Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[Bargeld]

My understanding is that if you can reach a border it is much quicker. Even an inlander asked recently about their landing appointment being 5 months down the road after a 2 year process....You would most likely be looking months to years away....if the border crossing is totally out of the question then you have not much of a choice, but if the border is an option I would do what I could to run to the border. You do not have to stay in the US for a long period of time, you can actually just tell the officer on the US side that you want to flagpole, turn around right away....

I agree. Fort Erie was actually an example where you didn't even need to go to the U.S. to turn right around before hitting Peace Bridge, there was a "Return to Canada" option just before hitting the bridge on the left side. I'm pretty sure other border crossings have this as well.

On another note, IIRC when I did my paperwork at Queenston-Lewiston they asked me (I'm sure looking at the large COPR they knew anyways) whether I was being sponsored outside or within, so it seemed to me they might get people landing who were inland as well.

 

[Ellan]

Thank you everyone for the congrats!

This is a question for all of those who have landed. My passport is expiring in a few months, so I need to go back to my country and renew it. But I don't know whether I should do that before sending it off to Firt Erie or after. Do they stamp your passport or do anything in it that I will need later to land? Or can I renew the passport after I have sent it, then land on my way back home?

Hope it didn't get too confusing.

Please advise.

 

[argenta]

Congrats to all the recent PPRs and thanks for the responses to my question. No problem for us to hit the border but I thought that a CIC office might be more efficient...silly me ;-)

New York, here we come.

I agree. Fort Erie was actually an example where you didn't even need to go to the U.S. to turn right around before hitting Peace Bridge, there was a "Return to Canada" option just before hitting the bridge on the left side. I'm pretty sure other border crossings have this as well.

On another note, IIRC when I did my paperwork at Queenston-Lewiston they asked me (I'm sure looking at the large COPR they knew anyways) whether I was being sponsored outside or within, so it seemed to me they might get people landing who were inland as well.

 

[QCSunshine]

No I dont think so the couple has to be living in USA. Dont think thats a requirement.

I also use Turbo tax...were you able to put in NRA for spouse's SSN field and the return went through successfully thru turbo tax?

I put NRA in the SSN field, but that causes Turbo Tax to call that an error in the reviews. So you can't e-submit if you do this. But I just printed anyways and mailed it in.

 

[Eddy070]

Do buffalo always keep to there bring forward date bcos the waiting is really frustrating!! Hope we all hear some good news this week bcos Christmas is just around the corner. Damn it!!

 

[Morena]

We got PPR last week and our son who is canadian citizen and american citizen is going to be with me when i'm landing in Canada. CIC knows our son is with me now in the States. Should i send his passport too with mine to Buffalo...or it is not necessary?

 

[Rattles]

We got PPR last week and our son who is canadian citizen and american citizen is going to be with me when i'm landing in Canada. CIC knows our son is with me now in the States. Should i send his passport too with mine to Buffalo...or it is not necessary?

Not sure why you would need to do that as he is a Canadian citizen. He can pass through without issue as he is not the one doing the immigration process.

 

[amaranth]

Do buffalo always keep to there bring forward date bcos the waiting is really frustrating!! Hope we all hear some good news this week bcos Christmas is just around the corner. Damn it!!

I'm wondering this too. Buffalo gave me 60 days to pay the RPRF (I won't go into this again!). If they really do wait the full 60 days before looking at it, that leaves me with 10 days till my medicals expire...

I recall reading somewhere that when new info is received, it is immediately given to the VO handling that specific application, then it is up to the VO whether they handle it right away or not. I could be wrong though.

 

[buffalo-toronto]

I'm wondering this too. Buffalo gave me 60 days to pay the RPRF (I won't go into this again!). If they really do wait the full 60 days before looking at it, that leaves me with 10 days till my medicals expire...

I recall reading somewhere that when new info is received, it is immediately given to the VO handling that specific application, then it is up to the VO whether they handle it right away or not. I could be wrong though.

I am in the same boat as you are, my interview was also waived and was given 60 days to submit NJ police clearance cert. I am hoping I will get it back by today from NJ which I will ship it next day air to Buffalo, if they receive it by tomorrow, I am hoping the VO gets it ASAP and clears anything else that is remaining on the file.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Hi, I can't seem to update my profile to show my application details. Anyway, I applied for permanent residency via spousal sponsorship in Februay 2011. My husband's sponsorship was approved by the federal government and Quebec in March, and I received my Certificat de selection du Québec in March. Buffalo received my file at the end of March 2011.

According the online update Buffalo began processing my file on July 13, 2011.

Our MP has called the Buffalo office twice for us. The first in July, right before the online info was update (which leads me to believe it was only updated because of the phone call), at which point they told the MP's office that my file was complete and they had requested a background check from the RCMP. It was estimated that the check would take between 1 and 3 mths.

The MP's office called again at the end of September for an update (i.e. after 3 mths). Buffalo claimed it was still waiting on a response from the RCMP, but in the mean time had otherwise approved my file including my medical history and waived my interview.

No updates online since then. Tried emailing Buffalo, but got a response simply stating that the file was in process. All fees were paid upfront.

Is there anyone else out there who applied through Buffalo in March? If so, have you received your paperwork for your permanent residency yet? If yes, when? If not, have you had any updates recently?

I'm having a rough day, and finding this all very frustrating. I've been very patient up until now, but today I have a desire to just get in my car, go home to the U.S.

 

[francohoosier]

Can anyone out there give me an accurate idea of how long it takes New York to return passports after PPR? I'm at T-2 weeks till I have to go back to the states and getting kinda nervous! If worse comes to worse and I can't get it before I leave, will US customs let me through if I provide things like the original of my US birth certificate and my PPR letter proving why my passport is gone?

 

[doctorkb]

P to the P to the freaking ARRRRRRRRRRR! Wahoo!

Next question... We are in Canada, so do we use Ft Erie PO box, or should we send it directly to Buffalo (paying a little extra for postage)? Any thoughts?

 

[ddobro2]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Send it to Fort Erie, Ontario - that's what it's there for, to save people already in country a little bit of postage while CIC government couriers it over to Buffalo.

P to the P to the freaking ARRRRRRRRRRR! Wahoo!

Next question... We are in Canada, so do we use Ft Erie PO box, or should we send it directly to Buffalo (paying a little extra for postage)? Any thoughts?

 

[doctorkb]

Right, but is there any truth to the rumour that it takes longer that way? I understood they only check that box once a week or thereabouts.

 

[ddobro2]

If he's already a Canadian citizen, and thus does not need to "land," why do they need his passport?

We got PPR last week and our son who is canadian citizen and american citizen is going to be with me when i'm landing in Canada. CIC knows our son is with me now in the States. Should i send his passport too with mine to Buffalo...or it is not necessary?