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Thread For applications Through SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) Office

abzoo17

Star Member
Jun 17, 2017
96
5
hey people....does anyone know a photo place in Melbounre. I got a photo done from Ted's they cannot give a soft copy and when I scanned the photo the size was only 25 kb....which is not accepted by CIC
 

kiwias

Full Member
Feb 19, 2017
29
8
hey people....does anyone know a photo place in Melbounre. I got a photo done from Ted's they cannot give a soft copy and when I scanned the photo the size was only 25 kb....which is not accepted by CIC
I used Aus Post in Balaclava but any Aus Post can do it - they also know the specifications required for a Canadian application which is good.
 

abzoo17

Star Member
Jun 17, 2017
96
5
I used Aus Post in Balaclava but any Aus Post can do it - they also know the specifications required for a Canadian application which is good.
I got my photos from Ted and uploaded it on Idphoto4you and got the visa size ..will that be fine?
 

KiwiNate

Full Member
May 20, 2017
42
11
New Zealand
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
18-04-2017
Hi KiwiNate

My partner is Canadian and for her NZ visa she had to send her finger prints from NZ to Canada for her Background check for NZ visa.

I'm not sure on your exact instructions but she had to go to NZ Police and ask for the finger print service. In Christchurch they offer this at the station. You need ID etc and then they put them on paper. You need to let them know its for a Visa and they use a different form (more formal one i think) this may not always be the case though. If your instructions say to use a organisation then i suggest you get in contact with the following service.

https://www.commissionaires.ca/en/national/individual

More can be found here
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/who-can-conduct-criminal-record-check



They charge a fee but are very good. I can go on about it but hopefully the info is enough. RCMP don't do the check themselves I recall its done by a different organisation.

I lived in Canada for just under a year, but I have not been requested to submit finger prints. Did you live in Canada for exactly one year or just under?
Thanks man, appreciate it.

Big differences in fees- Commissionaires charge $C310, whereas fingerscan only charge $C125.

I was in Canada 12 months initially. Got busted driving w/out insurance so am guessing that's the reason for the RCMP clearance...
 

KiwiNate

Full Member
May 20, 2017
42
11
New Zealand
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
18-04-2017
I was hoping they wouldn't ask for th his as it will delay my application but I can already see them requesting this from me.

How did it take for them to request it?
I applied for PR in May, just got the request for RCMP clearance a couple days ago... so 5 months?
 

James_NZ1

Hero Member
Jan 15, 2017
211
49
Ontario
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Sydney, Australia
App. Filed.......
14-07-2017
Passport Req..
09-08-2018
I was there for 11 months. Tight on the whole "12 months" thing though.
I can't remember why we chose commissionaires at the time vs the others. Might have been a more personalized service and faster processing maybe, long time ago now. KiwiNate - do you have to apply for inadmissibility for your charge? I did for my WHV in 2015 as i was charged with careless use of motorvehicle in NZ, took less than a month to process.
 

KiwiNate

Full Member
May 20, 2017
42
11
New Zealand
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
18-04-2017
I was there for 11 months. Tight on the whole "12 months" thing though.
I can't remember why we chose commissionaires at the time vs the others. Might have been a more personalized service and faster processing maybe, long time ago now. KiwiNate - do you have to apply for inadmissibility for your charge? I did for my WHV in 2015 as i was charged with careless use of motorvehicle in NZ, took less than a month to process.
Driving w/out insurance is not a crime or offense in Canada (apparently). It's a provincial traffic violation so fingers crossed it won't count against me. Also, it was back in 2004(!) so hopefully no longer an issue.

Ha, I've been charged with careless driving in NZ as well. Plead not guilty because the whole thing was ridiculous. Got offered diversion so no conviction and record is still clean. CIC asked me to get my full NZ Record at the same time they asked for fingerprints.
 

James_NZ1

Hero Member
Jan 15, 2017
211
49
Ontario
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Sydney, Australia
App. Filed.......
14-07-2017
Passport Req..
09-08-2018
Driving w/out insurance is not a crime or offense in Canada (apparently). It's a provincial traffic violation so fingers crossed it won't count against me. Also, it was back in 2004(!) so hopefully no longer an issue.

Ha, I've been charged with careless driving in NZ as well. Plead not guilty because the whole thing was ridiculous. Got offered diversion so no conviction and record is still clean. CIC asked me to get my full NZ Record at the same time they asked for fingerprints.
Careless use of a motor vehicle in my case u-turned and knocked a cyclist off their bike and injured them. All immigration canada do is determine what would happen in canada if i did the same. in this case i would receive a fine and the rest would be deal with by insurance. In NZ you go to court. So the severity is low. If the law broken in NZ is punished higher in canada then you have to apply for inadmissibility. Examples are drink driving, failing to stop for police, possession where jail or court with high fines is a high possibility then things get really difficult to enter canada.

Driving without insurance is like driving without a license or WOF here in NZ. get a fine, told to get your act together and thats it, so long as you paid the fine within due date.


@fauxkiwi. Sydney has my paperwork, all my status say "We are checking if you meet the requirements" "you dont need fingerprints or an interview" we received your documents (background check stuff) you passed medical exam and we will let you know when we start your background check."
 

jack150

Star Member
Feb 7, 2016
80
23
Timeline for Spousal Sponsorship
I'm PA from NZ. Partner is Canadian.
De facto, 2.5 years, no dependents, no prev marriages

Application was received on May 16th
SA was around June 10th.
Schedule A and Medical requested early June. Medical passed/approved and Schedule A uploaded.
AOR2 / Transferred to Sydney Visa Office August 7th

Immigrating to Quebec. Have submitted Quebec Undertaking Application and received QSC August 10th. Contained a letter confirming they have sent a copy to Sydney where our application is being processed.

Nothing since.Waiting for Background Check to switch to In Process..

Requested immigration notes last week to hopefully find out more info on our progress. Thanks fauxkiwi!!

Logged into GCKey today and it says Background Check now in process!

"Background check We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information."

Checked earlier this week and it hadn't updated so was only in the last couple of days or so. Progress!!!!!!!!!
 
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zer0

Newbie
Jul 30, 2017
9
4
Logged into GCKey today and it says Background Check now in process!

"Background check We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information."

Checked earlier this week and it hadn't updated so was only in the last couple of days or so. Progress!!!!!!!!!
Congrats!

Could kindly update the spreadsheet. I'm not sure if it's the lack of activity by users who have Sydney as their VO or just that it's taking this long but this information gives others users some idea that there is atleast some activity in there. Just by looking at the spread I get this gut feeling that the Sydney office which was supposedly fast is not as I heard it to be. You are the first person to acknowledge a BGC from the amount of data I gathered from this site.
 

James_NZ1

Hero Member
Jan 15, 2017
211
49
Ontario
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Sydney, Australia
App. Filed.......
14-07-2017
Passport Req..
09-08-2018
I'm wondering if "we are processing your background check" means CIC have received our physical background check from NZ Police and are reading over the sheet seeing what we've been up to and a decision is to be made soon?

Likely, they have sent all our background requests to NZ police and there is just a large volume of requests at NZ police to deal with.

I know when I went on my working holiday to Canada all the applicants for ski resorts send their applications and police requests in August, Sept and October for travelling in December. It took an extra few weeks than usual due to this high volume of requests.

I'm assuming its just very busy this time of year for all agencies due to upcoming holidays, working holiday applications and so on. Lets hope that's the case :)
 

Canadian.In.NZ.

Star Member
Aug 2, 2017
130
31
Category........
FAM
I'm also hoping that Sydney is as fast as I've been reading about on this forum too. Sent app. from NZ and it was received on Nov 6, assuming it might get transferred to Sydney after sponsor's part is processed.
 

jack150

Star Member
Feb 7, 2016
80
23
Logged into GCKey today and it says Background Check now in process!

"Background check We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information."

Checked earlier this week and it hadn't updated so was only in the last couple of days or so. Progress!!!!!!!!!
Also received an email "Please find information concerning your application in the attached document". A bit generic but seems hopeful if they are sending 'pre arrival' letters?

Hello,

We are pleased to inform you that you, your spouse and dependants can now receive free
pre-arrival services funded by the Government of Canada. These services are available
before you arrive and are meant to better prepare you for life in Canada.

Pre-arrival services are provided on behalf of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada (IRCC) by settlement service provider organizations. These service providers
offer free information to help you with:
• Living and working in Canada;
• Getting your education, work experience, and professional licenses and
certificates recognized in Canada;
• Connecting with employers, and with free supports when you arrive in Canada,
including language training; and
• Connecting with others in your new community, including French-speaking
communities.

If you are outside Canada, we strongly recommend that you use pre-arrival services
before you leave. We encourage you to explore the list of services on the IRCC website:
canada.ca/pre-arrival-services.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/before-services.asp?utm_source=slash-pre-arriv
al-services&utm_medium=short-url&utm_campaign=general

When you register for pre-arrival services with one of the service providers listed on the
website, you will be asked to provide a copy of this letter. You can contact as many
service providers as you like and receive as many services as you need, and these services
are always at no cost to you.

You are also encouraged to take advantage of free Government of Canada resources
available online, such as Welcome to Canada, the official handbook to help permanent
residents prepare to come and settle in Canada. The handbook is available at cic.gc.ca/publications.
Canada is a bilingual country where both English and French are spoken. If you are
interested in living in a French-speaking community outside Quebec, please visit
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/francophone.asp

For up-to-date information on immigration, settlement services and citizenship, we invite
you to join us on Facebook (Facebook.com/CitCanada) and follow us on Twitter
(Twitter.com/CitImmCanada).
Sincerely,
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
 

jack150

Star Member
Feb 7, 2016
80
23
Congrats!

Could kindly update the spreadsheet. I'm not sure if it's the lack of activity by users who have Sydney as their VO or just that it's taking this long but this information gives others users some idea that there is atleast some activity in there. Just by looking at the spread I get this gut feeling that the Sydney office which was supposedly fast is not as I heard it to be. You are the first person to acknowledge a BGC from the amount of data I gathered from this site.
Can you please link to the spreadsheet? Thanks