US outland applicants' thread :)

[Aquakitty]

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...

Dear lord, why have you had to go through 3 med requests?

 

[misskeri]

Hi everyone! I'm so happy to have found this thread as I'm just getting ready to begin the application process and it is very daunting! However, a lot of the things I've read so far have been extremely helpful and have helped put my mind at ease a bit. I do have a couple of questions if anyone would be kind enough to answer them.

I'm getting married next month and I hope to have our paperwork sent out by the end of the year. I have an appointment to do a medical exam in a couple of weeks, but now I'm wondering if it might be too early? It seems like I probably won't have my application approved before the end of August next year. Also, I'm a little confused about how long the background check is valid for. I can see that it takes about 3 months to get the check from the FBI, but if I get it by the end of the year, will it be good for the entire application process?

Thanks so much for any and all help. Sorry if these are silly questions, but I'm reading so many conflicting things and it just makes me nervous. But then so do a lot of things! ;D

 

[Sunset0505]

Dear lord, why have you had to go through 3 med requests?

Good question...CIC Dr wants to know too...its a reflection on them...they have even showed my hubby the results so thats not the issue....

 

[Aquakitty]

Hi everyone! I'm so happy to have found this thread as I'm just getting ready to begin the application process and it is very daunting! However, a lot of the things I've read so far have been extremely helpful and have helped put my mind at ease a bit. I do have a couple of questions if anyone would be kind enough to answer them.

I'm getting married next month and I hope to have our paperwork sent out by the end of the year. I have an appointment to do a medical exam in a couple of weeks, but now I'm wondering if it might be too early? It seems like I probably won't have my application approved before the end of August next year. Also, I'm a little confused about how long the background check is valid for. I can see that it takes about 3 months to get the check from the FBI, but if I get it by the end of the year, will it be good for the entire application process?

Thanks so much for any and all help. Sorry if these are silly questions, but I'm reading so many conflicting things and it just makes me nervous. But then so do a lot of things! ;D

If you plan to send your app around November then definitely get your prints into the FBI ASAP. The report is good for 6 months from the date on it. It's the queue that takes forever, once you get the report it will have a fairly recent date on it.

There's no real reason to get your medical done till the month you send away your app, if your app does take over 12 months there's a chance you would have to re-medical (but they often just extend it). As a US citizen it is unlikely it will take that long, but it happens. Also, your COPR is usually dated for the length of your medical, so the earlier you get the medical done the less time you will have to land as a PR. If you got it now, sent it away in December and it took 6 months to get your COPR you'd only have 2 months to land theoretically.

 

[Dave4236]

My experience also is to recommend to get the meds done just before submission. I had them done first and then held off on submission and now at 2 days after the doctor office visit CIC is requesting a new set done. Oh well, the positive side is my plan is for retirement in Canada and I am not quite ready so this will actually give me more time now. So small price to pay for the extension. Hopefully no further issues will develop.

My FBI report also had expired before I submitted and needed a new one. In the mean time the FBI had changed to a new improved computer system and the time had gone from weeks to months. I checked through the dozen channelers list and found the cheapest and had new paper in hand in just days. It was on the special security paper like a paycheck and looked just like the FBI version.

Good luck

 

[Sunset0505]

For us getting the MEDs completed up front did not make one bit of difference...but I would not have done it any other way...same with the FBI checks and pre paying...When I check case notes from the start the only thing they did make sure were there was the MEDs and the money...and in the last case notes in June nothing else was started, still...and if background checks expire its a good thing we got more this year!...

 

[misskeri]

If you plan to send your app around November then definitely get your prints into the FBI ASAP. The report is good for 6 months from the date on it. It's the queue that takes forever, once you get the report it will have a fairly recent date on it.

There's no real reason to get your medical done till the month you send away your app, if your app does take over 12 months there's a chance you would have to re-medical (but they often just extend it). As a US citizen it is unlikely it will take that long, but it happens. Also, your COPR is usually dated for the length of your medical, so the earlier you get the medical done the less time you will have to land as a PR. If you got it now, sent it away in December and it took 6 months to get your COPR you'd only have 2 months to land theoretically.

Thank you very much for this answer and all the others! They are extremely helpful! I especially didn't know about the medical and landing time. I think I might just do the medical at the end of the month and hope for the best. It's a pretty big inconvenience to go and get it, so I hope it'll work out. And yes, I'd love to have my app sent out by December. It depends how long it'll take for Ontario to issue a marriage license, haha. Extra thanks for the heads up on the prints too!

 

[IvanP]

My experience also is to recommend to get the meds done just before submission. I had them done first and then held off on submission and now at 2 days after the doctor office visit CIC is requesting a new set done. Oh well, the positive side is my plan is for retirement in Canada and I am not quite ready so this will actually give me more time now. So small price to pay for the extension. Hopefully no further issues will develop.

My FBI report also had expired before I submitted and needed a new one. In the mean time the FBI had changed to a new improved computer system and the time had gone from weeks to months. I checked through the dozen channelers list and found the cheapest and had new paper in hand in just days. It was on the special security paper like a paycheck and looked just like the FBI version.

Good luck

For what it's worth, CIC currently specifically states that it doesn't accept background checks from third parties http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/north-america/united-states.asp. I have no idea how they can tell the difference....

 

[Aquakitty]

For what it's worth, CIC currently specifically states that it doesn't accept background checks from third parties http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/north-america/united-states.asp. I have no idea how they can tell the difference....

I used a background check from a 3rd party about 4 days before they changed the rules on the website, we got really lucky.

Out of curiosity because many people were wondering this, I emailed the channeler we used, and they explained the little differences from the actual FBI one, here is the response:

Hello [Aquakitty],

There are some differences to the look of the report.

We still print the FBI Report on tamper proof paper. Also, the FBI seal is very large on the report that we provide.

So yea, there are some small differences. It still is a very annoying rule for anyone getting their PR since the FBI meltdown aka system changeover and subsequent backup.

 

[IvanP]

I used a background check from a 3rd party about 4 days before they changed the rules on the website, we got really lucky.

Out of curiosity because many people were wondering this, I emailed the channeler we used, and they explained the little differences from the actual FBI one, here is the response:

Hello [Aquakitty],

There are some differences to the look of the report.

We still print the FBI Report on tamper proof paper. Also, the FBI seal is very large on the report that we provide.

So yea, there are some small differences. It still is a very annoying rule for anyone getting their PR since the FBI meltdown aka system changeover and subsequent backup.

Ridiculous that the FBI is so slow. If the channelers can do it in a few days, the FBI ought to be able to charge a bit extra for expedited service and hire a few extra people to speed things up.

 

[Sunset0505]

I have heard that CIC has not been accepting the Channelers...some people have had to get the "real" thing...

 

[Aquakitty]

I have heard that CIC has not been accepting the Channelers...some people have had to get the "real" thing...

All US citizens have to get the "real thing" now. They added this rule to the website sometime around the beginning of March. We just got really lucky, I assume they let us use the channeler because our application was dated before they changed the website rules. Or, they just weren't paying attention that day.

Someone asked what the differences were between the channeler's paper and the FBI version, so I posted the response the channeler I used gave me.

I think you could still safely take the chance and use a channeler as long as you order the FBI one at the same time.. Worst case scenario CIC will request the FBI version, and by then you should have the "real" one. Might still save some time if you are ready to send in your application except for the FBI report.

 

[CamL-W]

For American applicants, does CIC request their passport to receive DM and PR?

 

[rugrat907]

For American applicants, does CIC request their passport to receive DM and PR?

No - you will simply see decision made and then receive COPR in the mail.

 

[CamL-W]

No - you will simply see decision made and then receive COPR in the mail.

Thank you!