Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[nhl1011]

Hi everyone! As December 7 quickly approaches for our interview in Buffalo, we're getting more and more nervous everyday...Haha! Just wondering if anyone knows the interview success rate from Buffalo. Also, anyone know what the chances would be of them actually granting the visa that same day? We've got our fingers crossed and hope it all happens on that same day. We just want all of this to go away...LOL!

I suggest you order notes first,and tell agent that you have interview on coming dec 7th, if she can help to process faster,or you can even try to bring MP in this matter. Because getting notes before interview may worth a lot more than you think. You will know the reason why they ask for an interview,rather than just ask for a ppr. Be prepared always better than do nth. Sometimes you never know what is gonna happen, nobody can give a definite answer.
There is nothing to lose for trying, but help your interview a lot.
Good luck!

 

[York Region]

Hi I have the same dates as you have my ecas says: application received july 11, 2011 madical have been recieved. how did you get to know that your aplication is " in process". does you ecas status say so?

 

[York Region]

I suggest you order notes first,and tell agent that you have interview on coming dec 7th, if she can help to process faster,or you can even try to bring MP in this matter. Because getting notes before interview may worth a lot more than you think. You will know the reason why they ask for an interview,rather than just ask for a ppr. Be prepared always better than do nth. Sometimes you never know what is gonna happen, nobody can give a definite answer.
There is nothing to lose for trying, but help your interview a lot.
Good luck!

Hi I have the same dates as you have my ecas says: application received july 11, 2011 madical have been recieved. how did you get to know that your aplication is " in process". does you ecas status say so?

 

[mumbles]

soooooo.....I was just looking at the spread sheet.....and I am a little confused....I've heard only of applications taking no less than 7 mpnths for 2011 and from the chart it looks like Maple and isolabella were approved in like 4-5 months??? thats fast......should i have hope of this happening??

 

[yooper]

...how did you get to know that your aplication is " in process". does you ecas status say so?

Yes. ECAS will say 'In Process', although from what I read here, expecting anything they do to be consistent is a mistake -- but in my case, it changed to 'In Process'.

On the first page:
<yooper>
...
"Applicant Permanent Residence Application Status
<yooper> In Process"

And on the second page:

Permanent Residence
"We received your application for permanent residence on June 16, 2011.

We started processing your application on November 2, 2011.

Medical results have been received."

 

[Stumpedmom]

Passport received!

COPR received!

All documents are (surprisingly!) in order, with correct entries on everything!

Our cover letter detailing height & eye colour was returned, along with one photo in the envelope we sent them in. The other photo has been attached to the COPR.

Visa valid through October 2012. It appears that they extended the medicals for an entire year (they expired in early Oct 2011, per GCMS notes).

Our relationship evidence photos were not returned (no worries -- they were duplicates... I'm just mentioning this to document for future applicants).

Also: CanadaPost took 5 days to get the XpressPost 2-Day envelope back to us. I called CanadaPost and they are sending a cheque to refund the cost of the envelope.

That's really interesting about the relationship evidence...LA sent all our photos back, I was kind of shocked that they did. I sent all my pics to Walmart to print off so I didn't have to send originals figuring that they wouldn't send them back...

 

[yooper]

soooooo.....I was just looking at the spread sheet.....and I am a little confused....I've heard only of applications taking no less than 7 mpnths for 2011 and from the chart it looks like Maple and isolabella were approved in like 4-5 months??? thats fast......should i have hope of this happening??

Take it from someone who is almost exactly at the 5-6 months point from application. Don't put your mind to the idea of a specific time. It just makes you ache.

I estimated my PPR date based on statistics (mostly from ddobro2, thanks, tossing out the outliers and looking at typical times) a few months ago, and I set 25 November in my mind. Well, its 26 November. And now I face disappointment.

Better to set your internal thoughts to longer results and be surprised. Me? I'm now fighting thoughts of taking some type of action -- getting notes, contacting MPs, sending email, screaming at the world. So relax and enjoy the ride is my advice -- we'll see if I can do the same.

 

[mumbles]

what do you mean outliers?? people were giving false timelines or was it false info to others?

 

[AllisonVSC]

what do you mean outliers?? people were giving false timelines or was it false info to others?

outliers have nothing to do with false reporting. Outlier is a statistical term regarding an observation (or piece of data) that is, numerically speaking, distant from the rest of the data. So if most PPR timelines are around 6-7 months, and somebody on the spreadsheet was processed in 16 months, that 16 number would be an outlier. When ddobro calculated an average PPR processing times he didn't include any outliers...he based the average on the "typical" results.

 

[yooper]

...When ddobro calculated an average PPR processing times he didn't include any outliers...he based the average on the "typical" results.

Exactly. While its possible that anyone might end up being an outlier, the typical time is better if you ignore the applicants with very short or very long results. They probably were either helped by someone, or had some unusual situation. Me, I think I'm pretty typical -- spousal application with no issues (known to me at least).

And it looked to me a while ago as if the 'typical' processing time is somewhere in the 5-6 month area.

 

[nhl1011]

Hi I have the same dates as you have my ecas says: application received july 11, 2011 madical have been recieved. how did you get to know that your aplication is " in process". does you ecas status say so?

Mine only says application received, and I checked my gcms notes recently, like 20 days ago, they havn't touched my file since July....lucky you at least your ecas says your application is in process I think you will hear something next month.

 

[nhl1011]

Hi I have the same dates as you have my ecas says: application received july 11, 2011 madical have been recieved. how did you get to know that your aplication is " in process". does you ecas status say so?

Oh I knew it from either email from buffalo or gcms notes...don't remember . But either way it means nothing to me, cuz they havn't done anything with my application yet.

 

[jstnmlr]

Has anyone landed with their dog? I'm flying to Halifax January 20th. Dog will be carried on. I'm sure with more research I can find some information but was hoping for some first hand information. Thanks!

 

[mumbles]

as far as quarantine....there is none.....just need to make sure you have all your up to date shots,....rabbies and such.....my husband brought his dog across border many times and there are not many restrictions.

 

[Stumpedmom]

Exactly. While its possible that anyone might end up being an outlier, the typical time is better if you ignore the applicants with very short or very long results. They probably were either helped by someone, or had some unusual situation. Me, I think I'm pretty typical -- spousal application with no issues (known to me at least).

And it looked to me a while ago as if the 'typical' processing time is somewhere in the 5-6 month area.

That is a big conclusion to jump to about being helped (faster timeline) or unusual situation (longer timeline.) My total time line from CPC-M receiving it (March 23), Transfer to Buffalo (May 5th), First PPR was June 30th. Somewhere between May 5th and June 30th it was transferred and processed in Los Angeles. Just because you hire or get someone to help you does not guarantee a faster process, and it is clearly stated that it will NOT help your file process any faster.

There are many people here who have been waiting for a long time for their applications that were "typical spousal applications" and have waited for over a year for processing.

One thing you will learn going thru this process is there is nothing "normal" or "typical" about ANY application....a lot depends on the quantity of applications received, some issues arose around the time they switched to the GCMS system, holidays may play a factor as well, we did see a big increase in processing times in Mississauga and Buffalo over the summer, and who the visa officer is who is processing your application....

As much as we all think our applications are typical, there could be the smallest issue like not paying the RPRF up froth that you may not think could hold it up, but that will hold things up for 2-3 months at least...

Sorry, I just get frustrated with assumptions about the time lines, and "typical" being used. EVERY application is different, and therefore as hard as it is, we can not compare our time lines to any one else's going through this process...