+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,816
22,098
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
krista2011 said:
Hi y'all,
My husband and I submitted our forms awhile back and I stumbled across this forum a few days ago. He's American and I'm a citizen, we filed with a lawyer, nothing abnormal about our relationship or application. Now for my question, a few people have mentioned submitting state criminal record checks, is this necessary? He just submitted his FBI check, should we apply for the state clearances as well? Considering the wait times, I'd rather be proactive, if these requests for state clearances are normal.
Thanks in advance!
No - the state clearances are not required. Some of us chose to send them in for various reasons. But they're definitely not required. I wouldn't bother...
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
AW2011 said:
Wondering if all Buffalo applicants receive LETTER OF INITIAL ASSESSMENT before finalizing/getting PPR?
What do you mean by LIA? That's one I've never heard of before.
 

AW2011

Hero Member
Oct 26, 2011
230
1
AmericaninQuebec said:
What do you mean by LIA? That's one I've never heard of before.
It's the letter they send you telling you either additional documents are needed, interview is waived &...... before they're ready to finalize your case. This normally comes 3 or 4 months after AOR and weeks before PPR(if it does come).
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
AW2011 said:
It's the letter they send you telling you either additional documents are needed, interview is waived &...... before they're ready to finalize your case. This normally comes 3 or 4 months after AOR and weeks before PPR(if it does come).
Sounds like it's not something regularly sent out by Buffalo, at least not among the members that post regularly on this thread. I think a few people have had requests for documents, but I haven't heard of anyone getting an update prior to the PPR just to say that everything was in order, interview waived, etc. Would certainly be nice if they started doing that though!
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Such a beautiful 16 degree day in Montreal. One would never think we are in November. I think a perfect way to celebrate would be to take a walk to the post office to mail CIC my passport. Are you listening, Buffalo immigration officer working on my file?
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Well the CIC page on "How to obtain a police certificate > "United States of America," says "Applicants should provide a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certificate with fingerprints. State certificates may also be requested. The Visa Office will advise you if state certificates are required in your case."

So no need to do it. It's rare that they ask for a cert from a particular state. There's only one person waiting on this thread that I know of who has had a request for a state police certificate.

krista2011 said:
Hi y'all,
My husband and I submitted our forms awhile back and I stumbled across this forum a few days ago. He's American and I'm a citizen, we filed with a lawyer, nothing abnormal about our relationship or application. Now for my question, a few people have mentioned submitting state criminal record checks, is this necessary? He just submitted his FBI check, should we apply for the state clearances as well? Considering the wait times, I'd rather be proactive, if these requests for state clearances are normal.
Thanks in advance!
 

canuckofchicago

Full Member
Jul 7, 2011
26
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-04-2011
Doc's Request.
06-10-2011
AOR Received.
08-07-2011
File Transfer...
06-06-2011
Hey everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know that we have paid the final RPRF and the receipt has been sent via expresspost to both Mississauga and Buffalo. My wife and I are extremely excited that this part of our journey is coming to a close.

Anymore info I will keep you posted.
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Nope. The IA is more common for inlanders and outland people applying under the FSW stream, from my (limited) observations on this forum.

In fact, cbennett's IA, incidentally, was the first posted IA letter I've seen in a while (unless people are getting them but just not making specific enough reference to them, which is totally possible). You can see the docs request/IA column in the spreadsheet is pretty sparse. My logic is that if Buffalo cannot even send an AOR to all of us, why would they consistently send an IA?

Moreover, cbennett's IA letter did not just say that their initial assessment was complete, but it also said that 1) the interview had been waived, and 2) they needed another document - a police certificate from France. So Buffalo may not even have a reason to send an IA if they don't need more information from you, which they end up not needing from plenty of us. And those of us who did get letters for more information, I don't recall anyone saying it was in the form of an Initial Assessment - Buffalo just flat-out said they needed the information within x days. As for the interview - plenty of people get absolutely no notification of interview being waived...they find out through GCMS, in fact. So bottom line, there's nothing to tell me about either the purpose of or consistency (or lack thereof) behind the Initial Assessment letter.

AW2011 said:
Wondering if all Buffalo applicants receive LETTER OF INITIAL ASSESSMENT before finalizing/getting PPR?
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
ddobro2 said:
Such a beautiful 16 degree day in Montreal. One would never think we are in November. I think a perfect way to celebrate would be to take a walk to the post office to mail CIC my passport. Are you listening, Buffalo immigration officer working on my file?
I know!! I was just outside here in Sherbrooke and couldn't agree with you more. Come on CIC!
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
What are they doing over there? And I still haven't gotten a real response from ATIP...... ::)
AmericaninQuebec said:
I know!! I was just outside here in Sherbrooke and couldn't agree with you more. Come on CIC!
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
ddobro2 said:
What are they doing over there? And I still haven't gotten a real response from ATIP...... ::)
Living here with my hubby. :D He's not a fan of Montreal, but I'm trying to convince him to move there once I have my PR and can get a decent paying job in the city.
 

Ichiro

Star Member
Oct 11, 2011
54
1
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
15-11-2010
File Transfer...
12/02/2011
Interview........
28/09/2011
VISA ISSUED...
20/01/2012
LANDED..........
06/02/2012
congrats. And we need a video of your Carlton dance

amaranth said:
PPR...

*Carlton Dance*

;D
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Lol, sounds good, but I meant they - as in those slow as molasses Buffalonians. What are they doing over there if not looking at my MOC application?? :p Good job on trying to convince him, by the way, living anywhere on the STM map is a big plus in my book. :)
AmericaninQuebec said:
Living here with my hubby. :D He's not a fan of Montreal, but I'm trying to convince him to move there once I have my PR and can get a decent paying job in the city.
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
ddobro2 said:
Lol, sounds good, but I meant they - as in those slow as molasses Buffalonians. What are they doing over there if not looking at my MOC application?? :p Good job on trying to convince him, by the way, living anywhere on the STM map is a big plus in my book. :)
Also a very good question! Probably outside enjoying the nice weather and not bothering to send our PPRs!