Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[QCSunshine]

....

I do have a question though before I go back to celebrating another step in the process. I obviously want to send my passport off ASAP, but with the Canada Post strike, I'm not sure the best way to get my documents to Buffalo. I'm in Canada right now (Vancouver); should I be sending it to Ft Erie or to Buffalo (I'm pretty certain the latter, just doublechecking)? And should I wait til the Canada Post strike ends (hopefully this week) or send it via UPS? If sending via UPS, do I just include a prepaid return waybill or should I affix said waybill to a document package box thingy? The instructions on the CIC's site are kind of confusing :| Sorry for the dumb questions, just want to make sure I do this step right!

Congrats on your PPR! The email you got should have links that provide the exact address of where to send the passport, the specific sizes of the photos to include, etc, and the part about including your height and eye color.

I checked and the link that I got when I got PPR now has a new addition that says:
"If you have an urgent need for the return of your passport(s) during the postal strike, we strongly suggest you use UPS courier services. You will have to prepay all shipping and Customs charges in both directions by using a UPS billing account number. Courier envelopes and waybills without a UPS account number will be refused and returned to you."

Like you mentioned, it then talks about the return UPS prepaid address label that you have to include, but the wording is a little unclear about whether it is supposed to be attached or not. I guess if you don't attach it, they could quickly attach it themselves? But maybe someone who sent their passport by mail might be able to help more? (I went in person, so I'm not sure.)

 

[kh2010]

I am a new poster, but have been monitoring these forums for a while now. My Canadian wife is sponsoring me and we applied in January, with sponsor approval and transfer to Buffalo March 4 (reflected on ECAS). We've heard nothing since then. Since many people are discussing emailing Buffalo, I can relate that I did email them, explaining the quick processing at the end of 2010 and describing how many March applicants have been receiving PPR according to the forum. I implored them to shed some light on the process and give me some indication of when my applicaiton would be complete. We completed the app VERY thoroughly and by all measures should be quick case. They responded with a two line email saying we are in process and that no indication can be given of when we will be complete. ECAS has still not indicated 'in process'.

We are probably at the end of the queue now, but it was absolutely killing me, so I had to email them and let them know how excrutiating this process is. I'm not sure if more emails will help at all, but I just wanted to share my experience. I will add my 2 cents in that I don't think there is any defense for Buffalo's wildly inconsistent approach. This is bureaucracy at its worst - completely opaque, zero accountability and completely illogical results. I can only hope we are all done soon. Best of luck to everyone.

 

[SMA.DE]

We did not live together and did not submit phone bills simply because we did not have them. We have not saved the old ones, and in the past few years were primarily using Skype. If you call each other a lot while living together, then submit them. Why not? The more evidence you provide them, the better.
For the other documents, we submitted a copy of the passport and marriage certificate. I do not remember them asking for a household registry.

thanks for anwsering!

 

[janamay1967]

Congrats! Mine was submitted around the same time. Hopefully that means I'm close! Good luck the rest of the way...

Chinook! I was panicked when I read this thread because I thought you had beaten me!!! I got an email this morning saying "Your application is in process. No further action on your part is needed at this time." They also suggested that I keep my correspondence to a minimum....LOL I guess we are sending too many emails from this forum!

I am so excited!
You should be next!
Have a great day!
JM

 

[buffalo-toronto]

I bet this is happening because of that stupid computer upgrade they had in Jan/Feb. We are gona get slogged now and March onwards, ppl are gona get thru which would be even more killing.

 

[avon]

My wife emailed my MP, and they said that they would look into it. They got back to us yesterday, and said that my application is in security check and everything should be done by September. My advice to people, especially the December/January group is that they start emailing their MP's because I believe CIC responds to political pressure. I also think that something happened with this group of applications, and they have changed their operations, and before they get going on all the new people they should clear out the old files. Also, many people take their vacations in the summer, so I don't expect much progress, but we will see.......

 

[buffalo-toronto]

My wife emailed my MP, and they said that they would look into it. They got back to us yesterday, and said that my application is in security check and everything should be done by September. My advice to people, especially the December/January group is that they start emailing their MP's because I believe CIC responds to political pressure. I also think that something happened with this group of applications, and they have changed their operations, and before they get going on all the new people they should clear out the old files. Also, many people take their vacations in the summer, so I don't expect much progress, but we will see.......

Avon, how long did the MP take to get back to you?

 

[avon]

three days, and they said that they would help, and were very nice. CIC responded to them immediately, and I think that causes them to look at your file which is good.

They also told me not to email them after I made contact with the MP, and they would contact CIC.

btw - it was great to see hbpwg, and hopefully others like kess, rinnerz, kayan, and others get their ppr soon. people who are from last august through november that still don't have ppr.

 

[buffalo-toronto]

three days, and they said that they would help, and were very nice. CIC responded to them immediately, and I think that causes them to look at your file which is good.

They also told me not to email them after I made contact with the MP, and they would contact CIC.

btw - it was great to see hbpwg, and hopefully others like kess, rinnerz, kayan, and others get their ppr soon. people who are from last august through november that still don't have ppr.

Alright, thanks. I have aksed my wife to contact the local MP, hopefully she is nice enough to take initiative on this. She is from Mississauga, ON. Hopefully the MP is nice enough.

 

[avon]

that is where our MP is from, and his name was Bob .....??? I don't remember, but was very helpful, and they have dedicated people for such a job. I think if people write to them saying something is wrong with the post November group then they may be able to inquire about it, especially before they go on vacation.

 

[kayan]

that is where our MP is from, and his name was Bob .....??? I don't remember, but was very helpful, and they have dedicated people for such a job. I think in mass if everyone writes to them saying something is wrong with the post November group then they may be able to inquire about it, especially before they go on vacation.

Bob Dechert? If so he is also my MP! I will write to him tonight.

 

[buffalo-toronto]

Bob Dechert? If so he is also my MP! I will write to him tonight.

Yup Thats his for Mississauga-Erindale.
For Cooksvile someone changed in this election. Will contact him/her first, if not reach out to Bob, I think we can do that right or we have to stick to our area MP?

 

[avon]

Yeah, that is the one, and I am not an expert in Canadian politics, but an MP from Alberta - Jason Kenney(I believe) runs CIC. I don't think that it changes your place in line or queue as they say in Canada b/c their is a law against it. However, what I think it does is alert them if you put in your email their is something that is happening to the December through February group that is taking longer to process as they adjust to new computer systems. I think without this, it will just be business as usual, and I am not sure they recognize that their is a problem yet. It doesn't seem like they have been given many resources to do assessment with only 51 employees in Buffalo, and it is very hard, and hopefully they will be given more resources for a very difficult job.

BTW- They want an address to make sure you are in their constituency.

 

[sparkle]

I am thinking of contacting my MP as well. I am sure if a bunch of us get our MP to do something about it, it will surely make some impact. I will mention in the email that its for the Dec-Feb group. However, quick question, do you think it matter if I, the sponsor is not a citizen but a PR ?

 

[melyn2223]

What is MP? So I can do the same thing. Please let me know
and I see that I have been removed from the spreadsheet. Please find my timeline below

App sent: 12/31/2011
App received in Miss: 1/7/2011
Sponsorship approved: 2/1/2011
CSQ:3/17/2011
AOR: 5/18/2011