Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[wilbert26]

Did either of you receive an actual AOR2 or just the next line on Ecas? I hope you both get a DM soon!!

My husband received a letter in the mail indicating stage 1 approval and that our application would be forwarded to London. We're really disenchanted with the whole process. Seems like there is no rhyme or reason to how they do things. Some applications get sent to Ottawa, some to London. Some people get email correspondence, some get it in the mail. It's truly amazing the variance in application processing times. Ours is a straightforward application.

 

[Duffy]

My husband received a letter in the mail indicating stage 1 approval and that our application would be forwarded to London. We're really disenchanted with the whole process. Seems like there is no rhyme or reason to how they do things. Some applications get sent to Ottawa, some to London. Some people get email correspondence, some get it in the mail. It's truly amazing the variance in application processing times. Ours is a straightforward application.

And no word at all since? That's so frustrating I'm truly envious of everyone who's had their applications sent to Ottawa... they're going though entire applications in 2-3 months. I received AOR communication as well as for my sponsorship approval via email. Ecas shows they've started processing my wife's permanent residency application - but we've not had an actual AOR2 come through - or any communication since. I'm frustrated with waiting, my heart goes out to you for having waited so long already! Fingers crossed you get an answer soon!

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Congrats!! What number did you call for an update? Was it a long wait? This waiting thing is the worst!!

Contact info is in the FAQ linked in my signature. There's only a phone number for Mississauga. It won't help you after Stage 1.

Hello,

Could you please add me to to the spreadsheet. I am being sponsored by my husband.

We received your application for permanent residence on October 28, 2015.
We started processing your application on January 14, 2016.
Medical results have been received. (Medicals Done April 2015)
Visa office: London
Location: London, UK


I'm really hoping to hear DM soon. We've heard nothing in the last 6 months and it's become really frustrating.

Added! When did you get sponsor approval? I put the 10th right now on the spreadsheet, but let me know the actual date. Average is 10ish months, so I'd expect you'd hear in August or so, being an October applicant. It's not unusual to not have heard anything for months, if you check out the spreadsheet you'll see some pretty large gaps between SA and the first request for more info, or DM in cases where no info was requested.

The waiting game is frustrating but unless your application was sent to Ottawa it is something we all have to do.

As a quick estimation, if Wilbert and Philippa are both still waiting as Oct 2015 applicants. You as a Jan applicant and myself as a Feb applicant should realise that we will have 3 or 4 more months of waiting before even being in their current position.

I have managed to wean myself off checking Ecas at one stage, 2 or 3 times a day to now only once a week.

beavergirl - I'm also guessing that it was sent in error. Your email hopefully will help clear things up.

 

[wilbert26]

Contact info is in the FAQ linked in my signature. There's only a phone number for Mississauga. It won't help you after Stage 1.

Added! When did you get sponsor approval? I put the 10th right now on the spreadsheet, but let me know the actual date. Average is 10ish months, so I'd expect you'd hear in August or so, being an October applicant. It's not unusual to not have heard anything for months, if you check out the spreadsheet you'll see some pretty large gaps between SA and the first request for more info, or DM in cases where no info was requested.

beavergirl - I'm also guessing that it was sent in error. Your email hopefully will help clear things up.

Sponsorship "approval" was dated January 5th, 2016.

 

[England2Calgary]

I guess I now belong in this thread. My husband and I sent in our application, received in Mississauga June 21st. He's from England. Here's to hoping to be one of the lucky Ottawa approvals

 

[redfox05]

Hi all, received a "confirmation" of COPR a few days ago, but waiting to get the actual COPR in the post.
London VO seems to take a while doing this. I have delivery confirmation from 9th June at Canada House, so its been 2 weeks. Others going to Canada House have reported 7-10 days.

Either way, given the update in MyCIC now shows Approved & Closed application, the COPR should be in the post.

P.s. I have looked everywhere but cant find anyone being able to answer why the COPR confirmation letter in MyCIC, the in the table, it shows my name twice, once for Type IMM5785 and again for Type IMM5688.

Why and whats the difference?

P.s. Im moving to Kelowna, BC, if anyone is heading that direction and wants to meet up? Flight booked for 10 July.

Update: Found this thread on Google, and only just realised its in the Family Class Sponsorship section of the forum. Sorry! I'm applying under Express Entry FSW and going on my own. Sorry for the thread crash

But... if anyone can answer the question about why im listed twice in the table with IMM5785 and IMM5688, that would be appreciated.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

wilbert - updated!

England2Calgary - just need to know your location and I'll add you in!

 

[England2Calgary]

@Schnookoloky what do you mean by location?

Application received June 21,2016
Medical done upfront May 10, 2016

Husband is in London, I am here in Calgary.

 

[flx2015]

frustrated again after another disappointing week with no progress.

there's one thing i don't get... what made LVO go on a blitz and finalize tons of apps during fall 2015? why did they slow down to a snail's pace after december? i mean, there's barely any progress on apps filed in october 2015 or later. i'd kill to know what's going on inside there. are they seriously going back to their 17 month average?

 

[s.and.s]

Two reasons I believe.

1) Fall 2015 coincided with the federal elections. Processing times traditionally improve to curry favour with the electorate.
2) Resources have been diverted since for processing of refugees (Yes, I know they are insisting this is not so - but sorry I am not convinced).

 

[flx2015]

2) Resources have been diverted since for processing of refugees (Yes, I know they are insisting this is not so - but sorry I am not convinced).

is that still the case? are they still diverting resources now that they've reached their goal of 25,000+ refugees? they're telling us that they only diverted staff/resources from november 2015 to february 2016, and then again from may 6th to june 22nd...

and regardless of their intentions, wasn't the blitz we saw during election time essentially a kind of "backlog elimination" in itself? i would imagine that after having quickly finalized so many apps within a short period of time, they'd perform better the following year. this is beyond frustrating. i just found out this past weekend that i've developed stomach ulcers, and i'm pretty sure it's due to the stress of being separated from my wife. i might have no choice but to resign from my job and move out of canada to be with my wife if this keeps up. otherwise there'll be nothing left of me by the time LVO gets around to processing her app.

 

[s.and.s]

is that still the case? are they still diverting resources now that they've reached their goal of 25,000+ refugees? they're telling us that they only diverted staff/resources from november 2015 to february 2016, and then again from may 6th to june 22nd...

and regardless of their intentions, wasn't the blitz we saw during election time essentially a kind of "backlog elimination" in itself? i would imagine that after having quickly finalized so many apps within a short period of time, they'd perform better the following year. this is beyond frustrating. i just found out this past weekend that i've developed stomach ulcers, and i'm pretty sure it's due to the stress of being separated from my wife. i might have no choice but to resign from my job and move out of canada to be with my wife if this keeps up. otherwise there'll be nothing left of me by the time LVO gets around to processing her app.

I can't say if they still are, flx2015. All I know is I can't trust them. Where did they find 40 visa officers to spare without affecting other streams? It takes years, if not months to train and mentor consular officers. Resources were diverted and it's evident from the results. I don't care what McCallum says.

It would have indeed made sense to maintain the momentum from last year's backlog elimination. But that effort was by the previous government (and a case of too little, too late). Seems like the new government dropped the ball on that progress.

 

[flx2015]

I can't say if they still are, flx2015. All I know is I can't trust them. Where did they find 40 visa officers to spare without affecting other streams? It takes years, if not months to train and mentor consular officers. Resources were diverted and it's evident from the results. I don't care what McCallum says.

It would have indeed made sense to maintain the momentum from last year's backlog elimination. But that effort was by the previous government (and a case of too little, too late). Seems like the new government dropped the ball on that progress.

it was actually more than 40.

Lesage said "more than 65 full-time employees" are working in visa offices in Amman, Ankara and Beirut along with "dozens" more staff in Canada (source).

they are referring to the temporary staff that were sent to the middle east from may 9th to june 22nd. they also say that from november 2015 to february 2016, they had 500 dedicated staff working on the refugee program. btw please let's not start another debate on whether or not the refugees should be here; that topic has already been discussed numerous times. i just want them to get back to processing spousal cases, that's all.

the only thing that's keeping my sane is the knowledge that the DM blitz of fall 2015 should somewhat offset whatever delays we've had to face due to the refugee resettlement program. now i get that they've created additional spaces for spouses, but how do they expect to reach their target of 60,000 spousal admissions by the time december rolls around? they're going to have to do something drastic to reach that target. we have MPs reminding mccallum that he needs to refocus on family reunification, so let's see where that takes us. here's an article from june 20th talking about the same issue: http://pastebin.com/tLVDgrQ1

i've had to copy/paste it to pastebin because hilltimes requires a subscription to view their articles.

 

[gotocanada2016]

Hi guys,

Just got the below email, but i've sent the documents via email, case specific enquiry and by post. How else do i contact them if this is a problem?

I've sent them another email now with same documents and have written 'Urgent' in the subject.

What else can i do, please help!!!!!

I am about to complete the assessment of your application for permanent residence in Canada and I am unable to determine that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Subsection 16(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act states that a person who makes an application must answer truthfully all questions put to them for the purpose of the examination and must produce a visa and all relevant evidence and documents that the officer reasonably requires.
You were asked on 17th May, 2016 to provide updated and additional documentation and information within 45 days in order for us to complete the assessment of your eligibility and admissibility for this application. You were requested to provide documentary evidence to support to your divorce certificate degree nisi had become absolute.
Please see below an extract from The Matrimonial Causes Act of Nigeria, of how to apply for certificate signed by the registrar that the decree nisi has become absolute:
Section 59 (1) and (2) 59. (1) Where a decree nisi becomes absolute, the registrar or other proper officer of the court by which the decree was made shall prepare and file a memorandum of the fact and of the date upon which the decree became absolute. (2) Where a decree nisi has become absolute, any person shall be entitled, on application to the registrar or other proper officer of the court by which the decree was made and on payment of the appropriate fee, to receive a certificate signed by the registrar or other proper officer that the decree nisi has become absolute, and a certificate given under this subsection shall in all courts and for all purposes be evidence of the matters specified in the certificate.
To this date, we have received neither the required documents nor any communication from you. You are being granted a final 30 days from the date of this letter to comply with our request. Should you fail to present the documentation requested, your application will be assessed based on the evidence currently available on file and this may result in the refusal of your application.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

flx2015 - I agree with everything that's been said so far. The flurry of approvals in the fall was after the Liberals got elected, so it's likely there was a push to clear out some of the backlog.

It's not uncommon for things to slow down from December onwards, though - in January a load of new streams reopen, like IEC, parent sponsorship, supervisas, working class visas, and so on - so the influx of applications in January is quite steep and thus resources are reallocated. Not too surprising.

It's also true that there's been an announcement to try to increase the processing for family class applications, though I suspect that is more going to be aimed at reducing the backlog in countries where processing times is 18+ months, though that is just my own guess and not based on anything in particular.

gotocanada2016 - respond to the email and tell them again that you have already sent the documents. If you have a copy of the email where you sent it, forward it. If you have a copy of the receipt that says the docs were delivered, include that. If you don't hear back on your email within about 3 days then it's time to get your MP involved.