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Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

cantor2537

Star Member
Jun 2, 2011
190
1
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo-->LA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
19-08-2011
AOR Received.
01-12-2011
File Transfer...
28-10-2011, 15-12-2011 (transferred to LA)
Med's Done....
13-06-2011
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
17-02-2012
VISA ISSUED...
01-03-2012
LANDED..........
08-03-2012
Just a quick update. My wife and I flew down to LA from SF yesterday. Actually, I flew down from Seattle, met her in SF and then flew down together. We took the flyawaybus and and the metro and stayed at the Standard, one of many hotels next to the Consulate. We showed up at 830, dropped off the passport and photos, came back at 230 and got our COPR. There was nothing attached to the passport. We got our photos and other evidence back as well. Pretty uneventful, really. If you have an interview or are dropping off your passport, I highly recommend staying at one of the hotels next to the consulate. It may be more expensive, but it's cheap to get to via public transport and convenient.

We will be landing next week at peace arch. I have an HiV conference in Seattle next week, and we will be driving up after. Shipping our stuff to Seattle via greyhound and loading everything on. Hope next week goes as smoothly.
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
I'm not exactly sure what instructions NYC gives but I don't understand where the problem lies. The passport request will more than likely come by email. Even if it comes by mail and they think the PA's address is the same as the sponsor's address (i.e. in Canada), your husband can obviously inform you of the fact that the PPR came and what it says. NYC will probably ask you to provide a self-addressed prepaid envelope inside the envelope you send to them and it is whatever address on that envelope they will return the documents to. I am fairly sure that the satellite offices do not have walk-in passport submission/visa issuance.
Shirsho said:
Thanks for the link, but my file is with NYC now. Are the options same for NYC?
 

computergeek

VIP Member
Jan 31, 2012
5,143
278
124
Vancouver BC
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O/LA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
06-03-2012
AOR Received.
21-06-2012
File Transfer...
21-6-2012
Med's Done....
11-02-2012
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
26-09-2012
VISA ISSUED...
10-10-2012
LANDED..........
13-10-2012
ddobro2 said:
I'm not exactly sure what instructions NYC gives but I don't understand where the problem lies. The passport request will more than likely come by email. Even if it comes by mail and they think the PA's address is the same as the sponsor's address (i.e. in Canada), your husband can obviously inform you of the fact that the PPR came and what it says. NYC will probably ask you to provide a self-addressed prepaid envelope inside the envelope you send to them and it is whatever address on that envelope they will return the documents to. I am fairly sure that the satellite offices do not have walk-in passport submission/visa issuance.
Having seen the NYC office (been doing quite a bit of work in the same building,) they do have a walk-in visa issuance service for other classes of visas; I had assumed they would allow PR visas as well, provided one has the documentation required (e.g., letter and passport) but I didn't confirm that this really was the case, either (after all, NYC rejected my FSW application, so I had no reason to inquire further.) It's worth contacting the visa office directly and asking.
 

Shirsho

Full Member
Jan 23, 2012
47
0
computergeek said:
Having seen the NYC office (been doing quite a bit of work in the same building,) they do have a walk-in visa issuance service for other classes of visas; I had assumed they would allow PR visas as well, provided one has the documentation required (e.g., letter and passport) but I didn't confirm that this really was the case, either (after all, NYC rejected my FSW application, so I had no reason to inquire further.) It's worth contacting the visa office directly and asking.
I think I will just wait for PPR and then act accordingly...I think I am thinking way ahead of the game
 

computergeek

VIP Member
Jan 31, 2012
5,143
278
124
Vancouver BC
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-O/LA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
06-03-2012
AOR Received.
21-06-2012
File Transfer...
21-6-2012
Med's Done....
11-02-2012
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
26-09-2012
VISA ISSUED...
10-10-2012
LANDED..........
13-10-2012
Shirsho said:
I think I will just wait for PPR and then act accordingly...I think I am thinking way ahead of the game
That's quite easy to do. I've stopped myself a number of times, realizing I was overthinking things. Which always reminds me of a saying of Star Trek's Scotty: "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain..."

At the point you've got your PPR, it's pretty much smooth sailing.
 

Shirsho

Full Member
Jan 23, 2012
47
0
computergeek said:
That's quite easy to do. I've stopped myself a number of times, realizing I was overthinking things. Which always reminds me of a saying of Star Trek's Scotty: "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain..."

At the point you've got your PPR, it's pretty much smooth sailing.
I haven't got my PPR....My file is still in process...
 

nsr

Hero Member
Jan 26, 2012
299
37
Category........
Visa Office......
Los Angeles
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-11-2011
AOR Received.
8-01-2012(Mississauga) 28-03-2012 (buffalo)
File Transfer...
26-01-2012
Med's Request
25-07-2013
Med's Done....
Sept 2011, 26 July,2013
Interview........
July 2013-passed
Passport Req..
21-08-2013, sent on 27-08-2013
VISA ISSUED...
06 september, 2013
LANDED..........
27 september, 2013
Hi,

Neither I receive AOR from buffalo nor my status on ecas change( it's saying app received and medical received).

File was transferred there on 26 jan 2012 from Mississauga. Most people within my time frame have received AOR in 30 days.

How Long it can take for me get AOR or get in process.

Why I didn't receive it yet?

Anybody has any idea or experience with this thing from buffalo.?

Please share

Thanks
 

nsr

Hero Member
Jan 26, 2012
299
37
Category........
Visa Office......
Los Angeles
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-11-2011
AOR Received.
8-01-2012(Mississauga) 28-03-2012 (buffalo)
File Transfer...
26-01-2012
Med's Request
25-07-2013
Med's Done....
Sept 2011, 26 July,2013
Interview........
July 2013-passed
Passport Req..
21-08-2013, sent on 27-08-2013
VISA ISSUED...
06 september, 2013
LANDED..........
27 september, 2013
One more question....

I am 100 percent sure that they update processing time info every Wednesday.

Is it same for update ecas too? I mean all of you get your change on Wednesday only or it could be any day?

Share experience

Thanks
 

editironce

Member
Mar 2, 2012
15
0
Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

I am a British Citizen married to a Canadian Citizen and we currently live in Toronto Canada.
I applied for Permanent Residence and my husband was approved to sponsor me.

I received my letter that says I have an interview scheduled in Buffalo, USA.
In the meantime, I have a Canadian Visitor Visa that says "THIS DOES NOT AUTHORIZE RE-ENTRY".
I have a couple of questions:
1. My interview letter says "Prior to your departure from Canada, if that is where you are presently living, you must ensure that you can re-enter Canada as this office will not facilitate your return."
After my interview, how do I get back in Canada?

2. Can I re-schedule my interview to happen in Canada? If so, what is the procedure?

Your input is very much appreciated.
Thank You
 

editironce

Member
Mar 2, 2012
15
0
I am a British Citizen married to a Canadian Citizen and we currently live in Toronto Canada.
I applied for Permanent Residence and my husband was approved to sponsor me.

I received my letter that says I have an interview scheduled in Buffalo, USA.
In the meantime, I have a Canadian Visitor Visa that says "THIS DOES NOT AUTHORIZE RE-ENTRY".
I have a couple of questions:
1. My interview letter says "Prior to your departure from Canada, if that is where you are presently living, you must ensure that you can re-enter Canada as this office will not facilitate your return."
After my interview, how do I get back in Canada?

2. Can I re-schedule my interview to happen in Canada? If so, what is the procedure?

Your input is very much appreciated.
Thank You
 

mike mona

Newbie
Mar 3, 2012
4
0
Hi all
I am following this thread from a while .I sent my application for PR under FSW on July 1st 2011, got an email from CIC on September with my client code number and another email from Buffalo visa office in January with same code number.Now,in my E-cas address has been disappeared since 5 weeks and still shows" in process ".
Any idea when would I expect my medical request.

I would be thankful for all replies.

Mike
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
You're situation is completely "normal" (for lack of a better word). I don't know where you got the info that most people whose files are at Buffalo got AOR within 30 days (could be true, I just am wondering how you determined that). There are actually a number of people who never get AOR throughout the whole process. You need to simply email them and ask for an acknowledgement of receipt. They may not respond immediately (although you'll get an automated response immediately), but there's a good chance that at some point they will send you your AOR.
nsr said:
Hi,

Neither I receive AOR from buffalo nor my status on ecas change( it's saying app received and medical received).

File was transferred there on 26 jan 2012 from Mississauga. Most people within my time frame have received AOR in 30 days.

How Long it can take for me get AOR or get in process.

Why I didn't receive it yet?

Anybody has any idea or experience with this thing from buffalo.?

Please share

Thanks
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Yes, they update the step 1 processing time on Wednesdays (as sponsorship approval processing time gets updated on a weekly basis), but you're past that step obviously.

As far as e-CAS, the site itself says that it's updated weekly, "usually on Tuesdays." You need to understand that e-CAS is not very frequent or substantive in its update information. Unless you have an interview, you will only have total a handful of updates at the step 2 stage: application received, medicals received, in process, and decision made (which some people get before they get PPR, others weeks after they already land). You already have the first two. No one can tell you when you'll be updated to "in process." After you are "in process," no one can tell you when you'll get PPR. Every case is different. You can sign up for e-CAS tracker to get emails of updates when they happen so you are not wasting your time manually checking. It's too early for you to order GCMS notes but you can do that too if you really want to know what the IO has done on your file.
nsr said:
One more question....

I am 100 percent sure that they update processing time info every Wednesday.

Is it same for update ecas too? I mean all of you get your change on Wednesday only or it could be any day?

Share experience

Thanks
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
124
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
I wouldn't worry about addresses disappearing in e-CAS. It's either a glitch or it means someone is reviewing your file - in any case, there's no point in wondering or worrying. Not sure how FSW stream process goes along, so you might want to post your question on that thread.
mike mona said:
Hi all
I am following this thread from a while .I sent my application for PR under FSW on July 1st 2011, got an email from CIC on September with my client code number and another email from Buffalo visa office in January with same code number.Now,in my E-cas address has been disappeared since 5 weeks and still shows" in process ".
Any idea when would I expect my medical request.

I would be thankful for all replies.

Mike