Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[SchnookoLoly]

Thanks SchnookoLoly! This is super useful! We are sending off our application tomorrow, so likely it will be received, at the latest, by Wednesday next week! Will update you once we know for sure, so info can be added to the spreadsheet.

Meds done: 13th Feb
Rec in Mississauga: 25th March (guessing the latest date as possible)
Married
Location: London, UK

No problem - the FAQ has tons of useful stuff in it for being a guide while you go through the application. It's split by form so if you have a qustion about a particular form, check the questions in the FAQ first.

I've added you to the spreadsheet, let us know the actual date it arrives in Mississauga after you mail it off! Good luck!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

The representative *IS* for someone else to represent you, *NOT* for spouses to fill out, so you are mistaken with that.

Incorrect. A spouse can most definitely be a representative. This is quite common when the sponsored spouse has little English and the sponsor wants to do all the communication. CIC is not supposed to release information to the sponsor beyond sponsor approval.

 

[DPParmar]

No problem - the FAQ has tons of useful stuff in it for being a guide while you go through the application. It's split by form so if you have a qustion about a particular form, check the questions in the FAQ first.

I've added you to the spreadsheet, let us know the actual date it arrives in Mississauga after you mail it off! Good luck!

Thanks! Will reply back once it has been received.

On another note, just reading through the link you gave, and it says no paperclips as well? I don't recall reading that anywhere, just about no staples, plastic folders etc.

Our whole application is currently paper clipped! :-\

 

[SchnookoLoly]

We usually say no paperclips to be safe... however I will say that went I sent mine off, I used 5 alligator clips (those big black accountants ones) just to hold all the papers together. If you have a load of small paperclips then I'd avoid doing that, but if you have just a handful of larger ones then you're probably fine.

(Curious to see what others have to say about this!)

 

[coreygirl]

Update! After being In Process for just over 5 weeks, a registered letter arrived in the UK today with our COPR!!

Annoyingly it went there, even after updating the address to Canada on the ecas site AND following up with an email to which they replied, it was received and will be handled, but whatever!
Another March application completed!! We will have the letter couriered over to us and get my husband landed asap! Thanks to all of you for your help and advice over these last few months!! It's been a huge help as our immigration consultant was.... lacking, lets say.

 

[Sibby]

Update! After being In Process for just over 5 weeks, a registered letter arrived in the UK today with our COPR!!

Annoyingly it went there, even after updating the address to Canada on the ecas site AND following up with an email to which they replied, it was received and will be handled, but whatever!
Another March application completed!! We will have the letter couriered over to us and get my husband landed asap! Thanks to all of you for your help and advice over these last few months!! It's been a huge help as our immigration consultant was.... lacking, lets say.

CONGRATS!!! Good to see movement in London. Shame about the address mess up though. At least you finally have decision made.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Update! After being In Process for just over 5 weeks, a registered letter arrived in the UK today with our COPR!!

Annoyingly it went there, even after updating the address to Canada on the ecas site AND following up with an email to which they replied, it was received and will be handled, but whatever!
Another March application completed!! We will have the letter couriered over to us and get my husband landed asap! Thanks to all of you for your help and advice over these last few months!! It's been a huge help as our immigration consultant was.... lacking, lets say.

Congrats, glad it's all sorted! I'm guessing ECAS still jsut says "in process"? If so you are the second person today to say that COPR has arrived before ECAS changed... just another indication of how unreliable ECAS is!

Shame about the address, but at least it's sorted. Be sure you are sending that precious document as signed and tracked - don't just send it by regular mail! Signed the whole way in, treat it as you would your passport!

Happy landing! (If you check out the wiki on British Expats, there's are great articles on landing and on goods to follow that you will find very useful for preparing to land!)

 

[coreygirl]

Thanks! As for ecas, it shows as Decision Made today but did not yesterday. Not sure how they timed that but it has flipped now..

Regarding couriers, it is definitely being sent as highest priority/security as it can. We dont want to have to wait any longer than we have to!!

For landing, he has actually been here for almost a year now.. going back and forth to the UK every now and again, so we are all sorted with all our goods here already! (I moved back two years ago and had everything sent under my name when he followed a year later)

 

[acg]

We usually say no paperclips to be safe... however I will say that went I sent mine off, I used 5 alligator clips (those big black accountants ones) just to hold all the papers together. If you have a load of small paperclips then I'd avoid doing that, but if you have just a handful of larger ones then you're probably fine.

(Curious to see what others have to say about this!)

I used lots of staples, and paperclips, and alligator clips, and it was fine.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

The instructions explicitly say not to use staples. You got lucky.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

We've seen many people miss the "no staples" instruction and load their file with staples but none have ever had apps returned.

The "no staples" rule can really be translated as the "don't piss off the people looking at your file by causing them unnecessary work" rule. When CIC opens a file, they pretty much rip it apart and reorganize it how they want it; staples make this a hell of a lot more difficult. If a person is given a stack of files to open and hits one that has staples, I can very easily see it going to the bottom of the pile to be sorted last. If it's a big stack of apps, the app may sit at the bottom for several days before being looked at.

 

[princesstigger]

We usually say no paperclips to be safe... however I will say that went I sent mine off, I used 5 alligator clips (those big black accountants ones) just to hold all the papers together. If you have a load of small paperclips then I'd avoid doing that, but if you have just a handful of larger ones then you're probably fine.

(Curious to see what others have to say about this!)

I was scared to use anything, so although it bugged the hell out of my need to organise, I sent it all loose, in a Canadpost box!

 

[acg]

The instructions explicitly say not to use staples. You got lucky.

Which instructions are you referring to? I never came across that (and yes, I read them quite clearly - specifically the country-specific instructions for Western Europe).

 

[prairiegirl22]

SchnookoLoly and all - I want to run by my plan to make sure we're not going to have any issues. I've combed the site and the FAQs so I think/hope this will be ok.

We're living the UK, but I the sponsor, am moving back to Canada in April. We are common law, haven't been apart for the 3.5 years of co-habitation. Have shared bills, I have a partner visa living the UK, etc etc. I'm planning to change my address with CIC when I move and also update them that I'm returning to Canada with intention of living there, working etc. (I'm anticipating Ottawa will be asking us for further intent to return to Canada given the trends from other applicants on here) I'm also planning to submit a letter as to our current plans which are:

I'm moving to Canada in advance of the PA, to set up shop and start getting settled. He is staying in London to see out his current work contract till mid-June, at which point he plans to come to Canada to join me. In an ideal world his PR will have come through but if it hasn't, he will enter Canada with Dual Intent. (following the fab advice listed on the FAQ section for Dual Intent folk)

My only concern is if they will flag this plan because we are not married and we will thus be apart as CL? Hopefully our genuine plan and supporting paperwork will be fine though. Any thoughts?

 

[SchnookoLoly]

SchnookoLoly and all - I want to run by my plan to make sure we're not going to have any issues. I've combed the site and the FAQs so I think/hope this will be ok.

We're living the UK, but I the sponsor, am moving back to Canada in April. We are common law, haven't been apart for the 3.5 years of co-habitation. Have shared bills, I have a partner visa living the UK, etc etc. I'm planning to change my address with CIC when I move and also update them that I'm returning to Canada with intention of living there, working etc. (I'm anticipating Ottawa will be asking us for further intent to return to Canada given the trends from other applicants on here) I'm also planning to submit a letter as to our current plans which are:

I'm moving to Canada in advance of the PA, to set up shop and start getting settled. He is staying in London to see out his current work contract till mid-June, at which point he plans to come to Canada to join me. In an ideal world his PR will have come through but if it hasn't, he will enter Canada with Dual Intent. (following the fab advice listed on the FAQ section for Dual Intent folk)

My only concern is if they will flag this plan because we are not married and we will thus be apart as CL? Hopefully our genuine plan and supporting paperwork will be fine though. Any thoughts?

There's a question on this in the FAQ - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spousal_Sponsorship-Canada/FAQ#We_are_applying_as_Common-Law_partners.2C_but_we_are_living_separately._What_are_the_implications_of_this.3F

It sounds like you SHOULD be fine. CIC may request evidence of continuing cohabitation, in which case you provide evidence up until you moved and evidence of your ongoing relationship, then evidence of your partner's plans to move to Canada with or without PR. You're well outside the initial 12 months so you SHOULD be okay.