Application in limbo at Cairo

[sheila la]

Hello Everyone

Just wondering if anyone has had this experience before or is familiar with it.

Our family sponsorship application has been sent to Cairo about 10 days before the protests began. Now the Embassy has closed and the website says applications can be sent to another visa office. However, it's already in Cairo. Will our application sit in limbo until the embassy re-opens or will they forward it to another office on our behalf? How exactly are we supposed to get the process moving?

Thanks for any help or insight.

Sheila

 

[Pharoh]

Hello Everyone

Just wondering if anyone has had this experience before or is familiar with it.

Our family sponsorship application has been sent to Cairo about 10 days before the protests began. Now the Embassy has closed and the website says applications can be sent to another visa office. However, it's already in Cairo. Will our application sit in limbo until the embassy re-opens or will they forward it to another office on our behalf? How exactly are we supposed to get the process moving?

Thanks for any help or insight.

Sheila

Unfortunately, I believe this is completely out of your control. CIC will either re-open the embassy, or will forward the applications to another office at some point in the future.

You might be able to cancel your application, and start the whole process over by re-applying to another visa office, though with nobody in the Cairo visa office to process the cancellation request (which can take a couple months in itself), that might not work either.

I think you'll have to sit tight and wait this out. There's nothing you can do. It'll all work out, but it'd be best to let CIC handle the situation.

 

[sheila la]

Unfortunately, I believe this is completely out of your control. CIC will either re-open the embassy, or will forward the applications to another office at some point in the future.

You might be able to cancel your application, and start the whole process over by re-applying to another visa office, though with nobody in the Cairo visa office to process the cancellation request (which can take a couple months in itself), that might not work either.

I think you'll have to sit tight and wait this out. There's nothing you can do. It'll all work out, but it'd be best to let CIC handle the situation.

Thanks Pharoh

 

[Mels]

Hi Sheila!

I came to this forum to see if anybody was in the same situation as myself and I found your post!!

I got my AOR on Jan 21st for my husband and the protest started on Jan 25th... So our story is quite similar!
I also saw the website saying the embassy in Cairo was closed until further notice.. I must admit I got nervous when I saw that...

but I'm not going to cancel my application as I am sure *positive thinking* the embassy will reopen soon.

However, lets keep in touch! I'm interested to see how everything turns out for you!! I wish you courage in your wait for any news from the embassy! I will keep you posted too!

Good luck!
~ Mels

 

[patiently_waiting]

Hello Everyone

Just wondering if anyone has had this experience before or is familiar with it.

Our family sponsorship application has been sent to Cairo about 10 days before the protests began. Now the Embassy has closed and the website says applications can be sent to another visa office. However, it's already in Cairo. Will our application sit in limbo until the embassy re-opens or will they forward it to another office on our behalf? How exactly are we supposed to get the process moving?

Thanks for any help or insight.

Sheila

Actually their website states, http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/egypt-egypte/index.aspx

Visa and Immigration - Important Notice

Due to circumstances beyond the Embassy's control, as of January 31, 2011, the services of the Visa and Immigration Section of the Embassy of Canada to Egypt are temporarily suspended. Temporary resident applications may be submitted to any other Canadian visa office in person. Please DO NOT send any correspondence or applications to the visa section in Cairo.

Hold tight and good luck!

 

[sheila la]

Hi Sheila!

I came to this forum to see if anybody was in the same situation as myself and I found your post!!

I got my AOR on Jan 21st for my husband and the protest started on Jan 25th... So our story is quite similar!
I also saw the website saying the embassy in Cairo was closed until further notice.. I must admit I got nervous when I saw that...

but I'm not going to cancel my application as I am sure *positive thinking* the embassy will reopen soon.

However, lets keep in touch! I'm interested to see how everything turns out for you!! I wish you courage in your wait for any news from the embassy! I will keep you posted too!

Good luck!
~ Mels

Thanks Mels

I am hopeful this will turn out good and the embassy will re-open soon. I'll keep in touch and let you know if I hear anything as well.

 

[sheila la]

Actually their website states, http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/egypt-egypte/index.aspx

Visa and Immigration - Important Notice

Due to circumstances beyond the Embassy's control, as of January 31, 2011, the services of the Visa and Immigration Section of the Embassy of Canada to Egypt are temporarily suspended. Temporary resident applications may be submitted to any other Canadian visa office in person. Please DO NOT send any correspondence or applications to the visa section in Cairo.

Hold tight and good luck!

Thanks patiently_waiting, no pun intended but all I can do is wait patiently....

I'm hoping this gets cleared up soon and we can get on with this process.

 

[patiently_waiting]

I can imagine! I just wanted to make sure you saw the site for what it says as if you withdrew and tried to start again there you could end up at the back of the line.. which wouldn't be good! Good Luck

 

[Tiggilicious]

Could you call the CIC number in Canada and find out?

 

[patiently_waiting]

To find out what? When they will be re-opening? I suppose it couldn't hurt! The call centre agents could probably address this for you.

 

[Tiggilicious]

I guess to find out if they sent everything to another office that was already sitting at their office?

 

[patiently_waiting]

At present as you applied in February, your application will still be sitting in Mississauga waiting to be processed as their website shows they are working on applications received on January 13, 2011. I would assume, however I am not an expert, that they would hold off sending applications to be processed in Cairo until the embassy re-opens as there would be no one there to receive their mail/courier. Logically, they would probably would not have sent any (or partially completed applications) to another office as it was a priority to close the office for the safety of their employees. Give them a bell, they may have different information as like I said I am assuming.

 

[Tiggilicious]

At present as you applied in February, your application will still be sitting in Mississauga waiting to be processed as their website shows they are working on applications received on January 13, 2011. I would assume, however I am not an expert, that they would hold off sending applications to be processed in Cairo until the embassy re-opens as there would be no one there to receive their mail/courier. Logically, they would probably would not have sent any (or partially completed applications) to another office as it was a priority to close the office for the safety of their employees. Give them a bell, they may have different information as like I said I am assuming.

The OP sent it in December

 

[patiently_waiting]

The OP sent it in December

ya sorry, I was responding to you.. the way the thread went I totally read yours wrong thinking you were the OP, duh.. The OP's will still be at the embassy.

 

[sheila la]

I can imagine! I just wanted to make sure you saw the site for what it says as if you withdrew and tried to start again there you could end up at the back of the line.. which wouldn't be good! Good Luck

Thanks patiently_waiting, I did see this on the site but it never entered my mind to withdraw and start over. It is too soon to think about doing that as the application just made it's way to Cairo when all this started. We'll wait it out a couple more months and wait to see if the embassy re-opens.

Thanks again.