London Visa Office - How Long Did Your Application Take / How Long is it Taking?

[SadGirl:(]

For all of those who had applications processed at the London Visa Office:

How long did your application take to be processed and finalized from the time it began processing in London?

And for all of those who are still waiting while their applications are being processed in the London Visa Office:

How long have you been waiting so far from the time it began processing in London?

I just want to compare our cases with each other so that I can get an idea as to maybe when my husband's application will finish.

So far, I'm still waiting for my husband's application to be finalized.  We've been waiting for 8 months now since it arrived in London.

[Siouxie]

So far it has taken the London office 4 years and 6 months to process my dependent son's part of our application.  There has been delay after delay including losing his file, finding his file, losing his Police certificate, re-doing his background checks (all due to delays) and he is now waiting for medical clearance after taking a 2nd medical 2 years after his first. 

I have been told that this is the last step, however, I was also told 11 months ago that we would be given our PR within 8-12 weeks and yet it still hasn't been finalised.  I am at the point of not believing anything I am told by London CIC anymore.

To say we are frustrated, angry and incredulous at the inefficiency is an understatement.

[Paddyboy]

Assuming everything is ok, no files are lost or unwarrented delays you between 6 & 12 months are considered "normal".
If there is anything "abnormal" ie Police Clearance or Medical Clearances count on waiting anything over 1 1/2 - 2 years.
I've heard horror stories out of London and at best never seem to respond to communications (email, letter, fax etc) and at others say they have breezedthrough it.
My own experience is they are a bunch of wasters.

[SadGirl:(]

Assuming everything is ok, no files are lost or unwarrented delays you between 6 & 12 months are considered "normal".
If there is anything "abnormal" ie Police Clearance or Medical Clearances count on waiting anything over 1 1/2 - 2 years.
I've heard horror stories out of London and at best never seem to respond to communications (email, letter, fax etc) and at others say they have breezedthrough it.
My own experience is they are a bunch of wasters.

I've actually spoken to the man that conducted the interview with my husband (but this man is in Stockholm not London) and he told me that the police clearance was cleared and the medical was cleared and he himself even approved our application for visa before he sent it back to London to have "routine background checks" performed.  I keep in touch with this man to try to get some insight as to what's happening with my husband's application but I'm always getting the same answer, that we're awaiting the results of routine background checks.  When I use the web form to send in an enquiry to London, I always get back the same answer or else I get no answer at all.  Now my husbands medicals are going to expire, so he has to redo them and they need to be cleared again.  My husband will redo the medicals, but we're just worried becasue we don't want the second medicals to go expired.  So we're confused as to when to redo them.

Can anyone give me hope in that my husband's application will be finished before December???

Paddyboy, how long did your application take?

[Paddyboy]

SadGirl:(

If it's a Family Class application I know he should be able to go in an get another medical done without it being called for.
The question is do you wait to be asked or do it yourself? I'd wait until asked.
In my case I had them done and Fedex'ed them to London. Just remember to include the file number on the envelope and make sure they are signed for.

What you can do in the meantime is ask for a copy of the CAIPS notes

http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes

They cost $5.00 and take about 3-4 weeks to come .
Here's a link to what the codes mean.

http://immipedia.ca/CAIPS_Codes

About the police checks you can write to

Mrs Hierlihy
Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS)
1941 Ogilive Rd
Ottawa, ON K1J1B7
Fax (1) 613-231-0672

To see if his file has been sent there from London.


Mine is ongoing for 27 months counting.

[SadGirl:(]

Thank you Paddyboy for the information.  Yes, my application is Family Class.  I am doing an outland sponsorship application to sponsor my husband.  He's only one person, no family no nothing.  I hope your application finishes soon, 27 months is way too long.  I think that the London visa office is not being as efficient as they could be.  What application are you doing?  Family class as well?  Are they hung up on background checks with you too?

[robertbola]

hey sadgirl anything yet?

[Paddyboy]

Yeah I doing a Family Class sponsorship as well. They are hung up about backround checks for sure. Will keep you informed.

[SadGirl:(]

hey sadgirl anything yet?

Hi robertbola!  Unfortunately there is nothing new yet.  It's just really frustrating when there is nothing that one can do.  Just waiting and waiting and waiting . . . it is really difficult.  What about you?  How's everything going with you?

[popo]

Just sent all the applications stuff to Mississauga today... it will then go to London..
reading this made me thread made me nervous..


I hope our application goes as smoothly as possible.

[SadGirl:(]

Just sent all the applications stuff to Mississauga today... it will then go to London..
reading this made me thread made me nervous..


I hope our application goes as smoothly as possible.

Popo, don't worry, every case is different.  Sometimes it depends where your spouse is from.  Where is your spouse from?

My application proceeded normally from the time I submitted it to CPC Mississauga to the time that my husband had his interview (on March 26).  However, after the interview, our application was sent for routine background checks (as is every application apparently) and it has gotten stuck on background checks.  Don't know what they're looking for . . . maybe their looking for what size of shoes my husband wears . . . it's ridiculous how long it's been taking for us.  Now it has been nine months that our application has been in process in London BUT a year now that this entire sponsorship application has began.

I still have not heard any new news, just that their still doing background checks.  There's no encouraging news . . . SO SAD

[Jianadaren]

Hi guys!

our application is already taking over 6 months now and they've recently updated processing times for spousal sponsorship - cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp and it says that it's taking 9 months average now but they never changed info on CIC London's website - it still says 6 months average for family class applications.

we've emailed the visa office regarding our app status but haven't received any response yet.