Visitor Visa applied online for spouse in China

[largowinter]

Hello all,

My husband applied for a visitor's visa online in May 12, 2013. We went through the online process because we thought it would be easier and take less time. He received a confirmation on May 16th, 2013 and that was the last he has heard on the matter of his visa. What he applied for was for a six month, multiple entry visa, as he was visiting to help plan for our wedding here in Canada.

Originally it said that it will take something like 47 days to process his visa online. So we waited. Then we realized afterwards that there had been a strike that was ongoing- not only that but locations such as Beijing and Shanghai were said to be on full on strike. We didn't know where his application went online. Maybe it went to a canadian office, maybe overseas. Anyways it wasn't until I had come back to Canada before I was able to call the CIC here in Canada and confirm that his application was actually in Beijing.

That was a month ago. I've heard that at most people are waiting a month for their visitor's visa. But for my husband he has been waiting about four months now for his visitor's visa- a very simple visitor's visa. Has anyone else experienced the same issue?

We cannot get through to the Beijing visa office- he calls several times a day and yet no one answers or the line is busy. No one else can help us and I have not received any information on the representation form I filled out for him.

I'm just incredibly frustrated. So is he. We had even booked his flight for July 20th, because we figured at the time- two months should be more than enough time to process his information. Since then we have cancelled his ticket minus $200 cancellation charge. We don't know if it's the application we put in- if there's something wrong with that.

Have you experienced the same thing?

 

[O_guy]

I wonder if they somehow lost his application because this is not normal at all. May 12 is almost 4 months ago. Since this was online application, he does not need to call the embassy in China. You can call 1-888-242-2100 (this number can only be called from inside Canada). You will have to follow the automated voice and eventually get to a real person. When you get to the person, tell him or her that your husband has been waiting for 4 months for TRV. You will have to give them the application number which he must have received shortly after he submitted the online application on the MyCIC account. The application number starts with the letter "V" followed by 9 digits.

Good luck

 

[largowinter]

Thanks, I thought that too. I also thought perhaps because of the strike, it's just taking longer than usual, but it seems really odd that it would take this long. I'm going to try and call them tomorrow and try to figure out what is going on. I'll let you know what I hear.

 

[O_guy]

largowinter, even with the strike, 4 months for online TRV application is far too long. When someone submits online application, they receive automated submission confirmation saying, "Unless your application has exceeded normal processing times, please limit your correspondence to notifying us of changes in your application." In your case, your application certainly exceeded normal processing times, so go ahead and call them.

 

[largowinter]

Hey O_guy,

So I called the CIC today. After three times finally had someone answer, who told me that there is nothing they can do- if the visa centres in Beijing and Shanghai will not answer my phone calls or my husband's phone calls then I can only wait. That they have no more information that they could give me. Even if it is an online visitor's visa application.

My conversation basically went: "So you are telling me that it is entirely normal to wait four months right now for a visitor's visa. That other people are in similar situations because of the strike."

Their response: "Yes"

I've never really had any contact with CIC before, but this was rather shocking- just feels like a blow to the stomach. I guess at this point there's nothing we can do but wait and pray that the strike is over soon.

 

[O_guy]

largowinter, I think they thought your husband had submitted paper application to the embassy in China. If that were the case, then there is nothing the help center in Canada can tell you since that application would be in China. However, your husband submitted online application and different bits of information I collected let me to believe that online application are first looked at centeralized location in Canada by CIC and then they move the application to office that has the capacity to handle it. The embassy in China is one of the 15 embassies that are experiencing large walk-out due to the strike action but this large walk out did not start until late July. So it is possible that CIC moved your husband's application to the embassy in China before the large walk-out started.

Anyway, I will call them today after work about my own situation. I will ask them if there is anyway to find out where an online application had been sent to and what the status of that application is. I will let you know what they say.

Meanwhile, the embassy in China has an email address shown on their website. Perhaps your husband can email them and try to get an update on his 4-month old application. No harm in trying.

 

[steaky]

Whoa! It only took about several weeks for my wife's relatives to get a visit visa in China. But they went to the visa application centre in Shanghai. 4 months is way too long!

 

[largowinter]

Thanks O_guy, please let me know what you hear.

I made it pretty clear to them that it was an online application. We emailed them a month ago to both the Shanghai location and to the Beijing location- but there has since been no response. Anyways I have an appointment with my local MP on Monday- but I doubt that would be much good either.

 

[O_guy]

largowinter, I phoned the call centre several times today but there was automated voice telling me they were experiencing high volume of calls and then my call was dropped. I will try again on Monday.

If I were you, I would resubmit the application and include an "Explanation Letter" saying that my first application took 4 months and I became concerned that it was lost. I would also mention the application number of my first application in this explanation letter.

 

[steaky]

I would rather resubmit the application through one of the visa application centre than online. While it is more costly, but at least I can login and track the status of the application.

 

[largowinter]

Has anyone ever resubmitted their TRV visas? I think it says on the website not to. At this point I'm tempted to have my husband do so, but I really don't want to break any rules or further complicate it. Tomorrow I'm meeting with my local MP, perhaps I'll get some results then.

My husband also went to the visa centre in Shanghai to ask. They also just told him, he need to get in contact with the Canadian Embassy in Beijing. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[O_guy]

largowinter, you are right, it does say not to resubmit. However, your case is the most extreme I heard off. 4 months is extremely long time to wait for TRV online application. Tell your husband to resubmit it online and be honest about the fact that he submitted an application 4 months ago. He can actually that to his advantage. He can write a "Letter of Explanation" saying he has waited for 4 months to visit his wife whom he misses very much. Anyway, I think your husband has nothing to lose by reapplying.

 

[largowinter]

This is just an update for people who might be in a similar situation. So we sent in a letter of withdrawal, where we explained what happened and how we feel that his visa application must have been lost. (This time we are doing it through a visa company who handles Canadian applications.)

As of yesterday, my husband has applied again through the Shanghai visa centre through the use of a representative- the visa company. The whole thing costs more, but at least we have a peace of mind knowing that someone is looking out for our application.

I think, if you can afford it, having a visa company help you with this is not a bad idea. They know the inns and outs and if they've been around long enough- they might even know some of the people who work at the visa centre. My husband was just telling me that if we had a 'connection' or knew someone who worked at the Shanghai visa centre, we could probably get it in four or five days. I don't know if it's like that in other countries, but China does do things like that sometimes.

Anyways I will keep you updated as to when he might receive his visitor's visa.

 

[O_guy]

largowinter, keep in mind that the visa office in Shanghai is one of the 15 Canadian visa offices where full strike started on July 29th.

 

[Esstee]

Thanks O_guy, please let me know what you hear.

I made it pretty clear to them that it was an online application. We emailed them a month ago to both the Shanghai location and to the Beijing location- but there has since been no response. Anyways I have an appointment with my local MP on Monday- but I doubt that would be much good either.

Hi largowinter, want to know what is MP stands for?