Hong Kong timeline

[zeushk]

whoot!!! ROFL! Just saw a change in the status. It's "In Progress". They started in August 31. I hope this is good news! Amazing how a change in status makes us all feel!!! And of course, this means that we now start to do the checking the website twice a day rather than once a day.

Yeah!

 

[Fencesitter]

No doubt! It felt so great to see some movement!

My wife has a lot more info about what this means specific to the HK visa office. I'll post more info later on...

FS

 

[Fencesitter]

Right...okay...from what my wife has said, and based on the experiences from many others who have gone through the HK visa office, here's what I have learned.

If e-cas changes to 'in process' before receiving any other communication from the visa office, it means that the interview is most likely waived (though they will still send confirmation that the interview has been waived at a later date). Usually the visa office will send a letter to the applicant stating that they 'might' require an interview and that the visa office will contact the applicant within 180 days (usually sooner), but if this happens, e-cas doesn't normally change to 'in process'. As long as all the IMM forms are complete, proof of intention to return to Canada is solid (if applicable), they usually issue the visa within 1-2 months from the time e-cas changes to 'in process'. Sometimes it can take longer, but this is what most people have reported who have already gone through the process (successfully).

I take this as a really good sign. I know that I prepared a very thorough application and I supplied tons of proof and supporting documents. All that is left is to wait a little bit longer...we really can't wait to have confirmation...then we can plan everything in more detail...it will feel great to know that the visa is confirmed...

FS

 

[zeushk]

FS, thanks for the information. However, we did receive a letter from the visa office for additional information back in May '12. So go figure. I guess it's different for everybody.

 

[Fencesitter]

Yeah, I know...everyone is different...this is something I have learned well after dealing with CIC. I was just saying that based on a lot of people who have successfully run the gauntlet, this is what typically happens when e-cas changes to 'in process' via the HK visa office.

I'm guessing that our case will be completed within the next couple of months. There is really nothing for CIC to do. Our relationship proof is very solid. My proof of intention to return to Canada is also solid. My wife has never lived anywhere but Guangzhou and she has never had any trouble with the law. What more is there for the visa officer to do? All he/she needs to do is request the passport and issue the visa...

FS

 

[Gatca]

Actually, according to my case, I think they started processing the case without updating the ecas, and I think you guys who got the change in the ecas status will get a letter from HK VO very soon.

I believe we are in the same batch( as the response time is similar), I got my letter for interview wavied on mid Aug, so good news are coming!!

Btw, does anyone know how long will VO keep our passports for processing?

 

[Fencesitter]

Can you show me the letter from the vo waiving the interview?

Thanks,
FS

 

[Robyn]

Hi Everyone,

Great news- Got home after work today and checked my email and my heart started to beat faster as there was an email from HK. I opened the mail and started to read, and there were 3 attachments
1. Live birth document- because we just had the twins we need to submit a new form- we have 30 days to do it
2. Medical re-do- because my husbands medical has expired he needs to re-do it- we have 30 days for that as well
3. Request to send in his passport- also 30 days for that

So great news. We are so excited and after so long I can harley think straight

 

[Fencesitter]

Wicked! You're basically done!! So happy for you! Looks like HK isn't that slow...

Get those things done ASAP and get that passport sent...make sure to send with a reliable courier so you can track it...

FS

 

[bobokiko]

Hi Everyone,

Great news- Got home after work today and checked my email and my heart started to beat faster as there was an email from HK. I opened the mail and started to read, and there were 3 attachments
1. Live birth document- because we just had the twins we need to submit a new form- we have 30 days to do it
2. Medical re-do- because my husbands medical has expired he needs to re-do it- we have 30 days for that as well
3. Request to send in his passport- also 30 days for that

So great news. We are so excited and after so long I can harley think straight

Robyn your case is over 15 months ? I hope my case not over 1 years, we don't want to re medical -waste money.
:-*congratulation! congratulation ! :-*

 

[Robyn]

Yeah so far our case has been 15 months

 

[Fencesitter]

Based on the experiences of several others, it seems as though for Chinese married to Chinese, it takes a bit longer to process the visa. If their are children involved, the interview is usually waived, but a DNA test may be requested.

For westerners married to Chinese, as long as everything is straightforward (first marriage, etc...), the processing time seems a lot shorter. If there are children involved, no interview and highly unlikely to be requested to do a DNA test.

Perhaps this is why it takes longer for some, but much shorter for others? I can't blame the VO, as I know there have been a lot of fraudulent cases from this part of the world, and some even use children that are not their own to try and speed the process up.

I hope everyone gets through quickly, but not the fraudsters trying to abuse our generous immigration system. I know of an agency in Guangzhou that said they can 'guarantee' a successful application, which of course is total rubbish...and they were charging over USD$6,000 for their 'services'. These are the folks that ought to be shut down, as they help a lot of people who are in fake marriages.

FS

 

[motorcyclerider]

How true. On the Chinese website my wife frequents that's similar to this site there are Chinese men and women advertising to go into a fake marriage and sponsor that person for a fee. They ask for like $50,000cdn for the arrangements. So it's very lucrative. Most of the system abusers were PRs themselves. It's these people that screw it for us honest applicants.

 

[Fencesitter]

Someone should take down their ip addresses and find out where they live and their name. Then that information should be entered into some kind of CIC database that tracks these a$$holes.

My wife told me of a few people who she knows about (not her friends...just people she's heard about through the grapevine) who entered into MOCs and are now living in Canada. I hate these people!! They ruin the whole experience and create bad blood towards immigrants in general. I would have no problem turning them in if I knew they would be deported.

FS

 

[zeushk]

Another Whoohoo! Now I'm really rofl!!! I just received another letter from the Visa Office. You know, when we receive an actual letter from these people, my heart is always pounding because it's a small letter, I'm assuming it should be a like 2" thick letter for welcoming my wife to Canada. Anyways, they are asking for
1) Australian police certificate, (this is because my wife studied in Australia for her university degree and this can be time consuming) but they allowed 60 days for this;
2) Right of Permanent residence Fee (CAD490) hmmm. well, then so far, it'll be CAD1000 for the initial application fee + this fee.
3) Passport request.

The above, I'm hoping... is all good news. Because the letter for the request for passport mentions time of travel, visa expiration date, etc. and the most interesting of all.. the last paragraph says... "...it generally takes us 20 working days to issue permanent resident visa documentation and return your passports"

whooohoo!!!