Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[computergeek]

Can you clarify bit more, sponsorship was aproved back in january but still stuck in phase 2. Waiting for 7 months to get interview date. Do i need to send separate form for wife too? If yes tgeb why?

Spousal applications are entwined; they will redact information about the sponsor if the applicant asks for records. Similarly, they will redact applicant information if the spouse asks for records. If both ask, they will provide unredacted information for both of you (well, they still redact some things, like security.)

 

[homi2285]

Is there anyone still waiting since July 2011 or earlier? This is so frustrating.. The holidays coming up make me even more depressed..

 

[computergeek]

Is there anyone still waiting since July 2011 or earlier? This is so frustrating.. The holidays coming up make me even more depressed..

Have you ordered your GCMS notes? Any idea why they are taking so long?

18 months for an outland application is a very long time.

 

[homi2285]

Have you ordered your GCMS notes? Any idea why they are taking so long?

18 months for an outland application is a very long time.

No I haven't ordered GCMS notes but probably will tomorrow. My husband asked MP office in Toronto to look into our case and they said they are still waiting to hear back from the Ottawa office and shall call him once they 've heard back from ottawa.. not sure what is going on.
On the CIC client application status website, these are the notes :
" We received your application for permanent residence on July 5, 2011.
We started processing your application on January 12, 2012.
Medical results have been received."
So maybe I should count 12 months starting from Jan 12, 2012 instead of from July 5, 2011?

 

[computergeek]

No I haven't ordered GCMS notes but probably will tomorrow. My husband asked MP office in Toronto to look into our case and they said they are still waiting to hear back from the Ottawa office and shall call him once they 've heard back from ottawa.. not sure what is going on.
On the CIC client application status website, these are the notes :
" We received your application for permanent residence on July 5, 2011.
We started processing your application on January 12, 2012.
Medical results have been received."
So maybe I should count 12 months starting from Jan 12, 2012 instead of from July 5, 2011?

Sorry, but they don't get to reset your clock simply because they moved your application to a new office. This is clearly set out in OP 1:

For processing purposes, all processing steps for the files transferred to an office, including the scheduling of interviews, should be the same as for all other applications received in the office on the date corresponding to the “lock-in” date of the received file. This means that an application that is received in Paris in July 2002 and transferred to New Delhi in March 2003, would enter the New Delhi queue as of July 2002.

So they didn't bother to look at your application until July 5, but the date to control processing time is when it was sent to Buffalo (back in 2011). When was the sponsor approved? Normally, Buffalo would have received it within two weeks of that date. CIC doesn't get to "reset the clock" due to their own internal reorganization - they're stuck with the original received date for Buffalo.

You will see that date in the GCMS notes.

My guess is Ottawa will have some lame excuse about "a backlog of applications forwarded from Buffalo". My point: you shouldn't be penalized by their internal reorganization. I'd make sure the MP understands this.

Were there any issues with your application? Did they have to request medicals or PCCs or do you have a criminality issue to address? Also, if your name is a common one, they may require a copy of fingerprints to disambiguate you for the RCMP check.

 

[homi2285]

Sorry, but they don't get to reset your clock simply because they moved your application to a new office. This is clearly set out in OP 1:

So they didn't bother to look at your application until July 5, but the date to control processing time is when it was sent to Buffalo (back in 2011). When was the sponsor approved? Normally, Buffalo would have received it within two weeks of that date. CIC doesn't get to "reset the clock" due to their own internal reorganization - they're stuck with the original received date for Buffalo.

You will see that date in the GCMS notes.

My guess is Ottawa will have some lame excuse about "a backlog of applications forwarded from Buffalo". My point: you shouldn't be penalized by their internal reorganization. I'd make sure the MP understands this.

Were there any issues with your application? Did they have to request medicals or PCCs or do you have a criminality issue to address? Also, if your name is a common one, they may require a copy of fingerprints to disambiguate you for the RCMP check.

Thank you for your inputs Comptergeek! . No, there hasn't been any issue with my application ( no criminality issue, I assumed that the first medical exam was already expired so did another one in Oct and already sent off, they neither emailed to ask me for a new medical exam nor notified me that they have received the latest medical exam...). I will order the GSCM notes then. Hopefully the new year will bring in the good news soon..

 

[simb]

Can you clarify bit more, sponsorship was aproved back in january but still stuck in phase 2. Waiting for 7 months to get interview date. Do i need to send separate form for wife too? If yes tgeb why?

did you get your interview date ?

 

[emily_anya]

Hi all...wondering if someone knows the answer to this. I am currently on a 6 month visitor visa (expires Jan 14th 2013) and I sent in (online) my application to extend by visitor visa in November (as I am waiting for my sponsorship to come through). I have just checked the wait time and they are saying 88 days and are working on files received Sept 9th. Am I allowed to remain in Canada if I haven't heard a decision by Jan 14th?
Thanks!

 

[OhCanadiana]

Hi all...wondering if someone knows the answer to this. I am currently on a 6 month visitor visa (expires Jan 14th 2013) and I sent in (online) my application to extend by visitor visa in November (as I am waiting for my sponsorship to come through). I have just checked the wait time and they are saying 88 days and are working on files received Sept 9th. Am I allowed to remain in Canada if I haven't heard a decision by Jan 14th?
Thanks!

Yes since you are on implied status until they take a decision on your application to extend status. See http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

Keep your receipt of submission as it proves you applied BEFORE your status expires.

 

[HDappicant]

can someone redirect to the post which explains about flag polling in detail?

 

[homi2285]

I GOT IT!! just received an email from Ottawa office this morning! Now just have to mail my passport n photos to Los Angeles office and wait to get it back. But yeah, the last 17 months has been stressful but bearable thanks to you guys. For those who r still waiting, hang in there, may the good news come to u soon. It can only get better from here !!

 

[MSP2YYZ]

I GOT IT!! just received an email from Ottawa office this morning! Now just have to mail my passport n photos to Los Angeles office and wait to get it back. But yeah, the last 17 months has been stressful but bearable thanks to you guys. For those who r still waiting, hang in there, may the good news come to u soon. It can only get better from here !!

Congrats! It's an unbelievable feeling isn't it?

 

[Kiri]

So I've just hated things... I sent things in May, they were returned after not being opened for almost 4 months for missing forms (the forms were updated with immigration in July.. if they had opened the package before that, it'd be fine).. well financial and other issues have kept us from being able to send it back until today. 7-8 months from when I got my US FBI check, and photos. I sent the package anyway with that info with a letter explaining how it was almost 6 months before I got my package back.. Problem with this is that they didn't log me as having my information in in May.. they just sent my stuff back messy and with some torn papers. There is no record (other than paid fees receipts) that I've had anything in with them.

So now I need my info changed to Jan 2nd, 2013 sent.

Wonder what the odds are they will overlook the outdated photos/FBI record. (photos match the medicals so I didn't want to update them) I added an extra folder to the batch I sent in to give them some updated proof (new lease we've signed, some more photos since May, Facebook entries, gift receipts)

I'm so ready for this to be over with.. most of the May applicants have already landed. I just want to get done with this so I can have children

 

[homi2285]

Congrats! It's an unbelievable feeling isn't it?

thank you so much . Yes It was indeed an incredible feeling Happy new year everyone. May 2013 bring happiness to you all in various shapes & forms, and may one of those forms is the PR

Also, could anyone please let me know how long usually does it take for LA office to send back the passport ? thank you so much.

 

[computergeek]

I'm so ready for this to be over with.. most of the May applicants have already landed. I just want to get done with this so I can have children

Hmm. I don't remember them ever talking about landing as being a requirement for having children in my sex ed class. Things are just different in Canada.