##### Applicants VO Vienna please join #####

[Anvaller]

Hi Jeannie,

I think the situation is better for u now since u know when u will get it and sure, u would have the visa in it since it was being delayed erroneously for medicals. That means they would have issued the visa if not that they thought u had to do medicals. But hey, can u help me with the number u got them on? the ones on their website, is permanently on voicemail. I am still waiting for my visa too and I don't have any clue.

Thanks.

...And congratulations to Eddie!

 

[eddie_in_NL]

Jeannie,

Thanks, I"m heading to Calgary, probably by the end of August. In the end, your idea of crying out loud did pay off - otherwise you'd be waiting forever...

I saw from the envelope they sent me the passports that it was posted on Friday last week, and it arrived in my house in the Hague on Tuesday, or 3 working days later. In my case, there was no one home when the postman came so I had to wait until the next day to pick it up at the post office.

Note they will only deliver it to you (not even to family members) and you'll have to show some ID (your residence card or driver's license since your passport is obviously in the envelope).

Annvaller - hope you get yours soon, good luck too.

Regards

 

[Jeannie Grey]

Hi.. the phone number where you can reach the receptionist is +43 (1) 531-38-3000.
If you said something close to "I have a question regarding my visa application", the nice lady will hang up and put you to the visa robot, the same as if you dial +43 (1) 531-38-3010. ;D So you might want to follow my cry-out-loud trick ;D

 

[MDPKR]

Hello All,

First of all, I thank each and everyone of you here for sharing you experience with the Canadian Visa embassy in Vienna. After going through the website I have few questions. I thank in advance for your time.

I am an Indian citizen currently pursuing PhD in Germany. I have to present my research paper in an International Conference in Canada by end of October. Hence I am looking for a visitor visa. I am also planning to take my wife with me. My duration of stay in Canada will be approx. 10-15days. My German visa expires on September 31st( I will be extended). So its very necessary that I have my passport returned by Canadian embassy within this date.
I have few questions:

a) Is it better to visit in-person? Will it make the process faster. The website says it will be 10 days faster. But I need your suggestions. ( I am planning to Visit Vienna in the 1st week of August)
b) How many days it could take for processing the application realistically.
c) I had an American visitor visa before? So will it hasten the process?
d) what are the chances of my wife's visa request being accepted?
e) How is the rush for in-person submission of documents? Is it enough if I allocate one day of my stay in Vienna for Visa?

I will post my experience as it happens.

Thanks once again.
Regards
MdPkr

 

[eddie_in_NL]

MdPkR,

i cannot fully answer your questions, but can make some comments based on my experience on applying for a work permit.

- my application was processed in 18 days + 3 days mailing time from Vienna to the Netherlands. The website says 20 days excluding mailing time, so was in fact ahead of time. You see from other comments in this forum that for some people it took longer than the initial estimate.
- note that if you submit in person, you'll be without your passport to return to Germany. In theory, you're not allowed to travel without it, even though both countries are within the Schengen space (only EU nationals can travel without a passport). In practice, if you travel by land (car or train), it is very unlikely that police will stop you to check for documents, unless you're doing something obviously wrong. If you fly, then the airline may refuse you boarding the flight. You can use DHL to send documents, it is a bit expensive but it gets there next day (saves a couple of days compared to normal mail), is very secure and you can track delivery online. They returned my passport by registered mail that could only be delivered to myself in person (nobody else, I had to show my ID).
-not sure if the american visa helps or not. in theory it should not make any difference, in practice maybe it does.
- don't see any problem regarding your wife visa (if they grant yours, they will most likely also grant her a visa). I'm not even officially married and my partner got an open work permit as well without submitting any additional document.

it would be better to apply after your German visa is extended, so it becomes clear that you have no intention of immigrating illegally. If you apply before your visa is extended, I would include a letter and any other documents explaining your situation, that you expect to continue in Germany (or whatever you plan to do after your trip), etc... to demonstrate you will not stay in Canada, basically you have to provide good reasons why you would not stay there. I know how this may sound, but the officer has to be convinced you will not stay there and he/she only has a limited amount of time to look at your file - I would definitively be on the safe side.

hope that is of some help to you.

Please post your timeline here for the benefit of future applicants. (when you applied, how long it took, when you receive it back).

 

[Anvaller]

@MdPkR

Just to add this, concerning the processing time, Don't bother urself going. Just DHL and it should be ok. From my experience and observations, all that is written on their website does not actually happen that way in practice.

In one scenario, I submitted in person at Vienna on June 19th and a friend of mine who submitted also in person one week later got her case finalized on July 19th while mine was finalized on July 23rd (and that was after sending them a "cry out loud email" on the friday before i.e July 20th). If u would observe, u would see that the dates I indicated here are well more than a month and it does not include the waiting time for the passport to be returned. Meanwhile, the normal time for submission in person is 15 working days. My other friend got hers today while I am still waiting for mine. Although I know I should get it tomorrow if not today.

In another scenario, Eddie_in_NL submitted a TWP application by post on the same date I submitted mine in person, and he got his case finalized slightly less than the 20 working days bracket for submission by post. U see?

In one other scenario, If u try to trace the case of Jeannie Grey on this thread, he/she got his/her case settled after it took over 40 working days!!!

My advice: U can make ur decision by urself whether u want to post or go in person but as soon as the stipulated processing time is over and u have not received anything, start by sending them email immediately and indicate a very pressing reason why u must get ur case finalized ASAP. Write on the subject of the email "URGENT!!!" otherwise there may never be a reply. But try that u dont send such a mail while ur processing time is still counting, u must be sure that the indicated processing time has been exceeded otherwise they would not reply.

Goodluck with ur application.

 

[Anvaller]

To Jennie Grey,

For a reason I don't know, It was not possible for me to PM u back. If u wouldt mind, u can write to this mail. papy.wendo@gmail.com

Good luck!

 

[Jeannie Grey]

Hello people..

I received a form for medical exam on 19 July. I received my passport back on 24 July, together with a letter stating that my application has been closed upon my request.
I left Netherlands, about to restart a new application in Jakarta, when a nice lady from Vienna called me and left a voicemail in my cell phone!!!
I was so lucky that I was still using my Dutch number..

She advised me to re-open my application in Vienna, go on with medical exam in Indonesia (my own country) and update my address+contact info.
This medical result will be sent to London, and if I pass (I did it today and the doctor said that I'm a healthy and happy girl ;D) Vienna will contact me for my passport.

It has been a loooong yet expensive journey for me but the Vienna lady thinks that I should be able to start my work in September (as it is in my job offer).

@anvaller: Thanks.. but as you see I didn't have to restart my application. How is it with yours? Did you get your passport back?

@ MDPKR: I would do it ASAP. Yours is closer to a tourist visa, so it may not be too complicated (most people in this forum apply for permanent/student/work visa), but again no one can be sure...
In my case the US visa didn't help. I did part of my university in US for 9 months, and I'm currently holding a 10-year B1/B2 visa. I also had FBI clearance (police report) along with my working permit application. Similar thing with UK. Maybe my record is too complete that's why it took too long to assess them ;D

As usual, gooooood luck everyone!

PS: I have the lady's office phone nr so if Vienna somehow piss me off again I will post this number in this forum!! Just kidding - I won't do that

 

[Anvaller]

Good for you Jeannie,

It looked pretty much like the embassy regret the shabby way they have handled your case and so they want to correct it by trying to get u back. That is very very good otherwise if you are to start a fresh application in Indonesia, it would take a very long time considering the application volumes the V.O over there will be dealing with. Maybe I am wrong but that's what I think.

From the other question u asked, I observed that the front office guys at Vienna are Germans while those at the back office are the Canadians. But sure, there are real visa officers there but they don't deal with the public. At least as far as I could observe., u can not get to talk with them or ask any question.

To my utmost dismay, I am still waiting to receive my passport to be returned. They claimed to have posted it since the 24th and I am still waiting. Post.NL told me I could receive it on Mon/Tue. U can imagine, 7-8 working days for a registered mail between Netherlands and Austria??? Well the other friend of mine who got hers on thursday also took 7 working days for her passport to be returned. But according to Edd_in_NL, he got his in just 3 working days which should be normal. This is pure crap.

Anyway I am still waiting

 

[Udoka]

Hi Jeannie,

But Vienna seem to be going slower than I was thinking. I f 20 working days is now 37 working days??? almost 40??? that is abnormal. U see, the problem is that the CIC is experimenting at this moment with their immigration strategies and unfortunately, we would seem to be victims of any irregularity caused by their experiments. The waiting wouldn't have been this long if it was Berlin.

I hope u get it soon though,

Good luck


Hi Jeannie,
I just read through the lines you sent to eddie and discovered that you appllied for study visa. Please can you put me through. I stay in Berlin and I am planning to apply for a study Visa for a Postgraduate course in Canada.
How do I start since the office is now in Vienna and no longer in Berlin.

@ eddie in NL

I also submitted my application on the 19th but for study permit and it will be 20 working days in 2 days. Though my due date is 15 working days cos I submitted in person but I am still waiting. I sent them an email at exactly 15 working days.. no reply yet.

Nw I have 2 applications with Vienna, 1) FSW & 2) Study permit

Let's keep in touch here.

Cheers!

 

[eddie_in_NL]

Hi Udoka,

i was a bit confused by your post (I guess your text come right in the middle of a quote of a previous reply) but understand you're asking about how to apply for a study permit.

The process is the same, only that you have to submit the documents to Vienna instead of Berlin. the list of documents they require may be slightly different as well, but it is fully explained on their website. Gathering everything they request was the most difficult part (at least in my case, i needed police certificates from 4 different countries). The waiting times are also very annoying even if they're on time (I've been lucky and got everything on time) - and you can see from the forum that often they're taking much longer than estimated.

I cannot give any advice specific to study permit as i applied for a work permit. All I can offer is some general (and to large extent obvious) advice: make sure all documents are right and complete, including translations, and that they clearly relate to your application. I included a letter (not requested by them) explaining my situation and clarifying any items that may not be clear from the forms, you should also include additional documents if you think they're relevant.

Given the volume of applications they receive, it is fair to assume they only have a few minutes to spend per application - you want to make their life as easy as possible - if they see something missing or incomplete or that they don't understand, it means additional effort for them to contact you (which they may not be willing to do) and likely a big delay. On the other hand, if they can quickly find all the information they need, they are more likely to give you a quick (and hopefully positive) response.

And be VERY patient...

Good luck

 

[Anvaller]

Just to inform you guys,

My study permit application was refused and I know why. I have a pending skilled worker application in the same visa office. Although they did a clever thing by not stating that as the reason for their decision. They only looked for very flimsy and laughable excuses.
-your purpose of visit
-your immigration status
-your financial status
when all that are very very clearly presented in my application, I even included documents to show my properties back home.
I think it is not worth it to send another application, they would find other excuses I believe. This is just experimental for me to conclude that the so called Dual Intent thing is really not very real in practice. One would have to be very lucky to have a V.O grant u a TRV when a PR application is pending. That is my conclusion.

Well, where are the FSW guys??? let's inform each other pls!

Good luck to any one who is applying at this time.

 

[trying]

No news from Vienna. Still waiting (4-7 months from May)

 

[MDPKR]

Hello All,

Thank you all for the suggestions. I am applying for my visa this week. I have a query again

Whats your take on submitting only a copy of passport initially to the Visa office and only upon confirmation of acceptance, sending passport to them? Do you believe its a good way? This is also an option mentioned in the website.

Thanks
MdPkr

 

[Anvaller]

No news from Vienna. Still waiting (4-7 months from May)

Just like I wrote this line.
I am hoping for September though.