 sisters live in Canada, but I also have 2 brothers living in the UK. I was previously a permanent resident but lost it due to not staying in Canada for 2 years out of 5. Sooo, they probably are thinking that my ties in each country are iffy. After nearly 7 months though they must have combed over every little bit of my entire life in Canada and the UK.. not sure why it took that long since both countries' spy agencies swap info under the 5 eyes alliance!

With regards to the GCMS notes, if you know a resident in Canada they can order the notes on your behalf for CAD$5. If you don't know anyone then there a few websites that offer the service but charge about $15 to $20. Expect the notes to take at least 30 days to be sent(I waited about 35 days).

edit: I also read somewhere that you can order CBSA notes too which may include other info regarding your case files, but I don't have the energy to bother ordering more notes to verify that.

 

[Strygald]

Well as I was getting no update from IRCC themselves yesterday I contacted the local MP by my mum and dad in Canada. He contacted his contact to give me an update on my account!!!! It was a long shot but they were very helpful They advised to email again explaining my situation is urgent as the house I live in has sold and I need to know whether to arrange further accommodation. See if they reply to that...I haven't heard from them about my last query tho so I dont hold much hope.
They werent able to provide me with timescale because they couldn't see what the additional verifications were and cause they are completed by outside partners it is outside any normal times. I just have this bad feeling it is going to be a long wait.

Oh, sorry to hear that! it sounds like you're stuck in my boat! 'additional verifications by outside partners' sounds a lot like background checks by security agencies... same as where I seem to be stuck at. I still don't think your application will take as long as mine though...

 

[SamC10]

Oh, sorry to hear that! it sounds like you're stuck in my boat! 'additional verifications by outside partners' sounds a lot like background checks by security agencies... same as where I seem to be stuck at. I still don't think your application will take as long as mine though...

Shouldn't it be easier to verify information if we have lived there previously. That's what I don't get. And why it goes against you so much. Every time I go visit my parents on holiday I get stopped at customs cause I lived there previously even tho I always leave and renounced my PR. Crazy.
Why do you say I would hear first? I hope not because you have been waiting long enough. I know how I feel so I can onlh imagine your brain right now!!!

 

[Strygald]

Shouldn't it be easier to verify information if we have lived there previously. That's what I don't get. And why it goes against you so much. Every time I go visit my parents on holiday I get stopped at customs cause I lived there previously even tho I always leave and renounced my PR. Crazy.
Why do you say I would hear first? I hope not because you have been waiting long enough. I know how I feel so I can onlh imagine your brain right now!!!

It's funny how similar our experiences with immigration have been, every time I visit my family I get stopped as well and pulled into secondary for interrogation.. it really sucks and is such a waste of time, and they ask the exact same questions lol.

I think you would get a decision sooner because i've also done a LOT of travelling and i'm fairly sure they have been trying to determine if i've been doing anything nefarious in the countries i've visited.