US outland applicants' thread :)

[Decoy24601]

One more question, I'm getting my photos for the application taken today. I know it doesn't say so on the printout in the guide, but are there any requirements for the photo in terms of clothing? I know for Canadian passports it's recommended to wear a plain dark shirt (no patterns) and no glasses, is it the same for this?

 

[Ineffable]

Have I been using ECAS wrong the entire time?! When I log into ECAS I use the client number given to me in a letter I received when they confirmed me as sponsor and I log in using my name and birth date. I am the sponsor. Should I be logging in as my husband? Does it matter? My immigration consultant told me I am doing it wrong, but when I try to log in using my husband's name nothing shows up.

When I log in using my name it shows me a table with 3 columns. The first is Sponsored Person and it shows my husband's name. The second says Sponsorship Application Status and it says in process. The third column says Permanent Resident Application Status and it says Decision Made.

I got excited when I saw this because I was hoping that a decision on my husband PR application was made but my immigration consultant told me that the Decision Made is referring to them approving me as the sponsor. This is so confusing because I got an email from CIC months ago approving me as the sponsor.

If somebody could provide some clarification for me that would be greatly appreciated. I got my hopes up just to have them dashed. Thank you.

<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3303660/Application/DM%20PR.jpg">Here's what it should look like with your info, the sponsor, if you have DM for PR. (Click here.)</a> If you still show In Progress for SA, but have received the notification and/or your application has been transferred to the secondary VO, then it showing up as IP in ECAS is just simply an error on their part of it not updating. It's not uncommon for that to happen.

 

[jez13]

Thank you so much Ineffable! I hope that you are right! To me, my ECAS looks like the example that you showed, except that it says in process under the Sponsorship Application Status, although I received a letter from them months ago saying I was approved as the sponsor.

Maybe my immigration consultant just doesn't know what she's talking about, and in fact it is a real DM. I really hope so! I just tried to post a screen shot of what my ECAS looks like to show you but I am getting an error on here saying "Sorry, you are not allowed to post links."

 

[Ineffable]

Thank you so much Ineffable! I hope that you are right! To me, my ECAS looks like the example that you showed, except that it says in process under the Sponsorship Application Status, although I received a letter from them months ago saying I was approved as the sponsor.

Maybe my immigration consultant just doesn't know what she's talking about, and in fact it is a real DM. I really hope so! I just tried to post a screen shot of what my ECAS looks like to show you but I am getting an error on here saying "Sorry, you are not allowed to post links."

Then, my friend, that is DM. Congratulations!

Your COPR should be sent to the mailing address you provided. I'm assuming that is you or your immigration consultant. The time between DM and COPR showing up in the mail can be 1 to 3 weeks.

I post the links using a bit of HTML coding. No worries about not being able to post it. I trust that yours looks like mine. (And I trust that this group probably knows just as much if not more than your consultant. ) You can call the CIC to confirm DM or email the VO Office in a case specific inquiry to confirm DM, too. I recommend calling around 8am if you do to increase the odds of getting through faster.

I got DM on the 14th and am still waiting for my COPR. Looking like I'll be waiting 2+ weeks for COPR.

Congratulations again!

 

[jez13]

Thank you so much Ineffable, this is the good news that I have been waiting to hear!

I found it absolutely crushing when my consultant said the DM was only referring to me as the sponsor, because that just doesn't make sense to me. I also trust that the people on these boards probably know more than my consultant. I am guessing that the COPR will be mailed to the consultant's office. I received DM on the 21st so hopefully we will receive the letter soon. It will be so funny when our consultant gets it in the mail!

I tried calling the call centre today but wasn't able to get through to an agent. I will try calling again tomorrow morning at 8 am as you suggest. Thinking positive thoughts that it will arrive soon, and we can finally begin our new life together and he can get a job in Canada. That will be so amazing!

 

[Pollen]

We cannot even access ECAS via my husband's information. He has never gotten a letter in the mail in the US either. All our correspondences have been through me in Canada. So where do they send DM paper work anyways? We are waiting for it and he was visiting me in Canada when his PR status went to DM so we decided he should stay until we get the paper work but now I am concerned that they are sending it to the US. I am pretty sure I told them to send everything to me because I am the organized one who handles all the paper work and bills etc so I was expecting it to come to me but now I am worried. Of course I am worried I've gotten used to it through this whole process it's like normal now. Anyways under my ECAS it says my address and I wanted to log into his to see what his said but his info doesn't pull anything up. Is that strange? We only saw DM last week but I didn't check it the week before and I know we wont get the letter in the mail for anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks so no need to panic just yet. We've been checking daily so far nothing, if still nothing by next week I will likely call in.

 

[jez13]

Hi Pollen,

I'm in the same boat. When I try to look things up under my husband's name nothing shows up. From what others are saying on this forum, I don't think it matters, as long as we can see it on our ECAS. I received DM on the 21. Hopefully everyone's letters will come in soon. It seems that the average is now 3 weeks from Ottawa.

 

[Pollen]

This is funny because right now I am 10 mins from the Ottawa building processing the application and we have to wait 3 weeks to get it in the mail. That is the government for you.

 

[jez13]

Maybe you'll get yours faster because you live in Ottawa. It's too bad you can't just go and pick it up!

 

[Aquakitty]

Hi Pollen,

I'm in the same boat. When I try to look things up under my husband's name nothing shows up. From what others are saying on this forum, I don't think it matters, as long as we can see it on our ECAS. I received DM on the 21. Hopefully everyone's letters will come in soon. It seems that the average is now 3 weeks from Ottawa.

Have you tried his info with the application number instead of UCI?

So on my ECAS as the sponsor, it shows a row called "Sponsorship Applications". The 3rd column under this is "Permanent Resident Application Status". That's the column that will show the "real" DM. So looks like you are good to go, congrats!

Edited: Columns not rows :-X

 

[jez13]

Hi Aquakitty,

My ECAS looks just as you described with the "sponsorship applications" and then my husband application beneath it. In the 3rd row under Permanent Resident Application Status it says DM. So happy to hear it is a "real" DM. My mom still doesn't believe me because the consultant said it wasn't. I think these consultants don't know what they are talking about sometimes!

I tried looking it up in ECAS with my husband's name using the application, but didn't see anything. To look it up under his name in ECAS when you select what did I apply for would I still select family sponsorship or would I select immigration?

I guess even if I can't see it under his name it should still be ok.

Thanks for your advice and help everyone! Thank goodness we have this forum!

 

[Brewbrew85]

I'm sorry if this has already been covered, but what does the Document Request mean? Is it just an email that everybody gets? It says they need more proof that I am living in Canada or intend to move here.. I would have thought that all the information I had provided would be enough? Employment letter, multiple pay stubs, etc. Not to mention they have approved me as a sponsor already.. I DID move to Ontario from BC a couple of months ago. I transferred at my job, already updated my address with them and other government agencies and whatnot. I do have proof if they need like pay stubs from current employer, cable bills, etc. What I want to know is if they can actually reverse a sponsorship approval? How common is it for them to ask proof of sponsor residency AFTER SA? I'm just a worry wart. Haha..

 

[Ineffable]

I'm sorry if this has already been covered, but what does the Document Request mean? Is it just an email that everybody gets? It says they need more proof that I am living in Canada or intend to move here.. I would have thought that all the information I had provided would be enough? Employment letter, multiple pay stubs, etc. Not to mention they have approved me as a sponsor already.. I DID move to Ontario from BC a couple of months ago. I transferred at my job, already updated my address with them and other government agencies and whatnot. I do have proof if they need like pay stubs from current employer, cable bills, etc. What I want to know is if they can actually reverse a sponsorship approval? How common is it for them to ask proof of sponsor residency AFTER SA? I'm just a worry wart. Haha..

Hey, Brew.

I got the same email despite the fact that my wife has never lived outside of Canada and that we sent plenty of evidence of her living here.

We sent a utility bill, copy of our apartment lease, and recent pay stub with an email reply. I got DM less than a month later. It's a very common email to receive and shouldn't be anything to lose sleep over. I'd just gather a few of those things (or letter of employment, and other things they say are OK in the email) and send them along. Confirm, too, that your mailing address is correct, you paid your RPRF fees, and that you sent the other documents—police, medical—already. (That is, assuming you did.)

Nothing to fret about!

 

[Ineffable]

Hey all, question:

After receiving PR, when you leave Canada and then return, does the CBSA continue to stamp your passport? (And is anything done/added to the passport when you land in Canada with your COPR?)

I only ask because the US will no longer be offering the ability to add passport pages as of January 1st. From now on, if you run out of pages, you'll have order an entirely new passport.

Considering that my passport is only 3 years old, I'd like not to have to get another prior to it expiring in 7 years because it's filled with stamps from Canada.

If the CBSA will stamp my passport every time I come back to Canada from travels, I might go ahead and have those pages added.

Thanks!

 

[Aquakitty]

Hi Aquakitty,

My ECAS looks just as you described with the "sponsorship applications" and then my husband application beneath it. In the 3rd row under Permanent Resident Application Status it says DM. So happy to hear it is a "real" DM. My mom still doesn't believe me because the consultant said it wasn't. I think these consultants don't know what they are talking about sometimes!

I tried looking it up in ECAS with my husband's name using the application, but didn't see anything. To look it up under his name in ECAS when you select what did I apply for would I still select family sponsorship or would I select immigration?

I guess even if I can't see it under his name it should still be ok.

Thanks for your advice and help everyone! Thank goodness we have this forum!

I just hope they didn't mess up his name or birth date. You could try calling the call centre, that's something they could probably actually help with.

Here's a direct link to ecas: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/authenticate.do