2012 Applicants Moscow, Russia Visa Office.

[IrinaAbdNova]

Hey guys ;D,

I decided to start a new thread for 2012 Applicants who are going through Moscow VO.

Let's share our timeline with each other and any difficulties you had to face along this process, so we all know what to expect.

My timeline:

Meds - Oct 30, 2011. Mississauga - Feb 1, 2012. Sponsor Approved - Apr 20, 2012.

I haven't received the AOR letter yet or any other news for that matter =).

 

[JusticeForAll]

Hello,

I'm a Canadian citizen living with my spouse in her home country and this is our time line:

Visa office Moscow

Nov-01-2011 - Medical sent
Nov-04-2011 - Application filed
Nov-15-2011 - Application received in Mississauga
Jan-18-2012 - Sponsorship approved
Feb-14-2012 - Quebec CSQ issued

When I check the application online it still says: Decision Made (on the Sponsorship application status) and Application Received (for Permanent residence application status)

I've written an email back in June to Canadian Embassy in Moscow in order to find out if they've received the file, medical exam and ect. The answer came in after 28 DAYS saying that, I'm not authorized to receive any information (even if I'm the SPONSOR!!!). We've submitted the form as me being the representative in order to finally get the info, so they've send me a reply that I'll get an answer in another 21 days. Calling them is useless, no one answers at all.

Any idea what's going on and what should I do?

Did anyone else have such a ridiculous difficulty with MOW office?

 

[I.N]

Hello!

Usually they don't give informations over the phone, no worries, its nothing unusual, if you have no news that its always a good thing.
I've read on this forum, not Moscow though, it was Bucharest, someone sent over and over emails to the Embassy but no response at all, NONE! And in the end he received passport request email not after la ong time.

You must receive news soon.

Good luck!

 

[JusticeForAll]

Thank you so much for the info and support. It's just that usually these applications are being processed in 6 months for others (through MOW office), but for us it's been already over 9 moths.

But I'll keep waiting until we hear anything.

BTW, the med and security check expire on Oct-31, when would you suggest to complete another one just to be in the proper time loop, if God forbids they don't give me an answer by then?

 

[I.N]

My file it supposed to be processed in 6 months as well but look at my time line...; ???

Every case is different there is no similarity what so ever.

As for your medicals valabilidy and police checks, it should be ok so far, its a long time until October, many things could happen by then; you will have a decision before October.

Quite sure!

Best of luck!

 

[frustr_8_ed w/CIC]

Thank you so much for the info and support. It's just that usually these applications are being processed in 6 months for others (through MOW office), but for us it's been already over 9 moths.

But I'll keep waiting until we hear anything.

BTW, the med and security check expire on Oct-31, when would you suggest to complete another one just to be in the proper time loop, if God forbids they don't give me an answer by then?

Hi JusticeForAll,
My wife's case also processed by MOW office. She recently had to undergo a second medical because folks in Moscow seems to take too long to do their jobs. You do not undergo a second medical exam until VO would ask for it. Hopefully your spouse will have her visa by Oct. or even sooner. Besides, CIC just recently had a new Operational Bulletin (dated May24 2012) it instracts VOs to extend a validity of a medical exams for another 12 months. That applies to a cases with medical exams taken within last 15 mnths. and medical expiry date to be the only issue before VO is ready to issue a visa. In my wife's case MOW asked for a new police certificate. Russian police certificate is valid for 1 year. So, MOW could not extend a validity of her medical (from April 2011) as she also had an expired police certificate. MOW office sent us a new medical form with date stamped on a form. She was given 60 days to do a second medical...

 

[IrinaAbdNova]

Hello,

I'm a Canadian citizen living with my spouse in her home country and this is our time line:

Visa office Moscow

Nov-01-2011 - Medical sent
Nov-04-2011 - Application filed
Nov-15-2011 - Application received in Mississauga
Jan-18-2012 - Sponsorship approved
Feb-14-2012 - Quebec CSQ issued

When I check the application online it still says: Decision Made (on the Sponsorship application status) and Application Received (for Permanent residence application status)

I've written an email back in June to Canadian Embassy in Moscow in order to find out if they've received the file, medical exam and ect. The answer came in after 28 DAYS saying that, I'm not authorized to receive any information (even if I'm the SPONSOR!!!). We've submitted the form as me being the representative in order to finally get the info, so they've send me a reply that I'll get an answer in another 21 days. Calling them is useless, no one answers at all.

Any idea what's going on and what should I do?

Did anyone else have such a ridiculous difficulty with MOW office?

Hey. Wow they have been working on your file for so long! You have to order GCMS/CAIPS Notes, you can see everything about your process in there, the visa officers make notes regarding your case. You will probably be able to see the reason to why it is taking so long and work from there. It will take a month to receive it though, but in your case it's worth it since they've had your file for so long. Here is more info on how to order: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/latest-caips-gcms-notes-forms-and-how-to-order-t99210.0.html
You can also ask your MP to contact the embassy, they give the MPs answers way faster then the applicants.

In my case, I haven't been waiting long. I did not receive the AOR letter from Moscow, I have no updates on ECAS. So I was really worried my documents never reached them. And on Aug 1 I got an email from them requesting to send them just ONE form, my history since age 18. Which means they are working on it even though I did not hear anything from them through their usual means of communication (AOR, ecas).

Regarding Medicals and Police Clearance, as frustr_8_ed w/CIC said, you will have to wait for the embassy to send you the forms for the second medical. They usually do so when they are ready to issue the visa and the medical is expired or about to. I have not heard about the new rules however, frustr_8_ed w/CIC can you please provide a link? As for the Police Clarence I do not think you have to wait for them to request it, you can apply for a new one, if I am wrong please correct me

Hope some of this info helps. Hopefully you will get good news soon

Edit: Also I just realized, you said you live with your wife in her country. Did you provide proof of intent to return to Canada?

 

[frustr_8_ed w/CIC]

Regarding Medicals and Police Clearance, as frustr_8_ed w/CIC said, you will have to wait for the embassy to send you the forms for the second medical. They usually do so when they are ready to issue the visa and the medical is expired or about to. I have not heard about the new rules however, frustr_8_ed w/CIC can you please provide a link? As for the Police Clarence I do not think you have to wait for them to request it, you can apply for a new one, if I am wrong please correct me

Hope some of this info helps. Hopefully you will get good news soon

Edit: Also I just realized, you said you live with your wife in her country. Did you provide proof of intent to return to Canada?

Hi IrinaAbdNova,
Below is a link to Operational Bulletin 423 (Reassessment of a medical file for the issuance of a new medical certificate)

In June 2012 my wife had a request from Moscow to redo her medical and to provide an updated police certificate from Russian MVD. Both expired after one year. We were expecting it (request for a new police clearance). We got it from Russian MVD in advance, in May 2012 and mailed it to Moscow as soon as we received their request by snail mail (request to provide a new police clearance as well as to undergo another medical). It reached the embassy before my wife's appointment to redo her medical. According to an Operational Bulletin 423, VO may contact the Regional Medical Office and request to reassess and extend a validity of your medical for another 12 months. In my wife's case, after receiving a new police clearance letter, Moscow still had about a month to reassess her first medical.
However, I do not think they care at all, my wife had to redo her medical as we did not want to miss her appointment and a 60-day window (as per Moscow's request). It sucks to wait for additional 3 to 4 months for the System to process a second medical besides the cost of it. I hope that you guys won't need it and will get your visas soon.
Anyways, good luck to all of us !

cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob423.asp

 

[IrinaAbdNova]

frustr_8_ed w/CIC,
Thank you for replying. I had already found that manual, but thank you for the link anyway =)
I sympathize with your situation, it double sucks cos you prepared yourselves in advance. Have you heard anything from the embassy since she underwent her medical?
I will most likely have to do the medical plus new police clearances as well, I assume they are expired by now. I had to do one form Canada and from Kuwait, I don't know how long they are valid for.
Thank you, best of luck to you guys as well!

 

[frustr_8_ed w/CIC]

frustr_8_ed w/CIC,
Thank you for replying. I had already found that manual, but thank you for the link anyway =)
I sympathize with your situation, it double sucks cos you prepared yourselves in advance. Have you heard anything from the embassy since she underwent her medical?
I will most likely have to do the medical plus new police clearances as well, I assume they are expired by now. I had to do one form Canada and from Kuwait, I don't know how long they are valid for.
Thank you, best of luck to you guys as well!

Hi IrinaAbdNova,

Thank you for your comments,
To be honest it triple sucks because we have a 5-months old baby born in Russia (baby is born Canadian citizen ) and yet fellows in Moscow are taking their sweet time. We let them know about my wife's pregnancy since the very begining of the process (over a year ago). We never had to add anything to the application forms. We never got a call for an interview. I know most of the people are trying to avoid it, to the contrary I would love to attend one to speed up the process somehow. Once, in Feb.2012 we had a request to provide an evidence of how's pregnancy going or to provide a birth certificate for a newborn. On March 1st courier delivered translated birth certificate to the embassy. Then embassy in MOW went silent for more than 4 months. Anyway, really makes me mad just to think of the time they've wasted only to call for a new medical and updated police certificate 3+ months later. Way to go if you "try hard" to reunite families "faster"
I'm living with my wife in Russia since Dec.2011. Would fly with our daughter to Canada tomorrow if I could, unfortunately she is too little to fly on her own without her mom.

I hope that this waiting nightmare will be over soon.

Good luck to all of us !

 

[frustr_8_ed w/CIC]

frustr_8_ed w/CIC,
Thank you for replying. I had already found that manual, but thank you for the link anyway =)
I sympathize with your situation, it double sucks cos you prepared yourselves in advance. Have you heard anything from the embassy since she underwent her medical?

Sorry IrinaAbdNova, I forgot to answer you question in my previous post
No, we have not heard anythithing from MOW since my wife had her second medical. In a letter-request for it, in June 2012, MOW informed us that it will take about 3 months after the medical test. So, we are hoping mid-October 2012 if they won't forget about us ...

 

[IrinaAbdNova]

Hi IrinaAbdNova,

Thank you for your comments,
To be honest it triple sucks because we have a 5-months old baby born in Russia (baby is born Canadian citizen ) and yet fellows in Moscow are taking their sweet time. We let them know about my wife's pregnancy since the very begining of the process (over a year ago). We never had to add anything to the application forms. We never got a call for an interview. I know most of the people are trying to avoid it, to the contrary I would love to attend one to speed up the process somehow. Once, in Feb.2012 we had a request to provide an evidence of how's pregnancy going or to provide a birth certificate for a newborn. On March 1st courier delivered translated birth certificate to the embassy. Then embassy in MOW went silent for more than 4 months. Anyway, really makes me mad just to think of the time they've wasted only to call for a new medical and updated police certificate 3+ months later. Way to go if you "try hard" to reunite families "faster"
I'm living with my wife in Russia since Dec.2011. Would fly with our daughter to Canada tomorrow if I could, unfortunately she is too little to fly on her own without her mom.

I hope that this waiting nightmare will be over soon.

Good luck to all of us !

Congratulations on your baby=)
So you've been in the process for over a year, woow. Well at least you know your wife was approved and it is just a matter of time util her visa. They first process the applicant and when they are ready to issue the visa they request the second medical and police clearance if it is expired or abt to be, that is why they took 4 months to inform you.
Have you ever ordered the notes? Now that you know the decision was positive, you probably don't need it. If you want to know why they took so long, the notes can help, plus it is interesting to see what they did and what they wrote in there. I will be ordering it soon, I am just waiting for it to be 5 months since my docs got to Moscow.
You are with your wife and your baby, that is something =)) Not a lot of people can continuously live together during this process.

I think it is up to 3 months, so it could be faster. But you never know with them=))

 

[JusticeForAll]

Hi Guys,

Thank you so much for the replies on my issue. So I just got an email that, on MAY-08-2012 MOW has sent a request "for additional documents" (didn't indicate what) to a WRONG EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!! They've given us 60 days to reply and it's already way over that.

I've replied to them in order to receive the original request to my CORRECT email.

Guys I'm really freaking out here, please advise on what should I do here. Are they able to refuse the application because of this? Since June I've kept sending them emails regarding the application status and inquiring about any missing docs, and only now they've replied back (when it's late).

Thank you.

 

[IrinaAbdNova]

Hey JusticeForAll,

I doubt they can refuse your application, it was their mistake not yours. I really don't know what to do in your situation, the only way to communicate with them is through email and that failed. The only thing I would suggest is contacting your local MP in Canada, but since you are not living in Canada you can't go to his/her office. If you have an address in Canada use the link below and put you postal code there, maybe you will be able to email/call your MP or someone on your behalf can go there.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/houseofcommons/memberbypostalcode.aspx?menu=hoc

Good luck. I really hope it all resolves soon and you will get the visa.

 

[JusticeForAll]

Thank you very much IrinaAbdNova, I'll wait to receive a reply from them in the nest 48 hours, if not then I'll use the link you've sent. Thank you so much for the help.