Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[GOGOGO]

I have never tried this, but someone in this forum provided a phone number of CIC call center that can be reached from outside Canada.

+1 613 944 4000 (for an agent: options 1,2,1,2,1 ... then 0 to skip the message)

My spouse called CIC call center when she was in canada. Unfortunately that number is only reachable within Canada.

 

[krista2011]

Does anyone know what the "application assignment due date" means on GCMS notes? I just got a copy of our notes and everything seems complete aside from application assessment, and e-case still says application received, even though the notes say that it's been in process since Decemeber 8th.

 

[calissons]

I'm just wondering if someone can answer a question for me as I have heard conflicting arguments, so am a little unclear! (My apologies as the answer may be somewhere on one of these pages!)

My boyfriend is a U.K. citizen, he will be living with me here in Canada, and we are wanting to apply out land through buffalo.

I understand if you are granted temporary status for at least 1 year are able to use a Canadian address as your residential address, so my question is when it comes to these region specific forms, would he use the West Europe form, or the United States form if wanting to apply through Buffalo?!

Thank you kindly!

He can apply from any country where he lives or a citizen. Basically it doesn't seem that he has any reason to apply through the Buffalo visa office since he's neither an American citizen nor is he living/working in the US. (I understand he's living in Canada, right?).
So it doesn't seem that Buffalo is even an option.

In any case, it makes more sense to apply through a UK visa office, since he is a UK citizen (you don't need to live in the country where your visa office is located... you just need to have some kind of legal attachment to the country with the visa office that will process your application (such as a citizenship, a work visa...) - but you can apply through a visa office in the UK and have your address in another country. If he has a temporary visa for a year, it would make sense to give the Canadian address.. the problem with is that his application will have to be processed within that year, because CIC officers won't know where to send any paperwork to them otherwise (since his address won't be valid after a year unless he can renew his temporary visa).

The other good thing about it is that applications are processed faster through the English VO in London (7 months apparently, which means it's probably shorter than that for most people applying in the UK) than through Buffalo (11 months).
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp

I understand your concern about the interview... although if your relationship is genuine and not too complicated (medicals, etc)I wouldn't worry about it too much... ....especially since he's from the UK (probably the best country to immigrate from...).

Otherwise, he could fill an inland application (from inside Canada) it would take him longer to get his visa than through an outland application but I believe he would be able to get a work permit.

Basically the two options seem to be an outland application processed through London (after CIC-Mississauga for the approval of your sponsorship) OR an inland application.

Good luck!

 

[Gizmo13]

He can apply from any country where he lives or a citizen. Basically it doesn't seem that he has any reason to apply through the Buffalo visa office since he's neither an American citizen nor is he living/working in the US. (I understand he's living in Canada, right?).
So it doesn't seem that Buffalo is even an option.

In any case, it makes more sense to apply through a UK visa office, since he is a UK citizen (you don't need to live in the country where your visa office is located... you just need to have some kind of legal attachment to the country with the visa office that will process your application (such as a citizenship, a work visa...) - but you can apply through a visa office in the UK and have your address in another country. If he has a temporary visa for a year, it would make sense to give the Canadian address.. the problem with is that his application will have to be processed within that year, because CIC officers won't know where to send any paperwork to them otherwise (since his address won't be valid after a year unless he can renew his temporary visa).

The other good thing about it is that applications are processed faster through the English VO in London (7 months apparently, which means it's probably shorter than that for most people applying in the UK) than through Buffalo (11 months).

I understand your concern about the interview... although if your relationship is genuine and not too complicated (medicals, etc)I wouldn't worry about it too much... ....especially since he's from the UK (probably the best country to immigrate from...).

Otherwise, he could fill an inland application (from inside Canada) it would take him longer to get his visa than through an outland application but I believe he would be able to get a work permit.

Basically the two options seem to be an outland application processed through London (after CIC-Mississauga for the approval of your sponsorship) OR an inland application.

Good luck!

He is in Canada yes! I read this somewhere:
"You can use your Canadian address as your residential address if you were admitted to Canada with temporary status valid for at least one year. This will result in your application being processed through the embassy in Buffalo, NY."

I don't know if that is true - thus all my confusion about it being processed in Buffalo! But regardless you raise good points. The interview was really my only concern, and I know we have a genuine relationship and that our case isn't complicated. So I am sure it's just me being over worried! I know we would find a way to get there for an interview if we had to anyway!! (At least we would get a holiday out of it?! )

Thank you so much for your advice, it is VERY helpful and much appreciated!

 

[GOGOGO]

People on this forum say one should use the form for the visa office that one is going through. That means, if you're applying through Buffalo, then you should use the US one. Also, the US form specifically allows you to pick your preferred interview location in US which I'm not sure the Western Europe does.

It is a bit of a debate on whether one can apply through Buffalo if one is living in Canada instead of US. I heard some cases which the applicant is working/studying in Canada and applied through Buffalo. I'm not sure if they have gone through ok or not.

CIC guideline is simply put, "You must select the visa office that serves your country of nationality or the country where you have been legally admitted for at least one year."

Here is a thread that talked about lawful admission policy that you may find it interesting.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/lawful-admission-policy-for-pr-applications-t98817.0.html

Good luck anyway!

And I just want to confirm by doing so - can one can still apply through the Buffalo office? I just want to make sure if we use the West Europe forms, that if we got called for an interview we wouldn't have to travel back to the U.K. because that could be troublesome!
Thanks for your reply!

 

[GOGOGO]

So leaving you 'faxing' as the last option.

I've never heard of anyone who loves the process , but I'm pretty sure you'll love the end result! Stay calm, you're at the end of the tunnel!

I emailed them on the 1st and asked, no response. So I tried the case specific enquiry today. I am hoping they've extended the medicals, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least to get a response back saying I need to redo them now. I hate this whole process.

 

[GOGOGO]

Hi EagerFever, it's always difficult to guess how much time they need further to process your case. There have been some fast cases while some other cases have been waiting for months.

Your last correspondence says interview is waived, which I would say it a good sign anyway.

PS: Feb23 one is your AOR. If you don't mind, I'd like to add you to the spreadsheet (see link below).

- April 10 my husband received a letter stating:
We have now completed the initial assessment of your application, and expect to finalize your application without a personal interview. While an interview does not appear necessary at this time, we reserve the right to call you to an interview, should this become necessary at some future stage in processing.

 

[GOGOGO]

That means eCAS is not reliable.

Re "application assignment due date", there was a question asked by buffalo-toronto in Sep 2011 in this thread who had the Application Assignment Due Date as 2011/11/10. Not seeing a conclusion in this thread, but looking from a positive point of view, he got PPR on Nov 18, 2011.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/thread-for-outland-buffalo-applicants-t41886.0.html;msg1019931#msg1019931

Does anyone know what the "application assignment due date" means on GCMS notes? I just got a copy of our notes and everything seems complete aside from application assessment, and e-case still says application received, even though the notes say that it's been in process since Decemeber 8th.

 

[StateOfConfusion]

Hey everyone, just a quick post, I am on vacation this week, but my friend that is checking my mail said that my letter came today from the Buffalo Consulate, so that means my COPR has been received! YAY!!!! I will be landing on May 23. I can't wait!

 

[caledonia]

I'm just wondering if someone can answer a question for me as I have heard conflicting arguments, so am a little unclear! (My apologies as the answer may be somewhere on one of these pages!)

My boyfriend is a U.K. citizen, he will be living with me here in Canada, and we are wanting to apply out land through buffalo.

I understand if you are granted temporary status for at least 1 year are able to use a Canadian address as your residential address, so my question is when it comes to these region specific forms, would he use the West Europe form, or the United States form if wanting to apply through Buffalo?!

Thank you kindly!

You can definitely apply outland buffalo when you are living in Canada as a UK citizen, I know if two cases (one english, one irish) where they applied through buffalo whilst living in Canada. It is a much faster process to do it that way and if they do call you for an interview it would be in Buffalo whereas if you applied through London you would have to go there for the interview. I am currently waiting on my application, e-cas says in process and my interview has been waived (which seems to be the norm if it is a straightforward case from the UK or Ireland however I cant say for sure just from what Ive heard)

 

[parker24]

Hey everyone, just a quick post, I am on vacation this week, but my friend that is checking my mail said that my letter came today from the Buffalo Consulate, so that means my COPR has been received! YAY!!!! I will be landing on May 23. I can't wait!

Whoo hoo! Congrats! *does a little dance for you* haha

 

[Lemondrop78]

I just sent mine finally on the 6th! How long is the wait time currently to find out if you are approved to sponsor? will they send by mail normally or email?

 

[aminca]

Hey everyone, just a quick post, I am on vacation this week, but my friend that is checking my mail said that my letter came today from the Buffalo Consulate, so that means my COPR has been received! YAY!!!! I will be landing on May 23. I can't wait!

That's awesome. I hope that means mine is coming soon. I'm still stuck at in process and my tracking hasn't activated yet. I was hoping to land this weekend I really want to get started on my job search. I hope they move faster.

 

[Isometry]

I just sent mine finally on the 6th! How long is the wait time currently to find out if you are approved to sponsor? will they send by mail normally or email?

We got the sponsorship approval by mail, sent to my sponsor. Everything since then has come via email, to me.

 

[York Region]

nhl1011, prophet 3 , moochops. Any news guys? Did anyone get any updates?