VO Processing times have been updated

[Rob_TO]

ya,,,,Buenos Aires went from 14 to 15 months. Still can't figure out they have applications that are completed in 5 months or less.

The times posted are NOT average processing times. They are worst case processing times for 80% of applications. For example out of 100 application if 75 are done in 1 month, and 25 are done in 8 months... the maximum times for 80% of applications would show simply as 8 months (even though 75 done in 1 month and 5 in 8 months). Applications with lots of red flags or missing information, cause the posted times to increase. Most straightforward apps are done much quicker!

2) The new barcode system isn't as awesome as they hoped or they aren't able to use it properly yet.

I think this is a big reason. Recently many offices have shut down, and consolidated into other offices. i.e just recently Seoul and Tokyo shut down and will now be processed through Manila. I wonder if they hired more people in Manila for this?

I also want to add to the speculations. I think the new 2 year rule to new applications has slowed them down

My logic says the new laws should make processing times quicker. With the 2-year rule now in effect, it will be a safety net for lots of the fraud marriages that go through. So it should be a bit easier for a VO to approve an app with a couple red flags, knowing even if they make a mistake and approve a bad one, the new rules will catch it if the couple splits within the 2 years.

 

[BCgirl2012]

Applications with lots of red flags or missing information, cause the posted times to increase. Most straightforward apps are done much quicker!

I agree with most of your post. However, I don't think only what you're describing decides which cases get processed quicker.

Our VO was 80% in 5 months till May. since August they increased it to 15 and then to 16. It didn't change in the most recent update, and stayed constant at 16 months.

I know that they didn't touch our case at least till December 2012 (when we received our GCMS notes). I highly doubt that anyone could tell we have any documents missing or that we have red flags needed to be looked at more closely without at least doing an initial review. But there we have it: 8months into the process already and no news.

On the other hand, in the same VO, we have cases that go in process within 2-3 months after file transfer. Why is that, I cannot say. I just know that it's not easy to understand in which order they process the incoming files.

We observed the same situation for the stage 1. When the processing time was announced around 90 days, our case got processed in a bit over a month. A lot of people who had applied in the same week were also in the same boat and got a quicker process. At the same time, people from February were still waiting stage 1 approval. It just shows the cases aren't always processed in the order they are received.

I do understand it the cases *finish* at different times. But I'm not happy with some cases gathering dust and not be looked at while others who were received later are opened.

 

[fandv]

My logic says the new laws should make processing times quicker. With the 2-year rule now in effect, it will be a safety net for lots of the fraud marriages that go through. So it should be a bit easier for a VO to approve an app with a couple red flags, knowing even if they make a mistake and approve a bad one, the new rules will catch it if the couple splits within the 2 years.

Hi Rob_TO: how does the 2-year rule get enforced then? Does it mean that right from the moment the sponsored person lands in Canada, then he/she together with the sponsor will need to collect proofs that they've been together??! Collecting chat logs would probably be hard as people who normally live together don't normally chat (unless when being apart during the day when they're at work...probably many people communicate with their spouse using BBM, SMS, etc. But other than that probably they communicate with each other orally...)

Should the sponsor and the sponsored person collect other forms of evidence then, such as photos of trips/gatherings/outings together, proofs of joint leases, joint bank accounts, joint [fill in the blank]?

And then once the 2 years are up, the CIC/VO will send a letter saying smth like "Hi, your 2 years are up. Before we grant the sponsored person a full PR status, we would like to see evidence that you guys have been together in the past 2 years. Please submit the evidence to us no later than DD-MM-YYYY"

Does it work more or less like that??

 

[lunas]

And then once the 2 years are up, the CIC/VO will send a letter saying smth like "Hi, your 2 years are up. Before we grant the sponsored person a full PR status, we would like to see evidence that you guys have been together in the past 2 years. Please submit the evidence to us no later than DD-MM-YYYY"

Does it work more or less like that??

That's a good question. I'm just guessing that your permanent residency card will be valid for two years and before they renew it you will need to submit proof and fill out some forms. It's just a guess.

 

[amikety]

That's a good question. I'm just guessing that your permanent residency card will be valid for two years and before they renew it you will need to submit proof and fill out some forms. It's just a guess.

That's more proactive than I was guessing. I figured at first, they will be passive and only look into cases if there's a report or they flagged it to follow up (cough they denied and you won the appeal cough).

 

[fandv]

That's a good question. I'm just guessing that your permanent residency card will be valid for two years and before they renew it you will need to submit proof and fill out some forms. It's just a guess.

That's more proactive than I was guessing. I figured at first, they will be passive and only look into cases if there's a report or they flagged it to follow up (cough they denied and you won the appeal cough).

Some really interesting and totally plausible theories there!! Many possibilities! I guess we just have to wait until 25 October 2015, or even as early as April 2015! Such a long time to find out ;D

 

[Ttcdfolk]

Hong Kong went from 16 to 13. So a three month decrease. Ya!

 

[angelbrat]

I recently saw an advertisement for someone to work in the London office. Not only did the person have to be a Canadian citizen but also had to have legal status to work in the UK.

How difficult must it be to find workers? A lot of backward Countries do not allow their citizens to hold duel nationality. Bizarre I admit, so to find workers for those offices must be a nightmare. No wonder they are closing offices all over the world. No money and no staff.

I blame the Governments of Countries that do not allow duel citizenship myself.

 

[Ttcdfolk]

I recently saw an advertisement for someone to work in the London office. Not only did the person have to be a Canadian citizen but also had to have legal status to work in the UK.

How difficult must it be to find workers? A lot of backward Countries do not allow their citizens to hold duel nationality. Bizarre I admit, so to find workers for those offices must be a nightmare. No wonder they are closing offices all over the world. No money and no staff.

I blame the Governments of Countries that do not allow duel citizenship myself.

Most third world countries are that way, and all communist countries are that way for sure. The government thinks the people who want dual citizenship turned their back on the motherland.

 

[Rob_TO]

Hi Rob_TO: how does the 2-year rule get enforced then?

Here is the info on the CIC site regarding this: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob480.asp

The sponsored spouse or partner must provide evidence of their compliance with the condition if an officer requests such evidence because they have reason to believe that the sponsored person is not complying or has not complied with the condition (for example, when a tip is received or a CIC of CBSA officer has information indicating non-compliance), or if requested as part of a random assessment of the overall level of compliance with the condition by the permanent residents who are or were subject to the condition.

A CIC officer may make a determination as to whether the sponsored person has failed to comply with the condition during or after the two-year condition period (s.72.4).

IMO, i think the main ways the CIC will find out are:
- if 2 people get a divorce in Canada, a normal check will be to see if one of them is a PR, and if so report the divorce to CIC
- if one of the couple suddenly files as single on a tax return, or changes their home address on taxes, the CRA can see if one is a PR and report to CIC
- if people separate for any reason (even staying married on paper but physically separating/living apart), the sponsor can themselves report their break-up to the CIC, if they don't want their partner to have PR anymore
- when it comes time to turn the conditional PR into full time PR, the sponsor will need to again sign a document saying they are still together

If people break up, i think the sponsor will in almost ALL cases naturally want to report the break-up to CIC. Else they would be on the hook financially for their ex.

I guess in some cases where people simply split up but don't get a Canadian divorce, or get a divorce in another country, and the sponsor doesn't report it... there is no way for the CIC to know and the PR will continue as normal.

 

[fandv]

Here is the info on the CIC site regarding this: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob480.asp

The sponsored spouse or partner must provide evidence of their compliance with the condition if an officer requests such evidence because they have reason to believe that the sponsored person is not complying or has not complied with the condition (for example, when a tip is received or a CIC of CBSA officer has information indicating non-compliance), or if requested as part of a random assessment of the overall level of compliance with the condition by the permanent residents who are or were subject to the condition.

A CIC officer may make a determination as to whether the sponsored person has failed to comply with the condition during or after the two-year condition period (s.72.4).

IMO, i think the main ways the CIC will find out are:
- if 2 people get a divorce in Canada, a normal check will be to see if one of them is a PR, and if so report the divorce to CIC
- if one of the couple suddenly files as single on a tax return, or changes their home address on taxes, the CRA can see if one is a PR and report to CIC
- if people separate for any reason (even staying married on paper but physically separating/living apart), the sponsor can themselves report their break-up to the CIC, if they don't want their partner to have PR anymore
- when it comes time to turn the conditional PR into full time PR, the sponsor will need to again sign a document saying they are still together

If people break up, i think the sponsor will in almost ALL cases naturally want to report the break-up to CIC. Else they would be on the hook financially for their ex.

I guess in some cases where people simply split up but don't get a Canadian divorce, or get a divorce in another country, and the sponsor doesn't report it... there is no way for the CIC to know and the PR will continue as normal.

Thanks Rob, very informative

By the way, the 2-year conditional PR rule gets bypassed for couples who have kid(s) together right?

 

[Rob_TO]

Thanks Rob, very informative

By the way, the 2-year conditional PR rule gets bypassed for couples who have kid(s) together right?

Correct. Also, if you've been married or in a common-law relationship for more than 2 years (I guess at time of landing), the new rules are not used.

 

[europe]

Vienna is same 10 months

 

[Dourdon]

Most third world countries are that way, and all communist countries are that way for sure. The government thinks the people who want dual citizenship turned their back on the motherland.

The communist countries at this moment are: North Korea; Cuba, Belarus and China. Btw, Switzerland also forbid the dual citizenship and some other backward countries in Europe

 

[angelbrat]

The communist countries at this moment are: North Korea; Cuba, Belarus and China. Btw, Switzerland also forbid the dual citizenship and some other backward countries in Europe

Is there a VO in Switzerland?