Thread for Acrra Ghana applicants

[maki22]

Started my husband’s application in Oct 2017, got an Aor few weeks later, was asked to provide schedule A and police certificate in Dec, asked to go for medical in March 2018, uptill now my Ecas keeps saying in process despite he fact that I added a doctors report asking for my husband to be present at my daughters delivery she’s six month old now and we are still waiting to have him around. Pls any Oct 2017 applicant here? And how far have u gone if yes?

They seem to work in batches. They are just starting on June July and August. So you may hear in August and onwards. The following batch after that one is September October and November.

The earliest you can hear is 10 months in after AOR. That is earliest. So 10 months and onwards to let's say 15 months to hear from them. So medical is 5 months after AOR. And hearing from them after medical is at least 5 more months + .

They are aiming to process 80 percent of applications in 12 months and 20 percent over that timeframe.

Sorry to hear about them not contacting you considering your situation. We are September and no news yet after medical.

 

[maki22]

Some abbreviations for various streams including spousal (copied from another source)

AVO - Accra Visa Office
PCC - Police Clearance Certificate
FSW - Federal Skill Worker
EE - Express Entry
ITA- Invitation To Apply
PPR - Passport Requirement
MR - Medical Request
POF - Proof of Fund
CRS - Comprehensive Ranking System
NOC - National Occupation Clarification
AOR - Acknowledgement of Receipt
PER- Positive Eligibility Review
Copr=confirmation of Permanent Residence
PEI - Preliminary Evaluation for Immigration

AOR Acknowledgement of receipt letter.
BDEC Background Decision
CC Credit Card
CHC Canadian High Commission – refers to the Canadian embassies, Visa offices, and Consulates.
CIC Citizenship and Immigration, Canada – the umbrella body which governs both CIO and local CHC offices
CIO Centralized Intake Office in Sydney Nova scotia – where you sent your application. Sometimes it is mentioned as CIU (Centralized Intake Unit).
DD Demand Draft (Bank Draft / Certified Cheque / Money Order)
ECA Educational Credential Assessment
ECAS Client Application Status, an official CIC service which allows to view the status of your application on-line
FD Fixed Deposit
SLU Second Level Update
FILE BF'D TO File Brought Forward date
FINDEC Financial Decision
FOSS is a central database of applications
GCMS Global Case Management System
IMMCAT Immigration Catergory
JD Job Description
M01-M07 level of Medical assessment. M01 means perfect
MEDDEC Medical Decision
MI - Ministerial Instructions
MR Medical Examination Request
NCR No Criminal Record
NOC National Occupation Classification
OREQ Other Requirement
PCC Police Clearance Certificate
PER Confirmation of Positive Eligibility Review from CIO
PI Principle immigrant
POF Proof of Funds
PPR Passport Request
PPS point at paper screening stage
PS Prescreen (another explanation is Paper selection)
PSDEC Paper Selection Decision
RPRF Right of Permanent Residence Fees
SEC CRIM Security criminal
SELDEC Selection Decision
SS This spreadsheet
SW1 Skill Worker 1
UCI Unique Client Identifier, an 8-digit identification number. People usually get it from CIC in a PER confirmation
VO Visa Office
RBVO Received by Visa Office
XREF cross referenced applicant
PR-permanent residency

 

[maki22]

April 10, 2018 - Starting as soon as this summer, everyone who applies for a visitor visa, a work or study permit (except US citizens), permanent residence, refugee or asylum status will need to give fingerprints and a photograph. This is called "biometrics" and the Government of Canada collects this information to manage identity and facilitate application processing.

Currently, citizens from a certain number of specific countries are required to provide biometrics when they apply for visitor, work or study permits to Canada. Beginning on July 31, 2018, applicants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be required to provide biometrics. Then on December 31, 2018, the biometrics program further expands to applicants from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

To facilitate repeated travel to Canada, applicants will only need to give their biometrics once every 10 years. Those with a visitor visa, or a study or work permit who previously provided biometrics remain valid from that date for a period of 10 years. Biometrics will be collected at Visa Application Centres around the world, Application Support Centers in the United States, at select Canadian port of entries and in Canada at select Service Canada locations, beginning in early 2019. A fee of $85 per person or $170 per family will be charged at the time of taking the biometrics.

Exempt from this new requirement are Canadian citizens, existing permanent residents, children under 14, applicants over 79, and visa-exempt nationals entering Canada as tourists who are eTA holders. Also, those applying for a visa, study or work permit or permanent residence from within Canada are exempt until service centres are established in Canada. (Copied from another source).

 

[me2605]

@RoamingSpirit yaaaaay... congrats Mama, I’m so happy for you. The wait is finally over. Congrats

 

[mascot_est]

I've been intentionally quiet lately. But just to let you guys know, my husband had an interview in Ghana yesterday. Not really to prove genuineness of the relationship, but to confirm some other things as there are children involved. He was told on the spot that he had passed. He received pre-arrival today and we expect PPR tomorrow.

Once we are done I'll share what I've learnt from the process.

Wow! Congratulations. I'm so happy for you

 

[RoamingSpirit]

@RoamingSpirit yaaaaay... congrats Mama, I’m so happy for you. The wait is finally over. Congrats

Thank you so much!

 

[RoamingSpirit]

Wow! Congratulations. I'm so happy for you

Thank you!

Everyone's time we come

 

[permafrost_can]

Congratulations dear we thank God we’re also here still waiting for our good news we sent AVO an updated change of address and an enquiry and they acknowledged our mail still fingers crossed cos we’re 16 months already.

Hopefully you will receive food news soon!

 

[maki22]

This is basic information gathered from past and current applicants:

Spousal Sponsorship Applicants to ACCRA Visa Office 2017 and 2018

Note: The process takes approximately 10 to 15 months and differs from timelines of other visa offices around the world. Also Nigerian applicants seem to wait longer or past the 12 month mark.

The government aims to complete 80 per cent of applications by 12 months. That means 20 per cent will go beyond that timeframe.


AOR 8 March 2017 MRP PPR

AOR 21 March 2017 MRP

AOR 23 March 2017 MRP

AOR 30 March 2017

AOR 4 April 2017 MRP

AOR 23 May 2017 MRP

AOR 25 May 2017 PPR PUM

AOR 4 June 2017 ADR PPR

AOR 13 June 2017 MRP

AOR 27 June 2017

AOR 7 July 2017 MRP

AOR 3 August 2017 MRP

AOR 17 August 2017

AOR 28 August 2017 MRP

AOR 15 September 2017 MRP

AOR 18 September 2017 MRP

AOR 20 September 2017 MRP

AOR 22 September 2017 MRP

AOR 22 September 2017 MRP

AOR 3 October 2017 MRP

AOR 11 October 2017 MRP

AOR 19 October 2017 MRP

AOR 23 October 2017 MRP

AOR 16 November 2017

AOR 16 November 2017

AOR 12 December 2017


AOR Acknowledgment of Receipt
Note: Date the application was received by IRCC in Mississauga; the 12 month processing countdown starts from this date. After file received by Mississauga IRCC it is forwarded to the Accra Visa office however the forwarding date is not always provided to applicants.

Medical Request - Medical Passed
Note: Request is received about 5 months after application filed. Usually appears as line 4 on ECAS stating "medicals received" considered passed, a week after medicals done at designated center and shows up as "medicals passed" on GCKey; if medicals failed IRCC will notify of next steps; medicals are only valid for 12 months from the date IRCC receives them and usually do not have to re-done but that is at the discretion of AVO.

ADR Additional Document Request
Note: Not everyone will get ADR requests from AVO. These requests can be sent by AVO at any time during the process and applicants are usually given 15 or 30 days (including weekends) to submit to IRCC.

PPR Passport Request
Note: Could be received as early as 5 months after medicals completed. Sometimes a "Pre-Arrival" email setting out services available to PR applicants in Canada when they relocate is sent to applicants before the PPR and sometimes only the PPR is sent by AVO; along with the passport request applicants usually have to submit 2 passport photos and new criminal record check (the criminal record certificates are not valid a year thus they have to be provided again).

Changes for delivery of passports now through VFS centre and not by DHL. Definitely for Nigerian applicants and not sure if for Ghana applicants too.

SIGN OF UPDATE
Note: The GCKey account will show updates to the file however sometimes updates are not made in a timely manner. The ECAS page is also often not updated sometimes until after the file is resolved but usually shows significant milestones on file.

PUM Pick up Mail
Note: If a self addressed return DHL envelope is sent in with passport DHL may contact party to advise passport is out on delivery even before PUM is even sent out by AVO. The timeline for receiving passport back with the Canadian visa varies. Therefore it is not recommended to make any travel plans until applicants have the passports and visas in their hands.

Visa on Hand and spouse or spouse/children are on way to Canada

Landed in Canada

 

[maki22]

New updates:

Applicants from Nigeria can only submit their passports via VFS centres. They cannot be sent to AVO by DHL. Not sure if this goes for Ghana applicants too and will try to find out.

Sponsors will now have to also provide criminal record checks as of June 4. More info to come.

Applicants will have to provide biometrics starting July 31.

 

[maki22]

Re WhatsApp chat group

Definitely not beneficial in larger scheme of things and only helpful to select number of people.

 

[maki22]

If anyone has questions please let's work through them via this platform.

 

[debbiejosh]

I've been intentionally quiet lately. But just to let you guys know, my husband had an interview in Ghana yesterday. Not really to prove genuineness of the relationship, but to confirm some other things as there are children involved. He was told on the spot that he had passed. He received pre-arrival today and we expect PPR tomorrow.

Once we are done I'll share what I've learnt from the process.

Congratulations! Wish you Godspeed through the remaining process.
This is a clear case of patience, and doggedness, we applied same-day, and had my PPR February 11, you understood your process might take longer, due to other circumstances, you did your best, and God has rewarded you.
Congratulations once again, I am so happy for you!

 

[debbiejosh]

Re WhatsApp chat group

Definitely not beneficial in larger scheme of things and only helpful to select number of people.

Truth! This forum stays and one can always go back to infer.
I have learnt a lot from this forum, and still here to give back to this awesome forum.

 

[RoamingSpirit]

Congratulations! Wish you Godspeed through the remaining process.
This is a clear case of patience, and doggedness, we applied same-day, and had my PPR February 11, you understood your process might take longer, due to other circumstances, you did your best, and God has rewarded you.
Congratulations once again, I am so happy for you!

Thanks so much. I think that is one of the things I've learnt - people need to be honest with themselves about issues that may arise in their application and prepare to wait as a result.