Hello guys, I see a lot of people wanting to apply for notes and MP enquiries these days. Please consider the following before you do.
Notes:
Yeah sure notes cost only $5 but unless your file has undergone an initial review, you will not find anything useful in there..no info on eligibility or security or criminality, forget about Interview recommendation. From what we can estimate from the spreadsheet, the initial review takes an average of 10 months from the date on which your application was received by the CIC. So if you want to save yourself from disappointment and don't want your file to be pulled out of queue, do yourself a favour and do not apply for notes before giving it atleast 10 months. I would ideally ask you to give it a years time. However, IF you need to check if CIC/NDVO has updated any changes for eg postal or email address or anything like that, or an UNUSUAL amount of time has passed and NDVO hasn't contacted you then please ignore what's written above and go ahead and apply. (Read unusual as everyone who applied within 3-4 weeks before and after you has received one or the other correspondence but you have nothing. Again, use the spreadsheet to help yourself)
MP enquiry:
Firstly, no MP can help you in getting your case processed sooner. Love them or hate them for it, but that's how it is. Where an MP can help you is that they can contact NDVO on your behalf and enquire about the current status of your file. Apparently earlier MP enquires were a big deal but now mostly MPs are reverting with the standard "You need to wait till your 17 months period has passed" reply. It is PROBABLY because MPs are getting too many requests and they also have other work to do. You might have voted for them because their party promised to reduce the application processing time, but come on, they have other priorities as well. When you do decide to approach your MP, make sure you atleast have your notes with you and you're asking them to enquire because there is no other way you can help yourself.
We all understand how hard the wait is, but a Family Class Sponsorship visa is all about patience. We are not alone in whatever we are going through. At the beginning of 2015, the processing time at NDVO was 5-6 months then for some reason it increased to 8-9 months and God knows if it'll increase or decrease in the coming months. Let's keep ourselves busy with other aspects of our life, keep motivating each other and keep praying for everyone.
Disclaimer - The above isn't meant to offend or discourage or hurt anyone. You can choose to ignore the whole post and do your own thing. It is a free country after all.
