China Applicants Thread

[Peterpan12]

Congratulations! That's very encouraging !

99% certain there will not be any surprises.

Congrats!

FS

Thanks guys! Will update when PPT comes in, hopefully sooner rather than later...

 

[minj]

Hello all, here is our timeline and China topic can be active again.

Visa Office: Beijing
When you did your medicals: August 15, 2012
When your application was sent: August 28, 2012
When your application was received by CPC-M: August 31, 2012
When/if you got a stage 1 AOR: October 13, 2012
When you got sponsor approval: October 15, 2012
When/if you got an AOR for stage 2: January 4, 2013
Online status changed to "in process" on January 10, 2013.

I hope they will request PPP without interview. Anyone in and around same time, please share your timeline.

Thank you

 

[Peterpan12]

And PPT is finally back with visa inside!

The strange thing is, they actually sent it along with COPR in a DHL pack to my home address in Canada, which was my wife's mailing address! Just a heads up to others to watch for this and yes, we had supplied mailing labels in Chinese and set her residential address as her China address. Strange indeed, however luckily I am going to China for CNY anyway and will take her passport with me so we can go back together.

It took almost exactly 7 months from application date to passport back in hands... Wow what a journey... We were lucky that we spent most of the time together as my wife had a multiple entry visa but the final few months where she was literally captive in China without passport were tough.

Alas, I'm very happy with CIC and the speed of processing the application. CIC is definitely not perfect and has a lot of room to improve communication with folks, however at the end they processed the case whit in the estimated time and without any additional drama.

Good luck to all and don't lose hope, just follow the advice here in building up your case and let the process take its natural course! I sincerely hope all who are separate from loved ones reunite soon... It's a terrible terrible thing to go through but it's a sacrifice that has to be made.

Cheers all!

 

[lynnbb]

Hey, did anyone apply from Beijing office while physically in Canada? I'm planning on doing so, but concern about the passport issue...when they request your passport, do I have to be in China or can you mail it to Beijing office and have it returned to Canada address?

If anyone could help that would be great! Thanks.

 

[sourcing]

Hi all
How long will you expect to have your pssport back after you sending it to Bejing as requested?

 

[lynnbb]

Hi all
How long will you expect to have your pssport back after you sending it to Bejing as requested?

That's what I was concerning about too...anyways, it seems a lot of people have done it without a problem. So let's just keep our fingers crossed... I just sent off my application today and may God bless us.

 

[Fencesitter]

Hey, did anyone apply from Beijing office while physically in Canada? I'm planning on doing so, but concern about the passport issue...when they request your passport, do I have to be in China or can you mail it to Beijing office and have it returned to Canada address?

If anyone could help that would be great! Thanks.

It's more of a risk sending your passport from Canada to China, but we all have to send our passports anyways, so I guess it shouldn't be an issue. Just make sure to use a good courier (I wouldn't recommend UPS).

FS

 

[FlashG]

Hi,

FYI, the Beijing office has had my wife and daughter's passports since December 1, 2012 (3 months). Our PPR was November 25. We sent 1 passport from China, and 1 from Canada separately via couriers with application numbers clearly marked etc. Seemed to be no problem sending separately. Of course I tracked them online until I saw they were both signed off.

Just waiting patiently. Then last week got a second document request for my daughters "resume" and request for a self-addressed return EMS waybill ! Presume this is for return of the passports. I am right in that this seems to be a new thing?

The medicals expired this month, but no word on request for re-do (I inquired), so it is possible they have been extended and we are OK.
That could be the reason for the long wait after PPR. Just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best ! It's been a long process, but I appreciate our file is a little more complicated with my spouse having a dependent daughter and the fact that she is currently studying in Canada at university.

So, patience .....

 

[lorenb]

Hi,

FYI, the Beijing office has had my wife and daughter's passports since December 1, 2012 (3 months). Our PPR was November 25. We sent 1 passport from China, and 1 from Canada separately via couriers with application numbers clearly marked etc. Seemed to be no problem sending separately. Of course I tracked them online until I saw they were both signed off.

Just waiting patiently. Then last week got a second document request for my daughters "resume" and request for a self-addressed return EMS waybill ! Presume this is for return of the passports. I am right in that this seems to be a new thing?

The medicals expired this month, but no word on request for re-do (I inquired), so it is possible they have been extended and we are OK.
That could be the reason for the long wait after PPR. Just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best ! It's been a long process, but I appreciate our file is a little more complicated with my spouse having a dependent daughter and the fact that she is currently studying in Canada at university.

So, patience .....

They requested my wife's passport/resume/ems waybill on Dec 13th. Documents arrived at embassy on 15th. We are still waiting too.

 

[FlashG]

bagelbagel81,

My wife got the COPR today! Very happy this is finally done for us. I'll have to book her a flight later today. Best wishes to everyone else still waiting.

Congratulations lorenb ! Saw your note in the July thread. All the best to you and your wife on your new life in Canada !

 

[bo12]

Clap hands for people who got their visas and feel happy for you.

Could anybody (specially those from Beijing VO) share that how long it took you guys to have the status changed into "decsion made" from "in progress" . Thank you so much.

 

[big bird]

Hi all!
The embassy in China has asked me to send in my passport with a self-addressed waybill. In the instructions they ask to put the 'file number' on the bill. I don't have a number called 'file number' specifically; rather, I have both the 'UCI number' and the 'application number' . Which should I put on the form? I am leaning towards the latter, but want to be sure.
here is a link to the instruction page;
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/china-chine/visas/waybill-connaissement.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Also, I see no reason they would ask for my passport if the application wasn't being approved. Is there any other possible reason?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

[lorenb]

Congratulations lorenb ! Saw your note in the July thread. All the best to you and your wife on your new life in Canada !

Thanks Flash. Best of luck to you as well.

 

[YJ88888]

Hi,

I am a newbie to this forum. I need some guidance and answers. I tried emailing Beijing and calling the Canadian Embassy but of NO used.

Our dates are:
Application Submitted to Mississauga Centre: October 24, 2012
Application Received by Mississauga Centre: October 26, 2012

E-mail received from Mississauga Centre on December 10, 2012 indicating that I was approved as a sponsor; only me received that e-mail.

Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) received by mail from Mississauga Centre on December 16, 2012 indicating that our file was being transferred to Beijing Visa Office.

E-cas was also updated on December 18, 2012: Sponsor - Decision made (DM) Applicant - Application received.

Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) as a PDF received by e-mail from Beijing Visa Office on January 18, 2013 indicating that our application has been received.

1st E-mailed from Chengdu to Beijing Visa Office on February 25, 2013 for application status update (no response)
2nd E-mailed from Vancouver to Beijing Visa Office on March 04, 2013 for application status update (no response)
3rd E-mailed Pre-Courier Chinese passport from Chengdu to Beijing Visa Office on March 16, 2013. (no response)
Passport received by Beijing Visa Office: March 18, 2013 (we followed the delivery by the tracking number provided by zto)
4th E-mailed from Vancouver to Beijing Visa Office on April 05, 2013 for application status update.

Is there something else I can do to speed up the process? Does anyone know what is happening at Beijing VO?

Many thanks ALL!!

 

[FlashG]

Hi,

I am a newbie to this forum. I need some guidance and answers. I tried emailing Beijing and calling the Canadian Embassy but of NO used.

Our dates are:
Application Submitted to Mississauga Centre: October 24, 2012
Application Received by Mississauga Centre: October 26, 2012

E-mail received from Mississauga Centre on December 10, 2012 indicating that I was approved as a sponsor; only me received that e-mail.

Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) received by mail from Mississauga Centre on December 16, 2012 indicating that our file was being transferred to Beijing Visa Office.

E-cas was also updated on December 18, 2012: Sponsor - Decision made (DM) Applicant - Application received.

Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) as a PDF received by e-mail from Beijing Visa Office on January 18, 2013 indicating that our application has been received.

1st E-mailed from Chengdu to Beijing Visa Office on February 25, 2013 for application status update (no response)
2nd E-mailed from Vancouver to Beijing Visa Office on March 04, 2013 for application status update (no response)
3rd E-mailed Pre-Courier Chinese passport from Chengdu to Beijing Visa Office on March 16, 2013. (no response)
Passport received by Beijing Visa Office: March 18, 2013 (we followed the delivery by the tracking number provided by zto)
4th E-mailed from Vancouver to Beijing Visa Office on April 05, 2013 for application status update.

Is there something else I can do to speed up the process? Does anyone know what is happening at Beijing VO?

Many thanks ALL!!

Hi, if you read a few more of the posts on the site you may notice that many others, including China applicants wait a lot longer. There is no way to speed up the process. Just reply promptly to requests when you receive them from CIC. May I ask why have you sent in your passport ? Was it requested (PPR)? You didn't indicate so. The average wait time for the Beijing office is 8 months from the time they receive the application. So slow down, and have some patience

In my case, after my PPR (passport request) we have been waiting over 4 months - with passports sitting at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing waiting for who knows what final steps! We initially applied in July 2012. Maybe you are a special case and will get processed faster - but don't hold your breath. The visa offices specifically state they may (will?) not respond to e-mails if still within the average processing time of 8 months.

Your options for more information are for GCMS notes, through an Access to Information/Privacy (ATIP) Request. Search this site for info on how to do that.

Best of luck in the future!