Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[Rinnerz]

Thank you Rinnerz.

Just a couple follow-up questions. 

I was under the impression if we mailed it into Buffalo, we could pick-it up?  But your response leads me to believe, if we mail it in then it's mailed back. 

That's never been done as far as I know. Buffalo will give you instructions, and they will be to either:

1) Go down there in person, hand it in yourself, and pick it back up within 1-2 hours, OR
2) Mail it, in which case it is mailed back to you.

So when we get the request for passport, could we drop it off to Buffalo and get it back at the same time?  We are only about an hour drive from Buffalo.  If we drop off the passport to Buffalo, do we need to make an appointment, or just show-up?

^ See above. You can most definitely go there in person. You don't need an appointment. The best thing to do would be to show up really early (around 7:30 AM or so) so that you're one of the first in line, before things get too busy. Everyone else on here who has done this has been able to pick their passport back up within a couple of hours.

Also, my husband is currently a permanent resident of the US/greencard.  When he lands, does he have to turn in his permanent residence/greencard status?

Nope. Canadian immigration officers won't be concerned or even ask him about his US green card. So if there WERE any issues, it would be from the US side of things. I've never heard of it even being asked, though.

[Cindy1]

Thanks for clarifying this for me Rinnerz.

[adetia9]

Cindy1:  Definitely go in person!!! Chancing your passport in the mail is risky and a huge cause for anxiety.

To the person who asked:  I liken Buffalo to a busy emergency room.  Sometimes when an emergency room gets so overwhelmed with patients, they divert some of the ambulances into other hospitals.  Those of us that got our applications in in the first quarter of the year last year... many of us took the full average or longer for various reasons.  Sometime around late spring/summer Buffalo appeared to get its act together by diverting a large number of those applications to satellite offices to help them catch up (these were turned around super fast in alot of cases)... and now their own processing time is MUCH MUCH faster.  of course, there are probably lots of political and other reasons why, not the least of which being the increased effort to reunite families who are separated.

i know for alot of us that waited a long time it was really frustrating watching people zip right through, but still being happy for them, just praying for movement on your own app. 

As to myself specifically, the person who reviewed my file back in June of 2010 put in a bad bring forward date, so there was no trigger for anyone to ever look at it again.  We discovered this later via our CAIPS notes, and then we took as many steps as we could think of to bring the matter to someone's attention, and get it resolved.  Once we had their attention, it was only a day until we had our PPR in my email.

Things are definitely moving faster now, in my humble opinion, for most applications... and that's a very, very good thing.

of course this is all just my 2 cents, for whatever its worth.

[chess101]

I don't know what's going on with my application anymore. I finally just received confirmation that Buffalo got my email,
Initially our file started processing Sept. 27 2010, we sent in all additional documents upon their request. They sent us an AOR on Oct. 07 2010, since then nothing! Mississauga said they notified Buffalo that the RPRF has been paid ( dec. 06 2010). But nothing from Buffalo! I'm just worried since it seems like everyone is getting their Passport requests and we're still waiting from last year

[adetia9]

Lord knows I felt that way too, and understand your frustration.
Order your CAIPS notes. If I'd known how easy it was, I would have done it much sooner.
For us, it was a catalyst to figuring out what went awry, and how to fix it.

If either you or your spouse is in Canada, fax in the CAIPS notes request -- they fast track these above other requests.

[chess101]

Thanks! I wasn't going to order them because I felt like we'd just get the passport request soon but it's just not happening I'll get on it right now!
Where can I find the fax number? How do you pay the 5$ fee if I'm faxing the request?

[Francis123]

Has anyone overnighted their passport to Buffalo and included a self-addresses UPS/FedEx paid for overnight return label with envelope? Will this speed the process up or will the actual processing time of the issuing of the visa still take 2-3 weeks?

[Rinnerz]

Has anyone overnighted their passport to Buffalo and included a self-addresses UPS/FedEx paid for overnight return label with envelope? Will this speed the process up or will the actual processing time of the issuing of the visa still take 2-3 weeks?

From Buffalo's own website about mailing passports (http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/mailing_instructions_d_expedition.aspx?lang=eng):

"Return of your documents from the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo:

**UNLESS YOU SUPPLY A PREPAID EXPRESS MAIL (UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE) OR XPRESSPOST (CANADA POST) ENVELOPE, YOUR PASSPORT(S) WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU VIA REGULAR MAIL. WE DO NOT ACCEPT FedEx, UPS, PUROLATOR OR ANY OTHER COURIER COMPANY ENVELOPES - EVEN IF THEY ARE PREPAID BY CREDIT CARD OR ACCOUNT NUMBER.

We strongly encourage you to use United States Postal Service or Canada Post premium mail service. This allows you to track the delivery and return of your passports and applications."

Bottomline is that you'll need to follow the instructions they send you when they request your passport, but their website instructions seem to match what people's PPR letters usually say, i.e. no couriers for returns.

Also, confirmation for Cindy's earlier question about mailing the passport and then picking it up in person:

"Our office is not liable for lost or stolen passports. Passports sent to us by mail cannot be picked up in person."

[buffalo-toronto]

From Buffalo's own website about mailing passports (http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/imm/mailing_instructions_d_expedition.aspx?lang=eng):

"Return of your documents from the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo:

**UNLESS YOU SUPPLY A PREPAID EXPRESS MAIL (UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE) OR XPRESSPOST (CANADA POST) ENVELOPE, YOUR PASSPORT(S) WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU VIA REGULAR MAIL. WE DO NOT ACCEPT FedEx, UPS, PUROLATOR OR ANY OTHER COURIER COMPANY ENVELOPES - EVEN IF THEY ARE PREPAID BY CREDIT CARD OR ACCOUNT NUMBER.

We strongly encourage you to use United States Postal Service or Canada Post premium mail service. This allows you to track the delivery and return of your passports and applications."

Bottomline is that you'll need to follow the instructions they send you when they request your passport, but their website instructions seem to match what people's PPR letters usually say, i.e. no couriers for returns.

Also, confirmation for Cindy's earlier question about mailing the passport and then picking it up in person:

"Our office is not liable for lost or stolen passports. Passports sent to us by mail cannot be picked up in person."

Well if you have sent the passport to the Buffalo office and you are in canada, you cannot pick up the passport in person anyways as you would not have a passport to enter USA

[Rinnerz]

Well if you have sent the passport to the Buffalo office and you are in canada, you cannot pick up the passport in person anyways as you would not have a passport to enter USA

Not entirely true. US citizens who own US Passport Cards could come and go across land and sea borders without their actual passport book.

[adetia9]

Thanks! I wasn't going to order them because I felt like we'd just get the passport request soon but it's just not happening I'll get on it right now!
Where can I find the fax number? How do you pay the 5$ fee if I'm faxing the request?

If either you or your spouse is in Canada, that should be the person putting in the request.  No fee is needed form within Canada.

For example, I am American (so far ), and I am at the tail end of the process, but I had a Canadian mailing address I could use (my house with my husband), so I sent it off.  If you are "visiting" canada, thats close enough... just fill out the form, fax it in, and from what most folks have posted your caips notes will come usually in about 3 weeks but sometimes it takes closer to five or thereabouts.

Things you should look for:

Make sure each person in your application has their medical information properly posted with a date, etc.
Check for a note indicating they received your fbi clearances, etc.
Check your bring forward date. Make sure it is in the future!
Once you get your caips notes, if you have any questions, come back and ask away... numerous folks have been very helpful with interpreting them.

[doctorkb]

Congrats Pharoh and Nemeria for the progress !!

I have a quick question for everyone...would really appreciate if someone could help with it!
I travel across the border to US every weekend to see him (we aren't too far). My passport is expiring on May 22 this year and already they've started bugging me a bit at the border every time I try to cross. I was going to wait until we get the PPR before I send my passport for renewal as I was planning on changing my name at the same time (taking my husband's last name)
Now if I renew the passport right now and change the name, I will have to change it on every official document and I guess send all that Buffalo maybe as the information they would have for me, the sponsor won't be exactly correct. I just hope all that won't delay our file. Or should I just wait until May end, and hope to get the PPR until then, and then renew the passport !
Please help !!

Hey Sparkle,

My wife had a similar problem.  Not expiring, but she only had a couple half-pages left in her passport.  We decided to send it for renewal and change her name.  I'm assured that CIC can figure out that the new last name is due to marriage (as it's the same as mine, the sponsor AND they have the marriage certificate).  I don't see WHY you'd need to change ALL documentation.  Besides, when you send the passport, they have photos of you to match everything up as well.

It's probably worth renewing -- it's not worth having an invalid passport or one they can't put the visa into!

(BTW, congrats, Pharoh and Nemeria!)

[Iamrobot85]

My status changed last night to "Decision Made" as well.  People seem pretty excited about this when it happens to them, so this is a good thing, right?  I am surprised because I never received an AOR or an initial assessment saying my interview was waived.  But my feeling after reading these posts is that it's extremely rare that they would reject you without giving you an interview first, no?

Also, how long, usually, does it take to receive PPR after your status changes to Decision Made?

Thanks

P.S. Sorry for the repost, but I think my earlier post was buried and no one noticed it lol

[doctorkb]

My status changed last night to "Decision Made" as well.  People seem pretty excited about this when it happens to them, so this is a good thing, right?  I am surprised because I never received an AOR or an initial assessment saying my interview was waived.  But my feeling after reading these posts is that it's extremely rare that they would reject you without giving you an interview first, no?

Also, how long, usually, does it take to receive PPR after your status changes to Decision Made?

Thanks

P.S. Sorry for the repost, but I think my earlier post was buried and no one noticed it lol

What's your timeline, iamrobot?  (BTW: if you put it in your site profile, it shows up under your name, then people stop asking)

[Iamrobot85]

We were approved for sponsorship towards the end of December and Buffalo started processing my application on the third of February.  I never received an AOR or an initial assessment.  This might be because I used an immigration consultant.