Applying Outland - US, which Visa office will it go through?

[Amalthea]

Phew. Deep breath.

I have been reading these forums over the last 8 months or so while I wait for my Diversion to end. First things first, I want to thank all of you for your insight, knowledge, and helpful attitudes. I have learned so much.

My husband is in Vancouver, BC, and I am in Oregon. We have been waiting to apply for spousal sponsorship until after July 1st, because that's when my Diversion period ends (for a DUI). I have never been charged with a DUI, and the charges are going to be dismissed July 1st because I have jumped through all the proper hoops.. YAY! After that I will apply for my FBI criminal background check (which will show the Diversion, so I am getting a letter from the court explaining I passed all my obligations to have the charges dropped), get my medicals done 5 hrs away in Portland, and then send off the package & supporting documents.... Hopefully I didn't miss anything.

Back to my original point;

According to the CIC website, the Visa offices handling US Outland applications are LA and NY, with an average wait time of 3 years. Given this knowledge, we were going to apply Inland and ask for a visitor visa extension. However, a few weeks ago I happened to stumble upon a comment saying that US Outland applications are actually processed through Ottawa. Much to my surprise, considering their wait time is currently sitting at 8 months.. and because that is a Canada Visa office.

Is this true? Can anyone verify?

If so, this is great news!!! and thus we would apply Outland!

Thanks for your time!

 

[JessNess]

Outland = Ottowa
Unless there's something that needs closer examination, then it is sent to LA/NY

 

[Amalthea]

Outland = Ottowa
Unless there's something that needs closer examination, then it is sent to LA/NY

This is awesome! What a huge relief. I was so prepared to ditch all my belongings and get myself and my dog over the border to apply inland. Seriously, thank you. What a difference this makes ;D

 

[JessNess]

Your Stage 1 Sponsor Approval is done in Mississauga, Ontario. After your sponsor is approved, they forward the rest of your application and proof to Ottowa to be processed for Stage 2. If for some reason they see evidence of fraud or things that need clarification or investigation, I believe they then forward it to LA or NY. I am not 100% sure, but I know they are in charge of sending it, it's not an option that you can select upon submitting the application.

Good luck!

 

[Amalthea]

Your Stage 1 Sponsor Approval is done in Mississauga, Ontario. After your sponsor is approved, they forward the rest of your application and proof to Ottowa to be processed for Stage 2. If for some reason they see evidence of fraud or things that need clarification or investigation, I believe they then forward it to LA or NY. I am not 100% sure, but I know they are in charge of sending it, it's not an option that you can select upon submitting the application.

Good luck!

Gotcha. Thanks Jess! That is really reassuring.

I just have to cross my fingers that my diversion doesn't need clarification. Hopefully it's clear enough that the charges were dropped altogether. If the border guards were able to figure it out, I'm sure CIC will be able to as well.

However, the fact that complicated applications get forwarded to NY or LA explains the longer (3 year) wait times. I don't think our application is too out of the ordinary, and I have no children, so hopefully it won't take long at all. Thank you again!

 

[rhcohen2014]

Gotcha. Thanks Jess! That is really reassuring.

I just have to cross my fingers that my diversion doesn't need clarification. Hopefully it's clear enough that the charges were dropped altogether. If the border guards were able to figure it out, I'm sure CIC will be able to as well.

However, the fact that complicated applications get forwarded to NY or LA explains the longer (3 year) wait times. I don't think our application is too out of the ordinary, and I have no children, so hopefully it won't take long at all. Thank you again!

i'm confused when you say you weren't charged with a dui, and you are waiting for the charges will be dismissed. Does that mean you were initially charged with a dUI and you have done what is necessary to have it dismissed so you won't have a criminal record? It might not even be the FBI record. Either way, i don't think this would be considered a "complicated" application. From what i've read it serious criminal offenses, suspicion of misrepresentation or marriages of convience. More likely than not, it will stay in Ottawa.

 

[Rob_TO]

According to the CIC website, the Visa offices handling US Outland applications are LA and NY,

Here is the actual link that shows what outland visa officers handle which citizens: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/apply-where.asp

Scroll down near the bottom, and can see that for US residents the "Applications for Permanent Resident Visas" are done at CPC-Ottawa.

 

[Amalthea]

i'm confused when you say you weren't charged with a dui, and you are waiting for the charges will be dismissed. Does that mean you were initially charged with a dUI and you have done what is necessary to have it dismissed so you won't have a criminal record? It might not even be the FBI record. Either way, i don't think this would be considered a "complicated" application. From what i've read it serious criminal offenses, suspicion of misrepresentation or marriages of convience. More likely than not, it will stay in Ottawa.

Sorry, I mean I am waiting for the charges to be "dropped". It's really confusing and there's a lot of grey area, so I really dug in deep when I was looking to travel over the border, considering Canada will NOT let you visit if you've been charged with a DUI.

Technically, I was never charged, and I was never in jail - According to the DUII coordinator and the Canadian Border officials (listening to them argue about whether or not to let me in while they figured out Oregon Law was fun!), what Oregon has done is suspended my court date until 08/2014. The way Oregon's diversion works, you follow the program and as long as you complete the terms of the program (alcohol classes, no drinking, blow and go in car for a year, no addtl crimes, etc...), you are never charged and the charges are dropped - which for me, falls on July 1st of this year. I originally got pulled over in May of 2013 so this has been a long wait But I have no one to blame but myself.

The DUII coordinator said the diversion will show up on my background check, but it should show that I wasn't charged/that it was a pre-trial agreement/accelerated rehabilitation program/diversion or whatever. I guess there's even more grey area, like the fact that even though the charges are dropped, I can't get it expunged, because if I was to get an additional DUII they would need to see that I had already gone through diversion, and thus would not be eligible to do it again and get the charges dropped again.

Oof!

Anyway, thank you! It's helpful to know that diversion might not make my application fall into the "complicated" category. I'll be sure to include lots of documentation as to the nature of Oregon's diversion laws and the final outcome.

Hopefully it's clear through the background check and court documents as to the fact that I was never charged, and that charges were indeed dropped July 1st.

 

[Amalthea]

Here is the actual link that shows what outland visa officers handle which citizens:

Scroll down near the bottom, and can see that for US residents the "Applications for Permanent Resident Visas" are done at CPC-Ottawa.

AWESOME!! Thank you so much I can't believe I somehow missed that...

PS: The sponsorship and PR applications are one in the same/mailed together, correct? Would I mail the package to CPC-O? Or do I mail the application package to Mississauga, and they then forward it to CPC-O once Sponsor is approved?

Now I'm wondering if we mail the sponsorship and the PR applications separately! Gah, so much to learn & remember lol

 

[rhcohen2014]

AWESOME!! Thank you so much I can't believe I somehow missed that...

PS: The sponsorship and PR applications are one in the same/mailed together, correct? Would I mail the package to CPC-O? Or do I mail the application package to Mississauga, and they then forward it to CPC-O once Sponsor is approved?

Now I'm wondering if we mail the sponsorship and the PR applications separately! Gah, so much to learn & remember lol

both sponsor and applicant applications go together in the same package and get sent to mississauga. Once sponsorship approval is given, mississauga will forward the applicant's application to the proper visa office, which will be ottawa in your case.

 

[Amalthea]

both sponsor and applicant applications go together in the same package and get sent to mississauga. Once sponsorship approval is given, mississauga will forward the applicant's application to the proper visa office, which will be ottawa in your case.

Perfect, thanks again! Really appreciate it. Jess had mentioned the same thing earlier, just wanted to make sure I was understanding correctly! There's so much to remember