Background check (CSIS)

[longwaitingtime]

We sponsor my parents as family class. And since Sept 2008, my father had been under CSIS background check, because he is a senior professor in a university and has been to many countries for conference or research etc.
I have written two letters to CSIS to ask for the status of their background check, and got the exactly same answer, "the BG check is still in process".
It has been more than 9 months now, is there a way I can push the CSIS or help them to accelerate the process.
I mean it is too ridiculous to take that long for the BG check, and no tell us which steps it is right now, and always just
send the same email.(Exactly same words)

Any comment or feedback is appreciated.

 

[nouredine]

no comment but your not the first i know of someone it hase been over 2years alredy and stil waiting back ground check wich u luck

 

[wilson]

We sponsor my parents as family class. And since Sept 2008, my father had been under CSIS background check, because he is a senior professor in a university and has been to many countries for conference or research etc.
I have written two letters to CSIS to ask for the status of their background check, and got the exactly same answer, "the BG check is still in process".
It has been more than 9 months now, is there a way I can push the CSIS or help them to accelerate the process.
I mean it is too ridiculous to take that long for the BG check, and no tell us which steps it is right now, and always just
send the same email.(Exactly same words)

Any comment or feedback is appreciated.

Hi,
There is nothing strange on your father's case. My father filed his application after approval in Feb 2007 and exactly after 25 months only my parents got their visa. It took more than 18 months only for background check. My parents stayed in the Middle East for employement for more than 29 years - only in one place continuously and they never visited any other foreign country. Still the BG check went for too long. What I understood from various postings in the Forum that there is no specific time limit for the BG process because the Embassy has to get feed backs from different government agencies where the delays are possible and may not be under their control. So just relax and wait.

 

[StressedT]

Please could you provide the CSIS details - I didnt know you could write to them. We have been waiting 27 months now for approval and its so stressful!

 

[azadi]

Here's one of the first letters I faxed to CSIS (along with the contact person):



BY FAX (1-613-231-0672)


Attn: Mrs. Hierlihy

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
1941 Ogilvie Rd
Ottawa ON K1J 1B7

Dear Mrs. Hierlihy:

RE: Permanent Residence Application of [enter name]
D.O.B. [enter date of birth]
Immigration No. [enter immigration number]

I am writing to inquire about the status of the security enquiries in connection with my husband’s permanent residence application currently being processed at the Canadian Embassy in [enter location (the “Embassy”).

We would greatly appreciate any information with respect to the status of the security enquiries and would kindly request that we be advised as to when CSIS expects to be in a position to submit its report to the Embassy.

Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.

 

[Boncuk]

azadi.. thanks for the useful information.. did they respond to you and in what timeframe?

 

[azadi]

Yes, they always reply by mail within 30-35 days. If it is the 3rd or 4th time you are writing to them, the response can even be quicker. I can say that they're quite 'expeditious' in their replies.

It doesn't matter how long (or short) your letter is or how persuasive you may think you presented your facts you always get their standard response: either that they have completed the background checks, that the security enquiries are in process or that they have not received a request from CIC to perform the background checks.

I wonder, if you prick a CSIS officer does he/she bleed? I kid. It's just their "policy".

 

[Boncuk]

LOL .. maybe their blood is a different colour altogether )
Thanks for the advice its good to know.. I read a bit about the CSIS background checks to see how the process is done but was curious about whether you could actually inquire and how you would go about it.. hopefully I won't have to use it!

 

[StressedT]

Thank you Azadi so much for posting that letter - I have copied it and am sending it out to them today (we have been waiting 27 months now). I have used the same contact name shown - was your letter sent recently? I am hoping that that contact name is still valid.

 

[azadi]

Yes, i sent the letter recently and the contact should still be good. You can also send it to the Director of CSIS who was Jim Judd but I heard he resigned.

You can also go to CSIS's website and write the letter to whoever is the Public Liaison officer under "contact us".

But, if you are sending the letter now, send it to the contact I gave above.

BTW, if you call CSIS to confirm that she is still there, they will not confirm. It's just another one of their "policies"

 

[ParadiseCrystals]

Azadi, by asking CSIS about the backround check , do you think it will bring about delays of the application?

 

[ParadiseCrystals]

Did you just send that letter? or you also sent along with it a letter of consent for the information from your family member that was being sponsored?

 

[JamesM]

LOL .. maybe their blood is a different colour altogether )
Thanks for the advice its good to know.. I read a bit about the CSIS background checks to see how the process is done but was curious about whether you could actually inquire and how you would go about it.. hopefully I won't have to use it!

Where did you read information on the CSIS background checks?

 

[Boncuk]

http://immipedia.ca/CSIS
http://www.squidoo.com/csis
http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/prrts/scrtscrnng-eng.asp
Hope those help a bit to understand it.


Fixed links.. didnt bother to check them as they were in my immigration folder lol Good to know thx rj

 

[rjessome]

Azadi, I hope this helps your process. The frustrating thing about CSIS checks is that no one, not even CIC or the courts, can compell them to move faster. God forbid your spouse's name or one of their family members is on a watch list somewhere! Of course it's probably not them but many names are quite common in other parts of the world. Think of Joe Smith in Canada or the US. And then you've got to get foreign governments to cooperate! Not easy, especially in areas with unstable governments or no government! Like Somalia. Some Middle Eastern governments don't like to share either. Ugh!

Boncuk, thanks for posting those links! Some really interesting stuff. But the last link was changed as they must have revised their website. This is where I found a tiny bit of info. http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/prrts/scrtscrnng-eng.asp