US outland applicants' thread :)

[keesio]

Hi there, if any of you fine folk got married in New York state, I have a question about marriage certificates. Post is here, don't wanna hijack this thread. Or pm me thanks!

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/marriage-certificate-t336848.0.html

I got married in NYC. I replied to your post there.

 

[Majromax]

Yes even that "fast-track" timeline jumps around. This is the mystery that we all wonder. We have seen applications go anywhere from 3-10 months for this stream. Usually folks at the later end of that timeline _~10 months) had something go slightly wrong (like CIC lost some document and asks for it again, waiting for CSQ, etc).

For US applicants, by far the biggest delay comes from simple administrative queueing, where the application sits in a file cabinet in Ottawa without being looked at.

I was an October applicant. From GMCS notes ordered in early June, nothing at all had happened on my file until the end of May, when my file was taken out of storage and put in the "FCP Blitz" group. As of the beginning of June, none of the eligibility/security checks had even been started, but I went "in process" as of June 10th (eCAS) and received "decision made" on June 30th. (COPR printed/mailed July 20th/21st.)

I think that "FCP Blitz" group is telling. It seems to me as if Ottawa (at least for now) "batches" applications together (only family class? maybe also other streams?) to process as a lump. June happened to be a Family Class month, July seems not to have been (note the lack of new "in process" updates for much of July), and now Ottawa seems to be picking up the pace once more.

What we don't know is just what criteria Ottawa uses to select files for this batch processing. It's clearly not a strict queue, since even looking at in-process dates we see clear signs of out-of-order processing where applications received at the same time have gone in different batches. Likewise, CPC-Ottawa is unlikely to be forthcoming about its internal process (especially since it may change at any time), and we don't collect enough information on the spreadsheet to do any sort of analysis ourselves. It could even be somewhat random.

 

[CamL-W]

Alright I'm starting to feel a little confused I guess. My application went In Process on the 6th of August and a bunch of people on the forum are saying being In Process so fast means nothing anymore. Do you guys think this is true?

 

[keesio]

Majromax - Yes agreed! For a complete application with no red flags, it doesn't take CIC very long to process it. 90% of the time the application is simply sitting in a pile collecting dust.

In the past (and perhaps still now), CIC used to group applications roughly by month received. I think that was the "FCP Blitz" group. When I was sponsoring my wife, I noticed that people who applied on a certain month seemed to get movement at around the same time. So when people of the month before started getting IP, DM and COPR, the people the month after started to get excited because their month was coming up. Of course this did not apply for everyone and there was some variance (especially if some applications needed more information), but it seemed roughly accurate.

 

[rugrat907]

Alright I'm starting to feel a little confused I guess. My application went In Process on the 6th of August and a bunch of people on the forum are saying being In Process so fast means nothing anymore. Do you guys think this is true?

It means something. they are looking at your application and assuming you don't get a request for additional documents you should have a decision made relatively soon.

 

[keesio]

Alright I'm starting to feel a little confused I guess. My application went In Process on the 6th of August and a bunch of people on the forum are saying being In Process so fast means nothing anymore. Do you guys think this is true?

All "In Process" means is that a case officer finally got around to picking up your application from the pile, started to look at it, and actually updated eCAS about this (not all officers update eCAS for "In Process"). Technically this is a good sign since it means that someone started to look at it. But really, that could mean anything (they looked at it once, then put it aside for some reason, etc). But it is certainly better than being stuck on "Application Received"

 

[CamL-W]

Ok great! Thank you guys!

 

[Majromax]

Alright I'm starting to feel a little confused I guess. My application went In Process on the 6th of August and a bunch of people on the forum are saying being In Process so fast means nothing anymore. Do you guys think this is true?

The only surefire way to be sure would be to request and receive the GCMS notes, to see which components of the application if any have been started. As I said above, I can verify that my own "in process" on June-10-ish happened in the context of my file being transferred (May 26th) to a working group, the paper file being in "FCP For Review" rather than "FCP Inventory", and a note added that the file "is now in active processing" and the fees were from then on nonrefundable.

If CIC has changed its process, then it must have done so suddenly, around the first of August, without any obvious notice.

For straightforward applications like those of most US citizens, beginning any sort of process earlier is only a benefit. Security, background, and eligibility checks do not take much time for US citizens.

 

[CamL-W]

The only surefire way to be sure would be to request and receive the GCMS notes, to see which components of the application if any have been started. As I said above, I can verify that my own "in process" on June-10-ish happened in the context of my file being transferred (May 26th) to a working group, the paper file being in "FCP For Review" rather than "FCP Inventory", and a note added that the file "is now in active processing" and the fees were from then on nonrefundable.

If CIC has changed its process, then it must have done so suddenly, around the first of August, without any obvious notice.

For straightforward applications like those of most US citizens, beginning any sort of process earlier is only a benefit. Security, background, and eligibility checks do not take much time for US citizens.

Alright thank you. I think I'll wait a bit before I order notes though since it's only been since the 6th of August that I got In Process.

 

[Aquakitty]

I wonder if these processing times are due to the processing happening in batches, so if you send in your app at the end of the processing batch, you have a long wait, but if you happen to send yours in right when they start the latest US outland batch, it'll go right away.

Anyone sent in an app in fall last year have theirs done quickly (3-5 months)?

 

[Sunset0505]

If we could bet online I would set up a pool...CIC outland offices should be updating this month and the pool would be to see who's date would be correct on when the actuarially update the site!!!....I am being optimistic and saying 15SEP2015...lol..anyone else? 8)

 

[Majromax]

Anyone sent in an app in fall last year have theirs done quickly (3-5 months)?

Based on the Ottawa spreadsheet, the last application from 2014 that received quick processing was received by Mississauga on July 4th. They apparently received their COPR on Boxing Day (must have been in the US). Every application received after that date and some received before did not receive their COPR until the end of April. Once received on June 23rd got a January COPR, but it also had a CSQ request in November.

As far as we can tell, CPC-Ottawa did little if any processing of family-class applicants in the first three months of this year. Mississauga more or less a month holidays for the processing of sponsorship approvals -- my October 23rd application did not receive SA until January 20th, whereas ones sent a week earlier received SA before Christmas. Based on the limited sample size, the SA delay did not seem to affect the overall application processing time.

CPC-Ottawa has probably also handled the majority of the Express Entry applicants, since most of the ITAs so far have ended up going to those already on work permits within Canada. That system coming online at the beginning of the year probably really screwed up their internal process.

 

[Confused987]

It's Tuesday. There should be some updates for applicants. Crossing fingers they are finishing up 2014 and getting into January February and March

 

[Sunset0505]

Confused if they finish up 2014 I will quit my current job and get the heck out of Dodge!!!

 

[Sunset0505]

I just thought I'd give you guys an update....We contacted the CIC Dr again last Friday...they have not heard a word from CIC...they are worried because if CIC wants some more medical they do not have it set up in the system and the Drs office has indicated that cant just add whatever they have to have a request for services...They emailed CIC once again...we are giving it till Friday and then I will contact the Minister...All I can say is thank goodness we have a CIC Dr that is working with us...