VIENNA OFFICE

[Agvdrc]

So, @WYWH and @the-waiting-game, I think you already know this because of the WhatsApp group , but for anyone else who may be checking here, we got the pre-arrival email today (YAY!), so that definitely explains the ghost update yesterday. I am crossing my fingers that we follow something similar to @WYWH's timeline from here and get DM within a couple weeks. Either way I'm super happy about even the possibility that I might not have to keep preparing all these documents to try to get my husband's uni to confirm he pays domestic tuition so that we can apply for the student permit, etc... I really have enough on my plate these days, so I'm pretty content with the idea now that I might be able to just abandon all of that paperwork and worry!

@WYWH, that's crazy about the stupid biometrics receipt! I mean, I'm glad it all worked out in the end, but seriously, I went and looked at my husband's receipt, which he had left it in his wallet all this time, and it's basically gone transparent and almost illegible. If we had to provide that we'd be screwed! And you're right, it's nuts for them to not list that anywhere but ALSO refuse someone who wants to pay with cash. What would happen if he had actually lost the receipt??? In any case, I'm so happy to hear everything has worked out now and he's got COPR in hand. All the waiting is truly over (well, except for getting him onto Canadian soil!). Very happy for you that you will be reunited so soon -- I can only imagine how busy (and giddy!) you must be getting everything ready. Did you manage to find a way to get him on a flight with your friend?

@K0nsumHure, I just realized you said you only did military service -- so I'm assuming you just mean the regular one-year Militärdienst and you weren't actually a professional member of the military. In that case, yeah, your background check will probably go quite quickly. Hopefully we all get our DMs together!

@the-waiting-game, I'm so happy to hear you've got some movement at last! I really am curious now whether the GCMS notes had anything to do with it, or whether it's just an effect of the sudden burst of activity at Vienna (although I guess I don't know how fast GCMS requests actually get communicated). Either way, it's definitely excellent news! As @WYWH said above, I'm actually starting to think that the whole BGC-in-process-from-the-beginning phenomenon isn't just totally meaningless after all; it would explain why some of the people who got to Vienna after you and @K0nsumHure have been processed faster. It seems like this BGC-from-beginning trend started for people with AOR1s from mid-late fall, which means you summer folk kinda got doubly screwed over, between the backlog for AOR1 and then not starting BGC earlier. That said, although I imagine your husband's BGC will take longer than someone like @WYWH's husband's because of his travel history, I honestly doubt it's going to take months longer. I have some stats written down from the past, from before this new BGC stuff, that I will try to take a look at for you later. Truly, it does seem like Vienna is really making up for lost time lately, so I'm very optimistic for you!

EDIT: Forgot to say thanks @WYWH for updating your timeline! It's so helpful for people who are just starting out on this process to have others who update the whole way through.

YAY! So happy for everyone.

No ghost updates for me at this point, that being said I am so happy to see how quickly these are all being processed. Hopefully we receive a pre-arrival email very soon!

 

[Eamalsa]

Hello everyone,
I am glad that i found this forum. I see many nice people writing their experience. I am happy for those who got good news. Regarding my application, I am a PA residing in Germany. My spousal PR application goes as follows. Received 2018-12-06 | AOR1 ? | SA 2019-02-07 | BR 2019-02-07 | MR 2019-02-19, passed 2019-03-14 | File Transfer to Vienna 2019-03-11 . It's been a month but I have not received AOR2 from Vienna office. I was excited with the speed of my application but it seems it got stuck after the file transferred to Vienna. Is this normal? do i have to poke them with something on IRCC form so that they get a look at my file?

 

[06hoquen]

Hi my file has been also long standing at Vienna .
I applied for my spouse and they received in July 17
AR01 Nov 6, SA Nov 7, medical req Nov 7 n med rcvd Nov 16. Transferred to Vienna Nov 16. . Did not receive my AR02.
I contacted them it is still in QUE.
Since Nov 26 it has been que for 4.5 to 5 months so far without any updates any movement. Anyone face that ? I didn't get AR02. BGC.
The file is pending only back ground check and final steps with 13 weeks left but no movements.

If anyone faced long QUE after medical done let me know. Or no movements for long time close to being completed.

 

[schweisy]

Hello everyone,
I am glad that i found this forum. I see many nice people writing their experience. I am happy for those who got good news. Regarding my application, I am a PA residing in Germany. My spousal PR application goes as follows. Received 2018-12-06 | AOR1 ? | SA 2019-02-07 | BR 2019-02-07 | MR 2019-02-19, passed 2019-03-14 | File Transfer to Vienna 2019-03-11 . It's been a month but I have not received AOR2 from Vienna office. I was excited with the speed of my application but it seems it got stuck after the file transferred to Vienna. Is this normal? do i have to poke them with something on IRCC form so that they get a look at my file?

Hi and welcome!

Yes, that's completely normal, especially because Vienna doesn't send out AOR2s! The AOR2 we are all referencing is actually line 2 of your eCAS, where it states "We started processing xxx's application on March 20, 2019". You seem to be in the same batch as me, @Xipijeta, and @Agvdrc, so probably March 20 really is your AOR2. Fingers crossed we all hear something more soon.

 

[WYWH]

Welcome to this thread! @Eamalsa @06hoquen

@Eamalsa Just like @schweisy said, your timeline is the same as a few of the other applicants here, including her, so it is very common for applications that were transferred in the same batch to have progress around the same time as well. You should have some news from Vienna soon.

@06hoquen I am not sure what your specific situation is and if there are any circumstances that you think would slow down your application. If there are any red flags, any concerns they might have, processing may take a bit longer than you would expect. During this time, silence from Vienna is normal. Also, Vienna doesn't send AOR2 e-mails, but hopefully you are able to check your ECAS and see when they started processing. That is your AOR2. You may want to order GCMS notes if you would like to see what has been done on your file, if anything at all.
I am assuming you haven't received pre-arrival services yet? If so, how do you know the file is in the final stage (BGC)?

@Agvdrc Thank you! You will be hearing from Vienna very soon too! They are on a roll.

 

[06hoquen]

Hi

I got gcma notes before no red flags or anything they just have it held up in que. They processsed my file in a day in Canada when they reached it n asked for medical a day after . It was that fast. Except, they started that part 4 months after receiving it and doing it in a day.

Then holding it at Vienna ever since. They have biometrics. No interview needed. Medical passed. For last five months waiting for next step which is for them to start background check without they can't finish final step....

I went to MP office three month after sending my application as I never got my AR01 initially in 3 months and my friend got in three weeks sending after me.
Only to find out they never assigned a case officer to my file in the first stage then two three weeks after the movement occurred in November. All steps took within a day before sending to Vienna.

 

[06hoquen]

Welcome to this thread! @Eamalsa @06hoquen

@Eamalsa Just like @schweisy said, your timeline is the same as a few of the other applicants here, including her, so it is very common for applications that were transferred in the same batch to have progress around the same time as well. You should have some news from Vienna soon.

@06hoquen I am not sure what your specific situation is and if there are any circumstances that you think would slow down your application. If there are any red flags, any concerns they might have, processing may take a bit longer than you would expect. During this time, silence from Vienna is normal. Also, Vienna doesn't send AOR2 e-mails, but hopefully you are able to check your ECAS and see when they started processing. That is your AOR2. You may want to order GCMS notes if you would like to see what has been done on your file, if anything at all.
I am assuming you haven't received pre-arrival services yet? If so, how do you know the file is in the final stage (BGC)?

@Agvdrc Thank you! You will be hearing from Vienna very soon too! They are on a roll.

Hi

I got gcma notes before no red flags or anything they just have it held up in que. They processsed my file in a day in Canada when they reached it n asked for medical a day after . It was that fast. Except, they started that part 4 months after receiving it and doing it in a day.

Then holding it at Vienna ever since. They have biometrics. No interview needed. Medical passed. For last five months waiting for next step which is for them to start background check without they can't finish final step....

I went to MP office three month after sending my application as I never got my AR01 initially in 3 months and my friend got in three weeks sending after me.
Only to find out they never assigned a case officer to my file in the first stage then two three weeks after the movement occurred in November. All steps took within a day before sending to Vienna.

I didn't receive the pre arrival letter.

But you can know which stage it is at. By linking your file to know what stage it is at.

There are 8 steps
And which steps they finished .

Over there it says.

File processing.
Interview needed or not if person don't need it will say person don't need.
If medical sent and passed that is check off.
Every step of mine is checked off except
BGC and one step after the "final step "

 

[WYWH]

Hi

I got gcma notes before no red flags or anything they just have it held up in que. They processsed my file in a day in Canada when they reached it n asked for medical a day after . It was that fast. Except, they started that part 4 months after receiving it and doing it in a day.

Then holding it at Vienna ever since. They have biometrics. No interview needed. Medical passed. For last five months waiting for next step which is for them to start background check without they can't finish final step....

I went to MP office three month after sending my application as I never got my AR01 initially in 3 months and my friend got in three weeks sending after me.
Only to find out they never assigned a case officer to my file in the first stage then two three weeks after the movement occurred in November. All steps took within a day before sending to Vienna.

I didn't receive the pre arrival letter.

But you can know which stage it is at. By linking your file to know what stage it is at.

There are 8 steps
And which steps they finished .

Over there it says.

File processing.
Interview needed or not if person don't need it will say person don't need.
If medical sent and passed that is check off.
Every step of mine is checked off except
BGC and one step after the "final step "

I understand, but the reason I asked was exactly the fact that you haven't received pre-arrival services letter.
What does it show for your eligibility on GCKey? Does it say "passed"?
Once PR eligibility is passed (which means they have reviewed genuineness of your relationship and they are satisfied, so no interview is needed), they send the pre-arrival services. If you have not received this and they have not notified you of eligibility status, then you are not in the final stage yet and they are still checking facts on your relationship. Also, the line that reads "no interview needed at this time" means exactly that. Not needed at that point in time, but if they decide they have suspicions, that line can change to "interview required".
Either way, you should be hearing something from them soon as there seems to be a lot of movement in Vienna during this period. I wish you good luck.

 

[06hoquen]

I understand, but the reason I asked was exactly the fact that you haven't received pre-arrival services letter.
What does it show for your eligibility on GCKey? Does it say "passed"?
Once PR eligibility is passed (which means they have reviewed genuineness of your relationship and they are satisfied, so no interview is needed), they send the pre-arrival services. If you have not received this and they have not notified you of eligibility status, then you are not in the final stage yet and they are still checking facts on your relationship. Also, the line that reads "no interview needed at this time" means exactly that. Not needed at that point in time, but if they decide they have suspicions, that line can change to "interview required".
Either way, you should be hearing something from them soon as there seems to be a lot of movement in Vienna during this period. I wish you good luck.

As per the gckey

the pre arrival package is sent when medical is passed. As That is asked for when relation is not in doubt.

the eligibility line is not based on based on relationship rather all the steps.

Without BCG you can't determine eligibility passing.

A person needs full security check before being eligible to get visa. Not only proof of relationship.

The proof is
my friend received pre arrival package and the eligibility is not passed yet same exact steps as mine do not r require interview . medical finished month ago.

and applied two months after me.

The relation steps took n package are checked in Canada for that. Because you send pictures and attachments. That are not sent over to local visa office later . They only send remaining steps final steps for local country to process by electronically transferring the file which the huge life would not be possible to do.

Medical can be done before or after transferring that is why sometime is down at beginning or the end.

 

[schweisy]

As per the gckey

the pre arrival package is sent when medical is passed. As That is asked for when relation is not in doubt.

the eligibility line is not based on based on relationship rather all the steps.

Without BCG you can't determine eligibility passing.

A person needs full security check before being eligible to get visa. Not only proof of relationship.

The proof is
my friend received pre arrival package and the eligibility is not passed yet same exact steps as mine do not r require interview . medical finished month ago.

and applied two months after me.

The relation steps took n package are checked in Canada for that. Because you send pictures and attachments. That are not sent over to local visa office later . They only send remaining steps final steps for local country to process by electronically transferring the file which the huge life would not be possible to do.

Medical can be done before or after transferring that is why sometime is down at beginning or the end.

It sounds to me like you're a little confused about the application process. I would suggest you spend some time reading other threads around here to get a stronger idea of how an application progresses and what the typical milestones and average timelines are.

To clarify a few things:
- the pre-arrival letter is indeed sent when you pass the eligibility check. It's sort of similar to being "approved in principle" in other streams. They believe in the legitimacy of your relationship and therefore you are "eligible" to be sponsored under the family class. It does not have anything to do with medical results (if you look around the forum more you will see these are totally unrelated).
- you're right -- the eligibility line on GCKey usually does not change when you receive the pre-arrival letter, nevertheless it's widely known that it is related to this step
- the last step after eligibility is to finish the background check. At this point you are basically approved, they just need to be sure you don't have a criminal history or any other red flags that would make you inadmissible to the country. Once the background check is complete you finally receive DM and PPR.
- in fact, they do send the package to your VO to check the relationship as well as the PA's background. This is actually important, as local VOs will have much better understandings of local wedding and courtship rituals than Canadians do. The Canadian side only checks the application for completeness and approves the Canadian sponsor's eligibility. Again, if you read around this site more you'll see people, for example, mentioning how their photos were sent back to them from the local VO in the end (i.e. they were transferred there at some point by the Canadian office).

There's loads more good information on the other threads throughout this site that will help you get a better idea of how everything tends to work. Either way, I'm sure you'll hear something from Vienna soon. Best of luck!

 

[WYWH]

@06hoquen

Yes, like @schweisy explained, eligibility line on GCKey is almost never updated until the very last moment, when your COPR is issued, but a PR can indeed have their eligibility passed (relationship part) and pre-arrival services letter sent out a while before the BGC is completed and DM and PPR happen. I am not going to repeat anything else because the post above is a very clear explanation of the process and it is correct.
I wish you good luck.

 

[ayman_dayem]

Do you have a refugee status in Germany? If so, I believe you should be able to get a Refugee Travel document. It would only be valid for one trip to Canada. Many years ago, I came to Canada the same way and if I am not mistaken, Canadian embassy in the country I resided in issued that document. You should inquire with a Canadian embassy. If they are not able to issue one, they can at least instruct you how and where to obtain it.
Congrats btw. and I hope you have enough time to obtain this document and make your trip before your visa expires.

Thanks for ur reply bro. They will issue me a single journey travel document and they just need my travel itinerary. But do i still have to send them pass photos? Or no need

 

[WYWH]

Thanks for ur reply bro. They will issue me a single journey travel document and they just need my travel itinerary. But do i still have to send them pass photos? Or no need

No problem at all. (I'm a girl, btw.)
I believe you have to provide photos for the travel document (not sure if the same dimensions as for passport). Please check this with whoever is issuing a document for you. Vienna VO will also need 2 photos (one for your COPR document and one for PR card which will be issued after you land in Canada)

 

[ayman_dayem]

No problem at all. (I'm a girl, btw.)
I believe you have to provide photos for the travel document (not sure if the same dimensions as for passport). Please check this with whoever is issuing a document for you. Vienna VO will also need 2 photos (one for your COPR document and one for PR card which will be issued after you land in Canada)

That's why I'm a little bit confused because i sent 2 photos since i sent my application. And i don't know if they need new pass photos or not

 

[Agvdrc]

Finally got our Biometric Request! I didn't realize when I submitted that this needed to be done...this obviously delays us slightly, I'm sure we would have received the request back in February when we instead got the biometric fee payment request.

Regardless, things are moving, and I'm sure once we complete this, the next thing will be the pre-arrival email.