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ALL ABOUT GCMS - HOW TO ORDER, READ, & GENERAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

muspal

Hero Member
Jun 1, 2019
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How many days after passing medicals should i apply for GCMS notes if my aim is to see some progress on my eligibility?
 

tizzyboi

Star Member
Aug 20, 2020
117
84
@legalfalcon if I get a GCMS note extension notice of 90 days(120 days since application); up to when will the GCMS notes have updated data if I receive it at the end of the extension period? 4 months old data or 1 month old?
 

EropbI4

Hero Member
May 29, 2020
246
121
Has anyone ordered notes from caipsnotes.com? What is the actual timeframe to receive notes from CBSA?
Just want to know whether my medicals have extended or not, nothing is reflected in my profile.
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
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App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
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@legalfalcon if I get a GCMS note extension notice of 90 days(120 days since application); up to when will the GCMS notes have updated data if I receive it at the end of the extension period? 4 months old data or 1 month old?
All GCMS notes have date of generation at the bottom of each page. It is as on the date of generation, how your application looked is captured in the GCMS notes. Usually the date of generation is 1-3 weeks after your request was filed with IRCC.
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,050
9,917
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
How many days after passing medicals should i apply for GCMS notes if my aim is to see some progress on my eligibility?
When to order GCMS notes?

The GCMS refers to the programmed called Global Case Management System (GCMS) used by IRCC that holds the entire processing record of your application, including the the notes pertaining to eligibility by an officer evaluating your file.

All applications go through the following stages:

R10
Medicals
Criminality
Eligibility
Security

R10 or the completeness check is the first stage of the processing, wherein it is verified that your application is complete and all documents are submitted. Filing a complete application is the responsibility of the application, and if a document is missing, a reason and an exemption request should be filed.

If an application is incomplete, it will be rejected. R10 usually happens within 30-45 days of filing your application, around the time when medicals are passed. The exact date will be available in your GCMS notes.

There is no point requesting GCMS notes at this stage, since if your application is incomplete, it will be rejected anyway, and for the medicals, the MyCIC account does inform you of when your meds are passed.

GCMS notes become important only for the eligibility stage, which does not start until 3-4 months. Eligibility takes place in 2 stages. First a case assistant or an analyst will review and make a recommendation. This is then reviewed by an officer who makes the final decision on the eligibility. Since each document you submitted has to be reviewed twice, this is the most time consuming stage.

Only for this stage are the GCMS notes relevant.

While GCMS is a great tool, use it sparingly and only after 3-4 months have expired.
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,050
9,917
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Has anyone ordered notes from caipsnotes.com? What is the actual timeframe to receive notes from CBSA?
Just want to know whether my medicals have extended or not, nothing is reflected in my profile.
You can send a webform instead or call IRCC, it will be faster and free.

Also, the medicals are extended when the medicals are about to expire or have already expired.
 

tizzyboi

Star Member
Aug 20, 2020
117
84
All GCMS notes have date of generation at the bottom of each page. It is as on the date of generation, how your application looked is captured in the GCMS notes. Usually the date of generation is 1-3 weeks after your request was filed with IRCC.
Thanks. this 1-3 weeks from date of request- does it hold true even for GCMS notes released after 120 days of request? Do you have any real life case who got the notes after 90 days extension and what their date of report generation shows?
 

EropbI4

Hero Member
May 29, 2020
246
121
You can send a webform instead or call IRCC, it will be faster and free.

Also, the medicals are extended when the medicals are about to expire or have already expired.
I did, agents on the line said we’ll notify you if we need you to redo Medicals. That’s it. They already expired in October, nothing since then. Waiting...
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
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@legalfalcon if I get a GCMS note extension notice of 90 days(120 days since application); up to when will the GCMS notes have updated data if I receive it at the end of the extension period? 4 months old data or 1 month old?
Sorry to hear about the extension, in the future to avoid such delays you can consider requesting your Gcms Notes from CBSA instead, see why https://bit.ly/34nuJPu

As to what date the data will be included in the Gcms Notes, it usually is from the first few days from when you placed the request i.e. when you do receive the Gcms Notes its likely to be stale and about 4 months old.

In some recent examples we are seeing Gcms Notes being generated 1 day after the request was received by IRCC
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,050
9,917
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Thanks. this 1-3 weeks from date of request- does it hold true even for GCMS notes released after 120 days of request? Do you have any real life case who got the notes after 90 days extension and what their date of report generation shows?
The GCMS notes are released in accordance with the Access to Information Act. The information as on the date that is requested is released. There is no responsibility on any federal institution to provide an ongoing update.

As regards extensions, they can be sought in accordance with section 9 of the Access to Information Act, which states:


Extension of time limits

  • 9 (1) The head of a government institution may extend the time limit set out in section 7 or subsection 8(1) in respect of a request under this Part for a reasonable period of time, having regard to the circumstances, if
    • (a) the request is for a large number of records or necessitates a search through a large number of records and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the government institution,
    • (b) consultations are necessary to comply with the request that cannot reasonably be completed within the original time limit, or
    • (c) notice of the request is given pursuant to subsection 27(1)
  • by giving notice of the extension and, in the circumstances set out in paragraph (a) or (b), the length of the extension, to the person who made the request within thirty days after the request is received, which notice shall contain a statement that the person has a right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner about the extension.

Even if you receive a GCMS note which is delayed, the date of generation will be 2-3 weeks post request.

Also, if you received an extension, it can be challenged, and can be invalidated by the Office of the Information Commissioner, if found unreasonable, which they have done earlier this year.

Here is a report of the OIC from earlier this year:


 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,050
9,917
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
I did, agents on the line said we’ll notify you if we need you to redo Medicals. That’s it. They already expired in October, nothing since then. Waiting...
You can send a webform and tray again. Also, irrespective of whether meds have expired or not, before your application is approved, IRCC will have to either extend them to ask you for a re-med.

Even if IRCC has not sent your medicals for reassessment or have extended them, it will not have any major impact on the processing.
 
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EropbI4

Hero Member
May 29, 2020
246
121
You can send a webform and tray again. Also, irrespective of whether meds have expired or not, before your application is approved, IRCC will have to either extend them to ask you for a re-med.

Even if IRCC has not sent your medicals for reassessment or have extended them, it will not have any major impact on the processing.
Thank you!

However, can we redo medicals for me and my wife upfront? Is it ok? Medicine should be valid for 1 year since then, right?
This is important in order not to get x-rayed later.
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
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Buffalo, NY
Thank you!

However, can we redo medicals for me and my wife upfront? Is it ok? Medicine should be valid for 1 year since then, right?
This is important in order not to get x-rayed later.
It's best to wait to get direction from IRCC if it's needed.