Is this for real? Applying for a visitor Visa from New York consulate

[twoshots_ofhappy]

Dear All,

I am applying for visitor visa from the NYC consulate. From what I have been reading online on this forum and google the reviews for the Visa application process are overwhelmingly NEGATIVE...here might be a bias of course in who is reporting however but my own experience so far has hardly been pleasant..

I am planning to attend a wedding for 30th August and until last night thought I had sufficient time to apply for Visa (stupid me). I had applied successfully for Canadian Visa twice (last time in 2007) and as far as I remember the process was nothing like this.

The official page says it take 38 days (working or calendar?) to process visitor visa...is this for real??? I have researched this forum for guidance and it appears so..however the posts I have read were circa March 2013 so I am not sure if those timelines are still valid.


The Canadian Consulate in New York has horror stories posted by the reviewers:

I spent majority of last night understanding the requirements and applying online for a visitor visa to Canada. It is the worst set up I have ever seen, amateurish, confusing and badly designed. I cant tell if I am doing something grossly stupid but the application process itself sucked..After spending 4 hours I am still not done. Do you guys have similar experience.

If all of these are correct, then what are my choices?

1) Is there an advantage to apply for paper version and hand in the Visa rather than online?

2) On the website I could not find any information on expediting the Visa application . Do you have any advise on this? Every country to which I have applied Visas for (around 12) have a version of paid expedited service..apparently not this one or I am not able to find the link

3) Are there outside agencies (travel agents etc) you know of who would expedite this for a fee?

Any help would be appreciated,.

Thanks

 

[Jalex23]

2) On the website I could not find any information on expediting the Visa application . Do you have any advise on this? Every country to which I have applied Visas for (around 12) have a version of paid expedited service..apparently not this one or I am not able to find the link

3) Are there outside agencies (travel agents etc) you know of who would expedite this for a fee?

You need a valid reason to skip the queue.

From CIC: Only reasons beyond your control will be taken into consideration. Bookings for tourism or family visits, booked fares, already paid language course, non-problematic child births, transits through Canada, appointments for visas at other embassies, etc. are NOT CONSIDERED urgent cases.

Anyway you can go the embassy yourself and apply in paper, see if that works.... it does seldomly work, know 1 case out of a 100 actually get Urgent Processing granted for tourist reasons. Its rare but it happens.

 

[samratbaweja]

38 days is the average processing time but it depends on the case. I applied in NY office and got a passport request within 3 days (wasn't expecting it to be so fast, lucky me!). I've a similar profile like yours, previous Canada visa and visas of several other countries.

But I feel it'd be better to apply on paper for you because after they request for the passport, they take 2-3 weeks to stamp and send it back to you, plus additional 3-4 days for your passport to reach them. Paper application reduces this time as they'll already be having your passport.

Good luck!

 

[PMM]

HI

You need a valid reason to skip the queue.

From CIC: Only reasons beyond your control will be taken into consideration. Bookings for tourism or family visits, booked fares, already paid language course, non-problematic child births, transits through Canada, appointments for visas at other embassies, etc. are NOT CONSIDERED urgent cases.

Anyway you can go the embassy yourself and apply in paper, see if that works.... it does seldomly work, know 1 case out of a 100 actually get Urgent Processing granted for tourist reasons. Its rare but it happens.

Nope not going to work, read the following from the NY web site.

Hours of Operation

In-person submissions will only be available until Wednesday June 25, 2014:

Thereafter, all temporary resident (visitor, student, temporary worker) and permanent resident travel document applications must be submitted either online or through the VAC in NYC.

 

[twoshots_ofhappy]

38 days is the average processing time but it depends on the case. I applied in NY office and got a passport request within 3 days (wasn't expecting it to be so fast, lucky me!). I've a similar profile like yours, previous Canada visa and visas of several other countries.

But I feel it'd be better to apply on paper for you because after they request for the passport, they take 2-3 weeks to stamp and send it back to you, plus additional 3-4 days for your passport to reach them. Paper application reduces this time as they'll already be having your passport.

Good luck!

Thanks Samrat - How many days in total did your application take?

 

[Jalex23]

HI


Nope not going to work, read the following from the NY web site.

Hours of Operation

In-person submissions will only be available until Wednesday June 25, 2014:

Thereafter, all temporary resident (visitor, student, temporary worker) and permanent resident travel document applications must be submitted either online or through the VAC in NYC.

Ha ha, bad luck then....

 

[adeleduan]

2-3 weeks??? Gosh...

38 days is the average processing time but it depends on the case. I applied in NY office and got a passport request within 3 days (wasn't expecting it to be so fast, lucky me!). I've a similar profile like yours, previous Canada visa and visas of several other countries.

But I feel it'd be better to apply on paper for you because after they request for the passport, they take 2-3 weeks to stamp and send it back to you, plus additional 3-4 days for your passport to reach them. Paper application reduces this time as they'll already be having your passport.

Good luck!

 

[torontob]

Is the Detroit consulate closed? I have a cousin who is in Philidelphia now but soon will be in Michigan. Where should she apply? She might need to do biometrics. I see that there are no VAC close by but there are some ASCs. What are those centers really?

Thanks,

 

[vikas189]

Do not do online application, I did it 2 months back, I was supposed to go end of Aug to visit and I thought 2.5 months would be enough to apply. I haven't received any decision yet, 2 months have passed. Based on their service I would surely be not sending my passport. to these guys. On top of that everytime I call they say I am not in their database but I keep getting emails from them and have confirmation of submission too.
I would suggest if you have less time, do not risk to send originals to them but also do not do online application, these guys are worst at service.

 

[torontob]

Do not do online application, I did it 2 months back, I was supposed to go end of Aug to visit and I thought 2.5 months would be enough to apply. I haven't received any decision yet, 2 months have passed. Based on their service I would surely be not sending my passport. to these guys. On top of that everytime I call they say I am not in their database but I keep getting emails from them and have confirmation of submission too.
I would suggest if you have less time, do not risk to send originals to them but also do not do online application, these guys are worst at service.

Really? So, what is the solution? apply in person? I thought that can't be done anymore.

 

[mikeymyke]

Applying online is definitely the way to go.

My wife's office was in Vietnam, with a 36 day average processing time. We submit online and got the visa in 18 days, so in half the posted time.

 

[torontob]

Applying online is definitely the way to go.

My wife's office was in Vietnam, with a 36 day average processing time. We submit online and got the visa in 18 days, so in half the posted time.

What is the closest office that can do biometrics in Michigan? I don't see any VAC there but I do see ASCs. Can those do biometrics?

 

[bonitaellada]

Not all ASC's do biometrics. You need to call the closest ASC and ask whether they do. I live in D.C. I called the closest ASC. It turned out, they don't do biometrics but they gave me the address of the office that does.

 

[larrylukeeborg]

I am Canadian, my gf is African, I met her while living in Africa [for two years]. The process is a joke with respect to the visitor's visa. We have applied twice, both times refused for the same reason. Why in the world is 'previous travel' a grounds for refusal? What does it mean? She has lived in three different countries for extended time. Does that not constitute valid 'previous travel'? I provided a letter of support and six months worth of bank statements indicating plenty of $$ for a three week stay. Yet one ground for refusal was 'insufficient funds.' There is no legitimate process of appeal, and clearly a bias against certain countries. Whether the bias is racial is difficult to prove. While I was working in Africa - for the UN - I was told that the visa people are instructed to say 'no' and that they have a quota. No wonder people hate government. Seems like it's simply a money grab.