Case submitted to CPC Ottawa - what does this mean?

[daijoeboo]

Hello all,

I am applying for PR for my wife. I am a Canadian citizen, she is Japanese and I have been approved as a sponsor. Our case was accepted at the end of July, and I was approved at the end of September. We arrived at the beginning of October and she gained entry on a 6 month visitor permit.

I assumed our case was being handled via Manilla but I wrote Manilla yesterday to ask a question and they advised me my case file had been submitted to Ottawa.

Is Ottawa a half-way step on the way to Manilla? It was my understanding that the case would be transferred from Mississauga to Manilla. Or has the case file already come back from Manilla to Ottawa? The email wasnt clear, it only said 'submitted to Ottawa'

I searched for answers on this forum but there seem to be many topics about Ottawa mainly about the closure of the Buffalo office, which doesnt fit my scenario.

Any clue why our case would be in Ottawa so soon or is this standard procedure?

Thanks

J

 

[Rob_TO]

Re: Case transferred to CPC Ottawa - what does this mean?

It could just mean Manila is overloaded with apps, so are offloading some of them to CPC-Ottawa.

I would say this is a very good thing, as CPC-Ottawa is a super quick visa office (at least for US applications which can be finished there in just a few months). I would expect CPC-O will be processing your entire application, so should not need to involve Manila anymore.

Perhaps send a case-specific email to CPC-O, just to confirm status there.

 

[rhcohen2014]

rob is correct. CIC seems to be keeping "non-complicated" files in canada, either in ottawa or mississauga. for the most part, the applicants have been from the uk and australia. I believe you are now the 2nd applicant from asia who has reported having the application sent to Ottawa. since this is new, no one knows for sure if these applications will see quick processing times like us citizens. However, i believe we are just starting to see UK applicants getting approvals, so this is suggesting the applications will probably "trend" a 6 month or so process. Ottawa has a thread and a spreadsheet (it's in my signature below), so i'd recommend adding yourself to the spreadsheet to track your progress an introduce yourself in the thread. Keep in mind most of the members listed on this spreadsheet are from the US.

 

[daijoeboo]

Thanks for the replies guys this sounds like it is, at least, not bad news, so .. this is good.

To be honest, our file wasn't complicated. We are legally married (not common-law), my wife has never resided anywhere but Japan and myself nowhere but Japan and Canada, tons of translations, tons of photos, letters from parents on both sides, the whole 9 yards.

Still, I am not the type to put weight into these things and fully expect(ed) to wait the full 14 months+.

That being said, I will send an email to Ottawa and just see what they have to say about the case being processed in Ottawa instead of Manilla in general, as its contrary to CIC homepage info.

The spreadsheet, can anyone edit the info? Do I just add my entry in the last open space?

 

[daijoeboo]

Actually... I feel a bit silly now.
Upon closer inspection of the Sponsorship Approval letter it clearly states that CPC Ottawa was selected from the beginning.

"Should you need to submit additional information or make any further enquiries regarding the
Application for Permanent Residence for your relative(s), you may contact the visa office by e-mail,
fax, or in writing as follows:

CPC-Ottawa
CPC-Ottawa, NHQ - Centralized Processing Region
219 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON
K1A 1L1, Canada

E-mail: OttPilot-immigration@cic.gc.ca
Fax number: (613) 946-6059

This visa office was selected based on your relative’s home address and the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act."


I just ASSUMED it was going to Manilla but this letter seems to imply Ottawa was chosen directly from the beginning despite the info on CIC homepage about Japanese applications going to Manilla.

I have written CPC Ottawa to confirm this but I am starting to believe our file has never/will never go to Manilla. Or maybe it goes to Manilla from Ottawa. I will wait for the reply to get the official word. If I get any useful information from them I will be sure to post it here!

 

[Rob_TO]

If CPC-Mississauga gave that info to you at your sponsor approval, then your app never even went to Manila. It went straight from Mississauga to Ottawa.

Since she is now here on visitor status, make sure you update your wife's address on record with the visa office to your Canadian address. Since the app is in Ottawa, in the very unlikely chance that they want to do an interview, you may be able to request it be done in Ottawa as opposed to an office based on her citizenship (so in Japan).

Also when her PR is approved, they will immediately mail the COPR to the address on record. So I'm sure you would prefer that going to your Canadian address instead of to Japan. I would change both residential and mailing address to Canada to be safe.

 

[rhcohen2014]

an on rob's note, don't just change her address online, send a case specific email to the ottawa visa office so it gets updated on that end as well. there have been numerous reports of address updates online not getting attached to the file, and communication is being sent to an old address.

 

[little_apple]

an on rob's note, don't just change her address online, send a case specific email to the ottawa visa office so it gets updated on that end as well. there have been numerous reports of address updates online not getting attached to the file, and communication is being sent to an old address.

Correct, I'm one of them ;-)

 

[Maeby]

I'm also applying from Japan. I just got my sponsor approval last week for my husband and it listed Ottawa as well. I was thinking it was a bit strange We are still living in Japan though. Maybe this means his pr will come before we move to Canada in the spring! Fingers crossed!