Just curious - how much time did/does it take immigrating to Quebec?

[amethystfaire]

Hey all!

In light of Dralon's good news about his wife receiving a PPR (congratulations!), I was just wondering how long it took/is taking for others to immigrate to Quebec from the US.

Hubby and I submitted in early August 2010, and it seems immigrating to Quebec takes longer than other provinces in the long haul, so we were just curious as to how long others had to wait in comparison. Nothing serious, just a poll for information.

 

[missmini]

from what i heard getting the CSQ should take around 6-8 weeks extra...in the moment u have the CSQ and u r approved by QC make sure that the VO has the CSQ also and ur file updated...otherwise there could b more delays

but to get the CSQ u have to apply for it by urself once u r approved to sponsor, based on the requirements they sent u in the sponsorship approval letter

 

[QCSunshine]

We also applied for Quebec and are waiting. I think the CSQ only took about 3 weeks for us. So, I would guess it is about a month delay for the CSQ for most people applying to Quebec, but then perhaps it takes more time on top of that to track the CSQ to the file and to re-open it after the CSQ arrives?

amethystfaire, did you submit your application in English or French?

 

[Ines]

Hi,
We also applied to Quebec. It did not take a long time to have the CSQ. In our case an interview is needed so we're waiting for it to be scheduled (it's been now more than two months since they informed us about the interview).
I did submit my application in French and my husband fiiled his forms in English.

 

[QCSunshine]

Ines! You are the only other person I have heard of so far who submitted a French application to Buffalo. And our schedules are almost the same. I can't wait to hear how your process goes, timing wise. I am relieved to know I am not the only one to submitted the forms in French...

 

[missmini]

amethystfaire, did you submit your application in English or French?

does it make any difference if we submit in English or French? :-\

all our forms and 95% supporting documents are in English: that's the official language where we r now and the language we communicate; i know that for QC we will have to fill some forms in French only, but didn't get to that stage yet

glad to hear that the CSQ is taking less than i understood initially

 

[Ines]

I don't think language will make a difference. But the application for the CSQ is in French only.

 

[QCSunshine]

You can apply to CIC in either language. (The Quebec/CSQ application to the MICC is only French though.)

I have just been wondering if a French application going through Buffalo has a different length of processing time than an English application, and how many French applications actually go through Buffalo...

 

[amethystfaire]

Hm, we applied for the CSQ in French if I remember correctly -- I referenced the English and put the same answers in the same spots on the French form. LOL, hubby had no issues with the form since he's the French-speaker. Like Ines said, I think the CSQ form came with both English and French, but I thought the MICC asked only for the French version to be submitted.

It took about a month to get it processed and approved at the MICC, but Buffalo said they didn't have the CSQ on file when I asked them in early February 2011... the MICC said it was sent to Buffalo on October 5, 2010! I immediately sent in a scan of our certificate via e-mail and hubby called the MICC to have them send it again, too, the same day we got the "we don't have it" response. Sadly, Buffalo refused to confirm if they got the resends or not. : / Not sure if the delay in them getting it is going to affect our processing times any further.

In my case (and I think what has held up others), Buffalo getting the acceptance certificate from the MICC is the real thing to worry about. Lacking the CSQ will delay your case indefinitely and they seem have a habit of not telling you it's missing, even though they SHOULD have it. We wouldn't have known had I not asked, and I would definitely inquire if you haven't already. You might get the canned "too many applicants to tell you any case specific news" e-mail, but I get real responses every once in a while, so it might depend on who's answering at the time.

We applied in early August, so we've been waiting for over 7 months now. Coming up on our first wedding anniversary on the 27th this month and we're devastated that we're still apart. So when my lease is up at the end of May, we're going to try to see if I can wait out the rest of my PR process with him on a visitor's visa. Not sure if you ladies are in the same boat, but I'm definitely ready to take the chance of them only letting me stay for a few months with a visa... just to be with him.

 

[missmini]

i'm in the same boat but opposite...i'm with him out of Canada and i'm the sponsor...we cannot stay apart and i'll do my best to stay with him until his PR is approved...thanks for the insight abt ur CSQ...all this stuff, if u don't follow up u can wait forever...push them and call every day until they will say they have ur CSQ...good luck!! by the way, Montreal is lovely in summer time, so do go and visit ur hubby if u can, u'll have a wonderful time

 

[Ines]

I hope you'll have good news very soon amethystfaire. As missmini said you should push them otherwise you'll end up waiting more.
My case is simlar to missmini, I am in canada and I am the sponsor. But my husband can't visit me anymore because he can't get tourist visa anymore and I can't visit him often because I have to work here. two months ago we received a letter saying that an interview is needed and we haven't heard back from them since then. It is so frusturating especially that we can't meet. right now we are a virtual couple. lol. thanks to technology (skype).

 

[amethystfaire]

LOL, oh we are staying on top of them about it, but I keep getting canned responses or none at all. They WILL give me an answer if I have to fly up there and smack them around.

Missmini- - You're very lucky to be with him. I'd love it if I could be with mine. I can't wait to be up there and see four seasons. Here in Texas we have at 3 seasons at most. Winter is laughable. :X

Ines - I feel for you. We use Skype every single night, and even though it's bad quality sometimes, it's free and it's a way for me to be with my hubby.

Saw in the Buffalo thread that you got your interview date now... that's GREAT! We haven't even gotten that far... no unprovoked communication from Buffalo since September 22, 2010 when they sent the AOR. We've ordered CAIPS to see what is going on and if they haven't informed us of something they were supposed to have told us. CAIPS are still ~3 weeks out at the earliest.

The no extensions on the visa for your hubby is awful though. Work, lack of vacation time, and flight costs make waiting and the long distance even worse, especially when you just CAN'T get away.

Have either of your spouses started on French lessons yet?

Hopefully you ladies will hear something soon, too! Thank you for the words of encouragement and the comments!

 

[Ines]

We're so relieved now they have scheduled our interview. I have only two weeks vacation. I have already took one week on Jan to visit my love.I have now only one week left. I am planning to take it around the interview date to be with him and support him. I hope there will eb no problem and that he'll get his visa the same day. I hope also that you'll hear from them very very soon.

We have ordered CAIPS notes through caipsnotes. com on Jan 5 but we haven't received them yet. We emailed them yesterday and they got back to us with the following: "We have contacted CIC about the status of your file and unfortunately
CIC is very backlogged and they are expecting to mail your file to us
on March 28th. We apologize for the delay and will deliver the file to
you as soon as we get it. In the meantime please feel free to contact
us again". We should have ordered them directly from CIC.

are you taking French classes yourself? My husband hasn't started learning French yet. He enrolled for French classes but then dropped it because he has a very tight schedule.

 

[plumosa]

it took 200 days from when they received the application to PPR for mine. You can see my timeline for more specific details.

 

[amethystfaire]

Ines - That's just great! LOL, and no, no French courses yet, despite my husband's nudging. Have my French for Idiot's book I read before bed, but no lessons yet.

Plumosa - Wow, you were very lucky! Mine's already at ~200+ days and doesn't seem remotely close to being done. Granted, Buffalo lost/never got our CSQ from the MICC and never informed us, so that probably caused a bigger delay. ANd like Ines posted, they're apparently "very backlogged" but one would think they always are seeing as their a government office.