Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[GOGOGO]

www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5563E.pdf

If your husband is present in Canada, select "Privacy Act", free of charge.
If he's ourside Canada, select "Access to Information Act", C$5, and put yourself down as the person who request the notes.

Generally "Electronic Files" (printout from the computer system) is good enough to check what's going on with the file in process. Avoid "Physical File" because it means retrieving the content of the physical file at the visa office which will cause delay to your file's processing.

Some more details:
http://immipedia.ca/Ordering_FOSS_and_CAIPS_notes
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/

Hope it helps.

Hi, Last talked to my MP a month ago. They said they would contact me with an update. I havn't heard anything from them.I will call again Tuesday AM.  I did a online case inquiry about 20 days ago- still havn't heard a reply. But i never have got an reply from them. I have done numerous inquiries online.  How do I order the GCMS Notes?

[GOGOGO]

Hi Siberix, if you'd like to be added to the Buffalo spreadsheet (link in my signature), please share the exact dates.

Some people had bad experience with immigration lawyers so please make sure you have done enough reserch before signing contract with the lawyer that you're going to use.  As a matter of fact, a lot of us filed the application ourselves, especially for relatively simple cases.  It is because we had to do most of the work ourselves anyway like filling in details in the forms, finding evidences, etc, so there isn't much left for the lawyers to do.  Plus we found a lot of helps here in this forum.

If you have receipts/boarding passes for the trips that you and your husband did, you can include them as well.  Some people include email logs, personal cards, etc.  There are some idea about 'unconventional proofs' that you may find them interesting:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/unconventional-proof-of-true-love-t98503.0.html

Good luck with your application!

My husband is a Canadian citizen and I am an American. My husband and I were dating long distance for a little over a year before we got married. We immediately began the application process afterwards. We decided the best route was to hire a lawyer to make sure everything got done right and nothing fell through the cracks (for reference for anybody our lawyer cost around $4,000 for the whole process but it also includes the filing and landing fees for PR). We are a few months shy of our one year anniversary and have finally acquired all of the paperwork requested. FBI check, medical exam, Canadian police report (because I had been in Canada for a collective 6+ months) and my husband's Schedule C forms. We needed 2010's but then when the calendar flipped over to 2012 we then had to wait for his 2011 taxes to be filed before we could acquire the current Schedule C. The acquiring process would have been shorter but it does take a while to get everything since government agencies take a while. It took the FBI almost 2 months to send me back my report. The RCMP was much quicker with theirs with a matter of weeks. Anyways, we are going to make an appointment with our lawyer soon and hand over the last of everything so we can FINALLY send it off and hope for the best

PS: We were told that pictures of us with each others friends and family help convince them of our relationship so we made sure to take lots of pics during holidays. He spent one Christmas and Thanksgiving with mine and I spent a Christmas with his in Canada. Also included is an 11+ page long call log from Skype to prove we had been in constant contact with each other despite the distance. Just an FYI for anybody maybe looking for things to include with their app

[GOGOGO]

If you're talking about taking you car to land and export/import the same car later, then just be prepared that you may get hassle at the border.  There were both successful and unsuccessful stories, as told in the following threads.
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/delayed-landingimporting-car-question-t54041.0.html
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/landing-to-canada-and-returning-to-us-after-3-days-questions-t50777.0.html
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/exportingimporting-a-car-from-the-us-t81585.0.html

If you're using another car to land, then there should be no problem.  Just make sure you put your car on the 'Good to Follow' list. (Note: my husband drove me to land and I put my car on the 'Good to Follow' list).

Does anyone know if you can land (with your belongings and car, etc. all listed on your B4) and then return to the USA and export/import your car on another trip? Or do you have to export/import the car on the initially crossing? Any insight would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[canadapeach]

What a nice way to end the weekend with an envelope with my COPR waiting for me at home after a weekend away!

So now the fun begins 

Thanks to those on this board for your advice!

[JimM]

1. It will say on the visa or COPR. Generally it's one year following medical.

2. Can't say for sure, but if the car is from the US, chances are "no" if contacting the port of entry and following their directions before simply landing with vehicle in possession.

One year following the medical? How are they managing this with the listed time for going through Buffalo being a total of 14 months now, (3 months for sponsorship approval then a further 11 months for the applicant ).

[OhCanadiana]

One year following the medical? How are they managing this with the listed time for going through Buffalo being a total of 14 months now, (3 months for sponsorship approval then a further 11 months for the applicant ).

If the year expires, they'll either ask you for a new medical exam ... or grant you an extension.   Unfortunately, you'll have to live with the uncertainty for now

However, the 11 months is how long it takes to process 80% of the applications - the fastest 20% are processed in 5 months.

In Dec 2011, in Buffalo, 20% of the cases were completed within 5 months, 30% in 5 mo., 50% in 7 mo., 70% in 9 mo., 80% in 11 mo.  Details available at http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/case-processing-speed-at-visa-offices-step-2-t102206.0.html

[JimM]

If the year expires, they'll either ask you for a new medical exam ... or grant you an extension.   Unfortunately, you'll have to live with the uncertainty for now

However, the 11 months is how long it takes to process 80% of the applications - the fastest 20% are processed in 5 months.

In Dec 2011, in Buffalo, 20% of the cases were completed within 5 months, 30% in 5 mo., 50% in 7 mo., 70% in 9 mo., 80% in 11 mo.  Details available at http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/case-processing-speed-at-visa-offices-step-2-t102206.0.html

Thanks for that link! That breakdown used to be on the CIC website, but they removed it some time ago, I bookmarked the Open Data site

I knew the 11 month figure was for 80% but wasn't to sure how many of the rest would cross the 1 year mark as well. Hopefully I'll at least make it into the first 50% 

[mapleleafs2011]

Anyone who was transferred to seattle who got their PPR or still awaiting. Did they update ECAS slow?

File was transferred 12/4/12 to Seattle but I've gotten no updates in ECAS.

[avocadosandcheese]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update and see if anyone has any advice! We were told that on March 28 my husband was approved as sponsor, but never received anything in writing. I called CIC-M Friday and they said that they can't send anything in writing, but that the file is in Buffalo. So I emailed Buffalo on Friday and received a response today saying that they do not have my file.

Any thoughts on what to do here?

[OhCanadiana]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update and see if anyone has any advice! We were told that on March 28 my husband was approved as sponsor, but never received anything in writing. I called CIC-M Friday and they said that they can't send anything in writing, but that the file is in Buffalo. So I emailed Buffalo on Friday and received a response today saying that they do not have my file.

Any thoughts on what to do here?

Try calling the call centre again - it may be at a different visa office (not today though, it's Victoria Day)

[mapleleafs2011]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update and see if anyone has any advice! We were told that on March 28 my husband was approved as sponsor, but never received anything in writing. I called CIC-M Friday and they said that they can't send anything in writing, but that the file is in Buffalo. So I emailed Buffalo on Friday and received a response today saying that they do not have my file.

Any thoughts on what to do here?

I got an email directly with an attachment. Are you suppose to ge ta actual copy?

[podkayne8]

Anyone who was transferred to seattle who got their PPR or still awaiting. Did they update ECAS slow?

File was transferred 12/4/12 to Seattle but I've gotten no updates in ECAS.

Hi, I was notified by email when I was transferred to Seattle but other than that I never heard from Seattle until PPR. About a week before I got PPR, my ecas switched to "In Process". And now, even though I got PPR, my ecas still just says "In process" lol. I don't think ecas is updated all that often.

[podkayne8]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update and see if anyone has any advice! We were told that on March 28 my husband was approved as sponsor, but never received anything in writing. I called CIC-M Friday and they said that they can't send anything in writing, but that the file is in Buffalo. So I emailed Buffalo on Friday and received a response today saying that they do not have my file.

Any thoughts on what to do here?

Maybe Buffalo has transferred it to a satellite office - but they should still be able to tell you where. I would reply back saying that CIC-M informed you that your file was sent to Buffalo as of xx date and you are concerned as to where your file is. If they still say they don't have it I would contact CIC-M back and ask for a supervisor. Keep us posted!! 

[cgagnon]

My husband is a Canadian citizen and I am an American. My husband and I were dating long distance for a little over a year before we got married. We immediately began the application process afterwards. We decided the best route was to hire a lawyer to make sure everything got done right and nothing fell through the cracks (for reference for anybody our lawyer cost around $4,000 for the whole process but it also includes the filing and landing fees for PR). We are a few months shy of our one year anniversary and have finally acquired all of the paperwork requested. FBI check, medical exam, Canadian police report (because I had been in Canada for a collective 6+ months) and my husband's Schedule C forms. We needed 2010's but then when the calendar flipped over to 2012 we then had to wait for his 2011 taxes to be filed before we could acquire the current Schedule C. The acquiring process would have been shorter but it does take a while to get everything since government agencies take a while. It took the FBI almost 2 months to send me back my report. The RCMP was much quicker with theirs with a matter of weeks. Anyways, we are going to make an appointment with our lawyer soon and hand over the last of everything so we can FINALLY send it off and hope for the best

PS: We were told that pictures of us with each others friends and family help convince them of our relationship so we made sure to take lots of pics during holidays. He spent one Christmas and Thanksgiving with mine and I spent a Christmas with his in Canada. Also included is an 11+ page long call log from Skype to prove we had been in constant contact with each other despite the distance. Just an FYI for anybody maybe looking for things to include with their app

Wow your lawyer is doubled what i paid!!!! That is ridiculously high!!! David Cohen is my lawyer and this forum was created by his office. That is just crazy!

[mapleleafs2011]

Hi, I was notified by email when I was transferred to Seattle but other than that I never heard from Seattle until PPR. About a week before I got PPR, my ecas switched to "In Process". And now, even though I got PPR, my ecas still just says "In process" lol. I don't think ecas is updated all that often.

That's good news to hear. Thanks a lot.