ATTENTION TO ALL SENIORS: WPC71, PMM, QORAX, SHAKIRA, AND OTHERS.......

[okshan819]

Hi everyone,

Today my medicals are sent to the regional office for review. I hope that goes well. Meanwhile, the visa office actually did not request for RPRF or Passport.

Should I just go ahead and pay the RPRF anyways, or wait until I hear further correspondence from the visa post?

Why some applicants receive all three at once, and some receive the requests separately? Are there rules? Does this mean that people who haven't received the RPRF and Passport request along with medicals, would take longer to process?

Hoping to hear some suggestions from seniors, Qorax, wpc71, Shakira, PMM......

Best Regards

 

[wpc71]

Hi Okshan
Glad to hear that you cleared the medical stage. As for the RPRF, you can pay this any time during your application but before your visa is issued. In the fast track system, it seems that the three (Medicals, Passports and RPRF) are all requested at the same time. However, this might not be a rule especially at the Tokyo office. So far we are aware of only one case (my friend's) under the fast track who was requested medical and passports but NOT RPRF. Shakira on the other hand has received all three in one pack but she is an old system applicant. So our statistics are very limited to be able to infer something.
By the way, what was your online status before and after receiving medical request?

 

[qorax]

Okshan,

If meds were Ok it's good to send the RPRF asap. 'Coz CHC will not issue the PPR until they receive that fees. Probably before the PPR they'd ask u for it & that means a delay. If the same is already at their hand, u obviously save some time.

Moreover, if there's an unfortunate situation [We all Pray no one gets into that], the RPRF is refundable. So, why the delay?

Regards & all the Best !
Qorax.

 

[shakira2009]

Hi Okshan,

I'm very happy to hear that your medicals were completed and sent!

About your questions...

Should I just go ahead and pay the RPRF anyways, or wait until I hear further correspondence from the visa post?

If I were you, I'd pay the RPRF. As I said in previous posts, you have to pay it anyway before the visa is issued, and paying in advance doesn't hurt your processing.

Why some applicants receive all three at once, and some receive the requests separately? Are there rules? Does this mean that people who haven't received the RPRF and Passport request along with medicals, would take longer to process?

I don't think there are rules regarding what to request and when. From what I've been seeing, almost everything is done on a case-by-case basis after the process has advanced to the final stages.

Besides, you mentioned somewhere else that you're using an immigration lawyer, right? Is he/she in Canada or Japan? Maybe the other items will be requested through them; it's understandable that there are delays because of an intermediary. I'm not very knowledgeable about processing through a lawyer though.

Just keep up your faith! I'm sure everything will go well for us. Cheers!

 

[okshan819]

Thank you so much for your replies Qurax, wpc71, and Shakira

Well, to answer to your question WPC71, my ECAS status before the medicals was: Received by visa office. The application was received by the visa office on .........and it is pending review.....

Just before sending medical request and right after asking for updated document, my status on Ecas changed to " in process". We started processing your application on February 5th, 2010.

This is it so far. According to the tracking number, my medicals will arrive Manila by tomorrow afternoon.

QORAX, I think I will go ahead and pay the RPRF fees. I will mail my lawyer first and ask if I should pay directly to the embassy or to his office. I guess the sooner I pay the better. Plus, like you said if ever I don't end up getting the visa then they will return the RPRF feel...( though I really hope I succeed and get the visa ).

Shakira, you are right as well. I don't think it will hurt my processing. Since you are also dealing with Tokyo visa office; what do you think? Can I just pay at Citibank? Do I need to send the receipt of payment to the embassy after that? Or just keep the receipt until the visa office asks for it?

THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR REPLIES AND SUPPORT. WISHING YOU ALL SUCCESS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE

 

[okshan819]

DEAR SHAKIRA2009,

I forgot to answer to your other question: Well about hiring a lawyer? Yes, my lawyer is in Canada. The name of the company is AK Canada or Abrams and Krochak Professional Corporation. They are based in Toronto.

With regards to my lawyer, well unfortunately in his last e-mail I felt a bit annoyed. It showed me that he didn't even read my mail carefully. I had mailed him a week or two weeks ago informing him about my pregnancy and that I received my medicals and that I will be doing my medicals on the 26th of February. My lawyer misunderstood the mail or just didn't read it carefully. He accused me by saying that I should have LET HIM KNOW BEFORE I DID MY MEDICALS THAT AM PREGNANT. The point is, I DID TELL HIM!! BEFORE I DID MY MEDICALS!

He then said that pregnant women don't do their medicals until they give birth. But, apparently pregnant women can and it all depends on a case by case situation. In my case the doctor said that there would be no problems doing the X ray and it's totally not harmful for the fetus at this stage. So, after careful consideration and also getting second and third opinion I went through with medicals and thank God am through with that for now at least.

So, I am not sure but I feel my lawyer's attitude was a bit unprofessional. Anyways, I will mail my lawyer and ask how to go about the RPRF even though I asked him last time which he didn't reply to my question. I will ask once again or maybe I will just send the RPRF directly to the visa office in Tokyo through Citibank.


Sorry for keeping the message long but here is what's happening with my situation.

 

[shakira2009]

Hi Okshan,

Thanks for your update and details about your situation. What you say about your lawyer sounds annoying, indeed. Perhaps he and his staff were busy watching the olympics and celebrating the hockey gold medal

About the RPRF receipt... not sure about the timing to send it, since nothing is written on their website. But if you have other items to send to the Consulate, you may enclose it. Or if you decide to send it by itself, write a letter stating that you've paid (that's what I would do...) Also, make sure to photocopy the receipt before sending it.

Take care and look forward to hearing better news.

 

[okshan819]

Dear Shakira,

I have a question. I noticed that I received this paper from the visa office along with medical request which says: " TO APPLICANTS WHO WILL UNDERTAKE MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS.

I have to fill this out like my name, the hospital I went to, and the date the reports were sent to Manila and by which method , etc....

But it says something like this which I am confused: After proceeding for medical examination, please fill out the questions below and return to our office with self-addressed envelope and appropriate postage affixed.

What does this mean? Does it mean I have to send this paper with also a self-addressed envelope? or does it mean I just send this paper only to the visa office? If I send it with self-addressed envelope, what does it mean? I am a bit confused.

Did you receive the same thing? What did you do? Hope to hear your reply soon. Thanks.

 

[wpc71]

Hi Okshan
Well, another inconsistency from Tokyo office! My friend did not receive such a form at all! However, my understanding is that you need to fill out the form and send it to the visa office along with a self-addressed envelop. What they will put in the envelop and return to you remains a mystery! Hopefully your passport stamped with the visa!

 

[okshan819]

WPC71,

That is so weird! You are right it does sound very inconsistent! Well, I am sure they know what they are doing. I am still confused though. Why would they ask me to send a self-addressed envelope now? I haven't even sent my passport cuz they haven't requested for it yet......

I wonder what they will send me? Hmmm...

 

[shakira2009]

Hi Okshan,

I checked my photocopy of that sheet and yes, it has the same instructions. But in fact I didn't question it too much because I got the passport request, so for me it was natural to think that a self-addressed envelope was necessary to get the passport back. Now I think it over and it is quite strange!

I researched a bit on the internet and it seems that the same instruction sheet is sent to Japanese applicants to the Working Holiday visa. I don't understand a whole lot of Japanese on the websites but this is what I infer: They do some paperwork, get an approval from a Canadian school, then undergo the medicals in Japan and send the results to the Consulate in Tokyo. A self-addressed envelope is necessary because they get their work permit back. No need to send passport. They go to Canada and get their work visa stamp at the airport.

Just in case, this is the link in Japanese: http://www.jegsi.com/archives/50960215.html (perhaps you or someone else can interpret the explanations better)

So... I wouldn't worry too much about that phrase. Just pray to get the passport request soon.

On a side note, it's kind of a shame that the Consulate doesn't have customized papers for each visa, but ah well... it's a bureaucracy and we shouldn't expect too much from it. Moreover, when we all settle in Canada we'll continue dealing with such bureaucracy. Maybe our visa processing is a training for that time !

Regards to all.

 

[okshan819]

Thanks Shakira. I did research too and like you said they should have more customized letters but then again this is better than nothing. At least my case is processing still. I will anyways send the forms with self addressed envelope tomorrow.

I guess they will use that envelope in the future when they send our passports back. Although, personally I would much rather collect my passort from the visa office directly. I heard some visa offices have that as an option for those who would like to directly pick up their passports.

All the best and take care. Will keep you and wpc71 updated.