Request for Photos

[jag21]

We also received the same letter today and although it was pretty straight forward, trying to figure out how and where to send is really confusing. There is no pertinent information on the vac site or anywhere else that we have been able to find.

We are also in Japan and with the holiday the Tokyo vac office is closed.

I called the Manila Vac office earlier and although I have to verify everything with Tokyo, this is what I have pieced together so far.

First off, this is something new which explains why there isn't much info about it. Manila also verified that it is new.

Send it to the local vac office which is Tokyo for us even though it is being processed in Manila.
There is a charge
it must be paid in exact cash and in the local currency.
According the the vac Japan site, It must be sent by registered cash mail or HAITATSU JIKANTAI *censored word* YUBIN
I believe it is 5,202JPY for Document Transmission for PR service. This is just a guess based on the price Manila gave me. Confirm with Tokyo. Manila would not accept Canadian $ only their local currency.
Include a copy of the emailed request from cic with your pictures but no other documents are needed (according to Manila)

Until I can talk to someone in the Tokyo office, we are all on hold but at least I have a little bit to go on.

Hope this answers some questions. Again, double check everything with Tokyo or your local vac but I think that's they way it's going to work.

Good luck.

When my wife received the same letter she just went to VFS Tokyo to submit the requested dcoucment and paid the transmission fee and then VFS will send it to Manila.

 

[NRSY]

I too received the same email yesterday. Very annoying especially so late in the game--we applied in September 2015, so we were expecting CoPR right around this time. I agree that sending it to Manila seems to make sense, since it's being processed in the Manila visa office.

However, isn't there something about cash payment being required? How can we come up with Philippine pesos since we both live in Canada and do not know anyone in Manila? Same issue with sending it to the office in Tokyo, but at least we have friends and family over there. This sudden change in both the size of photos required and the method of sending documents is extremely annoying.

I read on a different thread where I also posted my issue that it happened to someone last year and they sent it to an address for the Manila Visa office and did not go through the third party VAC place.

However I think I may just go to the bank and exchange some money to pesos to send it to the VAC because they state in the email that it must be sent through a VAC. I emailed the VAC in Manila and there was an automatic reply saying they will respond to me within 3 business days. So I think we are going to get the photos taken this weekend then send them either to the Manila Visa Office at the address below or send them to the Visa Application Center in Manila (and include money) who will forward it to the Manila Visa office. Depends on what they reply to me in the email!

I will definitely post in the group here to keep everyone up to date on what they require us to do in this situation once the visa application center replies!

Please also keep me informed if anyone else hears anything!

This is the address that was posted in the other thread to send things to the Manila Visa Office directly:

Embassy of Canada, Visa Section
Level 6, Tower 2, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue
Makati City 1226
Philippines

 

[Midland2017]

I took a chance and sent my wife's pictures along with a copy of the email request, the exact fee and a cover letter to the Tokyo vac today by registered mail as they requested.

It will be delivered Monday morning and hopefully be forwarded quickly to Manila. I will call them on Monday to confirm its receipt and an eta to Manila.

I will keep you all posted if I hear anything or have any problems.

 

[NRSY]

I took a chance and sent my wife's pictures along with a copy of the email request, the exact fee and a cover letter to the Tokyo vac today by registered mail as they requested.

It will be delivered Monday morning and hopefully be forwarded quickly to Manila. I will call them on Monday to confirm its receipt and an eta to Manila.

I will keep you all posted if I hear anything or have any problems.

Thanks! def keep me posted! We are going to take the pics tmr morning then send it on Monday.. I think we are going to try to send it to the Manila VAC because it makes more sense to send it there... My spouse is from South Korea so we could technically send it there to the South Korea VAC but he is living in Canada with me at the moment.. so I feel like ill just send it to the Manila office to keep it in the same country to hopefully speed it up?

Also, Where did you find out how much of a fee to include in the letter to the VAC? You included Japanese currency right? so I would have to go to the bank to get philippine pesos?

 

[Tynen]

I dont understand why we have to send it through the VAC. It seems like they are trying to make some extra $$ out of this because I thought the fee for the PR and application was paid long ago prior to it being processed.

 

[NRSY]

I dont understand why we have to send it through the VAC. It seems like they are trying to make some extra $$ out of this because I thought the fee for the PR and application was paid long ago prior to it being processed.

I agree.
Are you also living in Canada with the applicant as well?
what VAC are you sending yours through ?

 

[NRSY]

Also, Still wondering how to know how much of a fee to include in the envelope with photos... and can this be in cash? or it has to be in a bank draft... or something like that?

Thanks!

 

[Tynen]

I think its best if you can bring it to the VAC yourself that is if you live nearby one of them. I'm currently in New Zealand with my partner, but she is South Korean so our app is sent to Manila.

 

[Midland2017]

Thanks! def keep me posted! We are going to take the pics tmr morning then send it on Monday.. I think we are going to try to send it to the Manila VAC because it makes more sense to send it there... My spouse is from South Korea so we could technically send it there to the South Korea VAC but he is living in Canada with me at the moment.. so I feel like ill just send it to the Manila office to keep it in the same country to hopefully speed it up?

Also, Where did you find out how much of a fee to include in the letter to the VAC? You included Japanese currency right? so I would have to go to the bank to get philippine pesos?
[/quote.

I will keep you posted. I think sending it to Manila is a good idea. Yes I paid in jpy and I guessed at the price. I spoke with someone at the Manila vac and she had quoted, 293Php for the fee ( she also quoted the price in Canadian $) but told me it must be in their currency and exact cash for that office. Later I looked up that's amount on their site and seen it was the cost for PR document transmission service. I looked that up on the Japanese vac and that's how (right of wrong) I figured out what fee to include in the package I sent yesterday.

I don't know how much it would cost to send something by registered mail from Korea or Japan for that matter but there is a big difference in the service fee the Manila vac compared to the japenese one. A difference of about $44 can.

They say it is time sensitive and quote 15 days to respond in the email, I just didn't want to wait. We are in the middle of a week long holiday with the office closed on the weekends before and after. The office in Tokyo is open on Monday and if I had the time I would be down there to take care of this first thing Monday morning but I just don't have the time.

My letter will be delivered Monday morning and I will call them and confirm that it arrived and that they do not require anything else. I also want to know when it will be sent. I will let you all know what the say tomorrow.

good luck everyone. I will let you know how we make out.

 

[NRSY]

I think its best if you can bring it to the VAC yourself that is if you live nearby one of them. I'm currently in New Zealand with my partner, but she is South Korean so our app is sent to Manila.

I wish we could do that but it isnt possible as both of us are currently in Canada and there is no VAC in Canada! So I guess we will be sending it to the Manila VAC for them to forward to the Visa Office.

 

[NRSY]

Thanks! def keep me posted! We are going to take the pics tmr morning then send it on Monday.. I think we are going to try to send it to the Manila VAC because it makes more sense to send it there... My spouse is from South Korea so we could technically send it there to the South Korea VAC but he is living in Canada with me at the moment.. so I feel like ill just send it to the Manila office to keep it in the same country to hopefully speed it up?

Also, Where did you find out how much of a fee to include in the letter to the VAC? You included Japanese currency right? so I would have to go to the bank to get philippine pesos?
[/quote.

I will keep you posted. I think sending it to Manila is a good idea. Yes I paid in jpy and I guessed at the price. I spoke with someone at the Manila vac and she had quoted, 293Php for the fee ( she also quoted the price in Canadian $) but told me it must be in their currency and exact cash for that office. Later I looked up that's amount on their site and seen it was the cost for PR document transmission service. I looked that up on the Japanese vac and that's how (right of wrong) I figured out what fee to include in the package I sent yesterday.

I don't know how much it would cost to send something by registered mail from Korea or Japan for that matter but there is a big difference in the service fee the Manila vac compared to the japenese one. A difference of about $44 can.

They say it is time sensitive and quote 15 days to respond in the email, I just didn't want to wait. We are in the middle of a week long holiday with the office closed on the weekends before and after. The office in Tokyo is open on Monday and if I had the time I would be down there to take care of this first thing Monday morning but I just don't have the time.

My letter will be delivered Monday morning and I will call them and confirm that it arrived and that they do not require anything else. I also want to know when it will be sent. I will let you all know what the say tomorrow.

good luck everyone. I will let you know how we make out.

Yes, I saw on the website that document transmission fee is 8.44CAD (293php) if i were to send it to the Manila office. If I were to send it to the Korean VAC its abut $30CAD i guess because sending registered mail is much cheaper to do domestically.
Did you include cash? I hope cash is okay to pay.
I am unsure how I would get a bank draft or "managers cheque" in philippine pesos from canada!

 

[Midland2017]

Yes, I saw on the website that document transmission fee is 8.44CAD (293php) if i were to send it to the Manila office. If I were to send it to the Korean VAC its abut $30CAD i guess because sending registered mail is much cheaper to do domestically.
Did you include cash? I hope cash is okay to pay.
I am unsure how I would get a bank draft or "managers cheque" in philippine pesos from canada!

It has to be cash in their currency according to the girl I spoke with at the Manila vac.

 

[NRSY]

So, to confirm for everyone,

I just got off the phone with a lady from the Manila Visa Application Centre and we are supposed to send the photos or whatever is being requested by courier to the application centre :

Canada Visa Application Centre
VFS Services Phils. Pvt. Inc.
Mezzanine Floor Ecoplaza Bldg.
Chino Roces Ave Ext.
Makati city 1231
Philippines

In the letter, we include 293php (in cash is fine), the email request from the Manila visa office, as well as whatever the visa office is requesting (in my case 2 passport photos)

 

[Midland2017]

Thanks for the update.

The Tokyo office is open but not answering the phone. There is a 3 day turn around on email inquiries but at least I got the automated reply that said they don't reply to permenant resident visa inquires.

Their chat option connects to the Sirlanka office which is of course, closed.

Good to have your confirmation though. At least I know I have sent them the right information. Hopefully, it won't take them to long to forward it to Manila.

Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

[Tynen]

We sent ours to the Korean VAC which will forward it to the Manila visa office. My partners family is in Korea so we had them help us pay the fee to the Korean VAC and we include the payment receipt in our mail which is on the way to the Korean VAc.