US outland applicants' thread :)

[o6ocpaka]

Got that letter as well, but not optimistic that letter means anything, if you read the letter it is definitely a generic form letter sent out by Ottawa, does not necessarily mean the file is being worked on. IF the file was being worked on, no way it would take almost 2 months from IP to DM but once again that is my opinion.

Well the letter does say that the application is waiting in queue now to be reviewed. I think our applications are near their final stages. CIC office probably has a very limited number of officials who have the power to make the final decision based on all the supporting documentation submitted and requested.
Anyway its my impression of their process, we did exchange emails back in forth with them for about 3 weeks before it went into a *queue* to be reviewed, and they never requested anything after.

 

[rugrat907]

ECAS is now showing "In Process" for me as of this morning.

 

[o6ocpaka]

ECAS is now showing "In Process" for me as of this morning.

we have that *in process* for over a month now...

 

[rugrat907]

we have that *in process* for about a month now...

I'm wondering if anyone else from the seemingly mass generic email that went out a couple of days ago has switched to IP...

 

[cali2bc]

I would assume that your recent IP following that email would mean you're actually close to the end, but I guess time will tell. Either way, congrats on getting some movement!

 

[jamsham12]

Well the letter does say that the application is waiting in queue now to be reviewed. I think our applications are near their final stages. CIC office probably has a very limited number of officials who have the power to make the final decision based on all the supporting documentation submitted and requested.
Anyway its my impression of their process, we did exchange emails back in forth with them for about 3 weeks before it went into a *queue* to be reviewed, and they never requested anything after.

waiting in queue can mean anything, technically once your file gets to ottawa it is in the "queue" as they call it. Whats telling is if your order GCMS notes and no one has been assigned to your file, you got a long way to go. All these letters they are sending are generic and they sending them in batches so in reality and in my opinion I would not interpret it as "the end of the process is near".

 

[o6ocpaka]

waiting in queue can mean anything, technically once your file gets to ottawa it is in the "queue" as they call it. Whats telling is if your order GCMS notes and no one has been assigned to your file, you got a long way to go. All these letters they are sending are generic and they sending them in batches so in reality and in my opinion I would not interpret it as "the end of the process is near".

You have a bit of pessimistic outlook, but I can see where you are coming from. I have a feeling that most received applications are just sitting on the CIC shelves collecting dust for 4-5 months. We did order GCMS notes and should see them in a week or so, this is 2nd time we ordered them. Although the notes will only display the status of what was in the beginning of September....

 

[rugrat907]

You have a bit of pessimistic outlook, but I can see where you are coming from. I have a feeling that most received applications are just sitting on the CIC shelves collecting dust for 4-5 months. We did order GCMS notes and should see them in a week or so, this is 2nd time we ordered them. Although the notes will only display the status of what was in the beginning of September....

I ordered mine around the same time as you, so the latest activity on my application won't be on there. But based on what's happened with your application and jamsham's, (and most of the others that got the generic email in August) it does seem like "In Process" isn't as quick as it used to be. Still...better than being in storage. But it's pretty apparent that the previous 30 days-ish turnaround for most "in process" applications doesn't seem to be holding so much anymore.

 

[jamsham12]

You have a bit of pessimistic outlook, but I can see where you are coming from. I have a feeling that most received applications are just sitting on the CIC shelves collecting dust for 4-5 months. We did order GCMS notes and should see them in a week or so, this is 2nd time we ordered them. Although the notes will only display the status of what was in the beginning of September....

Optimism and CIC should not go hand in hand lmao. Especially with all the errors that visa offices and visa officers make. Such as the receptionist in Mississauga placing my outland file in the inland pile and not getting sponsor approval for 3 months. A clear cut application with no red flags should not take 8-10 months to process. Once again which is why i am a pessimistic when it comes to CIC.

 

[Panamai]

Yup, I'm with Jamsham on this one. Optimism has gotten me nothing but more stress and disappointment. I thought, when I first submitted my app, I would have my COPR by the end of summer. Now it's autumn and nothing is really happening. I'm feeling more discouraged than ever! And the time is ticking.. not only am I climbing more and more in debt with no job, I have two make up courses to take (chemistry and math) in order to apply to the Fall 2016 uni program I want and the deadline for completing them and applying is February 1st. I can take them now, as a non-resident, but it costs $400 vs $40 as a PR. I'm nearing the point where I'm about to just charge the $400 on my cc, but I know that just as soon as I do, I'll end up with my COPR. Ugh.

 

[jamsham12]

I ordered mine around the same time as you, so the latest activity on my application won't be on there. But based on what's happened with your application and jamsham's, (and most of the others that got the generic email in August) it does seem like "In Process" isn't as quick as it used to be. Still...better than being in storage. But it's pretty apparent that the previous 30 days-ish turnaround for most "in process" applications doesn't seem to be holding so much anymore.

Or one theory is, Ottawa will send DM's to multiple applications at once or in a "batch" since they have sent out all these batch generic form letters.

 

[jamsham12]

Yup, I'm with Jamsham on this one. Optimism has gotten me nothing but more stress and disappointment. I thought, when I first submitted my app, I would have my COPR by the end of summer. Now it's autumn and nothing is really happening. I'm feeling more discouraged than ever! And the time is ticking.. not only am I climbing more and more in debt with no job, I have two make up courses to take (chemistry and math) in order to apply to the Fall 2016 uni program I want and the deadline for completing them and applying is February 1st. I can take them now, as a non-resident, but it costs $400 vs $40 as a PR. I'm nearing the point where I'm about to just charge the $400 on my cc, but I know that just as soon as I do, I'll end up with my COPR. Ugh.

+1 agreed. I thought by stampede I would have the COPR. We are nearing October

 

[o6ocpaka]

I am wondering in reality, how long does it actually take (true work) to process 1 application from start to finish, assuming everything is in place, paid fees etc.
Probably not more than a month.

What exactly are they processing? Do visa officers take applications home and read them every night before bedtime?
It would be interesting to spend a day at their office, just to see how the CIC wheels turn - bureaucracy at its best probably.

 

[LT1013]

In Process today! No date is listed in ECAS. I got the new Ottawa generic standard document request letter on Tuesday

 

[keesio]

I am wondering in reality, how long does it actually take (true work) to process 1 application from start to finish, assuming everything is in place, paid fees etc.
Probably not more than a month.

What exactly are they processing? Do visa officers take applications home and read them every night before bedtime?
It would be interesting to spend a day at their office, just to see how the CIC wheels turn - bureaucracy at its best probably.

For complete applications with no red flags, I'd say it is easily less than a month. They request a background check from the US (assuming we are talking about US applicants), which they get pretty quickly because of the easy access of information between US and Canada, and then go through the contents of the application forms, submitted documentation and relationship evidence. They spend likely the most time looking at the relationship evidence - especially if it is one of those applications where the person went nuts and sent in 500 photos and 1000 pages of chat messages. Assuming that the forms look all correct to the case officer and he/she has all the documents needed and trusts the authenticity and he/she has no suspicions about the relationship, then that's pretty much it I think. This is best case scenario. If the application is incomplete (didn't send in FBI certificate or Medicals with the original application) or there is some red flag where the officer will actually try to confirm information on the application (like actually calling former employers listed in the employment history) or trying to validate if listed dates that the sponsor supposedly visited the applicant (by trying to get entry/exit records or airline records) then that is when things start to slow down. Basically if they don't trust something, then that is the (time) killer since they start trying to validate everything.

But overall, I'd say for most, 80% of the processing time is the application sitting in some pile.