Los Angeles Visa Office Applicants Check in here! :)

[computergeek]

I'm a permanent residence card holder from the US and I'm originally from Taiwan which is a visa exempt countries.

Actually, Taiwanese Citizens whose passports were issued in Taiwan are visa exempt. If your passport was issued outside Taiwan, it will require a counterfoil. I know someone here who ran into this exact issue when trying to come back to Canada (from Japan). His passport had not been issued in Taiwan and thus they required he get a visa for Canada. Otherwise, he could have gone to Taiwan to get a new passport and then he would have been fine (except he hadn't been in Taiwan since he was very young as he'd been living in Canada, so he'd have needed to perform his military service first...)

Maybe someone can tell me whats the next step? Or it's just a waiting game? Thanks in advance and this forum definitely help me a lot. Thanks everyone

It's just a waiting game. It sounds like your sponsor has been approved and your own application is pending. Generally, it seems to take 6-12 months for CPP-O to complete processing.

You can also have your sponsor order a copy of your GCMS notes (you cannot do so because you are not in Canada). There is a $5 fee for this ("access to information") and you must agree to release your records to your sponsor. The fee may be paid online, the notes ("electronic case notes") can be ordered online and 30 days after ordering the sponsor will receive the case notes via e-mail.

 

[kbsunshine15]

Actually, Taiwanese Citizens whose passports were issued in Taiwan are visa exempt. If your passport was issued outside Taiwan, it will require a counterfoil. I know someone here who ran into this exact issue when trying to come back to Canada (from Japan). His passport had not been issued in Taiwan and thus they required he get a visa for Canada. Otherwise, he could have gone to Taiwan to get a new passport and then he would have been fine (except he hadn't been in Taiwan since he was very young as he'd been living in Canada, so he'd have needed to perform his military service first...)

I've been to Canada many times using my passport without any issues, so I think I'm fine on that one.

It's just a waiting game. It sounds like your sponsor has been approved and your own application is pending. Generally, it seems to take 6-12 months for CPP-O to complete processing.

You can also have your sponsor order a copy of your GCMS notes (you cannot do so because you are not in Canada). There is a $5 fee for this ("access to information") and you must agree to release your records to your sponsor. The fee may be paid online, the notes ("electronic case notes") can be ordered online and 30 days after ordering the sponsor will receive the case notes via e-mail.

Where can I get the GCMS notes? I googled it on the internet, found couple websites that offer them. But none of them is $5, more like $80. Is that the price nowadays?

Btw, I know when I first submitted my papers, I put down LA as my preferred visa office, does that mean LA has my file now? Or CPP Ottawa still has it? On the letter I received back in Feb, it stated the application has been forwarded to a visa office abroad for further processing.

 

[simb]

you can order gcms notes on CIC website

https://atip-aiprp.apps.gc.ca/atip/welcome.do?lang=en

 

[kbsunshine15]

you can order gcms notes on CIC website

Thank you so much!!!

 

[simb]

Thank you so much!!!

You're welcome

 

[kbsunshine15]

Hi I'd like to be added on the spread sheet. Thank you.

Application received- December 05, 2012
Application returned due to missing form- January 05, 2013
Resent a completed package- January 30, 2013
First stage approval- February 07, 2013
Apply for CSQ- March 13, 2013
CSQ received- April 17, 2013
Now-waiting...

 

[simb]

Hi I'd like to be added on the spread sheet. Thank you.

Application received- December 05, 2012
Application returned due to missing form- January 05, 2013
Resent a completed package- January 30, 2013
First stage approval- February 07, 2013
Apply for CSQ- March 13, 2013
CSQ received- April 17, 2013
Now-waiting...

Welcome to the LA thread.

Parker24 will add you in the spreadsheet whenever she will be online.

 

[mevisbleek]

App Type: Common Law
Sponsorship App submitted to CPC-M: October 27, 2011
Medical done: June 2011
Sponsorship Approval: January 7, 2012
AOR from Buffalo: March 7, 2012
RPRF requested from Buffalo: June 27, 2012
File Transferred to CPP-Ottawa: Sept 2012
File Transferred from CPP-O to LA: Nov 2012
Application In-Process: Dec 21, 2012
Request to Re-do medical by LA (due to expiration of first medical): January 20, 2013
2nd Medical done: January 21, 2013 (got a DMP that didn't require appointment)
PPR: May 8, 2013

 

[UsCa]

App Type: Common Law
Sponsorship App submitted to CPC-M: October 27, 2011
Medical done: June 2011
Sponsorship Approval: January 7, 2012
AOR from Buffalo: March 7, 2012
RPRF requested from Buffalo: June 27, 2012
File Transferred to CPP-Ottawa: Sept 2012
File Transferred from CPP-O to LA: Nov 2012
Application In-Process: Dec 21, 2012
Request to Re-do medical by LA (due to expiration of first medical): January 20, 2013
2nd Medical done: January 21, 2013 (got a DMP that didn't require appointment)
PPR: May 8, 2013

this means you got your PPR today ?

congrats

I got my PPR few weeks ago. still waiting for my passport with visa to be returned.
let us keep updating when will you get your copr back.. or I will get my passport back..

BTW. were you requested to send in the copies of your passport or physical passport ?

 

[mevisbleek]

this means you got your PPR today ?

congrats

I got my PPR few weeks ago. still waiting for my passport with visa to be returned.
let us keep updating when will you get your copr back.. or I will get my passport back..

BTW. were you requested to send in the copies of your passport or physical passport ?

Yea, got ppr today. I was asked to send in the physical passport cos im not from a visa exempt country. Will send my passport tomorrow. What the current timeline from the time u send passports to receiving copr?

 

[computergeek]

App Type: Common Law
Sponsorship App submitted to CPC-M: October 27, 2011
Medical done: June 2011
Sponsorship Approval: January 7, 2012
AOR from Buffalo: March 7, 2012
RPRF requested from Buffalo: June 27, 2012
File Transferred to CPP-Ottawa: Sept 2012
File Transferred from CPP-O to LA: Nov 2012
Application In-Process: Dec 21, 2012
Request to Re-do medical by LA (due to expiration of first medical): January 20, 2013
2nd Medical done: January 21, 2013 (got a DMP that didn't require appointment)
PPR: May 8, 2013

Yikes - 18 months for a non-interview US outland application. You definitely got caught in the Buffalo shuffle.

For those lurking, note that this is why it is best to pay the RPRF up front if you can... the less time your file is with CIC and the fewer times you hear from them, the faster the process.

Congratulations - it must be a relief to realize this is finally coming to an end!

 

[computergeek]

Yea, got ppr today. I was asked to send in the physical passport cos im not from a visa exempt country. Will send my passport tomorrow. What the current timeline from the time u send passports to receiving copr?

When I sent my passport to LA I had it back two weeks from the day I sent it. I did encourage them to return it quickly by sending in an itinerary for travel that I had booked (work related, non-discretionary travel to testify in a trial in US Federal Court - so not easily re-scheduled). People seem to generally report about 4 weeks to get their passport back.

 

[UsCa]

Yea, got ppr today. I was asked to send in the physical passport cos im not from a visa exempt country. Will send my passport tomorrow. What the current timeline from the time u send passports to receiving copr?

Oh even I am from non-visa exempt country. I also sent my physical passport and hoping to get it back with shiny visa and copr

I emailed LA few days ago and they replied me back saying their current processing times are 4-8weeks. usually they do not reply back (as i have read in this forum from many people) but they did... guess they wanted to tell me the processing time so that I should not disturb them for given time..haha

 

[UsCa]

When I sent my passport to LA I had it back two weeks from the day I sent it. I did encourage them to return it quickly by sending in an itinerary for travel that I had booked (work related, non-discretionary travel to testify in a trial in US Federal Court - so not easily re-scheduled). People seem to generally report about 4 weeks to get their passport back.

you were lucky you got it in 2weeks.
I should have also sent in my itinerary.(like you )
as its been 3weeks and still no sign from them

 

[UsCa]

I have gone though the LA spreadsheet and the thread carefully
and from what I have taken as average is around 4weeks