London (United Kingdom) VFS Passport Submission Timeline
- Thread starter svm1993
- Start date
no communication yet, however i noticed status in my gckey changed to final decisionHey guys: @Darth Vader @Mes88 @amtdmt any update? I hope you got some update on your passports from London VO.
Hi everyone,
Not sure how useful this is, but also posting to vent as well - we have had a terrible time with our PR application. Here‘s our full timeline(ish) so far:
CEC Inland
My partner is primary applicant (Canadian experience) and I am dependent via common-law
Applied in PR pool: February 2022
ITA: August 2022
Applied: October 2022 (problems with references)
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Here’s where it gets sticky. We had to leave Canada to return to the UK for 2023 because my partner’s job (a fixed term grant, so unable to even quit) required him physically in the UK for one year in 2023. IRCC know this as we were advised to add a letter of explanation to our application. Given our October submission, and me having a Canadian job, we decided it would make sense for me to stay in Canada until mid May, giving a good amount of time (7 months) for the processing standard, since most were going through under that time anyway. The idea being we’d get approved, we planned for him to fly back in May to do soft landing with me, and we would have eCOPR before leaving Canada.
Months go by, nothing from IRCC, getting a bit stressed but firm plan to go to MPs office the day we hit six months for help - as it would still leave us about six weeks to get PR approved and do soft landing before leaving, and we had read most applications get pushed through with MP help if over processing time. Unfortunately, the day we go to the MPs office is the same day they announce the huge federal strike. Uh oh!
We change his flight back to the UK to stay even longer, but eventually we just have to bite the bullet (gave notice on our home) and go back to the UK. I plan to return to Canada in November, he plans to return January 2024.
Two weeks letter, guess what? PR approved. Ha! However, we are inland applicants now living outside of Canada. I had read lots of people had emailed IRCC with similar-ish situations, and IRCC advised to just tell them when they were back in Canada to do soft landing. Another spicy element to our application is my partner’s passport expires in December (it had the advised amount of time on it when we had applied initially).
So we emergency book him a flight to Canada mid July, thinking it gives him time to soft land before getting too close to passport expiry (IRCC advised to just tell them when he’s back) - and I still haven’t heard anything.
A day later he gets an email from IRCC about me, saying I need to send a copy of my passport, IRCC letter, and other VFS stuff to London (essentially changing me, but not him - which is good because he wouldn’t have six months left on his passport - to an outland landing).
Problem! I am a dependent so he has to do his landing before or the same time as me, BUT (other problem!) our medical expire July 18th - which will presumably be when my expiry to land is. So we can’t trust that if he tries to start his soft landing mid July, that he will be done before my landing expiry. Confused yet?
So now we emergency cancel his flight with 11 minutes to spare in the 24 hour cancellation policy, and re-book him to fly out June 1st. Bearing in mind we already spent about $1000 flying him out again in May expecting us to have got PR approved while I was still in Canada, and now facing another $1000+ flight, and probably another one for me. Before any accommodation or flight change costs.
So back to VFS:
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Request for extra documents: June 7th (our IRCC letter said upload everything except photos to our online account, and then VFS requested them all anyway, ha ha ha etc)
Application under process: June 8th
And my partner’s timeline:
Emailed to say arrived in Canada: June 1st
Portal credentials: TBC - already been to MPs office this week to chase up
So yeah, we are in this horrible situation where we are spending literally thousands of dollars more, because my partner has to land first, I somehow probably (though I have heard stories of IRCC extending medical expiries?) have to land by mid-July… and we’ve already experienced extremely unusual delays because of COVID, the strikes, and being in a tiny minority going past the processing time. And we‘ve also been unlucky with poorly timed passport and medical expiries (all done to the advice of when to have them done), and taking risks with travel which haven’t paid off.
I just have this terrible feeling we will hit even more delays, miss our deadlines, and start this horrible process all over again.
Not sure how useful this is, but also posting to vent as well - we have had a terrible time with our PR application. Here‘s our full timeline(ish) so far:
CEC Inland
My partner is primary applicant (Canadian experience) and I am dependent via common-law
Applied in PR pool: February 2022
ITA: August 2022
Applied: October 2022 (problems with references)
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Here’s where it gets sticky. We had to leave Canada to return to the UK for 2023 because my partner’s job (a fixed term grant, so unable to even quit) required him physically in the UK for one year in 2023. IRCC know this as we were advised to add a letter of explanation to our application. Given our October submission, and me having a Canadian job, we decided it would make sense for me to stay in Canada until mid May, giving a good amount of time (7 months) for the processing standard, since most were going through under that time anyway. The idea being we’d get approved, we planned for him to fly back in May to do soft landing with me, and we would have eCOPR before leaving Canada.
Months go by, nothing from IRCC, getting a bit stressed but firm plan to go to MPs office the day we hit six months for help - as it would still leave us about six weeks to get PR approved and do soft landing before leaving, and we had read most applications get pushed through with MP help if over processing time. Unfortunately, the day we go to the MPs office is the same day they announce the huge federal strike. Uh oh!
We change his flight back to the UK to stay even longer, but eventually we just have to bite the bullet (gave notice on our home) and go back to the UK. I plan to return to Canada in November, he plans to return January 2024.
Two weeks letter, guess what? PR approved. Ha! However, we are inland applicants now living outside of Canada. I had read lots of people had emailed IRCC with similar-ish situations, and IRCC advised to just tell them when they were back in Canada to do soft landing. Another spicy element to our application is my partner’s passport expires in December (it had the advised amount of time on it when we had applied initially).
So we emergency book him a flight to Canada mid July, thinking it gives him time to soft land before getting too close to passport expiry (IRCC advised to just tell them when he’s back) - and I still haven’t heard anything.
A day later he gets an email from IRCC about me, saying I need to send a copy of my passport, IRCC letter, and other VFS stuff to London (essentially changing me, but not him - which is good because he wouldn’t have six months left on his passport - to an outland landing).
Problem! I am a dependent so he has to do his landing before or the same time as me, BUT (other problem!) our medical expire July 18th - which will presumably be when my expiry to land is. So we can’t trust that if he tries to start his soft landing mid July, that he will be done before my landing expiry. Confused yet?
So now we emergency cancel his flight with 11 minutes to spare in the 24 hour cancellation policy, and re-book him to fly out June 1st. Bearing in mind we already spent about $1000 flying him out again in May expecting us to have got PR approved while I was still in Canada, and now facing another $1000+ flight, and probably another one for me. Before any accommodation or flight change costs.
So back to VFS:
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Request for extra documents: June 7th (our IRCC letter said upload everything except photos to our online account, and then VFS requested them all anyway, ha ha ha etc)
Application under process: June 8th
And my partner’s timeline:
Emailed to say arrived in Canada: June 1st
Portal credentials: TBC - already been to MPs office this week to chase up
So yeah, we are in this horrible situation where we are spending literally thousands of dollars more, because my partner has to land first, I somehow probably (though I have heard stories of IRCC extending medical expiries?) have to land by mid-July… and we’ve already experienced extremely unusual delays because of COVID, the strikes, and being in a tiny minority going past the processing time. And we‘ve also been unlucky with poorly timed passport and medical expiries (all done to the advice of when to have them done), and taking risks with travel which haven’t paid off.
I just have this terrible feeling we will hit even more delays, miss our deadlines, and start this horrible process all over again.
Interesting. Does the final decision say: "xyz date:Your application is in progress. We will send you a message once the final decision has been made. " Mine is showing like this now. But, no other update. Do, you see your counterfoil generated in GCKey?no communication yet, however i noticed status in my gckey changed to final decision
Wow. Seems you have been through a lot. Fingers crossed for no more surprises!Hi everyone,
Not sure how useful this is, but also posting to vent as well - we have had a terrible time with our PR application. Here‘s our full timeline(ish) so far:
CEC Inland
My partner is primary applicant (Canadian experience) and I am dependent via common-law
Applied in PR pool: February 2022
ITA: August 2022
Applied: October 2022 (problems with references)
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Here’s where it gets sticky. We had to leave Canada to return to the UK for 2023 because my partner’s job (a fixed term grant, so unable to even quit) required him physically in the UK for one year in 2023. IRCC know this as we were advised to add a letter of explanation to our application. Given our October submission, and me having a Canadian job, we decided it would make sense for me to stay in Canada until mid May, giving a good amount of time (7 months) for the processing standard, since most were going through under that time anyway. The idea being we’d get approved, we planned for him to fly back in May to do soft landing with me, and we would have eCOPR before leaving Canada.
Months go by, nothing from IRCC, getting a bit stressed but firm plan to go to MPs office the day we hit six months for help - as it would still leave us about six weeks to get PR approved and do soft landing before leaving, and we had read most applications get pushed through with MP help if over processing time. Unfortunately, the day we go to the MPs office is the same day they announce the huge federal strike. Uh oh!
We change his flight back to the UK to stay even longer, but eventually we just have to bite the bullet (gave notice on our home) and go back to the UK. I plan to return to Canada in November, he plans to return January 2024.
Two weeks letter, guess what? PR approved. Ha! However, we are inland applicants now living outside of Canada. I had read lots of people had emailed IRCC with similar-ish situations, and IRCC advised to just tell them when they were back in Canada to do soft landing. Another spicy element to our application is my partner’s passport expires in December (it had the advised amount of time on it when we had applied initially).
So we emergency book him a flight to Canada mid July, thinking it gives him time to soft land before getting too close to passport expiry (IRCC advised to just tell them when he’s back) - and I still haven’t heard anything.
A day later he gets an email from IRCC about me, saying I need to send a copy of my passport, IRCC letter, and other VFS stuff to London (essentially changing me, but not him - which is good because he wouldn’t have six months left on his passport - to an outland landing).
Problem! I am a dependent so he has to do his landing before or the same time as me, BUT (other problem!) our medical expire July 18th - which will presumably be when my expiry to land is. So we can’t trust that if he tries to start his soft landing mid July, that he will be done before my landing expiry. Confused yet?
So now we emergency cancel his flight with 11 minutes to spare in the 24 hour cancellation policy, and re-book him to fly out June 1st. Bearing in mind we already spent about $1000 flying him out again in May expecting us to have got PR approved while I was still in Canada, and now facing another $1000+ flight, and probably another one for me. Before any accommodation or flight change costs.
So back to VFS:
Approved: May 30th 2023
Replied: May 31st 2023
Sent application package to VFS: June 1st
Request for extra documents: June 7th (our IRCC letter said upload everything except photos to our online account, and then VFS requested them all anyway, ha ha ha etc)
Application under process: June 8th
And my partner’s timeline:
Emailed to say arrived in Canada: June 1st
Portal credentials: TBC - already been to MPs office this week to chase up
So yeah, we are in this horrible situation where we are spending literally thousands of dollars more, because my partner has to land first, I somehow probably (though I have heard stories of IRCC extending medical expiries?) have to land by mid-July… and we’ve already experienced extremely unusual delays because of COVID, the strikes, and being in a tiny minority going past the processing time. And we‘ve also been unlucky with poorly timed passport and medical expiries (all done to the advice of when to have them done), and taking risks with travel which haven’t paid off.
I just have this terrible feeling we will hit even more delays, miss our deadlines, and start this horrible process all over again.
yes that's what it's showing. Where do you get to see counterfoil on gckey?Interesting. Does the final decision say: "xyz date:Your application is in progress. We will send you a message once the final decision has been made. " Mine is showing like this now. But, no other update. Do, you see your counterfoil generated in GCKey?
So, on the application page, after your application status (where it shows final decision) and before the messages (where you would have the PDF messages, PPR/ medical request, etc), they will create a new menu of your document status. That is where a counterfoil will start appearing once they print the PR visa (assuming you are not visa-exempt passport holder).yes that's what it's showing. Where do you get to see counterfoil on gckey?
One business day!On 9th June, I mailed my PP to VFS following receipt of the PPR for a visitor visa. Approximately how long does it take for stamping, pls?
Sofyamalika
Newbie
- Jun 11, 2023
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Guys, a quick question. When I submitted mine and my dependents' passports to the VFS London, I paid the return courier fees for one package only (I probably should have paid for each individual passports, right). The VFS did not say anything about this, and processed our passports and sent them to IRCC. But, when they sent to IRCC, VFS generated separate tracking numbers for each passport. My question is, when they will receive the passports back from IRCC, will they put them in one envelope and send me one courier or will they ask me to pay the courier fees for additional passports or anything else?
I feel your misery! My medical is set to expire (according to IRCC) on July 18th (which is already a bit odd because I had it early July 2022) and I had an acknowledgment that IRCC have it and are working on in on June 8th. My partner (primary applicant) also needs to finish his landing via the portal (still waiting on login credentials almost two weeks now) before I’m allowed to land!Does anyone have an idea about current PR passport processing times?
My wife (PA) finally got her PPR (outland spousal PR) on May 4th and we immediately submitted her passport (online, as she’s visa exempt) and photos via VFS in London. IRCC confirmed they started processing (based on VFS tracking) May 15th and nothing since.
Very frustrated as her medical expires on the 30th!! IRCC has not acknowledged any webform emails or queries throughout the whole process.. not sure if we should redo medical or not. It’s going to be impossible and expensive to book a last minute ‘soft’ landing flight to Canada in just a couple weeks. Not to mention arranging time off work, etc.
Sorry to moan but why must the IRCC cause such misery with their garbage bureaucracy.
I’m wondering what will happen if they haven’t landed him and/or my COPR doesn’t come through by the 18th as it’s completely out of both our hands?
We have been working with our MPs office for months trying to get answers out of IRCC as every step for us has been over processing time. I recommend getting in touch with your MP as they usually have weekly IRCC meetings. We have had notes on our file saying they’ve received a message whenever we’ve done this so don’t know if it expedited anything but at least they are on side before anything expires.
My last ditch attempt will be emailing IRCC via the landing instructions email address to see if they want me to do another medical in order to extend my expiry date. That seems to what people were doing pre-covid BUT I get the feeling IRCC are a bit more chill about just randomly extending medicals now, probably to relieve their workload - so I’m sort of hoping they will naturally extend it because it’s so close to expiring.
Who knows
When did you send? It took about two working days (I sent it guaranteed by 1pm) for me to receive an email from VFS saying they’d received it (and needed extra documents) - then I had a few emails over the next few days with tracking numbers etc (which didn’t work for a few days). Then another email confirming IRCC had it.I have sent my passport to London VFS for Canadian temporary resident work permit visa stamping my passport and Additional document reach to VFS London but I didn't get Any Mail no communication with them usually How long will it take for visa Stamping
No idea how long stamping will take but you should receive email communication saying they’ve had it.