Thread for Applications sent November 2009

[ekristensen]

Argh it's so frustrating checking time and time again and we STILL aren't in the system on eCAS! When do you think I should start calling CPC-M to make sure they even received our application?!

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Yikes, I remember that stress, it was awful, since we didn't use a courier...

I used the (actually real) excuse of wanting to verify that they had my address correct in the system as I was in the middle of moving and I couldn't remember which address I had given (and I couldn't verify since I UNBELIEVABLY discovered that I had no copy of my filled in sponsor's form... eep!) and they were really nice about the address verification on the phone. They were a bit cranky about my other question though (where to send my marriage certificate once I received it from the super-slow Ontario government - they said I shouldn't have submitted the app until I had all the documents, which I guess we seem to have gotten away with as have lots of others)

Honestly though, if it takes about a week to get there in the normal post, and 2-3 weeks (recent average) for them to look at it, and knowing that they sometimes they don't put it in ecas right away... I don't think you need to be concerned yet! But it should be any day now... I totally understand your impatience - been there and it was the worst bit of the whole thing so far, since, like you, we didn't go the courier route.

Hang in there kitty!
TLH

 

[YorkFactory]

I beg to differ...

Our ecas account became active (ie we could login for the first time) on a Friday!!!

Yesterday evening (Wednesday) it was updated by our VO and our PR application status changed to "In Process"!!!

Well, for us, Mississauga's only update came on a Tuesday (for action the previous Thursday), and Buffalo's two updates came on Mondays (one for action on the previous Friday, and this past Monday for action that was probably also this past Monday).

 

[Karlshammar]

Yes, exactly. There are myths that eCAS is only updated on a certain day etc., but the truth is that updates can happen at any time.

I beg to differ...

Our ecas account became active (ie we could login for the first time) on a Friday!!!

Yesterday evening (Wednesday) it was updated by our VO and our PR application status changed to "In Process"!!!

 

[Swede]

Argh it's so frustrating checking time and time again and we STILL aren't in the system on eCAS! When do you think I should start calling CPC-M to make sure they even received our application?!

How did you send the application and from where?

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

How did you send the application and from where?

She mentioned on the previous page: Danish mail, from, um... Denmark Usually the mail in Europe is amazingly fast compared to North America, so ekristensen, they might tell you 6 days but that doesn't necessarily count the time Canada Post takes... I wouldn't start to worry yet, honestly! You know they don't deliver mail on Saturdays in Canada! (the sled dogs need their weekends to rest or something)

 

[Swede]

She mentioned on the previous page: Danish mail, from, um... Denmark Usually the mail in Europe is amazingly fast compared to North America, so ekristensen, I wouldn't start to worry yet, honestly!

oook...Sending mail from Sweden to Toronto has taken me 4-10 days, so no, no need to worry...

 

[ekristensen]

Thanks all for the kind words. It helps talking to people who are in the same boat - my husband is oblivious to all this because I'm the worrier and I'm the one checking e-CAS every day! lol... so I tend to keep it all to myself. People who ask about how it's going can't believe that our application weighed over a kilogram! 1.2 kgs to be exact.

Was it common for you all not to see anything on e-CAS until after they had processed it and made the decision, i.e. suddenly your case was found in the system from one day to the next and already had "decision made" by it? Because I suppose I was just assuming that I'd see the "in process" one day, wait a few days for the status to change and that's it - so that's why it was driving me crazy not seeing anything, I was at least expecting an "in process".

Ahh I'm sure I'll hear something soon. Nothing ever good comes of worrying

Where are you all planning on moving to when arriving in Canada with your loved ones?

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Thanks all for the kind words. It helps talking to people who are in the same boat - my husband is oblivious to all this because I'm the worrier and I'm the one checking e-CAS every day! lol... so I tend to keep it all to myself. People who ask about how it's going can't believe that our application weighed over a kilogram! 1.2 kgs to be exact.

Was it common for you all not to see anything on e-CAS until after they had processed it and made the decision, i.e. suddenly your case was found in the system from one day to the next and already had "decision made" by it? Because I suppose I was just assuming that I'd see the "in process" one day, wait a few days for the status to change and that's it - so that's why it was driving me crazy not seeing anything, I was at least expecting an "in process".

Ahh I'm sure I'll hear something soon. Nothing ever good comes of worrying

Where are you all planning on moving to when arriving in Canada with your loved ones?

Yeah, I agree, this forum is great for de-stressing eh?

From my vantage point in my chair at home, a million miles from CPC-M here is what I am GUESSING they do based on all the dates people post on here: The file arrives in the mail and is marked with the date it is received, and put in the queue, when it is first checked over, they seem to often be able to verify everythign they need to know about the sponsor in 1-3 days as well as print and post the letter with the decision and Client ID#. Then they create your ecas file and enter the info and your status and at some point it gets transferred to the VO. It's quite amazing that it's so quick actually! I have a suspicion that the ecas data is not directly linked to their internal records, because sometimes it seems there is a typo on ecas but the info is correct everywhere else. So that could make sense as to why it lags behind a bit. It is likely an extra task for them to update it and it's a nice bonus to be able to see what's up - but fortunately they focus first on getting the stuff done and second on putting it on ecas/sending AOR letters, etc, (better than vice-versa!) so some people have reported being surprised at the progress of their file.

We're going to Ottawa where I'm going to try working for a living after 6.5 years of grad school - can't wait! Just hope my hubby will find work there, lots of unemployed people there in his field. Eeek! How about yourself?

Cheers,
TLH

 

[camarsden]

Hi there.

Just thought I'd say hello and inform people that my partner is Canadian and I am from the UK and we're applying outland from South Korea. So to Mississauga first (if I get called for an interview, I really hope they don't ask me to spell that!), then through Seoul.

We should be sending our application with the next week. Just waiting on my UK background check to arrive.

Anyone else out there that's gone through this process in Seoul that could offer advice/tips?

Thanks.

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Hello!

Just FYI, maybe you know already, but you can choose your VO: either your country of residence or country of citizenship (assuming you have legal residency status in Korea for at least 1 year). You can check the timelines (maybe on trackitt.com? Don't believe what they say on their websites re processing times!) or by browsing these forums and compare the two offices before you make your decision (if you haven't already). Just sayin' cuz some people are having very quick turn-around through London lately! (assuming you don't enjoy waiting. Though some think Brits do... I would never say such a thing! )

 

[ekristensen]

So no one else here got any news this week, huh?

 

[Miryam]

People who ask about how it's going can't believe that our application weighed over a kilogram! 1.2 kgs to be exact.

Our application weighed nearly 4 kgs.

Update to add this info: when the visa office started processing the application on March 10th, the IO recommended on the same day to waive the interview because our marriage seemed genuine. But only 4 months and 17 days later they touched again our case - all this time they didn't even look at it - and finally waived the interview for sure, but took another month until they request the medicals, and so on... My husband and I requested the CAIPS Notes, that's how we know it, 'cause the answer from the visa office was always the same: "Your application still in process". hehe

 

[The Littlest Hobo]

Our application weighed nearly 4 kgs.

Oh my! Was it carved into stone tablets???

 

[ekristensen]

Have they banned TickerFactory countdowns in forum signatures? Because mine has disappeared from my sig and I notice others who had them before no longer have them. Just wondering...

Just out of curiosity (I really should ask any questions here, sometimes they worry me more than ever - ignorance can be bliss!), how many of you here used a co-signer and for those who did, who did you use to co-sign?