Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[Krrrsta]

Hello all I have a question.
I am a canadian living in London for the past 4 years. I have recently given birth to a baby girl and my fiancé is Hungarian. I am very desperate to retun to Canada so my daughter will be with my family.
I have hired a lawyer to help with our sponcership application. The way he explained it to me is there is 2 processes first is approval to sponsor him he said I should get approved by April and then said it should take another 4-6 months til his papers come in.
Is this true?? I really hope so I would love to move back by July as that's when my maternity leave ends so I'd rather get a job there.

We have a letter from my grandmother saying we will live with her, a job offer for my fiancé, his police checks his medical done pictures of us together and bills saying we have lived together for over a year.
Meeting with lawyer next week to finalize all the papers and then hopefully send it out by end of the month.

From what I am reading you guys do your medical after applying?
Can someone help me out? Am I being scammed or are we in the right way?

 

[sam_1985]

Hello all I have a question.
I am a canadian living in London for the past 4 years. I have recently given birth to a baby girl and my fiancé is Hungarian. I am very desperate to retun to Canada so my daughter will be with my family.
I have hired a lawyer to help with our sponcership application. The way he explained it to me is there is 2 processes first is approval to sponsor him he said I should get approved by April and then said it should take another 4-6 months til his papers come in.
Is this true?? I really hope so I would love to move back by July as that's when my maternity leave ends so I'd rather get a job there.

We have a letter from my grandmother saying we will live with her, a job offer for my fiancé, his police checks his medical done pictures of us together and bills saying we have lived together for over a year.
Meeting with lawyer next week to finalize all the papers and then hopefully send it out by end of the month.

From what I am reading you guys do your medical after applying?
Can someone help me out? Am I being scammed or are we in the right way?

You seem to be on the right track... I feel u really don't need a lawyer for this; ur case seems straight forward... Most forum members here did not hire a lawyer and there are very experienced people on this forum that can answer majority of questions u may have! These days the medicals can be done upfront and the receipt attached to the application... Saves time! And make sure u pay 1040$ in full (includes 490 for RPRF)... This also saves time

 

[Krrrsta]

You seem to be on the right track... I feel u really don't need a lawyer for this; ur case seems straight forward... Most forum members here did not hire a lawyer and there are very experienced people on this forum that can answer majority of questions u may have! These days the medicals can be done upfront and the receipt attached to the application... Saves time! And make sure u pay 1040$ in full (includes 490 for RPRF)... This also saves time

Ah I know he's a waste of money really but I have absolutely no spare time to sit and do paperwork and I am also really rubbish at paperwork it just goes over my head lol so it was more to make sure everything was done properly and as fast as possible. Glad to hear were on the right track

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Ah I know he's a waste of money really but I have absolutely no spare time to sit and do paperwork and I am also really rubbish at paperwork it just goes over my head lol so it was more to make sure everything was done properly and as fast as possible. Glad to hear were on the right track

The lawyer sounds like he knows what he's talking about. If you have a look at the spreadsheet linked in my signature, you'll get an idea of processing times. Sponsor approval, which is currently quoted at 85 days, works just about like clockwork, plus or minus maybe 14 days. That's the first stage. The second stage is a bit more variable - first, it depends if CIC chooses to hold your application in Mississauga, send it to Ottawa, or send it to London. IF it goes to Mississauga, then you are in luck - average processing time is about 4 months total (so PR approval within about 2 months of sponsor approval). If it goes to Ottawa then total processing time is about 6-7 months. If it goes to London then total processing time is about 7-8 months (quoted at 11-12 months online officially, but averages less for straight-forward applications). So if you send your application now, you MAY get it all confirmed before July... tight, but possible, based on averages. In the interest of realistic expectations, though, plan on more August-September, just to be on the safe side.

Have a read of this wiki article - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousal_Sponsorship-Canada , particularly the section about "What happens after you apply" and "Can I wait in Canada". You can always go over in July, and your other half can go as a visitor while he waits for the last stage of the application to finish up. Just inform CIC of the address change. It's done very, very commonly and is not a problem at all. Read through that article, though, it will answer a LOT of your questions in very simple terms.

Good luck!

 

[Cassandra_1982]

Hiya,

I would like me and my husband to be added to the spreadsheet, Little information about us. I am a Canadian citizen living in the UK for 7 years. My husband is an qualified electrician and i am getting home sick and want to go back home and we also feel will be a much better way of life. Also wondering if anyone could give us any information about their process and what are the chances of us being approved.

Current City - Birmingham UK

Office - Mississauga/London

Medical done - 13/1/15

Application sent - 14/1/15

Not yet received but royal mail tracking is telling us the visa is sitting in Toronto

Thanks Cassandra

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Hiya,

I would like me and my husband to be added to the spreadsheet, Little information about us. I am a Canadian citizen living in the UK for 7 years. My husband is an qualified electrician and i am getting home sick and want to go back home and we also feel will be a much better way of life. Also wondering if anyone could give us any information about their process and what are the chances of us being approved.

Current City - Birmingham UK

Office - Mississauga/London

Medical done - 13/1/15

Application sent - 14/1/15

Not yet received but royal mail tracking is telling us the visa is sitting in Toronto

Thanks Cassandra

Yay first 2015 line! I've added you. Let us know when your application arrives and we'll update the date. GOod luck!

The vast majority of spousal cases are approved providing that the sponsor qualifies, the relationship is genuine, and the applicant is not criminally inadmissible to Canada. From the little you've posted it's hard to say for sure but usually things are fine. Fret not, unless you're in a fraud marriage!

 

[Lexxiee]

I updated the Notes for your entry in the spreadsheet with this info. Refer to the spreadsheet. It should take less than 8 weeks, most likely 2-4 weeks.

Thank you Andrew - Brit !

 

[Krrrsta]

The lawyer sounds like he knows what he's talking about. If you have a look at the spreadsheet linked in my signature, you'll get an idea of processing times. Sponsor approval, which is currently quoted at 85 days, works just about like clockwork, plus or minus maybe 14 days. That's the first stage. The second stage is a bit more variable - first, it depends if CIC chooses to hold your application in Mississauga, send it to Ottawa, or send it to London. IF it goes to Mississauga, then you are in luck - average processing time is about 4 months total (so PR approval within about 2 months of sponsor approval). If it goes to Ottawa then total processing time is about 6-7 months. If it goes to London then total processing time is about 7-8 months (quoted at 11-12 months online officially, but averages less for straight-forward applications). So if you send your application now, you MAY get it all confirmed before July... tight, but possible, based on averages. In the interest of realistic expectations, though, plan on more August-September, just to be on the safe side.

Have a read of this wiki article -particularly the section about "What happens after you apply" and "Can I wait in Canada". You can always go over in July, and your other half can go as a visitor while he waits for the last stage of the application to finish up. Just inform CIC of the address change. It's done very, very commonly and is not a problem at all. Read through that article, though, it will answer a LOT of your questions in very simple terms.

Good luck!

Awesome! Thank you so much! Made me that much more excited

 

[coreygirl]

If it goes to London then total processing time is about 7-8 months (quoted at 11-12 months online officially, but averages less for straight-forward applications).

Our application is straight-forward and we are in our 9th month since sponsorship approval so I think we may be looking at more like the 11 :/
Edit: application is in London

 

[canuck_in_uk]

first, it depends if CIC chooses to hold your application in Mississauga, send it to Ottawa, or send it to London.

So if you send your application now, you MAY get it all confirmed before July... tight, but possible, based on averages. In the interest of realistic expectations, though, plan on more August-September, just to be on the safe side.

Awesome! Thank you so much! Made me that much more excited

As your partner is Hungarian, there is also the possibility that the app will be sent to his home country VO, Vienna; this is especially likely if he hasn't been in the UK for very long. I believe that Vienna is averaging around a year right now.

 

[Aniabella]

Our application is straight-forward and we are in our 9th month since sponsorship approval so I think we may be looking at more like the 11 :/

Well if we start looking at single applications, our application today celebrated it's 1-year birthday, with a straight-forward case as well. Medicals expired 2 days ago and in 5 days it will have been for 11 months in London. I guess we have to soon make a visit to the MP's office when that's up. I think London's really struggling since it's starting to be impossible to predict how long it takes. At least if I compare to year 2013.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Our application is straight-forward and we are in our 9th month since sponsorship approval so I think we may be looking at more like the 11 :/
Edit: application is in London

Well, as I said, it's only going on averages, and each individual application may vary from the average... by sheer definition of 'average'. Some take longer, and often it's not necessarily clear exactly why some take longer than others.

As your partner is Hungarian, there is also the possibility that the app will be sent to his home country VO, Vienna; this is especially likely if he hasn't been in the UK for very long. I believe that Vienna is averaging around a year right now.

Whoops, yes, I completely missed that, good spot. Yes, OP, it's possible that your application will go to Vienna instead of London; CIC reserves the right to have the country of citizenship (or the representative office) process the application instead of the office based on place of residency, particularly if one hasn't been resident in the host country for very long. Since you can't explicitly request London, all you can do is apply and hope for the best, but be aware that Vienna's processing times are indeed longer than London's. (London is quoting 11 months for 80% of applications; Vienna is quoting 17 months for 80% of applications.)

Well if we start looking at single applications, our application today celebrated it's 1-year birthday, with a straight-forward case as well. Medicals expired 2 days ago and in 5 days it will have been for 11 months in London. I guess we have to soon make a visit to the MP's office when that's up. I think London's really struggling since it's starting to be impossible to predict how long it takes. At least if I compare to year 2013.

Again, some take longer, some go way faster, and there's often no obvious rhyme or reason to it.

Did you email CIC to give them a heads up about medicals expiring? Sometimes that can jump-start the application. I posted this recently, but I can't remember if it was here or on BE, so giving you the benefit of the doubt that it was on BE (and I'm too lazy to check), I'll post it again.

I'd suggest emailing them or submitting a query through the online case-specific inquiry form and giving them a heads up that your medical has expired. One of three things will likely happen:

1) They will request that you go get a new medical done.
2) They will choose to extend your medical by x months, up to one year; up to them.
3) In a handful of cases (I can think of two offhand), CIC has emailed back and said "can you land by x date", with x date being maybe 3-4 weeks away... if you respond Yes, then COPR will arrive within a few days, with x date as the expiry date of the COPR - so basically just extending your medical by 3-4 weeks instead of sending you to get a new one.

So that would be my suggestion on how to deal with this.

Also, comparing to 2013 isn't really a valid comparison because things changed so much in 2014 with London taking over a chunk of the Islamabad applications... apples and oranges, really. In 2013, London was quoting 8 months for 80% of applications; in 2014 that jumped to 11 months.

 

[Aniabella]

Again, some take longer, some go way faster, and there's often no obvious rhyme or reason to it.

Did you email CIC to give them a heads up about medicals expiring? Sometimes that can jump-start the application. I posted this recently, but I can't remember if it was here or on BE, so giving you the benefit of the doubt that it was on BE (and I'm too lazy to check), I'll post it again.

I'd suggest emailing them or submitting a query through the online case-specific inquiry form and giving them a heads up that your medical has expired.

Yeah, I did last month and as a reply, as quote "standard response sent" from my notes, they will be in contact with me next year if they need any re-meds. Keeping my fingers crossed! I just had to send off an application to extend my visit, so with that also in view.

Also, comparing to 2013 isn't really a valid comparison because things changed so much in 2014 with London taking over a chunk of the Islamabad applications... apples and oranges, really. In 2013, London was quoting 8 months for 80% of applications; in 2014 that jumped to 11 months.

This is why I said they are struggling and it's nearly impossible now to say how long it will take, since a lot of applications are taking longer than the 7-8 months predicted. I was just comparing how in 2013, before Islamabad applications, it was easier to say how long it would take. The situation is tough and it's just nice to give a little heads-up to those who are planning to come to Canada. Good to plan accordingly, that even the "easy" cases might be taking much longer now than expected.

 

[coreygirl]

Well, as I said, it's only going on averages, and each individual application may vary from the average... by sheer definition of 'average'. Some take longer, and often it's not necessarily clear exactly why some take longer than others.

Oh yes, I wasnt talking trash or anything Just wanting to point out that some are taking longer is all! The site said that it was an average of 11 months so really, we could be waiting another 9 months, who knows!

 

[SchnookoLoly]

It's 11 months for 80%, so once the 11 months IN LONDON passes, email them for a status update.