Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[wowsers]

It may be worth sending a case specific case enquiry to the London VO. You may have already done this but just a thought.

No cse as yet. I am keeping my ammunition dry until the 10 months are up, or almost up. I need to fire off a cse shortly before the anniversary of my medical just to remind them that I am still alive.

 

[apt2208]

No cse as yet. I am keeping my ammunition dry until the 10 months are up, or almost up. I need to fire off a cse shortly before the anniversary of my medical just to remind them that I am still alive.

OK I'm coming up to 6 months and sent an email a few days ago and got a reply so you don't have to wait until you are close to 10 months.

 

[B1007]

Hi all,
In one week from today march 21 they will have had our application for 10 months and on April 10 it will be 10 months in process in London. I sent an email back in the end of January and they said it's awaiting the review of an immigration officer. I haven't applied for my notes yet but understand takes about 30 days before I get them. I am wondering if I wait till April 10 to contact my local MP or march 21 or will they not be able to do anything since it's over in London? Could I email them again? Very anxious for this visa hate being away from my husband. Low on funds which is why he's gone back to work for the last 2 months in London. this time difference also makes it hard to be able to FaceTime or skype. Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Losing hope. Thanks.

 

[apt2208]

Hi all,
In one week from today march 21 they will have had our application for 10 months and on April 10 it will be 10 months in process in London. I sent an email back in the end of January and they said it's awaiting the review of an immigration officer. I haven't applied for my notes yet but understand takes about 30 days before I get them. I am wondering if I wait till April 10 to contact my local MP or march 21 or will they not be able to do anything since it's over in London? Could I email them again? Very anxious for this visa hate being away from my husband. Low on funds which is why he's gone back to work for the last 2 months in London. this time difference also makes it hard to be able to FaceTime or skype. Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Losing hope. Thanks.

Hi,

I'm not too sure about the MP part. But I would defintley send them another case specific enquiry. Is there anything particularly complicated about your case which may be delaying it?

 

[aj~]

Hi all,
In one week from today march 21 they will have had our application for 10 months and on April 10 it will be 10 months in process in London. I sent an email back in the end of January and they said it's awaiting the review of an immigration officer. I haven't applied for my notes yet but understand takes about 30 days before I get them. I am wondering if I wait till April 10 to contact my local MP or march 21 or will they not be able to do anything since it's over in London? Could I email them again? Very anxious for this visa hate being away from my husband. Low on funds which is why he's gone back to work for the last 2 months in London. this time difference also makes it hard to be able to FaceTime or skype. Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Losing hope. Thanks.

Keep the faith. I was losing it but there has finally been some movement today.

You may as well order the notes, we possibly jumped the gun and ordered them a week before it changed today to "In Process", but it's only $5 and may help you in 30 days time if there's still nothing happening. It won't do any harm.

 

[togethersoon]

Hi all,
In one week from today march 21 they will have had our application for 10 months and on April 10 it will be 10 months in process in London. I sent an email back in the end of January and they said it's awaiting the review of an immigration officer. I haven't applied for my notes yet but understand takes about 30 days before I get them. I am wondering if I wait till April 10 to contact my local MP or march 21 or will they not be able to do anything since it's over in London? Could I email them again? Very anxious for this visa hate being away from my husband. Low on funds which is why he's gone back to work for the last 2 months in London. this time difference also makes it hard to be able to FaceTime or skype. Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Losing hope. Thanks.

I know exactly what you mean by the distance. My husband and I have been apart now for just over 6 months, and it really sucks.

B1007, I insist you contact your MP's office ASAP. I've been in contact with my MP's office when our application was even at 5 or 6 months, and they were more than helpful. Though most of the time the process was slow, we learned things about our application that we would not have known from the call centre or ECAS (like the Bring Forward Date, what stage of review it is currently in, etc).

There is absolutely no harm in trying, and in the worst case scenario, the MP's office will just tell you straight that you must wait until April 10. But in our case, we feel that the MP's contact and emails to CIC triggered some movement, leading to an "In Process" status. If your file is straightforward, there is no reason for a 10 month wait without any good reason. Good luck!!!

 

[apt2208]

I know exactly what you mean by the distance. My husband and I have been apart now for just over 6 months, and it really sucks.

B1007, I insist you contact your MP's office ASAP. I've been in contact with my MP's office when our application was even at 5 or 6 months, and they were more than helpful. Though most of the time the process was slow, we learned things about our application that we would not have known from the call centre or ECAS (like the Bring Forward Date, what stage of review it is currently in, etc).

There is absolutely no harm in trying, and in the worst case scenario, the MP's office will just tell you straight that you must wait until April 10. But in our case, we feel that the MP's contact and emails to CIC triggered some movement, leading to an "In Process" status. If your file is straightforward, there is no reason for a 10 month wait without any good reason. Good luck!!!

Hello,

I hope you don't me asking but I am just trying to understand how the London VO processes applications as it looks like several people who have applied after you and B1007 have already got there visas. Was there anything particular that they found for your case which made it not so straight forward and hence the longer processing time. You don't have to answer if you don't want to

 

[togethersoon]

Hello,

I hope you don't me asking but I am just trying to understand how the London VO processes applications as it looks like several people who have applied after you and B1007 have already got there visas. Was there anything particular that they found for your case which made it not so straight forward and hence the longer processing time. You don't have to answer if you don't want to

Trust me, we've asked ourselves the same question and really got a case of the green-eyed monster when we saw all the files ahead of us going through. Well, it seems like some of it comes down to bad luck as well but we were lucky insofar as we were not requested for additional documents and we tried to be as thorough as possible when we applied.

However, my husband is a non-visa exempt file, and the delay in getting police/security/background checks from his country of birth might have had something to do with the processing time (there was a corrupt/violent election going on, with government offices closed for a month in between).

Additionally, I feel that I can safely attribute some of it to the strikes at the London VO from ~July to September, as well as the fact that we applied in June (which obviously meant that December holidays got in the way -- which, mind you, actually does slow down a lot of processing). If I'm not mistaken, June is also the period when CIC fills in new hires, and there is some employee turnover, which leads to less efficiency. June really does happen to be the worst time to apply!

Overall, I believe that though we're a rather straightforward case (young couple, no kids, no military past, etc), the additional 2-3 months of processing time can possibly be attributed to poor communication between countries, the strike, and the extra holidays in between. All of this was made much harder on us because I've been here (and haven't been able to visit him because I'm a student with financial constraints). Hope that helps!

 

[apt2208]

Trust me, we've asked ourselves the same question and really got a case of the green-eyed monster when we saw all the files ahead of us going through. Well, it seems like some of it comes down to bad luck as well but we were lucky insofar as we were not requested for additional documents and we tried to be as thorough as possible when we applied.

However, my husband is a non-visa exempt file, and the delay in getting police/security/background checks from his country of birth might have had something to do with the processing time (there was a corrupt/violent election going on, with government offices closed for a month in between).

Additionally, I feel that I can safely attribute some of it to the strikes at the London VO from ~July to September, as well as the fact that we applied in June (which obviously meant that December holidays got in the way -- which, mind you, actually does slow down a lot of processing). If I'm not mistaken, June is also the period when CIC fills in new hires, and there is some employee turnover, which leads to less efficiency. June really does happen to be the worst time to apply!

Overall, I believe that though we're a rather straightforward case (young couple, no kids, no military past, etc), the additional 2-3 months of processing time can possibly be attributed to poor communication between countries, the strike, and the extra holidays in between. All of this was made much harder on us because I've been here (and haven't been able to visit him because I'm a student with financial constraints). Hope that helps!

Thank you very much for the reply. I really do hope all the delays are over and you will soon have a positive decision made. Best of luck!!

 

[Shaunx729]

Thank you very much for the reply. I really do hope all the delays are over and you will soon have a positive decision made. Best of luck!!

My wife is Visa exempt ( shes from Iceland) is there really that much of a difference between visa exempt and not? I am talking processing times of course !

 

[Shaunx729]

Also another question:

I paid all fees upfront did all medicals upfront so that included the right or permanent residence fee.

I was surprised to find out that the immigration officer in Mississauga who approved my application also refunded me that amount.
Did I pay it to soon or is it something else?

Thanks! :

 

[apt2208]

My wife is Visa exempt ( shes from Iceland) is there really that much of a difference between visa exempt and not? I am talking processing times of course !

I think there is a few months difference but then it depends on how many countries they need to do security/background checks.

 

[apt2208]

Also another question:

I paid all fees upfront did all medicals upfront so that included the right or permanent residence fee.

I was surprised to find out that the immigration officer in Mississauga who approved my application also refunded me that amount.
Did I pay it to soon or is it something else?

Thanks! :

For a spousal sponsorship you have to do upfront medicals and paying the fee upfront definitely helps. Why they refunded the amount is a mystery. I would suggest calling the CIC call center in Canada and ask them otherwise they will request the fees later which will delay your application.

 

[ghunter]

For a spousal sponsorship you have to do upfront medicals and paying the fee upfront definitely helps. Why they refunded the amount is a mystery. I would suggest calling the CIC call center in Canada and ask them otherwise they will request the fees later which will delay your application.

Also another question:

I paid all fees upfront did all medicals upfront so that included the right or permanent residence fee.

I was surprised to find out that the immigration officer in Mississauga who approved my application also refunded me that amount.
Did I pay it to soon or is it something else?

Thanks! :

I agree, refunding you is very bizarre/ not normal process.

 

[Shaunx729]

So It turns out I over payed. The total amount I paid upfront was $1590.00
I paid 550
''A family member of the principal applicant who is 22 years of age or older, or is less than 22 years of age and is a spouse or common-law partner''
My wife is 21 so I assumed I had to pay..

Thoughts? I did not mention this to the call center as I realized after the fact. Probably end up with another call! 8)