Does the local office go through another background verification procedure?

[farrous13]

The CIC in Sydney makes sure that every applicant has passed the background verification. Does the local office go through the same thing? Do the background verification documents have an expiry date?

IN reality, what is the local's office job besides issuing the test and oath date. For me, if Sydney see nothing wring with the application, why would the local office have their doubts?

Any information that you can share.

 

[EasyRider]

I always thought Sydney orders 3 mandatory clearances (FOSS, RCMP and CSIS) and does file triage based on pre-RQ indicators, i.e. based on just info in application form, not investigations.

Local office can reorder clearances in case of expiration (1 year after obtaining clearance) and takes more personal approach with file.

As you can see from a file requirements checklist (a form stored with your file and filled by agents, officers and judges during a case progression), there's job to be done before interview by local office, including following up on triage done in Sydney and checking some systems as FOSS and GCMS again (which I suspect not equals to full clearances, but checking for new notes via some kind of service/terminal). Also, there are reports of agents accessing LinkedIn profiles before interview, so they're "googling" you too. That's what they have to complete in local office:

=> PART B (to be completed by local office)

REQUIRED: PRE INTERVIEW VERIFICATION
- All follow-ups completed on applicable CPC Sydney triage criteria
- Checked GCM/FOSS before interview
- Applicant is prohibited
- Residence questionnaire on file
- Applicant has used a suspect residential address after application submission
- Discrepancy in absences between citizenship application and responses to questions on the RQ and/or CIC records
- Discrepancy in addresses listed on citizenship application and those on the RQ and/or CIC records
- Self-identified as a consultant, self-employed or unemployed with any travel during the relevant 4 year period

 

[ramsfe]

Well the local office reviews your file again and prepares it further so that a citizenship judge can make a decision... a local office usually understands better things that happen in its jurisdiction ( Montreal's office understands better what's happening in Quebec than someone who works out of Sydney), also, the local office can invite you for an interview with a CIC official...

 

[links18]

How long is it taking for files to make it out of Sydney these days? It seems to be pretty fast. Why would one file stay in Sydney longer than another?

 

[Msafiri]

The CIC in Sydney makes sure that every applicant has passed the background verification. Does the local office go through the same thing? Do the background verification documents have an expiry date?

IN reality, what is the local's office job besides issuing the test and oath date. For me, if Sydney see nothing wring with the application, why would the local office have their doubts?

Any information that you can share.

CIC Sidney doesn't make sure every applicant has passed the background verification - their job is to initiate the checks with the respective agencies. However they can and do miss this step leaving it to the Local Office to initiate the checks - this is an advantage to those with long transfer times from Sidney to the Local Office basically any of the prairie provinces because the risk of checks expiring prior to test and oath is minimized.

The major function of the Local Office is to schedule and conduct the test including the interview - they are also the 'almost' last gate keepers for RQ issuance other than the CJ but post OB407 this is tailing off. That 10-30 minutes interview at the test could mean a smooth sailing or a painful journey!

 

[links18]

CIC Sidney doesn't make sure every applicant has passed the background verification - their job is to initiate the checks with the respective agencies. However they can and do miss this step leaving it to the Local Office to initiate the checks - this is an advantage to those with long transfer times from Sidney to the Local Office basically any of the prairie provinces because the risk of checks expiring prior to test and oath is minimized.

The major function of the Local Office is to schedule and conduct the test including the interview - they are also the 'almost' last gate keepers for RQ issuance other than the CJ but post OB407 this is tailing off. That 10-30 minutes interview at the test could mean a smooth sailing or a painful journey!

So, there are varying times for how long it takes an application to get out of Sydney?

 

[farrous13]

From my experience, my file has been transferred late to the local office compared to other May 2013 applicants (Montreal, a difference of 2 months). When I questioned the CIC, the response was that I just passed the background verification. And that they would not transfer the application without completing this step.
I was actually writing everything the CIC was saying such as "passed background verification"...etc.

CIC Sidney doesn't make sure every applicant has passed the background verification - their job is to initiate the checks with the respective agencies. However they can and do miss this step leaving it to the Local Office to initiate the checks - this is an advantage to those with long transfer times from Sidney to the Local Office basically any of the prairie provinces because the risk of checks expiring prior to test and oath is minimized.

The major function of the Local Office is to schedule and conduct the test including the interview - they are also the 'almost' last gate keepers for RQ issuance other than the CJ but post OB407 this is tailing off. That 10-30 minutes interview at the test could mean a smooth sailing or a painful journey!

 

[dear_pnp]

From my experience, my file has been transferred late to the local office compared to other May 2013 applicants (Montreal, a difference of 2 months). When I questioned the CIC, the response was that I just passed the background verification. And that they would not transfer the application without completing this step.
I was actually writing everything the CIC was saying such as "passed background verification"...etc.

Yeah thats what I have been told by the call center agent as well. When I called them to check on my status, they said that my background checks have not been completed yet and that they will transfer my file to the local office when the background checks arrive. then the local office will schedule me for test.


Interestingly, every time I call my status rolls back in time. First call said, background check fine, file already transferred to local office and in queue for test.

Second call said, background check fine, file still in Sydney, file being prepared to be sent to local office.

Third call said, background checks have not come yet, file still in Sydney ??? ??? ??? ???

 

[Msafiri]

From my experience, my file has been transferred late to the local office compared to other May 2013 applicants (Montreal, a difference of 2 months). When I questioned the CIC, the response was that I just passed the background verification. And that they would not transfer the application without completing this step.
I was actually writing everything the CIC was saying such as "passed background verification"...etc.

Contacting the call center really has little value - all you will get are generic responses which are often nothing new as to the status of your application. Call CIC ten times and you will likely get ten different answers to the same question. ATIP requests for what the call center agents see reveal they don't have much on their screen. CIC know the call centre is a 'pressure relief' center where people call mostly to feel as if they are in touch with their application. Get your GCMS notes and they will detail when checks were commenced and their expiry dates (excluding CSIS its secret intelligence). Compare this date against the transfer to Local Office date and it will tell you when your checks commenced...calling the agents on this is in my opinion pointless but if it makes you feel better eh!

 

[farrous13]

Oh! thanks Msafiri.
I will order the GCMS notes. I will search the forum for info. If you have a link to one of the threads that would be great. I will then compare those notes to the dates I was told by the agent.

Contacting the call center really has little value - all you will get are generic responses which are often nothing new as to the status of your application. Call CIC ten times and you will likely get ten different answers to the same question. ATIP requests for what the call center agents see reveal they don't have much on their screen. CIC know the call centre is a 'pressure relief' center where people call mostly to feel as if they are in touch with their application. Get your GCMS notes and they will detail when checks were commenced and their expiry dates (excluding CSIS its secret intelligence). Compare this date against the transfer to Local Office date and it will tell you when your checks commenced...calling the agents on this is in my opinion pointless but if it makes you feel better eh!

 

[links18]

Oh! thanks Msafiri.
I will order the GCMS notes. I will search the forum for info. If you have a link to one of the threads that would be great. I will then compare those notes to the dates I was told by the agent.

How long does it take to get GCMS notes these days?

 

[EasyRider]

How long does it take to get GCMS notes these days?

I got my notes last week and it took 30 days to receive them.

Funny thing response was created just a week after I had requested it, but they kept and released it to me only after 30 days.

 

[links18]

I got my notes last week and it took 30 days to receive them.

Funny thing response was created just a week after I had requested it, but they kept and released it to me only after 30 days.

Yeah, they do the same with the border records. Anything interesting in the notes?