Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[OhCanadiana]

Here is my landing story
6:45am headed to peace bridge(follow QEW to fort Erie)
8:45am arrived at the border. I stayed there (I don't have us visa) my friend went to buffalo to get my passport stamped and received landing paper.
He waited there like 3hr.(a long line up). consulate is 5km away from border. He paid $5 for parking.
12pm he came back to border.
Around 12:10pm I became immigrant. Finished landing.

Congratulations!!!

Ps: consulate is going to be closed to public from may 7th...if I remember correctly. Which means you can't submit your passport in person anymore from may 7th.

[bbiery]

Anyone from in Canada have any time lines from date passport pages were sent to copr? Is it ever faster than 15 business days? My passport pages were in Fort Erie in the morning on Thursday of last week.

[Bargeld]

Here is my landing story
6:45am headed to peace bridge(follow QEW to fort Erie)
8:45am arrived at the border. I stayed there (I don't have us visa) my friend went to buffalo to get my passport stamped and received landing paper.
He waited there like 3hr.(a long line up). consulate is 5km away from border. He paid $5 for parking.
12pm he came back to border.
Around 12:10pm I became immigrant. Finished landing.



Ps: consulate is going to be closed to public from may 7th...if I remember correctly. Which means you can't submit your passport in person anymore from may 7th.


Ps I received my ppr on April 24th, landed on may 1st

That's odd, there are so many people that go to the HSBC Centre, not just for family class but when I was there I saw so many students it made my head spin.. wonder why if this is true.

As for landing if I had seen any post that said something about landing I'd have recommended Queenston-Lewiston.. there was not a single person in line and I landed about noon'ish, took care of PPR in person like 8am-10am, then went for some food before driving up to Queenston-Lewiston to land. It took me a matter of minutes (10'ish minutes) to complete landing formalities, both B4/B4A.

[amaranth]

That's odd, there are so many people that go to the HSBC Centre, not just for family class but when I was there I saw so many students it made my head spin.. wonder why if this is true.

No details, but it's on the Buffalo site...

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Edit: "Effective May 7, 2012, the Canadian visa offices in Buffalo and Detroit will no longer offer same-day non-immigrant services. Applicants for Temporary Resident Visas, Study Permits, Work Permits, Temporary Resident Permits, and Permanent Resident Travel Documents must submit applications by mail only. No cash payments will be accepted..."

I wonder if this means permanent resident applicants might still be allowed the same day service? It only says non-immigrant services, and the only mention of perm res here are travel docs... hmm...
This could be a good thing though. Not having to deal with tons of people in person every day might allow them to focus more on family class applications. Just speculation.

[OhCanadiana]

No details, but it's on the Buffalo site...

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Wait, wait, the statement on the home page in the yellow box references only same-day non-immigrant visas (not immigrant visas). 

It also it says applications have to be submitted by mail which is a change for tourist visas (which you can now do in person same-day walking in with all documents without mailing in the application beforehand).   No change there for family class apps that need to be mailed to CPC-M.

I will retain hope that they will still issue same-day immigrant (ie PR) visas for everyone waiting   And that this isn't simply an omission in the statement.


"Attention:
Effective May 7, 2012, the Canadian visa offices in Buffalo and Detroit will no longer offer same-day non-immigrant services. Applicants for Temporary Resident Visas, Study Permits, Work Permits, Temporary Resident Permits, and Permanent Resident Travel Documents must submit applications by mail only. No cash payments will be accepted. Please see the following links for application submission and fee payment instructions at the Canadian visa offices in the United States: Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Washington."

[muffy1]

Oh Canadiana!
I had the same interpretation and I'm glad someone else such as you did, as well! I am hopeful because I've been waiting and waiting, hopeful to get a PPR soon and was planning to submit in person. Fingers crossed!

[Bargeld]

Good luck on the PPR/landing muffy1.

[OhCanadiana]

Oh Canadiana!
I had the same interpretation and I'm glad someone else such as you did, as well! I am hopeful because I've been waiting and waiting, hopeful to get a PPR soon and was planning to submit in person. Fingers crossed!

I really hope it works out for you muffy1.   Fingers crossed.   

[muffy1]

OhCanadiana-
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it!

[Amoss]

Hi! So I got my sponsorship approval from CIC-M on March 20th and was informed our file was being transferred to Buffalo.. Well, as you know, that was over a month ago now (almost a month and a half) and we haven't received anything from Buffalo yet. How long does it usually take to get an AOR (or sign of life) from them?

Our e-cas was updated about a week ago and now says "medicals" received" but that's it. no "in process" or anything like that. I guess that is kind of a sign of life  but wouldn't mind the official "we have your app" letter

[York Region]

Nothing this week so far Buffalo hellooooooo Wake uppp!!!!!!

[Lasiar]

Hello All.
 I sent an email off yesterday to my MLA. giving him a bit of background on my application process and the lack of updates from the CIC or the VO dealing with our application.  He did respond back within 10 mins which I thought was great. He said he would look into my case, and see what he can do or at least find out for me. He said he would also speak the federal MP as well, as there were others inquiring also. So hears hoping for some good news or at least an update. let you all know what happens. 

[GOGOGO]

Good to have known about it now then later!  And yes, you should go ahead and get FBI now as it will take 2-3 months to receive the cert back.  Good luck!

I finally received some news on the 23rd, that I was approved for sponsorship!

Also I see that they received his medicals...but while I was browsing this forum, I realized that we actually needed a FBI criminal background check and not simply a state one. Wow. I feel so stupid right now! I can't believe we made such a silly mistake...

Anyways, to remedy the situation. Should I wait for them to contact me before asking my husband to go get one? Or should we go ahead and start getting FBI clearance as soon as possible?

[GOGOGO]

This is what I normally did:

On the envelope, wrote the following (serves as return address too):
1) Application/File #
2) Applicant UCI
3) Applicant Name
4) Applicant Address

Attach a cover letter to summarise what documents were being sent, which contained the following information for them to match the case:
1) Application/File #
2) Applicant UCI
3) Applicant Name
4) Date of Birth
5) Place of Birth
6) Sponsor's UCI
7) Sponsor's Name
Note: 1-5 above are those information required when sending Case Specific Enquiry.

Also...
1) made photocopy of the document and faxed the VO with a cover letter as mentioned above,
2) scanned the document and upload via Case Specific Enquiry, or,
3) Sent email with the same information.

These worked for me so hopefully work for you too.  Good luck!

When sending in the FBI Clearance to the Visa Office, what kind of information should I include?

Our Unique Client Identifier? Should that be on the envelope or written on a piece of paper inside the envelope?

I just want to make sure that when I do send it in, that it's received properly and catches up with the rest of the application!

Thanks for anybody's help!

[URIFiggy]

I finally received some news on the 23rd, that I was approved for sponsorship!

Also I see that they received his medicals...but while I was browsing this forum, I realized that we actually needed a FBI criminal background check and not simply a state one. Wow. I feel so stupid right now! I can't believe we made such a silly mistake...

Anyways, to remedy the situation. Should I wait for them to contact me before asking my husband to go get one? Or should we go ahead and start getting FBI clearance as soon as possible?

Just a note, I got my FBI background check back in 4 weeks.  The FBI website predicts 8 weeks.  So yes, go ahead and start on it, and hopefully they'll process your request efficently.