July 2020 *Outland* Spousal Sponsorship

[LotusLeodis]

Hi, all,

I am a Canadian Citizen sponsoring my British spouse. We both live in the UK. I am not really expecting to get my AOR1 until late August 2020 at the earliest, with COVID-19 etc.

I am wondering if someone would be able to clarify how to create and link the online accounts of sponsor and principal applicant? It would seem we need to wait for the AOR1, as it is a paper application.

Grateful the VAC in London (UK) now seems partially open for when we will need biometrics.

Thank you in advance.

LL

APP Received Sydney, NS: 17 July 2020 (sent 22 June 2020)
AOR1:
BR:
MR:
SA:
Bio completed:
Medical completed:
Moved to VO:
Medical passed:
AOR 2:
Pre-arrival letter:
DM:
PPR:
COPR:
Landed:

 

[Alexn]

I don't have an answer for you but, may I ask, what method did you use to send you application, mail or courier?
I noticed it took almost a month to get there, I sent mine July 7 and I'm still waiting.

 

[LotusLeodis]

Hi, Alexn,

We were going to send it by courier. However, in the instructions for our pathway (outland application with Canadian also outside Canada intending to return to Canada, obviously!), there were no contact details i.e. 'name' and 'telephone number', as required by courier companies i.e. DHL, Fedex etc. to be able to use a courier. If CIC ever asks for feedback from us, we will highlight that that information is required for all streams by the courier companies.

We had also been sending regular post during UK / Canada lockdown period and noticed things took minimum three weeks anyway to leave UK and clear Canada customs to final Canadian destination. We also weren't sure what privileges, if any, courier companies might have to expedite things in a period where flights seem restricted or special customs routes for couriers.

Additionally, on looking on this forum, it seems some other people have had issues regarding CIC contact details for courier use.

And, I note that some people have said in this forum, certain couriers seem to 'hand over' to Canada Post on package arrival, so I can't see how that is providing the expected service level for the inflated cost.

In the UK, we are able to track to final destination without signature by regular post, so in the end that is what we did. We posted the package on 22nd June, sitting at the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre sorting office (for international mail operated by Royal Mail) for nearly three weeks. It arrived in Canada on 10th July, reaching Sydney, NS on 17th July 2020 via a few stops in Ontario. First time ever I have been impressed by Canada Post - in the middle of a pandemic even!

I might start a separate thread regarding opening the online accounts. It's the one thing that is sending me in circles. I wish you could apply online for all streams. We have friends who got permanent residency, I think via the Express Stream, and everything was online and super easy, according to them. I hate that ours has to be by post at the moment. I hope that CIC makes everything online, due to the pandemic, with post only as back up, if you cannot do online.

How did you send your paperwork and where from?

I hope my reply helps.

LL

 

[Alexn]

Thank you for all the details, I'm felling a bit anxious with all this waiting, your post gave me some peace of mind. I sent mine on July 7th by mail from Portugal. My package has been in the international dispatch center since July 9th, still waiting for it to get to Canada. After your package arrived in Canada was your tracking information still provided by Royal Mail or Canada Post?


About the online accounts, you can only link your application online after receiving the AOR. They will contact you by mail (if provided), and after you link your application online they will send requestes and other communications via the online platform.

 

[LotusLeodis]

In the UK, tracking was with Royal Mail (UK). Then the same tracking reference was used for Canada Post when in Canada (it even said on the Canada Post website when they were waiting for it to come to Canada from the UK).

It sounds like you sent your post through regular Portuguese post with a tracking number and may be stuck in a Worldwide Distribution Centre sorting office (for international mail operated by Portuguese postal services)?

You might want to check by what date it might be considered 'lost' by Portuguese postal services, but I think the issue at the moment is flights generally, with COVID-19. I think Royal Mail (UK) says the 'lost' guideline is 2 months, so three weeks in Heathrow was 'OK', if you know what I mean.

I provided my email address, so I assume I will get AOR1 that way and then I hope online account(s) instructions become clearer.

If you are applying from Portugal, are you applying outland Family Sponsorship with the Canadian citizen spouse with the non Canadian spouse both in Portugal at present?

Thanks,

LL

 

[Alexn]

Did you track it using the tracking tool on the Canada Post website?
I contacted CTT (Portuguese mail company) and they said the waiting is normal and to contact them if it takes much longer.

I'm applying outland Family Sponsorship with Canadian citizen spouse. We are both living in Portugal.

Here is a link for an excel tracking doc, you might find it useful
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LxDFjvZn-XR9uZpGbPTORYKQf0BMquSXNw0RvmqvZNU/edit#gid=1032392117

And a link for the July 2020 outland main post
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/july-2020-outland-spousal-sponsorship.692585/#post-8711573

 

[LotusLeodis]

Yes, under Canada Post 'Tools' page, select 'Track' and put in your tracking code in whatever the Portuguese tracking code format is - probably different to the UK. It's right at the top.

https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/tools.page

I'll have a look at the links you provided. Thank you.

Where in Portugal are you? We've been to Lisbon and loved it - friendly people, good food!

Hope that helps.

LL

 

[Alexn]

Nothing pops up. I'll can tomorrow to see if they can provide me any additional information. Thank you so much for your help.

We are from Lisbon. The UK is quite big, so far we have only been to London, vibrant city!

I'm looking forward to keep in contact as our timelines are similar. Our applications will most likely go to different VO's. Yours to London, mine to Paris, but our AOR's should be received at around the same time, give or take.
Are you applying to Quebec by any chance?

 

[LotusLeodis]

No, we are going to Ontario, with BC as a back up.

Lucky you - I'd love to be waiting to get back to Canada from Lisbon. And to be Portuguese would be nice, too! )

London is very different from the rest of the UK indeed. We are in the north of England, so life is a bit slower. )

I think our VOs will likely be different.

It seems that other threads are saying 3 months for AOR1!!! S Looking like mid October for our first step and true acknowledgment of receipt.

I just hope they don't return it. We went through it with a fine-tooth comb before sending, especially as we had to update it. We were going to send 1st March 2020 and then, well.....

 

[Alexn]

ahah I'm afraid there's not much to do in Lisbon right now with this Covid situation. Slower is not bad, I rather be living in a quieter place with less people right now.

Once they start processing we will be able to get a better idea of processing times. March applicants are still waiting for AOR.
I was also planing on sending my application sooner but it was impossible to get some documents during lockdown.

I'm hopping they find a way to expedite the process, they have a lot of backlog to take care of.

 

[LotusLeodis]

Same here - life is quiet and that's OK.

Are you going to Québec then? I have no idea about the separate process in Québec, never mind the rest of Canada!

Montréal is a wonderful city, but can't comment on the rest of the province. It seems overall, Québec is struggling to manage COVID.

Seems 4 months for AOR1. Stressful wait.

 

[LotusLeodis]

It looks like it got to Sydney, Alexn? That's a lot faster than mine! Now on to AOR1, which seems like it might take forever...

 

[Alexn]

We are going to Montreal, my spouse is from there. The only difference is we have to apply for a CSQ (Quebec Selection Certificate), my application might take a bit longer because I'll also have to wait for this.

I hope, by the time we land, covid will be under control everywhere.


Yes, I called, turns out my app left Portugal on july 9, it has been in Canada for a while now. I don't know the exact date it arrived at Sydney so I just put today's date.

 

[LotusLeodis]

Montréal is the first city I truly fell in love with - hope you love it there.

Can you input your tracking code into the Canada Post link? That might tell you where it is in Canada and if it is hung up in customs. That being said, once mine reached Canada it took a week, so maybe yours is there / will be there soon.

 

[Phalos]

ahah I'm afraid there's not much to do in Lisbon right now with this Covid situation. Slower is not bad, I rather be living in a quieter place with less people right now.

Once they start processing we will be able to get a better idea of processing times. March applicants are still waiting for AOR.
I was also planing on sending my application sooner but it was impossible to get some documents during lockdown.

I'm hopping they find a way to expedite the process, they have a lot of backlog to take care of.

How much does it cost to rent a flat near a nice beach ?