INLAND APPLICATIONS 2014

[Jamesdavid3]

I am getting so Tired of waiting for my landing interview, its been about 3 weeks now...

 

[sophieee]

I received my PR card 55 days after my landing. At least one thing was faster than expected.
The website now says 41 days for processing.

 

[clbain89]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted on here, but I'm an October 2014 applicant, just wanted to share some good news - I received my letter saying I met eligibility requirements on the 24th of September, and today I received my letter for my interview in Edmonton that is scheduled for next week - needless to say I'm very excited !!!

Side note - I applied for the pilot work permit program on September 5th, as I wasn't sure if I was going to get my PR in time before my current permit expires in December, but I'm just wondering if I should/can cancel that request, or if it's all done and through now?

Thanks all, hope everyone's PR comes quickly!

 

[Ponga]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted on here, but I'm an October 2014 applicant, just wanted to share some good news - I received my letter saying I met eligibility requirements on the 24th of September, and today I received my letter for my interview in Edmonton that is scheduled for next week - needless to say I'm very excited !!!

Side note - I applied for the pilot work permit program on September 5th, as I wasn't sure if I was going to get my PR in time before my current permit expires in December, but I'm just wondering if I should/can cancel that request, or if it's all done and through now?

Thanks all, hope everyone's PR comes quickly!

Congratulations!

You should definitely contact CIC, ASAP, to cancel the OWP application and request a refund.

 

[anng]

I received my PR card 55 days after my landing. At least one thing was faster than expected.
The website now says 41 days for processing.

Congrats Sophiee...

 

[crystallps]

Looking for advice regarding my application.

Submitted spousal inland app + OWP last week. My husband is Canadian and I am a US citizen. We overpaid the fees by $550 and requested a refund for that by email. CIC decided to refund us our entire amount the day after we mailed our app (yay). Now the receipt inside my application is invalid as it has all been refunded.

Per the phone agent's suggestion, we made the payment online again for the correct amount and emailed CIC the new receipt with an explanation. The hope is that they can match up this new receipt to my application and do that before it gets scanned and refused due to "lack of payment."

I know I have a few options here but I'm not sure which is the lesser of three evils.

1. I can leave everything alone, and wait for a reply to my email (one agent said 20 day max turnaround, but I could not confirm this with any other phone agents). I'm also not sure if they can give me a definitive answer as to whether or not they will accept the new receipt/old application right away. They told me they are sending AOR for April applicants currently even though forum spreadsheets are closer to July applicants. Either way, it seems like I will be waiting at least two months before finding out whether it has been denied or accepted (again, not sure if they will address this in an email sooner).

Problems with that: If I am denied, the OWP pilot program may not be around for when I want to reapply. Also, my visitor status (US passport stamped for 6 months) expires December 6. Just worried about losing implied status if I get denied after that, then having to get back into status before reapplying, etc. It also means more wait time until I can start working.

2. One agent told me to mail in my entire application again, with a letter explaining why there are two in the system. My issue with this is that my original police reports, Option C, etc. are in the first app. Won't this one be denied right away for not having those? What if they can't find the first app to match it up with? I feel like this is too difficult for them to figure out (a $550 refund apparently was) and I don't want to give them any more room to screw it up.

3. Submit an outland app, assuming my first app will be denied. Not sure if I would do this now or wait until we get an answer on the first app? I also think I would have to renew my visitor status asap if I go this route? (I've been researching inland apps like crazy for months, but I know nothing about applying outland.) If the total processing time for outland is only a few months more than the inland processing time (3-4 months for OWP which is my main focus), then it may be worth it to wait a few extra months of not working. I am residing in Canada in the meantime.

Sorry for all the text but that stupid refund error has turned everything upside-down and I am just freaking out.

 

[kisaki]

*loud sigh* CIC..........................
I would scan the receipt, attach an explanation letter and submit a specific case inquiry with the receipt/letter explaining what happened, mentioning as many details as possible about yourself so they can trace it back to your application.

 

[Flo85]

Hi everyone,

I submitted my inland PR application in May 2014 and just got last week an email from CIC stating: "We are pleased to advise you that processing of your application has been completed. The Canada Immigration Centre in Yellowknife will contact you to arrange an appointment for the finalization of your permanent resident application."

Does anybody has experience of how long it may take to get an appointment for this 'landing interiew'? My current workpermit is going to expire by the end of November.

Thank you in advance.

 

[crystallps]

*loud sigh* CIC..........................
I would scan the receipt, attach an explanation letter and submit a specific case inquiry with the receipt/letter explaining what happened, mentioning as many details as possible about yourself so they can trace it back to your application.

Didn't realize there was an online form to do that. Thank you so much!

 

[MaryLou6]

Hi everyone,

I submitted my inland PR application in May 2014 and just got last week an email from CIC stating: "We are pleased to advise you that processing of your application has been completed. The Canada Immigration Centre in Yellowknife will contact you to arrange an appointment for the finalization of your permanent resident application."

Does anybody has experience of how long it may take to get an appointment for this 'landing interiew'? My current workpermit is going to expire by the end of November.

Thank you in advance.

I'm not sure how long it will be in Yellowknife, but usually it takes 4 weeks for bigger cities and 1-2 for smaller, so with Yellowknife you shouldn't have to wait too long.

 

[sophieee]

Looking for advice regarding my application.

Submitted spousal inland app + OWP last week. My husband is Canadian and I am a US citizen. We overpaid the fees by $550 and requested a refund for that by email. CIC decided to refund us our entire amount the day after we mailed our app (yay). Now the receipt inside my application is invalid as it has all been refunded.

Per the phone agent's suggestion, we made the payment online again for the correct amount and emailed CIC the new receipt with an explanation. The hope is that they can match up this new receipt to my application and do that before it gets scanned and refused due to "lack of payment."

I know I have a few options here but I'm not sure which is the lesser of three evils.

1. I can leave everything alone, and wait for a reply to my email (one agent said 20 day max turnaround, but I could not confirm this with any other phone agents). I'm also not sure if they can give me a definitive answer as to whether or not they will accept the new receipt/old application right away. They told me they are sending AOR for April applicants currently even though forum spreadsheets are closer to July applicants. Either way, it seems like I will be waiting at least two months before finding out whether it has been denied or accepted (again, not sure if they will address this in an email sooner).

Problems with that: If I am denied, the OWP pilot program may not be around for when I want to reapply. Also, my visitor status (US passport stamped for 6 months) expires December 6. Just worried about losing implied status if I get denied after that, then having to get back into status before reapplying, etc. It also means more wait time until I can start working.

2. One agent told me to mail in my entire application again, with a letter explaining why there are two in the system. My issue with this is that my original police reports, Option C, etc. are in the first app. Won't this one be denied right away for not having those? What if they can't find the first app to match it up with? I feel like this is too difficult for them to figure out (a $550 refund apparently was) and I don't want to give them any more room to screw it up.

3. Submit an outland app, assuming my first app will be denied. Not sure if I would do this now or wait until we get an answer on the first app? I also think I would have to renew my visitor status asap if I go this route? (I've been researching inland apps like crazy for months, but I know nothing about applying outland.) If the total processing time for outland is only a few months more than the inland processing time (3-4 months for OWP which is my main focus), then it may be worth it to wait a few extra months of not working. I am residing in Canada in the meantime.

Sorry for all the text but that stupid refund error has turned everything upside-down and I am just freaking out.

Take a look at these spreadsheets to get an idea about the processing time for US citizens (they usually get processed in Ottawa):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18NpCwiqXpOUdH3hN-f4J2gJ7T_-B97WoK3vlQMNKjAM/edit#gid=0
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FAYZyQgud1lzp7fM28i2O8ZrfbMAxdTc_t7_fiwI6ak/edit?pli=1#gid=658388151

If you can afford to wait a little longer for the work permit, you should definitely apply outland and save a lot of trouble in the next two years for yourself.
If you want to stick with the inland route, I would send a brand new package. People tried to send the missing $100.00 for their OWP application, but I don't know anyone who was lucky enough to not receive their OWP application back because of the missing fee. In order to attach the new receipt to your file, first someone has to open it. And if someone opens it, it is possible that they will immediately return it to you.
You can extend your visitor visa online with no problem.

 

[jwilcanada]

May 20th applicant, got AIP and DM today with a 16th October landing interview!

Thanks everyone for actively participating in this forum and helping each other out. we all know how awesome and informative the CIC website and call center are! the forum has been been a huge help for paperwork tips and more so just for the mental stress relief knowing there's other people in my exact position that I can relate to throughout the process.
Thanks Sophieee and others for looking after the Timeline spreadsheet, its be a very handy reference tool

good luck, hopefully this can only improve after the shambles of the last 2 years

 

[crystallps]

Take a look at these spreadsheets to get an idea about the processing time for US citizens (they usually get processed in Ottawa):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18NpCwiqXpOUdH3hN-f4J2gJ7T_-B97WoK3vlQMNKjAM/edit#gid=0
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FAYZyQgud1lzp7fM28i2O8ZrfbMAxdTc_t7_fiwI6ak/edit?pli=1#gid=658388151

If you can afford to wait a little longer for the work permit, you should definitely apply outland and save a lot of trouble in the next two years for yourself.
If you want to stick with the inland route, I would send a brand new package. People tried to send the missing $100.00 for their OWP application, but I don't know anyone who was lucky enough to not receive their OWP application back because of the missing fee. In order to attach the new receipt to your file, first someone has to open it. And if someone opens it, it is possible that they will immediately return it to you.
You can extend your visitor visa online with no problem.

Thanks for the links; those are exactly what I was looking for.

So the way I see it now I have two options. I can withdraw my inland app before it begins processing. I should be refunded everything but the $75 fee? After that, I can submit a new, outland app. Will withdrawing my app will have a negative consequence on a future one? How long until they return my documents to me?

Or I can wait for a decision on my inland app. If it begins processing (which I assume I will find out via AOR within about 2 months?) then I am all set. If it gets returned to me, then I can send out a new outland app. Is this correct?

 

[Ponga]

Thanks for the links; those are exactly what I was looking for.

So the way I see it now I have two options. I can withdraw my inland app before it begins processing. I should be refunded everything but the $75 fee? After that, I can submit a new, outland app. Will withdrawing my app will have a negative consequence on a future one? How long until they return my documents to me?

Or I can wait for a decision on my inland app. If it begins processing (which I assume I will find out via AOR within about 2 months?) then I am all set. If it gets returned to me, then I can send out a new outland app. Is this correct?

Your Inland application won't even begin processing for ~ 16 months! You'd be lucky to receive an AOR in a month, or so, but some people never even get one! You would certainly qualify for a full refund now.

I strongly echo the advice to withdraw and re-apply via an Outland application ASAP (the package/forms are slightly different). There's a very good chance that you could complete the entire process in 6-8 months (but would not qualify for an OWP), versus 26 months for an Inland application (according to the latest processing times). All you need to do is apply to extend your visitor status before it expires, to maintain legal status while you wait.

 

[crystallps]

Your Inland application won't even begin processing for ~ 16 months! You'd be lucky to receive an AOR in a month, or so, but some people never even get one! You would certainly qualify for a full refund now.

I strongly echo the advice to withdraw and re-apply via an Outland application ASAP (the package/forms are slightly different). There's a very good chance that you could complete the entire process in 6-8 months (but would not qualify for an OWP), versus 26 months for an Inland application (according to the latest processing times). All you need to do is apply to extend your visitor status before it expires, to maintain legal status while you wait.

Thanks, I really appreciate the help. I'm pretty sure at this point that I'm going to withdraw and start over. Time to read up on how to submit an outland app! I hope it's not more difficult than the inland one was. Thanks again.