Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[Rinnerz]

I think I've got my answer. I found this on the Buffalo website:

"Please note: All fees for Family Class applicants must be submitted to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario using an official fee receipt (IMM5401)."

Looks like I don't have a choice. I have to pay through Mississauga (which is fine by me because I can pay online). Has anyone else had to pay fees after filing Family Class and paid through Mississauga?

Yeah, I was about to say... I have never once heard of anyone paying fees directly to their visa office (those applying via family class, that is). There are TONS of threads and posts on these forums about people paying fees to Mississauga, long after their applications started processing at their overseas office. The general rule of thumb seems to be to pay online to Mississauga, send proof of that payment and what it's for to Mississauga, and then (as an added precaution) forward copies of that proof of payment (i.e. official receipt, etc) to Buffalo. The last step isn't necessary, since technically Mississauga will eventually inform Buffalo that you paid, but many people do it just in case -- to give Buffalo a head's up, if nothing else.

I'm pretty sure the 3 month expiration of the police/ FBI refers to it being no older than 3 months old before Mississauga receives it.

Well, officially, it has to be no more than 3 months old by the time your application is submitted: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/intro.asp. But I very often see the actual advice given, in general, that it not be more than 3 months old by the time CIC receives it, i.e. that it has less to do with when your application is submitted, and more to do with when CIC receives the certificate itself.

 

[Doiron]

Thank you Puzzle69, Feaky Snucker, and Rinnerz! I appreciate your input on this. According to the site link Rinnerz posted, it sounds like the certificate should be okay... but since we are talking about Buffalo here!! : We just wanted to prepare ourselves for that all too familiar curve ball. Thank you all so much!

Another question: Has any ever heard of Service Canada denying SIN cards to US born kids (who have proof of Canadian citizenship) because their Canadian parents' SIN Card was Dormant at the time of application? My husband has been away from Canada for almost 12 years and we are now just finding out that his SIN needs to be reactivated as well as his OHIP. I must have missed that in the Canadian Immigration for dummies book!

 

[amaranth]

Another question: Has any ever heard of Service Canada denying SIN cards to US born kids (who have proof of Canadian citizenship) because their Canadian parents' SIN Card was Dormant at the time of application? My husband has been away from Canada for almost 12 years and we are now just finding out that his SIN needs to be reactivated as well as his OHIP. I must have missed that in the Canadian Immigration for dummies book!

Ooh, Canadian Immigration for Dummies... A certain VO needs a copy of that! ;D 8)

edit: The call centre could use a few copies too... Then maybe people would get correct answers to their questions. :-X

 

[Salsalvr]

Thank God for this forum

After reading the posts on the FBI security clearance, I realize that mine was expired (4 months old) when I sent in my application. I'm going to see if the office can generate a new one for me based on the fingerprints I sent last year, or start the process to request them on Monday. I haven't received my AOR yet so hopefully this won't delay my processing too much.

 

[eletyl]

update for spreadsheet: my e-cas switched to "in process" as of May 5, 2011.

 

[boomerang11]

Re: Thank God for this forum

After reading the posts on the FBI security clearance, I realize that mine was expired (4 months old) when I sent in my application. I'm going to see if the office can generate a new one for me based on the fingerprints I sent last year, or start the process to request them on Monday. I haven't received my AOR yet so hopefully this won't delay my processing too much.

My FBI clearance was expired, too, and I didn't realize it until I started reading posts on this site! I haven't received my AOR yet either so I'm hoping that the request I just sent for an updated clearance will be back quickly so I can send it in to the VISA Office.

You're smart to call and ask if they can generate a new one. I didn't call...just got new fingerprints and sent it in...and spent more $$! Oh well.

 

[ConfusedinCanada]

Salsalvr - can you please keep us posted on how the call goes to the FBI? We're in the same situation... have about 1.5 months until expiry so were going to resubmit asap. Thanks!!

 

[scylla]

This was my husband's PC situation when we submitted his application:

FBI cert - expired by about two months
4 US State certs - valid
Country A certificate - expired by about three months
Country B certificate - missing entirely (tried for six months and couldn't obtain - provided a letter explaining what we had done to try to obtain one)

Luckily this mess was accepted and we weren't asked to re-do any of the certs. I think we got lucky and ended up with either a very nice and reasonable, or just plain lazy, immigration officer.

 

[boomerang11]

This was my husband's PC situation when we submitted his application:

FBI cert - expired by about two months
4 US State certs - valid
Country A certificate - expired by about three months
Country B certificate - missing entirely (tried for six months and couldn't obtain - provided a letter explaining what we had done to try to obtain one)

Luckily this mess was accepted and we weren't asked to re-do any of the certs. I think we got luck and ended up with either a very nice and reasonable, or just plain lazy, immigration officer.

Wow! That's great news! I hope my VO is very nice and reasonable, too!

I hope he/she is not plain lazy, though....they might take too long to process my application!

 

[mrswolfe]

Could we please be added to the spreadsheet? Thanks!

Application Send 3/18/2011
Application Received 3/22/2011
Transferred to Buffalo (Transferred on 4/20/2011 but received on 5/5/2011)

Thanks!

 

[boomerang11]

Just checked the website today...

They changed the date on the application times for processing page to May 4, 2011, but the Buffalo office still says they're taking 11 months. When I look at most of the posts on this site, it seems it's taking less than 11 months. Why do they keep showing 11 months? Are most of you reading about 6-7 months for the process, too?

We are trying to plan a move and home sale, etc., just like everyone else and we're having a hard time deciding when to put the house on the market, for example.

 

[scylla]

Just checked the website today...

They changed the date on the application times for processing page to May 4, 2011, but the Buffalo office still says they're taking 11 months. When I look at most of the posts on this site, it seems it's taking less than 11 months. Why do they keep showing 11 months? Are most of you reading about 6-7 months for the process, too?

See the top of the page that displays the VO processing times. The processing time estimates are based on completed applications from 2010.

Quote:

The tables below indicate application processing times at Canadian visa offices outside Canada once Step 1 has been completed. The times are based on how long it took to process 80 percent of all cases between January 1 and December 31, 2010. Processing times are subject to change.

 

[sparkle]

Could we please be added to the spreadsheet? Thanks!

Application Send 3/18/2011
Application Received 3/22/2011
Transferred to Buffalo (Transferred on 4/20/2011 but received on 5/5/2011)

Thanks!

Added

 

[BeShoo]

They changed the date on the application times for processing page to May 4, 2011, but the Buffalo office still says they're taking 11 months. When I look at most of the posts on this site, it seems it's taking less than 11 months. Why do they keep showing 11 months?

Every application takes a different amount of time. There are many factors including how long it takes to do background checks, how complicated the evidence is to assess, etc. The 11 month figure is how long it takes to finish 80% of the applications. Some applications (20%) will take longer. On the other hand, Probably about 30% of applications are finished in 4 months, about 20% more in 6 months, which leaves 30% that are finished in 6 to 11 months, something like that. We heard here about one application that was processed in about 5 weeks.

 

[sparkle]

Such a snooze fest this is
I don't understand why Buffalo is sooo damn slow with everything ! I know they have this new computerized system and all that, but this is just so frustrating

Does anyone know if my husband can apply for Visitor visa at this stage when he has AOR, and would he be able to live here and drive daily to work in US ? He is on temporary work visa in US.

All this is happening because some people who have attained immigration/citizenship through fraud, and now, the offices are being extremely strict. It's so not fair to people like us,, who are doing everything the right way ! Me and my husband are not even an hour away but across borders I can't go there, he can't come here...and here comes our first wedding anniversary in a couple of months ! Soooooooooo frustrating!