London Visa Office 2020/2021 (Outland Applicants)

[sh_ed]

@Naila Haris hi, did u get "we started processing" on ecas after aor2. I got aor2 on 14th may and no update on ecas. So im worried..

I wouldn't worry about that.... I know I was worried after getting A0R2 but ended up getting ppr without that line being added to ecas

 

[FAHIMBD]

We got AOR2 in April 2021. Our application was received in August 2020.

 

[LotusLeodis]

We got AOR2 in April 2021. Our application was received in August 2020.

How did you find out your AOR2 and location? We have had nothing yet....

 

[Cinderella_2020]

Alhamdulliah received Aor2 from London

 

[LotusLeodis]

Alhamdulliah received Aor2 from London

How did you find out about AOR2 and location? What is your timeline, please?

 

[FAHIMBD]

How did you find out about AOR2 and location? What is your timeline, please?

They emailed me. This is what they emailed me:

UCI: ***********
Application: ***********




Dear ****************,

We wish to inform you that your application for permanent residence in Canada has been received by the Family Reunification Unit at the IRCC Office in London, UK.

We would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some important facts and information pertaining to the processing of your application.

Your file number: ***********
Your Unique Client Identifier (UCI): ***********

Your file number is specific to your application and will appear on any document or correspondence we send to you.

The UCI is unique to you and identifies you as a client in our systems. It remains connected to you in all your interactions with our Department, past, present and future.

Please include your application number and UCI in any communication with us about your file.

How long will it take to process your application?

The departmental processing standard for Family Class applications is 12 months. Due to COVID-19, we are experiencing processing delays. We are actively working to reduce processing times. If you have not received any further communication from this office within 6 months of the receipt of this email, please contact us for a status update.

Processing time is calculated from the date the application for sponsorship was submitted in Canada at the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia, not the date it was received in London.

The processing of applications starts in order of received date but once the file is in process, how long it will take to finalize the application depends on the complexity of the file. This explains why files are not finalized in the same order they were received. While we endeavour to process all files within the departmental processing standard, complex applications may require more than 12 months.

The IRCC Office in London is a large office responsible for 18 countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and certain countries in Europe and the Gulf. Due to the volume of applications we receive it may be a few months before we start active processing of your application.

Applications where the only applicants are minor children are processed in priority. They are usually finalized within 6 months from the date of this email, unless they present complex issues or involve adoption or orphans. In these cases additional verifications may be required and will take longer to complete.

If you have not received any further communication from this office within 3 months of the date of this email, please contact us for an update.

What are the steps in the review of your application?

The first step took place at the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia where a review was conducted to assess whether your sponsor was eligible to sponsor you and met the requirements for sponsorship. We will now assess whether you, the applicant, meet the relevant requirements to be granted a permanent resident visa.

Your application will first go through a pre-assessment done by Case Analysts. Case Analysts do not make decisions. They will go over the facts of your application and deepen the understanding of your circumstances before your file is assigned to an officer for processing. You may receive a request for additional evidence.

Once your application is assigned to an officer, the first step will be for the officer to review whether you meet the requirements for the Family Class category you applied under. This is called: Eligibility.

Once eligibility is completed, the officer will review your admissibility to Canada. Providing there are no concerns, the decision on your admissibility may closely follow the decision on your eligibility. However, complex medical conditions, criminal records or security concerns can significantly extend the processing time of your application. Certain reviews or verifications are conducted by partner agencies and these verifications will most likely extend the processing time of your application.

Once these reviews are completed, your application should be ready for final decision.

How and when will you hear back from us?

Once the eligibility is successfully passed, you will receive an eligibility letter informing you of the positive eligibility decision and providing information to help you prepare for immigration. Please keep in mind that this letter simply means that you are eligible, not that your application will be approved.

Admissibility is reviewed shortly after eligibility is successfully passed. You should expect to hear back from us within 60 days following the receipt of the eligibility letter.

If there are concerns with your eligibility or your admissibility, or if further evidence is required, you will receive a request letter or you may be requested to attend an interview. Certain reviews or verifications may extend the processing of your application beyond 12 months.

What happens if you require an interview?

Depending on your place of residence, your interview may take place in London, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi or Islamabad. It is usually not possible for your interview to take place in other locations. Where serious circumstances prevent you from travelling to one of these locations, exceptional arrangements may be possible or we may need to transfer your application to another office. In either case, this will delay processing so you should endeavour to attend your interview at the assigned location.

Around one month prior to your interview, you will receive a letter of convocation. In addition to the time and date of your interview, the letter will provide you with instructions on attending the interview and will list any additional documents that you are required to bring with you. The processing time of your application may be impacted by the timing of officer travel to your region.

How can you help us process your application?

Inform us without delay:

• of any change in your contact details;
• of a change in your country of residence;
• of the birth of a child – unless the child has a claim to Canadian citizenship, the newborn child will need to be added to your application and be examined;
• of any change in your marital status or the marital status of your dependents;
• if you or your dependents are issued a new passport – make sure to provide us with copies of the bio-data page of the new passport;
• if you are unable to complete the medical examinations due to your pregnancy;
• if you will not be able to comply with a request we made within the deadline provided – explain why you cannot comply within the deadline and when you expect to be able to comply;
• if you wish to withdraw your application or add or cancel an authorized representative.

Further considerations:

• if your destination in Canada is in the province of Quebec, ensure your sponsor has applied for a Certificat de sélection du Québec for you and the dependents included in your application;
• if your sponsor has not yet paid the Right of Permanent Residence fees, consult our website to find out how to pay online: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/pay.asp;
• create a MyCIC account and link your application to your account. You will receive any correspondence from us directly in your account and documents uploaded in your account are available for review much faster. To create a MyCIC account, please visit our website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/account.asp.

Our contact address is: ***********************************

When sending evidence, send it only once, preferably online or by email, as this helps to reduce delays, unless we specifically requested originals. Do not send additional documents or evidence we have not requested as this pulls away resources from processing. However, do gather and keep any additional evidence to have it ready if we need it.

In anticipation of our next communication with you, take a look at what awaits you in Canada and learn more about Canada at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/live/index.asp.

You are an important client for our office and we appreciate your patience and cooperation.

Sincerely,

The Family Reunification Unit, IRCC London

 

[Cinderella_2020]

How did you find out about AOR2 and location? What is your timeline, please?

I received it through email today and location was mentioned on SA letter. Timeline is in my signature

 

[LotusLeodis]

They emailed me. This is what they emailed me:

Thanks! How long between medical and you, as PA, getting this email?

It's been 6 weeks since PA medical passed and no sign of where our papers might be.....

 

[Budi07]

Thanks! How long between medical and you, as PA, getting this email?

It's been 6 weeks since PA medical passed and no sign of where our papers might be.....

Can please advise how long it took till your medical was reviewed. Thanks and good luck

 

[LotusLeodis]

Can please advise how long it took till your medical was reviewed. Thanks and good luck

20 days - they just asked for a bit of additional info.

 

[FAHIMBD]

MAJOR UPDATE:

Got an email from them saying there is a message in my GCkey account. They sent a Pre-Arrival letter. It starts by saying:

"We are currently processing your application for permanent residency. You now qualify to receive pre-arrival services to help you prepare for your new life in Canada. These services are only available to you before you enter Canada."

So now I know they are processing my application at the LVO for sure. Any of you know what this letter implies? Does this mean that we won't need ADR/Interview?

@LotusLeodis

Medical Requested : 16th March 2021
Medical Exam: 29th March 2021
AOR 2 : 9th April 2021
Medical Passed: 26th April 2021
Pre-Arrival letter: 14th June 2021

For anyone wondering, we are August 2020 applications.

P.S. ECAS has not gotten these updates. It still says there "Medical whatever received on whenever". It seems way out of sync with what's actually happening.

 

[LotusLeodis]

MAJOR UPDATE:

Got an email from them saying there is a message in my GCkey account. They sent a Pre-Arrival letter. It starts by saying:

"We are currently processing your application for permanent residency. You now qualify to receive pre-arrival services to help you prepare for your new life in Canada. These services are only available to you before you enter Canada."

So now I know they are processing my application at the LVO for sure. Any of you know what this letter implies? Does this mean that we won't need ADR/Interview?

@LotusLeodis

Medical Requested : 16th March 2021
Medical Exam: 29th March 2021
AOR 2 : 9th April 2021
Medical Passed: 26th April 2021
Pre-Arrival letter: 14th June 2021

For anyone wondering, we are August 2020 applications.

I hope it doesn't mean you need anything further!

We still don't know where our files are. Mr LL passed his medical 6 days before you, so who knows what our timeline is.

Positive news, though!

 

[FAHIMBD]

I hope it doesn't mean you need anything further!

We still don't know where our files are. Mr LL passed his medical 6 days before you, so who knows what our timeline is.

Positive news, though!

It's good news for all of us because we have some tangible indication of some work being done at LVO. Someone must have gone through the file and went "It looks okay!". IF there is any truth to this flowchart:

It'd imply that the next steps are the bundles of security and background checks. In the chart, it states that you get the Pre-arrival letter if the case worker didn't think they need any more documents or interview stuff from you. I don't know if that's a guess or factually true. I just hope not a single one of us gets requested anything like that as that'd just add so much additional stress and time to this already never ending process.

The most absurd thing is that all the important security checks are left for the tail end of the process. So it's totally possible for someone to wait 2 years only to be told "sorry! you were never admissible to begin with so we did all these stuff and wasted both of our time and resources for nothing". I am just hoping all the partner agencies have computers and access to online databases to be able to do their work fast enough.

@LotusLeodis I feel like Mr LL will soon get a barrage of communications from LVO. I recall our applications being in sync.

 

[LotusLeodis]

It's good news for all of us because we have some tangible indication of some work being done at LVO. Someone must have gone through the file and went "It looks okay!". IF there is any truth to this flowchart:

It'd imply that the next steps are the bundles of security and background checks. In the chart, it states that you get the Pre-arrival letter if the case worker didn't think they need any more documents or interview stuff from you. I don't know if that's a guess or factually true. I just hope not a single one of us gets requested anything like that as that'd just add so much additional stress and time to this already never ending process.

The most absurd thing is that all the important security checks are left for the tail end of the process. So it's totally possible for someone to wait 2 years only to be told "sorry! you were never admissible to begin with so we did all these stuff and wasted both of our time and resources for nothing". I am just hoping all the partner agencies have computers and access to online databases to be able to do their work fast enough.

@LotusLeodis I feel like Mr LL will soon get a barrage of communications from LVO. I recall our applications being in sync.

I love that flow chart. It implies our papers have moved to a visa office and we have AOR2 but I have no idea when it happened. In ECAS, it has been saying processing app since 19th March for Mr LL.

I hope ours are running a similar timeline - fingers crossed. Just wish we knew and could easily find out where our papers are. I think they may have never left Canada, but no idea why I think that!

 

[armoured]

It'd imply that the next steps are the bundles of security and background checks. In the chart, it states that you get the Pre-arrival letter if the case worker didn't think they need any more documents or interview stuff from you. I don't know if that's a guess or factually true.

It seems to mainly be true - it clearly does not have final sign-off so nothing is completely off the table (yes, they could ask for more) but doesn't seem to happen that much.

I wouldn't assume that the security/background/criminality checks haven't started - again, may just be awaiting final confirmation or sign off. I don't know for sure but doubt that they would get to this stage and write pre-arrival if there were any 'heightened' checks flagged in the files.

Some seem to get decision made and even PPR fairly shortly after pre-arrival, sometimes quite quickly, although there is variation and longer cases. (More variation right now - covid and travel restrictions).