Passport Request Received - Are the photo requirements as strict as the application, and a few other needed clarifications.

[LongBill]

Also - how on earth do you mail this in? This letter says to send the package to the following -
Visa Application Centre – New York
145 West 45th Street, 4th floor
New York NY 10036
U.S.A.

but then includes this blurb -

"Please visit the VAC website at the link below for details on how to submit your package for secure transmission. (*Please note a service fee is applicable) If you have any questions about how to submit your original passport, please contact the VAC using the information available on the following website: https://www.vfsglobal.ca/canada/usa/"

I tried visiting that website, and could not make any sense of it, and didn't see what type of service fee applies here.

I received my "passport letter" on June 10 (Thursday) and was scratching my head at probably the exact same time that you (Mr. Goldfinger) were with the question of how to deal with the Visa Application Centre (a private company, contracted by IRCC to handle certain issues with the applications). This is one of the most convoluted websites I have run across. Dealing with the IRCC has been a breeze compared to dealing with this outfit.

ahhh, I see you have added some more posts since last night (the night of my extreme frustration), I will have to review those in-depth later.

Spending the better part of an hour this morning on their on-line "chat" I came away partly better informed. I still question some of what I was told. Following are some takeaways:

• As a US citizen I do not need a Visa so it is not necessary for me to send my original passport to the Center. However, I have to pay for a "two way courier service". I don't know why, they are not sending anything back to me.

• The fee for the two way courier is indicated on their website. So I need to pay for that plus the "transmission fee".

• "Because of Covid" they are ONLY accepting documents sent by "their courier". Per the agent, sending documents by other courier service or by USPS would result with a returned package (I am incredulous). I was going to run to the post office and send this by Priority Express mail today. Nope.

• I MUST write to their indicated email address (vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com) and request the (discounted by 10%) courier mailing labels. I imagine they jack the price up so they can discount by 10% and still make some extra money. (I also imagine that the stated requirement for two way courier even when not required is another money maker for them).

• The email address will respond within 1-3 days with instructions on "how to pay online" ("Because of Covid" they no longer accept money orders).

• Once I pay I send that confirmation back to the email address and then (another day or so) they will send the shipping labels by email.

• So much delay is built into this system.

• the Chat agent let loose that they use Federal Express (FedEx). I contemplated simply sending my package today by FedEx whilst waiting for their email reply, at which point I would pay their extortion fee for the two way courier service...which I would pay just so they get all the money they expect. I don't yet know if I will take this risk.

• when writing to them (vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com) be sure to include a table that is identical to Appendix A with the IRCC letter, download this pdf on their site (I'll try to update with the link in a bit)

 

[LongBill]

Ahhh I see. Did you write your application number on the back of the photos? Did you write the photo studio and all that, or just the person’s name?

My photographer stamped the back of one photo with her studio's information (as indicated in the common IRCC instructions as referenced in the "letter" see link below). I followed the instructions to write my name on the back of the same stamped photo. I contemplated adding my application number (or similar) but the instructions did not say to do so...the IRCC instructions are clear, those for the Visa Centre are in multiple locations and not cross-referenced so it is possible to miss some, I imagine.

(the link in letter that refers to the photograph requirements www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/pdf/5445EB-e.pdf)

Based on your question I am going to clarify this in my mind.

 

[goldfinger]

My photographer stamped the back of one photo with her studio's information (as indicated in the common IRCC instructions as referenced in the "letter" see link below). I followed the instructions to write my name on the back of the same stamped photo. I contemplated adding my application number (or similar) but the instructions did not say to do so...the IRCC instructions are clear, those for the Visa Centre are in multiple locations and not cross-referenced so it is possible to miss some, I imagine.

(the link in letter that refers to the photograph requirements www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/pdf/5445EB-e.pdf)

Based on your question I am going to clarify this in my mind.

there is a nested set of instructions in the passport request letter saying to write the application number on the back of the photos.

i also share your frustration with the website. Using it is a baffling ordeal.

on their consent, do you know what you do for the biometrics piece? We’ve already submitted biometrics, but I assume we sign off saying we want to share/submit biometrics?

 

[LongBill]

there is a nested set of instructions in the passport request letter saying to write the application number on the back of the photos.

i also share your frustration with the website. Using it is a baffling ordeal.

on their consent, do you know what you do for the biometrics piece? We’ve already submitted biometrics, but I assume we sign off saying we want to share/submit biometrics?

• Thank you for the direction to where the "appl number" is located. :- )

• On my consent form I put "N/A" by the "wishing to provide biometrics" section. Then I entered my name/signature/date on the section "Applicants NOT wishing to provide biometrics" and added a handwritten "balloon" with the text "Have previously been submitted to IRCC"

• Just a few minutes ago I got an email from vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com in reply to my email of last night. They included an Excel spreadsheet with information similar to (but not identical to) the Appendix A table in "the letter" from IRCC. FYI, there are a few input cells where you have to click in them (active cell) and then a "drop down" list of available selections will be displayed.

thanks again and Good Luck!

 

[goldfinger]

• Thank you for the direction to where the "appl number" is located. :- )

• On my consent form I put "N/A" by the "wishing to provide biometrics" section. Then I entered my name/signature/date on the section "Applicants NOT wishing to provide biometrics" and added a handwritten "balloon" with the text "Have previously been submitted to IRCC"

• Just a few minutes ago I got an email from vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com in reply to my email of last night. They included an Excel spreadsheet with information similar to (but not identical to) the Appendix A table in "the letter" from IRCC. FYI, there are a few input cells where you have to click in them (active cell) and then a "drop down" list of available selections will be displayed.

thanks again and Good Luck!

thanks for the reply!

i was just chatting with the VFSglobal people, and they said that the biometrics piece doesnt Need to be included. You just need to sign page 2 of the consent form.

 

[Fang_89]

Ahhh I see. Did you write your application number on the back of the photos? Did you write the photo studio and all that, or just the person’s name?

We wrote exactly what they asked for in the document, I can't remember everything, but it was the studio name and address, date the pictures were taken + name of person in the picture and their DOB, something like that

 

[LongBill]

Update on my experiences with VFS Global after receiving the "passport request" letter from IIRC.... an optimistic update

I've followed the procedures I roughly outlined earlier. The VFS website is pretty convoluted in my opinion. And their choice of words (likely translated from their home country's) is pretty odd. And I was very leery of dealing with them. However, things are looking up and I have more confidence in them.

They are pretty responsive to my emails. They say within 2-3 days in the auto-reply but I find they are responding within 12-24 hours. eg: I email in the late evening, the next morning I get a reply. I don't know where they are working from but some correspondence today revealed Washington, D.C.

I emailed last night with the "table" that is required and with request for instructions on how to pay on-line (I was told "no money orders during Covid" with goes against what the website mentioned. Anyway, easy to pay on-line.) I had a response mid-morning today with instructions and another email with a link to the payment website. The payment website was pretty rough, it's not like Amazon with glitzy purchase controls. But it easily accepted my "log in" ...they were "expecting" me and I had to enter my precise email and my surname to get in. The invoice was a bit less than I anticipated... I guess the 10% discount on FedEx. I paid by credit card and printed (pdf) the information. I also received an email with confirmation. Be sure to keep the two numbers...account and verification numbers.

The VFS email said to "revert back to them" with the payment information and my full mailing address. I sent the pdf copy of the paid invoice and entered my mailing address in my email to them.

About an hour later I got an email from Federal Express noting that the shipments were in-progress. A bit confusing to me.

But confusion is settled now. 3 minutes ago I got an email from VFS with the Fed Ex labels and further instructions.

From their email:

"Also – you are required to send the following:

• 2 Duly Signed and filled TT services Consent Forms
• IRCC Passport Submission Letter
• Return Label ( enclosed) and
• Original Passport
• Invoice Receipt"
  

I already informed them (email) that my original passport is NOT required as I am a US citizen and am exempt from the Visa requirement.

It's a mystery to me what they plan to send back to me with the "return label". It won't be my passport. I don't know if the official documents for PR and entry are sent by IIRC or by VFS. I guess I should read further on this.

hey, with luck I may get this sent out this afternoon!

This has really been a useful thread!

 

[armoured]

Update on my experiences with VFS Global after receiving the "passport request" letter from IIRC.... an optimistic update

I've followed the procedures I roughly outlined earlier. The VFS website is pretty convoluted in my opinion. And their choice of words (likely translated from their home country's) is pretty odd. And I was very leery of dealing with them. However, things are looking up and I have more confidence in them.

They are pretty responsive to my emails. They say within 2-3 days in the auto-reply but I find they are responding within 12-24 hours. eg: I email in the late evening, the next morning I get a reply. I don't know where they are working from but some correspondence today revealed Washington, D.C.

I emailed last night with the "table" that is required and with request for instructions on how to pay on-line (I was told "no money orders during Covid" with goes against what the website mentioned. Anyway, easy to pay on-line.) I had a response mid-morning today with instructions and another email with a link to the payment website. The payment website was pretty rough, it's not like Amazon with glitzy purchase controls. But it easily accepted my "log in" ...they were "expecting" me and I had to enter my precise email and my surname to get in. The invoice was a bit less than I anticipated... I guess the 10% discount on FedEx. I paid by credit card and printed (pdf) the information. I also received an email with confirmation. Be sure to keep the two numbers...account and verification numbers.

The VFS email said to "revert back to them" with the payment information and my full mailing address. I sent the pdf copy of the paid invoice and entered my mailing address in my email to them.

About an hour later I got an email from Federal Express noting that the shipments were in-progress. A bit confusing to me.

But confusion is settled now. 3 minutes ago I got an email from VFS with the Fed Ex labels and further instructions.

From their email:

"Also – you are required to send the following:

• 2 Duly Signed and filled TT services Consent Forms
• IRCC Passport Submission Letter
• Return Label ( enclosed) and
• Original Passport
• Invoice Receipt"

I already informed them (email) that my original passport is NOT required as I am a US citizen and am exempt from the Visa requirement.

It's a mystery to me what they plan to send back to me with the "return label". It won't be my passport. I don't know if the official documents for PR and entry are sent by IIRC or by VFS. I guess I should read further on this.

hey, with luck I may get this sent out this afternoon!

This has really been a useful thread!

They will send back the copr, probably one of your photos, and some other information. That's your entry and landing docs. Those will be issued by an ircc office (consulate or Embassy abroad) but the rest of the handling or logistics is vfs.

I don't know why you or anyone is surprised by stuff like referring to your passport. It's a form letter mostly entered hy a macro or equivalent.

 

[jtea9]

Update on my experiences with VFS Global after receiving the "passport request" letter from IIRC.... an optimistic update

I've followed the procedures I roughly outlined earlier. The VFS website is pretty convoluted in my opinion. And their choice of words (likely translated from their home country's) is pretty odd. And I was very leery of dealing with them. However, things are looking up and I have more confidence in them.

They are pretty responsive to my emails. They say within 2-3 days in the auto-reply but I find they are responding within 12-24 hours. eg: I email in the late evening, the next morning I get a reply. I don't know where they are working from but some correspondence today revealed Washington, D.C.

I emailed last night with the "table" that is required and with request for instructions on how to pay on-line (I was told "no money orders during Covid" with goes against what the website mentioned. Anyway, easy to pay on-line.) I had a response mid-morning today with instructions and another email with a link to the payment website. The payment website was pretty rough, it's not like Amazon with glitzy purchase controls. But it easily accepted my "log in" ...they were "expecting" me and I had to enter my precise email and my surname to get in. The invoice was a bit less than I anticipated... I guess the 10% discount on FedEx. I paid by credit card and printed (pdf) the information. I also received an email with confirmation. Be sure to keep the two numbers...account and verification numbers.

The VFS email said to "revert back to them" with the payment information and my full mailing address. I sent the pdf copy of the paid invoice and entered my mailing address in my email to them.

About an hour later I got an email from Federal Express noting that the shipments were in-progress. A bit confusing to me.

But confusion is settled now. 3 minutes ago I got an email from VFS with the Fed Ex labels and further instructions.

From their email:

"Also – you are required to send the following:

• 2 Duly Signed and filled TT services Consent Forms
• IRCC Passport Submission Letter
• Return Label ( enclosed) and
• Original Passport
• Invoice Receipt"

I already informed them (email) that my original passport is NOT required as I am a US citizen and am exempt from the Visa requirement.

It's a mystery to me what they plan to send back to me with the "return label". It won't be my passport. I don't know if the official documents for PR and entry are sent by IIRC or by VFS. I guess I should read further on this.

hey, with luck I may get this sent out this afternoon!

This has really been a useful thread!

Glad you're posting about your experience because I'm going through the same questions. I just received my husband's US passport request a few days ago and now waiting on hearing back from VFS to receive the shipping label. Could you update if and when you receive word back from the Visa office? We are probably in a similar time frame! Congrats!

 

[LongBill]

Glad you're posting about your experience because I'm going through the same questions. I just received my husband's US passport request a few days ago and now waiting on hearing back from VFS to receive the shipping label. Could you update if and when you receive word back from the Visa office? We are probably in a similar time frame! Congrats!

I found that VFS was pretty responsive to my emails last week. I think I mentioned that I'd sent an email a couple times in the evening and then the middle of the next morning I'd have a reply. I sent one email to ask (i) how to pay online (I was told by their "chat" that this was the only payment method available at this time) and (ii) the completed "table" was attached (the table from their site, actually, they will send a copy of this table by email as well). Shortly later I got a reply with instructions on payment (quirky but it worked). I paid on-line and then wrote back with the payment information (confirmation number) and the table (I guess I sent it here, not earlier). Later the same day I received the prepaid Fed Ex labels and further instructions. The "two way" courier is that they return documents to you (I did not need to send my passport but there are other documents being sent from the IRCC).

I hurried down to the Fed Ex store that afternoon and got the package sent out. It was received the next morning and I received email notice from VFS. They handled things pretty quickly and my info was sent to the Visa office or IRCC (I don't understand which). My Fed Ex package was sent on Wednesday last week. Later I got notice from both VFS and IRCC that things had progressed, and this afternoon I got an email from VFS saying that the return package was on its way.

I had fears about VFS being flaky but it has all gone well (so far).

Good Luck!

 

[jtea9]

Awesome!! You were right they are super responsive, got my labels and about to ship all the required documents off this evening! And that was a quick turn around if you received word it’s on the way! Thanks and good luck with everything!

 

[Ragu479191]

Do we need the cut the photos separately while submitting for passport request? The person in the photoshop gave it to me uncut and said he won't cut it. He stamped and signed it. Should I send it uncut or send it after cutting it?

 

[armoured]

Do we need the cut the photos separately while submitting for passport request? The person in the photoshop gave it to me uncut and said he won't cut it. He stamped and signed it. Should I send it uncut or send it after cutting it?

Cut.

 

[jassioye]

I received my "passport letter" on June 10 (Thursday) and was scratching my head at probably the exact same time that you (Mr. Goldfinger) were with the question of how to deal with the Visa Application Centre (a private company, contracted by IRCC to handle certain issues with the applications). This is one of the most convoluted websites I have run across. Dealing with the IRCC has been a breeze compared to dealing with this outfit.

ahhh, I see you have added some more posts since last night (the night of my extreme frustration), I will have to review those in-depth later.

Spending the better part of an hour this morning on their on-line "chat" I came away partly better informed. I still question some of what I was told. Following are some takeaways:

• As a US citizen I do not need a Visa so it is not necessary for me to send my original passport to the Center. However, I have to pay for a "two way courier service". I don't know why, they are not sending anything back to me.

• The fee for the two way courier is indicated on their website. So I need to pay for that plus the "transmission fee".

• "Because of Covid" they are ONLY accepting documents sent by "their courier". Per the agent, sending documents by other courier service or by USPS would result with a returned package (I am incredulous). I was going to run to the post office and send this by Priority Express mail today. Nope.

• I MUST write to their indicated email address (vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com) and request the (discounted by 10%) courier mailing labels. I imagine they jack the price up so they can discount by 10% and still make some extra money. (I also imagine that the stated requirement for two way courier even when not required is another money maker for them).

• The email address will respond within 1-3 days with instructions on "how to pay online" ("Because of Covid" they no longer accept money orders).

• Once I pay I send that confirmation back to the email address and then (another day or so) they will send the shipping labels by email.

• So much delay is built into this system.

• the Chat agent let loose that they use Federal Express (FedEx). I contemplated simply sending my package today by FedEx whilst waiting for their email reply, at which point I would pay their extortion fee for the two way courier service...which I would pay just so they get all the money they expect. I don't yet know if I will take this risk.

• when writing to them (vfsshippinglabels@vfsglobal.com) be sure to include a table that is identical to Appendix A with the IRCC letter, download this pdf on their site (I'll try to update with the link in a bit)

What application category did you select before paying for the labels? I got similar email and I have to send my passports as well. Thanks

 

[twinmama15]

Update on my experiences with VFS Global after receiving the "passport request" letter from IIRC.... an optimistic update

I've followed the procedures I roughly outlined earlier. The VFS website is pretty convoluted in my opinion. And their choice of words (likely translated from their home country's) is pretty odd. And I was very leery of dealing with them. However, things are looking up and I have more confidence in them.

They are pretty responsive to my emails. They say within 2-3 days in the auto-reply but I find they are responding within 12-24 hours. eg: I email in the late evening, the next morning I get a reply. I don't know where they are working from but some correspondence today revealed Washington, D.C.

I emailed last night with the "table" that is required and with request for instructions on how to pay on-line (I was told "no money orders during Covid" with goes against what the website mentioned. Anyway, easy to pay on-line.) I had a response mid-morning today with instructions and another email with a link to the payment website. The payment website was pretty rough, it's not like Amazon with glitzy purchase controls. But it easily accepted my "log in" ...they were "expecting" me and I had to enter my precise email and my surname to get in. The invoice was a bit less than I anticipated... I guess the 10% discount on FedEx. I paid by credit card and printed (pdf) the information. I also received an email with confirmation. Be sure to keep the two numbers...account and verification numbers.

The VFS email said to "revert back to them" with the payment information and my full mailing address. I sent the pdf copy of the paid invoice and entered my mailing address in my email to them.

About an hour later I got an email from Federal Express noting that the shipments were in-progress. A bit confusing to me.

But confusion is settled now. 3 minutes ago I got an email from VFS with the Fed Ex labels and further instructions.

From their email:

"Also – you are required to send the following:

• 2 Duly Signed and filled TT services Consent Forms
• IRCC Passport Submission Letter
• Return Label ( enclosed) and
• Original Passport
• Invoice Receipt"

I already informed them (email) that my original passport is NOT required as I am a US citizen and am exempt from the Visa requirement.

It's a mystery to me what they plan to send back to me with the "return label". It won't be my passport. I don't know if the official documents for PR and entry are sent by IIRC or by VFS. I guess I should read further on this.

hey, with luck I may get this sent out this afternoon!

This has really been a useful thread!

they will send back a paper COPR to use at the border and your other photo that isn’t attached to the COPR and I think my husband got a letter or something giving him direction for when he gets to the border