Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[dcooper]

Anyone know much about the interview process? My fiance is sponsoring me as we qualify for common-law status and we figure that given we're not legally married yet, that theyre bound to ask us in for an interview. Do they just give you an interview date and expect you to be there or do they schedule one with you? If they give you one, what sort of timescales do they work to ie: when they give a date, is it a week, a month in advance?

We received our sponsor acceptance in late October so I'm guessing we've a little while yet but based on the average processing times on the spreadsheet (awesome that it is too), that would place our application being accepted roughly around the end of Jan 2012 and we're trying to plan our whereabouts for next year and so having to be in the UK for an interview is something that might require planning..

Any ideas?

 

[Jeri27]

Does anyone know how long it takes about from the time you send in your passport to the time to receive it back? Estimate time frame?

 

[pinklady]

Does anyone know how long it takes about from the time you send in your passport to the time to receive it back? Estimate time frame?

It depends on whether you're in the UK or elsewhere. You're probably looking at anywhere between 3-5 weeks. But it could be less.
Fastest i've seen was 17 days I think.
Mine took 5.5 weeks to come back to Canada, but its seems to have gotten much quicker since then.

 

[pinklady]

dcooper,
I think if you're asked for an interview you are given plenty of time to prepare and plan, at least a month.
However I don't think you will be called for one just because you are common law. From what i've seen, London does not request many interviews. Are you British/Canadian couple?
If you sent in plenty of proof of your relationship I think you will be fine.

 

[Jeri27]

It depends on whether you're in the UK or elsewhere. You're probably looking at anywhere between 3-5 weeks. But it could be less.
Fastest i've seen was 17 days I think.
Mine took 5.5 weeks to come back to Canada, but its seems to have gotten much quicker since then.

My wife is in Sweden. So my guess it shouldn't take too long for her to ship it there.

 

[pinklady]

My wife is in Sweden. So my guess it shouldn't take too long for her to ship it there.

I would guess at 3-4 weeks

 

[chrischris]

Word up - we just got our CAIPS notes through - a 26 page .pdf document. It makes for pretty interesting reading! It confirms what we thought was most likely - they're awaiting the return of RCMP criminal background checks. The good news is that it's clear they're happy with everything else in the application, so HOPEFULLY it'll be stampy-stampy as soon as the RCMP stuff comes back. Also encouraging is that it appears that the RCMP stuff was due back with the VO just a couple of days ago, although we can't be entirely certain about that. The notes do take a certain amout of interpretation as to what some codes and dates mean.

What is less clear is WHY they requested the RCMP check. One part kind of hints that it is because I lived there before - that information, including my old visa number is included under a special notes section. However a more discursive part of the file with the case officer's notes seems to indicate more strongly that the RCMP check was initiated on account of me having done scientific research when I was in Canada previously. Neither of us can work out why that should particularly be grounds to wonder if I'm a criminal - it's not as if my research was carried out in secret in a hollowed-out volcano, building a machine that will block out the sun and shoot the moon down into the sea using a laser. I couldn't get the funding for that project anyway.

I think it does show that if you have previously lived in Canada the likelihood of them doing an RCMP check is pretty high and anything even slightly out of the ordinary may trigger it. Anyway, I'm glad we got the notes - we've nothing to hide, we've waited a long time, and I'm going to be optimistic that things may happen soon....

Good luck everyone else.

 

[Tawcan]

Question for you guys...

My wife is flying back to Denmark in a few weeks and returning December 7th. She'll "officially" land then. Knowing that she'll get the PR card about 6-8 weeks (probably longer since xmas), does that mean she can't leave the country before getting the card? We are planning a trip to Asia during the holidays but aren't sure if she can leave the country or not without her PR card. Thanks.

 

[MDSB]

Question for you guys...

My wife is flying back to Denmark in a few weeks and returning December 7th. She'll "officially" land then. Knowing that she'll get the PR card about 6-8 weeks (probably longer since xmas), does that mean she can't leave the country before getting the card? We are planning a trip to Asia during the holidays but aren't sure if she can leave the country or not without her PR card. Thanks.

Hey Tawcan

I'll also be leaving Canada prior to receiving PR card but just for a vacation and asked this question a few months back... It should be fine so long as she is visa exempt (is she?)... however she should still carry her landing documents (COPR and permanent resident visa plus passport) to prove her PR status when she enters but it should not be a problem...I also read on the forum that a few others have travelled without PR card and had no issues...


MDSB

 

[MDSB]

Word up - we just got our CAIPS notes through - a 26 page .pdf document. It makes for pretty interesting reading! It confirms what we thought was most likely - they're awaiting the return of RCMP criminal background checks. The good news is that it's clear they're happy with everything else in the application, so HOPEFULLY it'll be stampy-stampy as soon as the RCMP stuff comes back. Also encouraging is that it appears that the RCMP stuff was due back with the VO just a couple of days ago, although we can't be entirely certain about that. The notes do take a certain amout of interpretation as to what some codes and dates mean.

What is less clear is WHY they requested the RCMP check. One part kind of hints that it is because I lived there before - that information, including my old visa number is included under a special notes section. However a more discursive part of the file with the case officer's notes seems to indicate more strongly that the RCMP check was initiated on account of me having done scientific research when I was in Canada previously. Neither of us can work out why that should particularly be grounds to wonder if I'm a criminal - it's not as if my research was carried out in secret in a hollowed-out volcano, building a machine that will block out the sun and shoot the moon down into the sea using a laser. I couldn't get the funding for that project anyway.

I think it does show that if you have previously lived in Canada the likelihood of them doing an RCMP check is pretty high and anything even slightly out of the ordinary may trigger it. Anyway, I'm glad we got the notes - we've nothing to hide, we've waited a long time, and I'm going to be optimistic that things may happen soon....

Good luck everyone else.

What a relief... that's great news... hope you don't have to wait too much longer

 

[dcooper]

dcooper,
I think if you're asked for an interview you are given plenty of time to prepare and plan, at least a month.
However I don't think you will be called for one just because you are common law. From what i've seen, London does not request many interviews. Are you British/Canadian couple?
If you sent in plenty of proof of your relationship I think you will be fine.

Sounds good. We just assumed that most people can potentially "breeze through" given the fact they have a marriage certificate. We sent in about 50 a4 pages of photos, letters and relationship proof so we're fairly happy that it should suitably justify our relationship! - One hopes..

We are a british/canadian couple, indeed.

 

[MDSB]

Sounds good. We just assumed that most people can potentially "breeze through" given the fact they have a marriage certificate. We sent in about 50 a4 pages of photos, letters and relationship proof so we're fairly happy that it should suitably justify our relationship! - One hopes..

We are a british/canadian couple, indeed.

We applied as Common Law and it was a pretty smooth and quick process. Any questions let me know. Good luck!

 

[British_Bulldog]

Hello all!

I just wanted to introduce myself . I'm here in Canada as a permanent resident with my three year old daughter and my partner is back in the UK, I'm sponsoring both my partner and our daughter. We sent our application on May 13th and it was received on May 16th. Unfortunately, it wasn't acutally picked up until some time in August, and we received sponsorship approval on Sept 22nd. Nothing has been updated on eCAS since, so I don't even know if London is working on our application yet?! Our worry now is, the permanent residence visa will expire in March, once it is sent to my partner, as that is when his medical papers expire. We haven't had PPR yet and we're just hoping we hear soon because he doesn't want to be rushing, last minute, to sell up back in the UK. Are London usually on the ball?

 

[AnnaMcG]

Word up - we just got our CAIPS notes through - a 26 page .pdf document. It makes for pretty interesting reading! It confirms what we thought was most likely - they're awaiting the return of RCMP criminal background checks. The good news is that it's clear they're happy with everything else in the application, so HOPEFULLY it'll be stampy-stampy as soon as the RCMP stuff comes back. Also encouraging is that it appears that the RCMP stuff was due back with the VO just a couple of days ago, although we can't be entirely certain about that. The notes do take a certain amout of interpretation as to what some codes and dates mean.

Good luck everyone else.

What are the CAIPS notes and how do you access them? Is that part of the CIC check application website?

Also Chrichris, how long did you live in Canada for? I was only there a year but it would suck if they do slow the whole thing down to do background checks for me in Canada!

Hope everyone is well on here, congrats to all hearing good news!

 

[brighton_travel]

Hello all!

I just wanted to introduce myself . I'm here in Canada as a permanent resident with my three year old daughter and my partner is back in the UK, I'm sponsoring both my partner and our daughter. We sent our application on May 13th and it was received on May 16th. Unfortunately, it wasn't acutally picked up until some time in August, and we received sponsorship approval on Sept 22nd. Nothing has been updated on eCAS since, so I don't even know if London is working on our application yet?! Our worry now is, the permanent residence visa will expire in March, once it is sent to my partner, as that is when his medical papers expire. We haven't had PPR yet and we're just hoping we hear soon because he doesn't want to be rushing, last minute, to sell up back in the UK. Are London usually on the ball?

Give Immigration a call; as you have been approved for the 1st stage. (have your UCI handy). The eCAS is not up to date.

Before your PR card expires - you have 3 options (1)renew it (2) apply for Canadian Citizenship - if you meet the requirements of 3yrs (3) let it expires - but the downside, you can't return to Canada, when you go out the country; with a British Passport, you still can enter as a tourist.