US outland applicants' thread :)

[vanoh]

Just wanted to let everyone know I landed in Canada today !

They received our app on Dec 1, 2011.
Notified it was being processed on January 23, 2012.
March 23 emailed with a few questions on the app.
May 16 notifiied by email to send in our passports and 2 photos.
Sent them by express mail on May 24, 2012.
Received COPR on June 14, 2012.
Landed on June 19, 2012.

Good luck to all of those who are still waiting !!!!!!

 

[URIFiggy]

Just wanted to pop on this thread. I was originally on the old buffalo thread, so I figured I'd hop on this one. After reading all the hullaballoo, I'm hoping times for buffalo applicants go smooth (and with all applicants too).

 

[Isometry]

Moral of the story? Don't give any impression of you moving here, don't say you're visiting a girlfriend/boyfriend and don't be grinning ear to ear! Or just land in Syracuse(closest US airport to us) and drive across

Here's the trick:

8) "What's your business in Canada?"
: "Visiting family"
8) "Are they Canadian?"
: "Yep"

If they ask "What family?" reply with "Husband/wife and the inlaws" not just "Husband/wife"

Only works if you're married, of course. (I got caught the same way the first time I visited my husband, before we were engaged)

Another trick: Print out your itinerary, including the return ticket. Write down the address you're staying at on the itinerary. When they ask where you're staying, show it to them and say "I'm staying there". It lets them see your return ticket without having to be all, "Look I have a return ticket here it is nothing suspicious here"

Or maybe I just overthink things.

 

[Belinasha]

I just got off the phone with a nice lady at the CIC call centre. Our file was "transferred" to LA on May 29th. It was actually "transferred" to Ottawa on that date and our status is "In Process" even though ECAS says application received. She said it shouldn't take much longer and that LA will be issuing the visa. Yay to some news!

 

[simb]

Here's the trick:

8) "What's your business in Canada?"
: "Visiting family"
8) "Are they Canadian?"
: "Yep"

If they ask "What family?" reply with "Husband/wife and the inlaws" not just "Husband/wife"

Only works if you're married, of course. (I got caught the same way the first time I visited my husband, before we were engaged)

Another trick: Print out your itinerary, including the return ticket. Write down the address you're staying at on the itinerary. When they ask where you're staying, show it to them and say "I'm staying there". It lets them see your return ticket without having to be all, "Look I have a return ticket here it is nothing suspicious here"

Or maybe I just overthink things.

thanks for sharing your information. it helps other as I am thinking of visiting my husband in canada..
everybody says show them that you have strong ties back with your country.
when my husband came to usa to meet me they asked the same question "what family"
so i guess i should keep your keypoints in mind when going in there
do share more experience if you have some left
thanks again

 

[Janna3D]

At the border, I also tell them I CANT move or stay for an extended period of time because my mother in the USA can't be left alone for long, and goes crazy without me and her grandson being away too long. So talking affectionately about your mother seems to help me out

 

[cgagnon]

I just got off the phone with a nice lady at the CIC call centre. Our file was "transferred" to LA on May 29th. It was actually "transferred" to Ottawa on that date and our status is "In Process" even though ECAS says application received. She said it shouldn't take much longer and that LA will be issuing the visa. Yay to some news!

I just hope that CSQ doesn't slow me down!!!! The lawyers got it yesterday and they are suppose to be sending it out before the end of the week so hopefully not too much of a delay!

 

[alf+jlh]

Hey guys, check out this response from Ottawa. I wrote to them early last week before we got ppr.


Hello,

All Family Priority Class files affected by the closure of the Buffalo office have been sent to Los Angeles Visa Office for processing.
Your file Fxxxxxxxxx arrived in Los Angeles on June 11, 2012.

Sincerely,

Case Processing Pilot - Ottawa | Centre de Traitement Pilote - Ottawa - 89

Interesting....

 

[Amoss]

Hey guys, check out this response from Ottawa. I wrote to them early last week before we got ppr.


Hello,

All Family Priority Class files affected by the closure of the Buffalo office have been sent to Los Angeles Visa Office for processing.
Your file Fxxxxxxxxx arrived in Los Angeles on June 11, 2012.

Sincerely,

Case Processing Pilot - Ottawa | Centre de Traitement Pilote - Ottawa - 89

Interesting....

Wow. Talk about disorganized!

 

[cgagnon]

Hey guys, check out this response from Ottawa. I wrote to them early last week before we got ppr.


Hello,

All Family Priority Class files affected by the closure of the Buffalo office have been sent to Los Angeles Visa Office for processing.
Your file Fxxxxxxxxx arrived in Los Angeles on June 11, 2012.

Sincerely,

Case Processing Pilot - Ottawa | Centre de Traitement Pilote - Ottawa - 89

Interesting....

See this is what I don't get the guy I spoke to said that he couldnt even see what Visa Office I was going to or when it got there but this letter clearly states that they do indeed have access to that information.. What a bunch of BS...now all our files our in limbo...

I am so Happy for you Amanda at least you know that your file is there and now you can breath a little...I hope they put priority to everyone for the long delays!

 

[podkayne8]

In regards to visiting - my husband and I visited each other monthly by flying back and forth for almost 2 years. I got questioned waaaay more before we were married. They always seemed to think I had come to stay and mooch off the system or something lol. Twice I was taken to the secondary room for questioning and once they searched my bags lol. I'm a terrible liar so I was always just totally honest. I did have a full time job I'd been at for 10 years, and apt, and a return ticket so I know that helped my case.

Once we were married I just said "Here to visit my husband" and most times they would just send me through. Occassionally they asked a few more questions like why we were apart/how we met and I would just answer we were waiting on the immigration process and we met online. My husband was never searched or bothered coming into the US. We both agreed the Canada border officers seemed more strict, but I never felt like I was going to get turned away.

 

[podkayne8]

Landing question -

This has probably been answered somewhere already but I am not seeing the answer immediately. I preparing to land but I don't want to import my car yet. Can I list it as goods to follow and import it when I am ready?

My car is actually already here in Canada as I drove it up as a visitor. I am in the process of paying it off and getting the title but it is going to be another month or so and I want to land now if possible so I can get my SIN card and start working.

 

[parker24]

Landing question -

This has probably been answered somewhere already but I am not seeing the answer immediately. I preparing to land but I don't want to import my car yet. Can I list it as goods to follow and import it when I am ready?

My car is actually already here in Canada as I drove it up as a visitor. I am in the process of paying it off and getting the title but it is going to be another month or so and I want to land now if possible so I can get my SIN card and start working.

If your car is here already, you can't, it has to be imported. If it was in the states, you could easily do that.

 

[Ambber29]

Hi,

The email does n't go through. Is it correct one?

Thanks
Ambreen

 

[moochops]

thats awesome about the email - seems that I can presume that my file is also in LA (ps my name is Amanda too lol)!