Decoding GCMS Notes

[sbandnd]

Hi everyone,

I was going to add to the preexisting GCMS thread but I couldn't find any info relevant to our case. Our timeline is in my signature, but I need some clarification regarding the notes as neither my MP nor IRCC seems to be able to help.

Basic info: I am a Canadian citizen, married to my American husband since 2019, and applied for spousal sponsorship (outland, while residing in Canada) in Feb 2020. Timeline is in my signature. Application was received on Feb 20th, 2020. Then COVID-19 happened, and we know how it goes with IRCC's processing times after that. In September 2020, we moved back to the US so my husband could work, and completed his medicals, biometrics, etc. Then got DM and pre-arrival notice in ECAS on October 28th. We waited until November 20th, still no PPR/COPR, and returned to Canada as I had a good job waiting and we didn't want to be in the US any longer. The border agent confirmed we had been approved as per his system and all was good, but he couldn't do the landing as the COPR hadn't been issued.

Now, it's March, and we still haven't received anything. I just get generic "processing times are longer due to COVID-19" responses from IRCC, and they gave the same response to my MP.

I got our GCMS notes today, everything passed, application approved on Oct 28th and a COPR document was created!!! However, it was never sent, and this is the note: "Pre-landing triage: PA OVS as per address history (29JAN2020) OVS address and OVS biometrics taken on 14OCT2020. As such, client cannot be virtually landed at this time. Case deferred. Added to relevant ORG ID for tracking purposes".

The entire application is approved, eligibility passed etc etc almost 5 months ago. He has been approved since Oct 28, 2020 but we've had no further correspondence from IRCC and we're at a loss. I phoned today with this info and they couldn't help me at all. Can anyone give me any insight into what this means? Is this because he isn't in the United States and is instead in Canada with me? Sorry for the novel post just confused and IRCC is absolutely no help.

 

[armoured]

This is a good example of why it can be useful to order gcms notes. (Although doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy to solve).

It does look like - from the part you've shown - that it's ended up in an eternal queue, or just stuck. Presumably the officer and/or office was meant to revisit it - and it hasn't happened for some reason.

It will be hard to figure out and suggest next course of action. Some ideas below but can't say what will work.

Some questions/comments:
-do you know which office is handling this? (Some offices seem to not be working or barely working due to lockdown - notably mississauga).

-Is there a deadline or other date attached to the note/text you quoted? It might be called bring-forward date or similar.

-A bit more technical - in the full gcms notes, there is a section where there are "ORG" assignments. This is a bit confusing but I believe these 'org assignments' are like database group assignments (ie they are internal for tracking, not external organisations. One example is many/most files recently have been assigned to 'orgs' with names like 'delayed due to covid.)

I'm guessing there should be an org id (what they call 'for tracking purposes') that either should notify them when your spouse re-enters (re-entered) Canada, or gives them a way to search/find at a later date.

And either the automatic notification didn't happen (for whatever reason), or it happened and wasn't acted upon (in yet another queue), or the deadline didn't happen yet or didn't trigger the action (queue), or - most simply - the officer meant to get back to it periodically and check and hasn't (for any number of human or covid or other issues).

Next the question is - what can you do?

All I can really think of is contact everyone you can think of. Call IRCC. If you have emails (apart from webform), try that. Write to other MPs / Minister. Try your own MP more.

Note: your MP's office will usually say there is nothing they can do - because usually all they can do is inquire and let you know. You'll have to make a short, concise, credible and factual case that: a) it seems to be stuck for unknown reasons - when all that is needed is virtual landing; b) the gcms notes show this; c) it's likely a small error that ircc CAN fix quickliy and easily and it's in everyone's interests to do so.

[The real message is that this is dead simple to fix if someone actually picks the file up, and that doing so is preferable to you bugging them, and a quick win for everybody.]

You can include the usual "this causes us great trouble and distress, PA wants to work contribute to society not be a public charge and etc.," but every letter about family sponsorship has the reiteration of suffering - keep that part short.

 

[DiiDii]

Change his address to yours in Canada. They might trigger it for a virtual landing. He's here with you so you might as well. Good luck

 

[armoured]

Change his address to yours in Canada. They might trigger it for a virtual landing. He's here with you so you might as well. Good luck

Very good point, I guess I assume that had been done. In fact, even if they have already changed the address to Canada, they might try it again in the same hopes.

That's a better suggestion than mine above to start with, anyway.

 

[sbandnd]

Very good point, I guess I assume that had been done. In fact, even if they have already changed the address to Canada, they might try it again in the same hopes.

That's a better suggestion than mine above to start with, anyway.

My apologies as I only just saw the responses! We had already done this in October, the address was changed preemptively to entering the country so it has been a Canadian address on his account for a long time now. I will try and change it again just to the same address haha and maybe that will trigger something. We've had no responses and no luck... no communication from IRCC

 

[sbandnd]

Change his address to yours in Canada. They might trigger it for a virtual landing. He's here with you so you might as well. Good luck

Has been done

 

[sbandnd]

Thank you both for your responses. That was super helpful. I will just keep calling and emailing IRCC and hope for the best.

 

[armoured]

My apologies as I only just saw the responses! We had already done this in October, the address was changed preemptively to entering the country so it has been a Canadian address on his account for a long time now. I will try and change it again just to the same address haha and maybe that will trigger something. We've had no responses and no luck... no communication from IRCC

You really should try your MP immediately.

 

[sbandnd]

You really should try your MP immediately.

We did. They are astonished that it is taking this long, and have kept our file open and update me periodically. She reached out twice so far to IRCC and forwarded me their response, which basically said we are please to announce that everything is in order with this application and we will contact the applicant when we're ready to finalize it. Super frustrating