AUGUST 2016 - OUTLAND SPOUSAL APPLICANTS

[Stevin]

yeah iam in the same boat as you, got dm on ECAS jan 12 but no cic update, stil background check in progress

let me know if anything changes for you

For sure. I'll be updating on this thread.

 

[knowledge101]

Still waiting for CIC to update since DM on ECAS Jan 12. : Anyone else?

Another assumption here but my "instinct" suggests that maybe the DM on ECAS is when the "approval" was made by the person in charge of our files, and the actual DM on MyCIC won't show up until they've generated/mailed the COPR. Just a guess...Although I've also remembered reading some people saying they got their COPR before even seeing a change on MyCIC so I'm not 100% sure why the lag!

 

[Joyce_tosf]

Oh they absolutely do. The Canadian immigration guy at the airport when I first flew up here made sure to let me know and printed them out right in front of me. Just hoops and hoops, but that's ok. Just ready for it all to be over and relax. Hopefully since they're finally requesting these, it will be done as soon as I submit them.

Oh I was actually referring to the fact that we have Nexus (that our visa office can probably look that up and see that he has it).

As far as the charges go, my husband in the last 7 years of travelling back and forth to visit me (almost every other month) has never had any issues at all. He's gone into secondary only once and even then it didn't show up until he was asked whether he's ever been charged with anything. Of course, we were prepared and he had all the paperwork to support that the charges were cleared. So they let him go.

So I'm not sure if it's the fact that it was so long ago, that he was 17 when it happened or because it was cleared from his record (even though it will always show up on the FBI checks) but the border has never stopped him except for that one time. And the only reason he was taken into secondary was because he flew into a tiny tiny airport and had his flight changed about a dozen times due to severe weather so the CBSA was just wondering why his bag was missing and why he had flown into such a small airport when there was a bigger main airport that he could have flown into.

 

[Stevin]

Another assumption here but my "instinct" suggests that maybe the DM on ECAS is when the "approval" was made by the person in charge of our files, and the actual DM on MyCIC won't show up until they've generated/mailed the COPR. Just a guess...Although I've also remembered reading some people saying they got their COPR before even seeing a change on MyCIC so I'm not 100% sure why the lag!

I am with you on this! I just assumed that when CIC is updated that is when the letter is sent. Hence, why I am so excited to see CIC change. Haha Thank you for the research about what "DM" actually means on ECAS vs. CIC.

 

[knowledge101]

I am with you on this! I just assumed that when CIC is updated that is when the letter is sent. Hence, why I am so excited to see CIC change. Haha Thank you for the research about what "DM" actually means on ECAS vs. CIC.

The bad news is the waiting can vary. I'm finding online that some people waited 2 months after their ECAS went to DM and before they got PPR (and then 2 weeks until COPR). This was someone back in 2015 in Ottawa. For some it was only 1-2 weeks, others 3-4, and some even 8-10 weeks. That being said, not sure if us not requiring PPR would speed it up but maybe it won't. I'll do some more research. Currently on hold with CIC to see if they can give me any info.

Edit: Some people claim there's a monthly quota for PPR/COPR after DM. So possibly good news considering we are in January 2017...

 

[knowledge101]

Called CIC and was told that my background check was approved and that the officer who checked my file on January 12th has found the application to be completed and approved everything and now I just have to wait for the office (ANOTHER officer) to open my file and to generate an approval letter for me. Technically speaking it's not "official" until that letter is generated but I shouldn't have any issues from here on out. This is probably why it can vary in wait times. It depends on who needs to open your file to generate the COPR/PPR and it varies depending on office/quota's (probably).

I didn't ask about the lag between MyCIC and ECAS but it seems the lag is a technical issue and not really indicative of the application (again I "assume" MyCIC will update when the official letter is sent). Like I said in the other post, the wait time varies with as little as 1 week for some and up to 8-10 weeks for others. Might be a quota thing so lets hope we all get quick movement!

For anyone who wants to call in, the Number within Canada is +1-888-242-2100. They can ONLY check on your application status if your application is being processed in Canada (ie Ottawa). Here is the menu you must dial to get to the right agent (please wait for them to begin listing numbers before pressing each option):

1-1-3-1 (wait time was roughly 20 minutes).

If you are OUTSIDE Canada you will have to long-distance dial +1-613-944-4000:

1-1-1-(then call is transferred to the Canada center)-1-1-3-1 (wait time was roughly 20 minutes)

Please note if they get above a certain volume of calls they won't transfer you and the machine will ask you to call in later. As of right now I got lucky but you might too if you keep trying (maybe tomorrow early in the morning when they open)

 

[Stevin]

Called CIC and was told that my background check was approved and that the officer who checked my file on January 12th has found the application to be completed and approved everything and now I just have to wait for the office (ANOTHER officer) to open my file and to generate an approval letter for me. Technically speaking it's not "official" until that letter is generated but I shouldn't have any issues from here on out. This is probably why it can vary in wait times. It depends on who needs to open your file to generate the COPR/PPR and it varies depending on office/quota's (probably).

I didn't ask about the lag between MyCIC and ECAS but it seems the lag is a technical issue and not really indicative of the application (again I "assume" MyCIC will update when the official letter is sent). Like I said in the other post, the wait time varies with as little as 1 week for some and up to 8-10 weeks for others. Might be a quota thing so lets hope we all get quick movement!

For anyone who wants to call in, the Number within Canada is +1-888-242-2100. They can ONLY check on your application status if your application is being processed in Canada (ie Ottawa). Here is the menu you must dial to get to the right agent (please wait for them to begin listing numbers before pressing each option):

1-1-3-1 (wait time was roughly 20 minutes).

If you are OUTSIDE Canada you will have to long-distance dial +1-613-944-4000:

1-1-1-(then call is transferred to the Canada center)-1-1-3-1 (wait time was roughly 20 minutes)

Please note if they get above a certain volume of calls they won't transfer you and the machine will ask you to call in later. As of right now I got lucky but you might too if you keep trying (maybe tomorrow early in the morning when they open)

Thank you for all the 'investigating" I am just hoping to see a letter before the end of the month as we have to "plan" to go to the border (book time off work, arrange for kids...blah blah blah) I may be cutting it close by wanting it by the end of the month. We'll see.

Thanks again.

 

[minicamp]

I'm amazed by all of the people on here that call CIC and get actual information. Always generic responses from a script. Will never bring up anything specific or answer a question. Not once ever has any of them asked for an application number or UCI. Have genuine questions about my application regarding their recent requests and... nothing. Figure it out on your own. Par for the course for the whole process I suppose.


My previous saltiness aside, huge congratulations to everyone getting updates on their applications this month. It's pretty much all done, get to enjoy life now without checking that site everyday for months waiting on updates.

 

[featherine]

Thanks for the info, knowledge101! that helps a lot

 

[knowledge101]

I'm amazed by all of the people on here that call CIC and get actual information. Always generic responses from a script. Will never bring up anything specific or answer a question. Not once ever has any of them asked for an application number or UCI. Have genuine questions about my application regarding their recent requests and... nothing. Figure it out on your own. Par for the course for the whole process I suppose.


My previous saltiness aside, huge congratulations to everyone getting updates on their applications this month. It's pretty much all done, get to enjoy life now without checking that site everyday for months waiting on updates.

At first when I asked what DM meant on my app she said she can't tell me anything more than what I see online. Than I asked if she can just take a look at the application for me to see what it reads. She told me it won't give her any information more than that I see online but can still check if I want (and I said yes) and she did indeed have more information than what I saw online. That being said it depends on the agent because I've also read many agents will refuse to open the app. You could try to say I am just checking on the application status and having trouble online, they'd ask for your UCI or App # which then forces them to check. Maybe try that? They're trying to reduce their workload from people who just call in every day to check so you have to use sneaky tactics to talk to them! That being said they will ONLY be able to check if your processing office is in Canada (for example Ottawa).

 

[Bcboundboy]

They're trying to reduce their workload from people who just call in every day to check so you have to use sneaky tactics to talk to them!

.... or you could respect that they're trying to reduce the workload, not call unnecessarily, and free up CIC's resources to be put into processing, thus getting everyone their answers quicker.

Just a thought

 

[danawhitaker]

.... or you could respect that they're trying to reduce the workload, not call unnecessarily, and free up CIC's resources to be put into processing, thus getting everyone their answers quicker.

Just a thought

It's not like not calling the call center makes the officers at the VO work faster. Those are separate entities.

Of course people shouldn't be calling unnecessarily. But in the case of the call mentioned, I think it was a perfectly valid reason to be calling. Perhaps the call centers wouldn't be inundated with calls if the process were more transparent in the first place.

 

[knowledge101]

.... or you could respect that they're trying to reduce the workload, not call unnecessarily, and free up CIC's resources to be put into processing, thus getting everyone their answers quicker.

Just a thought

I'm not calling unnecessarily. Some people call every day/week when no progress is made on their case. That's unnecessary calling. I'm calling in regards to a status change that did not provide me any details. "Decision Made" is a fairly vague status message and doesn't let you know anything. Plus, the people answering the phone are not processing our apps. They are front-line for people with case issues.

 

[knowledge101]

It's not like not calling the call center makes the officers at the VO work faster. Those are separate entities.

Of course people shouldn't be calling unnecessarily. But in the case of the call mentioned, I think it was a perfectly valid reason to be calling. Perhaps the call centers wouldn't be inundated with calls if the process were more transparent in the first place.

Exactly. If the app would tell us "Decision Made - application and background approved, waiting on COPR issue" I would not have called. Why did it take an agent to tell me this? Because their system isn't properly set up. The dichotomy between ECAS and MyCIC is also a big reason why this is a problem...This is the first time since I submitted my application I have called as it is the first time the status update was extremely vague.

 

[sweethunkUSman]

Exactly. If the app would tell us "Decision Made - application and background approved, waiting on COPR issue" I would not have called. Why did it take an agent to tell me this? Because their system isn't properly set up. The dichotomy between ECAS and MyCIC is also a big reason why this is a problem...This is the first time since I submitted my application I have called as it is the first time the status update was extremely vague.

well said and i'm in perfect agreement, the lag on the usability of govt internet resources is so backwards, as it would save tax payers so much money to get with the times!

Re: timing. The two September apps approved in early December 2016 took 3 weeks to receive COPRs from Ottawa (they were both US outland apps)