Breaking down application processing time...

[Landing_PR]

Really?? I've nothing against outlands but why should you get processed in front of me? I can be removed from the country at anytime and am not allowed to work/get healthcare/drive..I'm sure those sitting in their own country have all these rights. A genuine outland relationship can both work in their home countries and contribute to a pot for their future, Inland we sit sponging off our spouse...very very demoralising, Hence when we finally get that fabled work permit (currently 4 months) those precious outlands a few months later have full PR and can buy cars, get mortgages etc. and actually have a life instead of sitting paying off the debt they incurred being together. Maybe i'm being harsh but it took us 10 months just to save the cost of the PR application up!! (yes I've been inland for nearly a year, and not worked for that year, yet just applied this month).

To add insult to injury I will probably miss the streamlining...my app reached them on the 3rd, but with 4 weeks until they acknowledge it, my AOR will probably be dated july, hence sitting waiting behind the backlog.

Our app is the easiest of anyone on here I would bet, I'm UK, shes Canadian, we met through work when i was a TFW we both worked together, dated for 7 months, then moved in together then at 11 months my work permit renewal was refused and I had to go back to UK (which i did, I have never once over-stayed or broken immigration rules). 6 months later I came back for our original wedding booking (note not brought forward to enable me to stay), the wedding was attended by both families and was a very happy affair, from the day of the wedding until now we have not been apart. We have faced severe financial hardship to be together, so for you to say I don't deserve being processed as quickly as you because we are together. We may be together, but we can't plan our lives, can't buy a house, have the constant stress and worry of me suddenly being asked to leave, literally living day to day robbing peter to pay paul. We had our first serious argument and you know what it was about? I had hidden a broken tooth in my mouth for 2 weeks and lived in agonising pain, with the result I was a bear with a sore head, because I knew we could not afford the dentist bill!! As for kids etc....not a hope, we couldn't even afford a baby-gro let alone pay for a child.

Tell you what, you can be processed first if Inland spouses get handed those 2 year work permits at the border, instantly just like TFW spouses and students spouses instead of being treated as second class non-citizens, with the crime of marrying and wanting to be together.

In no way it was directed towards inland crowd. Everyone has their share of problems but at least inlands can deal with the problems together. Whereas, outlands don't even get the opportunity to have their spouses visit them on TRVs. We always have to take time out from work, spend thousands on flight tickets, commute for 2+ days to get to spend a week (maybe 2 weeks, if we're lucky) with our spouses. Anyways, hopefully CIC will start pumping out the approvals for everyone - Inland AND Outland alike

 

[S_and_C]

Really?? I've nothing against outlands but why should you get processed in front of me? I can be removed from the country at anytime and am not allowed to work/get healthcare/drive..I'm sure those sitting in their own country have all these rights. A genuine outland relationship can both work in their home countries and contribute to a pot for their future, Inland we sit sponging off our spouse...very very demoralising, Hence when we finally get that fabled work permit (currently 4 months) those precious outlands a few months later have full PR and can buy cars, get mortgages etc. and actually have a life instead of sitting paying off the debt they incurred being together. Maybe i'm being harsh but it took us 10 months just to save the cost of the PR application up!! (yes I've been inland for nearly a year, and not worked for that year, yet just applied this month).

To add insult to injury I will probably miss the streamlining...my app reached them on the 3rd, but with 4 weeks until they acknowledge it, my AOR will probably be dated july, hence sitting waiting behind the backlog.

Our app is the easiest of anyone on here I would bet, I'm UK, shes Canadian, we met through work when i was a TFW we both worked together, dated for 7 months, then moved in together then at 11 months my work permit renewal was refused and I had to go back to UK (which i did, I have never once over-stayed or broken immigration rules). 6 months later I came back for our original wedding booking (note not brought forward to enable me to stay), the wedding was attended by both families and was a very happy affair, from the day of the wedding until now we have not been apart. We have faced severe financial hardship to be together, so for you to say I don't deserve being processed as quickly as you because we are together. We may be together, but we can't plan our lives, can't buy a house, have the constant stress and worry of me suddenly being asked to leave, literally living day to day robbing peter to pay paul. We had our first serious argument and you know what it was about? I had hidden a broken tooth in my mouth for 2 weeks and lived in agonising pain, with the result I was a bear with a sore head, because I knew we could not afford the dentist bill!! As for kids etc....not a hope, we couldn't even afford a baby-gro let alone pay for a child.

Tell you what, you can be processed first if Inland spouses get handed those 2 year work permits at the border, instantly just like TFW spouses and students spouses instead of being treated as second class non-citizens, with the crime of marrying and wanting to be together.

In no way it was directed towards inland crowd. Everyone has their share of problems but at least inlands can deal with the problems together. Whereas, outlands don't even get the opportunity to have their spouses visit them on TRVs. We always have to take time out from work, spend thousands on flight tickets, commute for 2+ days to get to spend a week (maybe 2 weeks, if we're lucky) with our spouses. Anyways, hopefully CIC will start pumping out the approvals for everyone - Inland AND Outland alike

CanadianAlien, just wanted to add to what Landing_PR said, could you not apply for a Work Permit as soon as you had temporary resident status when you arrived in Canada? I agree everyone has their own story and situation and it sucks for everybody, and the difference is in how much value you place in being able to be with your wife. If you were from a non visa-exempt country, couldn't be with your spouse because you couldn't get a TRV, and no matter how good your job was in your home country, due to currency conversion it gets devalued such that it's nearly impossible to contribute to a pot of money for planning their future. In our situation, the additional financial strain of supporting my wife for a period of time if she was here is more than outweighed by simply being allowed to be together. But that's just me. We're all in this together.

 

[gabba50]

that's from one of CIC's operational bulletins that was posted a few days ago. see here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2016/ob624.asp

looks like this bulletin only talks about inland apps, yet the notice from june 13th clearly said that their effort to clear the backlog would apply to both the inland and outland backlogs...

"The backlog reduction applies to applications received through the family class (overseas processing) as well as the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (in-Canada processing)."

i am going to be pissed if i find out they're not doing anything to clear the outland backlog.

This bulletin is only focused on inland applications, I don't know why they didn't give the details about outland application invenory but CIC minister mentioned both out-land and inland applications for his plan. It's hard to say that they are doing nothing to clear the outland backlogs but of course they are working on both of them, Don't expect Ottawa VO and Bangkok VO to process at the same speed unless they remove some requirement like "contacting and receiving feedback from all countries on your PCC" Contacting Afghanistan and USA are quite different........ I said it before and I say it again now, Minister referred to Syrian refugees processing time to give us the hope of processing spousal applications faster but I am not sure if the local VO officers will follow the same instructions as ones when the media was challenging Trudeau if he will reach his goal of bringing those refugees at the end of the year, they had a due date. I think our local VO don't have that pressure or time frame. I try to be realistic and expect the best but don't dance before the music.

 

[CanadianAlien]

CanadianAlien, just wanted to add to what Landing_PR said, could you not apply for a Work Permit as soon as you had temporary resident status when you arrived in Canada? I agree everyone has their own story and situation and it sucks for everybody, and the difference is in how much value you place in being able to be with your wife. If you were from a non visa-exempt country, couldn't be with your spouse because you couldn't get a TRV, and no matter how good your job was in your home country, due to currency conversion it gets devalued such that it's nearly impossible to contribute to a pot of money for planning their future. In our situation, the additional financial strain of supporting my wife for a period of time if she was here is more than outweighed by simply being allowed to be together. But that's just me. We're all in this together.

No inland spousal applicant is allowed to apply for a Work permit at port of entry, best we get is a practically "automatic" 1yr visitor record/Temp residency all WP are issued AFTER your papers go in...at present 4 months after...you are however not seeing the point the original poster made that I responded to originally, he stated that the focus should always be on outland, my point was the process has ALWAYS focused on outland and now for the first time it is being fairly applied across the board, suddenly others are complaining.

Once the minister is off the hook, I'm sure normal service will be resumed.

 

[Sunset0505]

I am settled down...we all have our problems with our classes...don't think Inlands have it easy, for too long the "oh they are together, so are not a priority" argument has meant we have sat in a longer and longer line while outland applications flew through....for YEARS...now suddenly for the first time they are addressing it and suddenly everyone in outland is bitching, as they no longer take priority...get a grip! We aren't getting more than outland, all we are getting is the same treatment they have enjoyed for years!

See I am with you..I said that a little while ago..on here its like rainbows being put up our butts but the reality is this in more stressful in or out then anything I have ever gone through ...watching the mail daily....go to the CIC site daily sometimes more and one day the site says one thing and the next day it says something else..playing the what if game....You people that have it process and approved in no time are very lucky...our life was on hold for so many years...and it should never be like this...

 

[Hardcookie]

I don't really care about their 'clearing up the backlog' initiative tbh. Before they implemented this strategy, London VO was working in a specific and timely fashion. As soon as they announcement was made, LVO has slowed waaaay down.

First it was 17 months, now we are back to 26 months for processing. Just process the applications, that's all I ask.

Nothing against Inlands, but they are already living together. The focus should be for outlands.

You are right about inland applicants. At least they are already living together unlike most of us who cant even get TRV. The loneliness is just too much! :'(

 

[S_and_C]

You are right about inland applicants. At least they are already living together unlike most of us who cant even get TRV. The loneliness is just too much! :'(

In my opinion, they should have a special class of spousal TRV, which allows you to submit additional supporting documentation like the medical and police clearance from the PR application that allows spouses to live together while their PR is processing.

The US has what's known as a K-1 fiancé visa which allows prospective spouses to enter the country and marry within 90 days of arriving. They also seem to have an equivalent of a spousal TRV called "Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3)" and the equivalent of a PR application is "Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1)". Found that info here: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/family/fiance.html

I don't see why Canada can't adopt a similar process for spouses...

 

[nmclean]

I am settled down...we all have our problems with our classes...don't think Inlands have it easy, for too long the "oh they are together, so are not a priority" argument has meant we have sat in a longer and longer line while outland applications flew through....for YEARS...now suddenly for the first time they are addressing it and suddenly everyone in outland is bitching, as they no longer take priority...get a grip! We aren't getting more than outland, all we are getting is the same treatment they have enjoyed for years!

You have outlands who can work but not live together, and inlands who can live together but not work. I'm sure at least everyone can agree that both situations are terrible. Which is worse is a matter of opinion. Both getting the same treatment should be the target of course, but if they focused only on inland, would that be the outcome? Outlands would then be waiting longer than inlands to reach the point where they can both live and work together, which in some cases is already true. The ideal prioritization should take much more into consideration than just outland versus inland.

 

[Hardcookie]

In my opinion, they should have a special class of spousal TRV, which allows you to submit additional supporting documentation like the medical and police clearance from the PR application that allows spouses to live together while their PR is processing.

The US has what's known as a K-1 fiancé visa which allows prospective spouses to enter the country and marry within 90 days of arriving. They also seem to have an equivalent of a spousal TRV called "Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3)" and the equivalent of a PR application is "Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1)". Found that info here: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/family/fiance.html

I don't see why Canada can't adopt a similar process for spouses...

Exactly S_and_C US are far much better.
A friend of mine from here in Kenya joined the fiance in the US in December and they got married immediately thereafter. They are now happily living together. On the other hand, its so hard for some of us who got married in October to a Canadian since i cannot visit my husband even after assuring the Embassy that i have to come back because of our 5yr old son and a letter from my employer. Now my husband is the one to try and come each and every time. Its so unfair.

 

[gabba50]

Exactly S_and_C US are far much better.
A friend of mine from here in Kenya joined the fiance in the US in December and they got married immediately thereafter. They are now happily living together. On the other hand, its so hard for some of us who got married in October to a Canadian since i cannot visit my husband even after assuring the Embassy that i have to come back because of our 5yr old son and a letter from my employer. Now my husband is the one to try and come each and every time. Its so unfair.

If never understand why they want you to convince them that you are attached to your original country while your bags are half packed, Logically If you have an application to Canada in process it's obvious you are not fully attached to you country because you can leave any time, and the fact that you have an application in process should guarantee that you will leave the country at the end your stay, They should approve TRV easily maybe with conditions like not extendable or other conditions making your overstay useless but who will voluntary screw up his/sponsorship?

 

[Hardcookie]

If never understand why they want you to convince them that you are attached to your original country while your bags are half packed, Logically If you have an application to Canada in process it's obvious you are not fully attached to you country because you can leave any time, and the fact that you have an application in process should guarantee that you will leave the country at the end your stay, They should approve TRV easily maybe with conditions like not extendable or other conditions making your overstay useless but who will voluntary screw up his/sponsorship?

Exactly!
That is my reasoning too gabba. I think sometimes the officers are just unreasonable & rigid.
Who would want to leave behind a 5yr old under the care of 16yr old????

 

[AladdinsGirl]

So just a quick question, when people put a date under 'file received' that means that you haven't gotten any type of acknowledgement from CIC (or whatever they call themselves now) yet?? So AOR1 is the acknowledgement that they received the file???? I just needed some clarifying. Thanks.

 

[S_and_C]

So just a quick question, when people put a date under 'file received' that means that you haven't gotten any type of acknowledgement from CIC (or whatever they call themselves now) yet?? So AOR1 is the acknowledgement that they received the file???? I just needed some clarifying. Thanks.

Well there's received when the courier or Canada post says they dropped it off, but then there is about a 20 day lag until the AOR1 when they open the package. the SA elapsed time estimate of 43 days is from the AOR1 date.

 

[AladdinsGirl]

Ah ok, thanks for the quick response