From what I have garnered from this site, some visa offices, such as New Delhi & Manila, ask for the passport request and then start working on the files whereas others ask for the passport when they are ready to issue the visa. However, there is no hard and fast rule about this. They can ask for our passports at any time. Since I havent recieved a PPR yet, Im guessing that they are working on the file and will ask for the passport when they are ready to issue the visa.
I found this from a different thread. Hope it explains the Background Checks procedure better:
Security & Criminality Checks:
A part of the b/ground checks is the 'Security Check'. This is a major activity - mainly concerning our 'safe inclusion' into the Canadian Soil; vis-a-vis, Political, Socio-Econmical, Anti-Social disposition, perceived Threat to Canada's integrity etc. This gets us the SDEC, CDEC & SECCRIM.
Thanks, Shamsia appreciate your response. very good information
This is a serious & time-consuming stage, involving many agencies, including CSIS, Interpol, NASC, Database Checking & touch-base with Local Police. Many things are considered here... the No. of countries visited, Applicant coming from 'certain' countries, ex-Servicemen [including Law Enforcement services], Prolonged stay in a country w/out sufficient docs to prove cause, frequent traveling to certain nations, your *Name (?), Inter-Religion/Nationality Marriages etc.
If everything is simple & straight, the file soon gets into the 'final review' stage. If there are any 'red flags', our case goes into a 'spin'. Then our file might go to the local Police/CID agencies; the outcome/timeframe of which is beyond the control of CIC. And thereby the timeframe can be anything [sometimes beyond 1yr]. But, usually this stage should be over by 5 months max. However, a point to be noted is that we can also be called for an Interview [at this stage], due to this reason.
