Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[wowsers]

You could do what I and others have done.. Cheap return flight, "land", get SIN, come home.. Then you can "settle" when it suits you. As long as you have someone that you can trust to be the PR card recipient inside Canada...

Doing just that, though I think I do not need a SIN since I have been retired for 10 years and have no intention of working again. Is my understanding of the SIN correct?

 

[wowsers]

Wowsers, that was quick. ;-) Many congratulations, fantastic news.

How did it arrive out of interest? Royal Mail Recorded, Special Delivery?

Royal Mail, signed for delivery. I was out, so the postman signed for me. Very obliging and friendly in my part of the UK!

 

[zardoz]

Doing just that, though I think I do not need a SIN since I have been retired for 10 years and have no intention of working again. Is my understanding of the SIN correct?

Getting the SIN is certainly optional at landing, even if you did want to work in the future... I had a couple of days to spare so I just went for it.. Nice walk in downtown Toronto...

 

[Shaunx729]

I really don't understand how London VO are processing applications. Someone on British Expats who applied in Nov 2013 has had a postive decision made today! But yet there are several earlier applicants with no news yet.

Don't get me wrong I'm happy for anyone who completes this long process but there really doesnt seem to be any order in the way things are processed

There are some people in the spreadsheet that have been approved in 70 - 80 days. I cannot find there user names in the system so I am not sure how legit that is...
Anyone shed some light? No accusations of course just it really is a sharp deviation from the normal processing times..

 

[apt2208]

There are some people in the spreadsheet that have been approved in 70 - 80 days. I cannot find there user names in the system so I am not sure how legit that is...
Anyone shed some light? No accusations of course just it really is a sharp deviation from the normal processing times..

They are users on the British Expat forum..

 

[Shaunx729]

They are users on the British Expat forum..

Oh cool didn't know it was linked.

Lucky people!

 

[apt2208]

Oh cool didn't know it was linked.

Lucky people!

Yep! I still can't understand how it can be processed that quickly though with all the checks they do.

 

[B1007]

I really don't understand how London VO are processing applications. Someone on British Expats who applied in Nov 2013 has had a postive decision made today! But yet there are several earlier applicants with no news yet.

Don't get me wrong I'm happy for anyone who completes this long process but there really doesnt seem to be any order in the way things are processed

I agree completely. It's not fair how they are doing things. Almost 10 months still waiting for a decision for us and there is no good reason why ours is taking longer. It can really let a person down seeing all these people who have applied months after us get there COPR before we do. I'm happy for people who get it but I wish like you said that there was more order in the way they process applications.

 

[togethersoon]

I have some very good news to share with everyone!

After much ado, my husband received his passport request on the 10th of March, by email. He was asked for his entire physical passport, 2 recent photos, and an updated information chart. He submitted his documents in person at the London embassy on March 12. He waited two weeks, and went to pick up his passport again just on Wednesday (March 26) with a beautiful visa sticker inside! Note: the original medical expiry should have been for mid-March (as it marks 1 year of completion of the medical). By email, this was extended to April 5, 2014. However, when he received his COPR in person, he found that the validity had been extended for another year (March, 2015)! But, since we can't take another day of this long wait without one another, his flight is set for next Thursday!

He has asked me to convey one piece of information to all members of the forum: if you want your life in a bit less chaos, DO NOT expect yourself to be one of the 'lucky ones'. Use CIC London's time frame as an average time. Especially for those who have less financial/job security, or have high expectations -- it is just a whole lot easier planning your life around a set/concrete 10 or 12 month view and sticking to it (instead of sitting around with empty hopes). My husband and I had the crazy expectation from the start that we'd be one of the 'lucky' ones and we'd get processed within 6 months. The part that ticked me off personally was that our immigration lawyer told us himself that CIC would definitely process the whole thing within 6 months. Funny thing is, June 4th, 2013 to April 5th, 2014 turns out to be an exact 10 months.

From my side, I would like to convey my advice as this: DO consult your MP's office after about the 6-7 month mark. DO request for case notes. DO follow up with emails to CIC. You payed quite a bit of $ for the processing, so you do deserve some information.

Lastly, if there are any non visa-exempt applicants who have questions about the PPR process (or who would like to see an example copy), PLEASE, feel free to PM us!

All in all, I just want to thank this forum and all the members for their kindness. I understand that most of my questions were difficult to answer, but I appreciate the honesty anyway. We had never expected to find a forum like this, so accessible, and with so many users who can offer a million and one answers!

Good luck to everyone else! I wish you a swift ending to this terrible journey that CIC has put us all through. Just know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[wowsers]

Congratulations Togethersoon, and I echo everything you say concerning this forum. I started off the journey knowing nothing about Canadian immigration, even thinking that my acceptance as a potential immigrant back in 1960 might be relevant (it was not!); so I got off to a very slow start, coming across this forum by accident via Google and then reading it in detail before filling in any of the forms. Back in 1960 it was rather easier; as I recollect simply a letter of application and an interview and even if I recollect correctly some financial assistance from the Canadian Government. It certainly did not cost me anything: I had nothing back then. 54 years later I am about to do what I could have done then but did not. Many thanks to all of you who have been of such assistance to me in this belated adventure and for all the interesting and useful reading I have enjoyed on a daily basis.

 

[apt2208]

Congrats Togethersoon, I am happy this process is over for you.

All those of us that are still waiting - I learnt from another thread a Dec 2013 also got their COPR yesterday...like I said ealrier there doesn't seem to be any order in which apps are being processed

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/decision-made-does-anyone-know-how-long-it-will-take-to-receive-copr-t192610.0.html

 

[Becki567]

I have some very good news to share with everyone!

After much ado, my husband received his passport request on the 10th of March, by email. He was asked for his entire physical passport, 2 recent photos, and an updated information chart. He submitted his documents in person at the London embassy on March 12. He waited two weeks, and went to pick up his passport again just on Wednesday (March 26) with a beautiful visa sticker inside! Note: the original medical expiry should have been for mid-March (as it marks 1 year of completion of the medical). By email, this was extended to April 5, 2014. However, when he received his COPR in person, he found that the validity had been extended for another year (March, 2015)! But, since we can't take another day of this long wait without one another, his flight is set for next Thursday!

He has asked me to convey one piece of information to all members of the forum: if you want your life in a bit less chaos, DO NOT expect yourself to be one of the 'lucky ones'. Use CIC London's time frame as an average time. Especially for those who have less financial/job security, or have high expectations -- it is just a whole lot easier planning your life around a set/concrete 10 or 12 month view and sticking to it (instead of sitting around with empty hopes). My husband and I had the crazy expectation from the start that we'd be one of the 'lucky' ones and we'd get processed within 6 months. The part that ticked me off personally was that our immigration lawyer told us himself that CIC would definitely process the whole thing within 6 months. Funny thing is, June 4th, 2013 to April 5th, 2014 turns out to be an exact 10 months.

From my side, I would like to convey my advice as this: DO consult your MP's office after about the 6-7 month mark. DO request for case notes. DO follow up with emails to CIC. You payed quite a bit of $ for the processing, so you do deserve some information.

Lastly, if there are any non visa-exempt applicants who have questions about the PPR process (or who would like to see an example copy), PLEASE, feel free to PM us!

All in all, I just want to thank this forum and all the members for their kindness. I understand that most of my questions were difficult to answer, but I appreciate the honesty anyway. We had never expected to find a forum like this, so accessible, and with so many users who can offer a million and one answers!

Good luck to everyone else! I wish you a swift ending to this terrible journey that CIC has put us all through. Just know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Congratulations! I have updated the spreadsheet and you are now in green!

 

[aj~]

Congrats togethersoon and thanks for sharing, these stories do continue to provide hope.

I've taken the same approach wowsers did and have sent London a case enquiry as my medical expires next month. Figured the worst thing that can happen is they just won't respond as it's not 10 months yet. I should have my GCMS notes next week too so have done all I can for now.

 

[apt2208]

Congrats togethersoon and thanks for sharing, these stories do continue to provide hope.

I've taken the same approach wowsers did and have sent London a case enquiry as my medical expires next month. Figured the worst thing that can happen is they just won't respond as it's not 10 months yet. I should have my GCMS notes next week too so have done all I can for now.

Hi Aj,

Have you contacted your MP?

 

[Becki567]

Hi Aj,

Have you contacted your MP?

I don't really feel like an MP would be helpful right now. The GCMS notes will give you an idea of where your file is at. It is important when you receive these notes to look on the bottom for the date generated. Sometimes they are generated not long before they are sent to you, and other times they are generated almost as soon as you request them even though they are still not sent to you for 30 days. They can be confusing to read but if you google "How to read gcms notes" plenty of people have published walk through guides to help you.
Please let us know when you get them if they tell you anything