Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[kourts]

Same here. They're on a roll, all right. Rolling right over us. Some of the recent PPR's were for people who applied 6 months after us. It just doesn't make sense.

I agree, they need to start working from the bottom up on there piles of paperwork.

 

[awor]

Re: Acronyms

Seeing posts like yours makes me wonder just how many folks manage to get through this process without any forum help at all! I couldn't have done it, so hats off to you!

I'd like to add you to the transfers spreadsheet, can you tell me when the sponsor was approved? And is the principal applicant (the spouse/partner/person immigrating) physically inside or outside Canada during processing?

I just found this forum today. Thank you so much for all the 411!

Our app was recently transferred to Seattle (hence my mad rush to google why) and in reading your posts, this sounds very promising.

I was reviewing the spreadsheet and posts, but I'm confused by the acronyms. Could someone please explain them for me?

AOR?
Doc Requested/IA?
PPR?

Our file was received 12/19/11 in Miss., ON. We haven't really tracked the follow up dates. The "transferred from Buffalo to Seattle" email was received three days ago.

Thank you again for all the information! You're already like family!

Joanne

 

[MsJoanne]

AOR is Acknowledgment of receipt, its when the visa office notifies you that they received your file from Mississauga.Which they don't always do this.

Doc requested is when they request documents, it doesn't always happen.

and the best is PPR, passport request, when they finally made the decision and are now ready for you to send them your passport.

Thank you very much!

For your spreadsheet: (UPDATE)

Application mailed 14-Dec-11 (included payment for both sponsorship and perm residency)
Application received 19-Dec-11 (we sent it via Canada Post receipt requested)
Receipt acknowledged by Miss., ON not Buffalo 14-Jan-12
Notification of sponsor approval 23-Feb-12
Notification of transfer of file from Buffalo to Seattle 20-Mar-12

Per CIC website, I'm in process (hubby is Canadian, I'm from the US with him on a visa, still work in US. We live in a border town.)

I'll advise future stats.

Thanks again!

 

[MsJoanne]

Seeing posts like yours makes me wonder just how many folks manage to get through this process without any forum help at all! I couldn't have done it, so hats off to you!

Thanks! We probably did ok by anticipating every possible thing they could think of asking for (kinda like answering your spreadsheet stats as you were asking for them , and including it with our app (100 printed pages of emails, 25 printed pages of phone records, pictures, other stuff I forget about), we both reviewed each other's papers for errors, then had his office manager review the whole mess. She caught a missed signature and a couple of things that weren't as clear as she thought was wise.

Also, we prepaid for the app and perm residency at the same time.

I had the med done two days before the app was sent so when we sent the app off (all told probably close to 350 printed pages), it had everything needed. I think the added set of eyes reviewing the whole app was really beneficial.

Did I mention I'm kind of anal? That helps, too.

We both own our own businesses and I'm lucky enough to need a phone, Internet connection and airport to continue working (solely in the US) so I'm not worried about a work visa.

I'm on a temp visa to live here now. It expires the end of June. I'm hoping all is resolved by then. (crossing fingers, toes, legs, ankles and eyes!)

Let me know if anyone has other questions. I'll gladly answer.

 

[Kiri]

Let me know if anyone has other questions. I'll gladly answer.

Maybe you might be able to help me. I'm trying to figure out what to do about this situation.. I asked a few pages back but it doesn't seem like anyone has a any idea so I've not had response to it unfortunately.

Here it is..

Ugh, I am so frustrated right now!

I have checked my paperwork for the apartment I've been residing with my CL at since September (we lived with his parents from May-September and have statement of this), and moved into his apartment he has for while he's in school in September 2011... well the paper states that I am an occupant and that he's still fully responsible for everything. So no big, we decide we'll go talk to her to see if we can get me on as a leaseholder and request a backdated lease for immigration. No. Why? I lack Canadian employment -- what...? The only way I could be put on any form of a lease is to apply under a new lease with him and go through credit check, etc and start a new year lease now. (we're planning to move this summer so that's moot -- not to mention it would be a new lease, not showing we've been sharing residential responsibility).. The way they do receipt here is you can go get a print out of previous months.. but I'm not on the lease so I don't think she will add my name... so I don't know what to do.

I'm actually panicking because this is like the single most important form of Hard Evidence. As an occupant.. I just look like a roommate. I'm gonna find out here in a bit if I can get the payment statement.. but without lease, don't I just look like a roommate/girlfriend? What if I can't get the statement? Anyone go into applying common law like this... or know someone who has? I'm scared to death.

Edit: she only gave a statement saying that I've been a resident in the apartment since September 1, 2011 but would not give a rental receipt since she 'can't know for sure' since it was always his or his mom's debit card paying.

If I have a letter stating that I've been residing since said date, and then a letter from his parents stating we resided in their home for the 4 months prior to that will it be enough to prove things? The way we've done rent has been where he (or his mom since OSAP didn't pay as much as we needed) would cover rent when I covered grocery/household things, and some months I just withdrew money for rent. I don't have steady receipt so I'm not sure how to handle things... I mean, for the first 4 months of our cohabiting, I paid nothing.. we lived with his parents.

It's okay if you don't have any input.. I'm just at a loss.

 

[awor]

Kiri, just showing you are an occupant is ok. You don't have to be on the lease, just be living together. Coupled with all the other proof, it won't be an issue.

 

[Moonlightprancer]

just a update.....
So Friday we received our PPR (Passport Request) Request for SEATTLE. We sent it off with a pre-paid Fed Ex envelope and a filled out waybill. Because my husband is coming from the USA he DOES NOT need to send passport only a double sided photocopy of every page as per their request. They stated in their letter that they send your passport back within 15 days... so I am hoping that rule applies for photocopies too! On another note for anyone importing their car etc. check with the website
http://www.riv.ca/importingavehicle.aspx
We found out after reading very carefully.... that my husbands truck will cost $289 for a "recall letter" from GMC then we will have to pay the import fees. Once we land they give you a couple of months to have your vehicle inspected. WE found out Canadian Tire is allowed to do this here in BC and it costs $89 +tax assuming daylight running lights and brakes and tires are all good etc. **The man at Canadian tire did say warning - check the tires because they are told to be very strict on this!! Thankfully we just bought 4 bran new ones !!! This whole importing vehicle is pricey.... especially when only one spouse is working!!! Ohg well it will all be over soon after we can have the hubb land! PS ... I already have his SIN card application filled out hehehe just cant sent it yet.

Good luck everyone!!

 

[MsJoanne]

Maybe you might be able to help me. I'm trying to figure out what to do about this situation.. I asked a few pages back but it doesn't seem like anyone has a any idea so I've not had response to it unfortunately.

Here it is..

It's okay if you don't have any input.. I'm just at a loss.

I don't know your situation and am confused because, first, I don't know what a CL is, and I don't think you can work in Canada without a work visa. I think I'm missing information.

My suggestion, instead of looking at a lease, which they don't seem to want to do, YOU write letters stating something like the following, and maybe even go so far as to get a traveling notary, someone willing to come to their house to perform the notarization (be sure to get permission from whom you want to sign the letters...if you ambush them, they'll probably slam the door in your face):

His name
Your name
Address of residence

The above mentioned people have lived here from ____ to _____.

I am the owner/landlord of __repeat full address____.

(More as needed.)

Their name
Their address
Date

AND GET EVERYTHING NOTARIZED..three original notarized copies of each letter needed. Then send an original as an update, along with a letter of explanation. Include your case number, etc. If it's lost, You have others at hand!

Hope that helps!

 

[awor]

Moonlightprancer, congrats on PPR. I'm curious what your letter stated (send passport/passport copy) because mine (LA) noted *only* the passport could be sent. There is absolutely no consistency to any part of this process.

 

[Jenny parsely]

once Baffalo office receives the passport (after PPR), usually how long Buffalo office takes to send back the passport

Please advise

thanks

 

[Kiri]

I don't know your situation and am confused because, first, I don't know what a CL is, and I don't think you can work in Canada without a work visa. I think I'm missing information.

My suggestion, instead of looking at a lease, which they don't seem to want to do, YOU write letters stating something like the following

Hope that helps!

CL is Common Law Spouse.

Well they did write me a letter and provided number for CIC to call if they want further information or had questions, and I have the original paper stating that I'm an occupant from September with my signature, my CL's, and the landlords to send with it. I can't get it notarized though since even the original lease isn't notarized.

Kiri, just showing you are an occupant is ok. You don't have to be on the lease, just be living together. Coupled with all the other proof, it won't be an issue.

THANK YOU... OH man... I've been so panicked. So this other proof should be enough to go with it?

We have..

Hard Evidence:

Shared bank account
Shared hydro account
He has a life insurance policy application pending approval and will be naming me as beneficiary (I won't be able to get one until I go back to the states and I'm not before we mail.. sooo only one)
Occupant letter from landlord for apartment since September, and from May-September a letter from his parents (stamped by postal service as a notarization) stating we resided with them during that time.

Soft Evidence:

Letters: A couple notarized letters and several letters from family and friends. Total so far: 13 -- hoping to get more as some have said they will but we've not followed up yet from his family, and some people we want to still ask this weekend which are family friends and more of his family. -- only 3 of these are from my family (my grandma, dad and sister-in-law... I can't seem to get help otherwise.. sad, eh? -- then we have 7 from friends, and 4 from his family so far (mom, aunt, uncle) -- the ones with notarizing is my grandma, my dad, a friend of ours, and his mom has gotten a postal stamp like notarization.
98 Photos (though I did want to ask should we just provide the photos we are in together, or photos that we took of each other in places/events and also the photos we took of event/places without us in them) -- more to come (we're going to his parents this weekend for her birthday and I'm gonna get photos with me with the family since I don't have any)
Phone logs for voice, getting for text we hope... my Verizon bill is not showing up any texting beyond 3 months ago and we have about 1300 between us over the past year according to my phone (I don't delete)
Skype receipts for the past year to show I've purchased it to use for communicating if we could not via phone (I used this before I got a Canada/US calling plan)
28 Email confirmation and/or Receipts for purchases through Steam(game service), Shirt.Woot(clothing), Discovery Store(BluRays for his birthday), Torrid (many clothing receipts where he got me clothes while here), Blizzard(gaming stuff), Amazon -- maybe TMI, but specifics might be important?
Bank statement printouts for proof of purchases of Grocery stores or Walmart, etc from my account and his (for shared household expenses during my time here)
Bank statement printouts for proof of purchases from 3 jewelry stores by him (we can't find receipts), other proofs of purchases from both accounts.
Receipts from his mom from the veterinarian where she paid to have my cat fixed, and also a receipt where she paid around $2000 worth of dental work for me.
Bank statements from his mom to prove purchases of travel insurance for me, plane ticket purchases, gifts, etc.
1 concert ticket where we went to see Within Temptation in September with my friends from Canada that I've known longer than him.
Bank Statement to show purchase of Segwun Steamboat tickets for 2 dates.
Bank Statements to show purchases of movie tickets (2 adults.. or 3 if we brought his brother), etc.
Facebook printout of wall and album with comments from friends/family.
Letter from both of us stating how our relationship has been, what we're looking toward the future, etc. Couple pages each.
Printed time-line roughly outlining our relationship month by month.
Email from grandma where she says things about our relationship to me personally, about how happy she is, etc.
Wire transfer email confirmation of $800something money transfer from my bank account to my CL's.
10 Emails between us ... we actually don't have many at all since we've been face to face and only occasionally did we email a special letter, or when we might have had a disagreement and wanted to best communicate our feelings did we write an email so it's not really things I'm comfortable sharing. What I've done with the few letters I have.. I took the ones that had lovey dovey things and put them in word pad and blacked out the personal contents of the email and left that stuff showing --- will this look bad? Any advice? this is all we have because we mostly texted or spoke online through voice chat on Ventrilo and/or games(how we met)
Reciepts for purchase of $40 for FBI fingerprints, mailing express for them.

... hope I'm not forgetting anything, haha.

Would anyone suggest anything else? Is this enough? ...any other input? Hahah... wow I said a lot.

 

[MsJoanne]

once Baffalo office receives the passport (after PPR), usually how long Buffalo office takes to send back the passport

Please advise

thanks

You have to send the actual passport? My work requires international travel. I'd be interested in the timeframe, too, as that could affect my income. Anyone??

 

[astegenga]

Passport requested!!!

Got the email today

Sooooo happy!!!

 

[Isometry]

You have to send the actual passport? My work requires international travel. I'd be interested in the timeframe, too, as that could affect my income. Anyone??

This is from my PPR:

We require valid passport(s) for you, and any accompanying family members , before we can issue your permanent resident visa(s). You must provide your passport(s) to our office within 30 days of the date of this message. Failure to do so could result in significant processing delays or the closure of your file.


If you and/or your dependent(s) hold a passport from a visa exempt country, this office will NOT require your/their passport(s) to finalize your application. You must submit the passport(s) for those persons who require a visa for Canada. Citizens of a visa-exempt country may submit a clear photocopy of every page in their valid passport in lieu of the original passport.

So if you're American, you can send a photocopy instead of the actual passport.

Congrats astegenga!

 

[computergeek]

You have to send the actual passport? My work requires international travel. I'd be interested in the timeframe, too, as that could affect my income. Anyone??

As a US Citizen, you can obtain a second passport under certain circumstances (specifically 22 CFR 51(2)(b)). One of those circumstances explicitly listed is the amount of time required to obtain a visa and a need to travel during that time period. You have to explain why, and provide documentation (such as the "we require your passport for two weeks" letter as well as anything substantiating your need to travel during that time.) The fee is the same, but a second passport is only good for two years and you cannot automatically renew a second passport (you have to document the need for two passports again.)

I did this last year - I sent my existing passport to a passport service in San Francisco and they sent me back both passports a day later. I then was able to send my second passport out to obtain the visa.

Good luck!