Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[hbwpg]

That's great news, congrats!

I noticed in your profile the meds were done in May of last year, did they request a new copy or extend the validity?

Thanks!

They never asked for a new copy or anything, so I assume they extended the validity. All they asked for once the application was in process was an RCMP check for my husband and more copies of the ROPF receipt which they had lost. I was concerned about the medical, but it was not a problem.

[sshelton]

Hey all,

I've been posting in the March thread, but I should share my timeline here as well:

15/3/2011: Application sent
16/3/2011: Application received by Mississauga
14/4/2011: Sponsorship approved
21/4/2011: Application received by Buffalo
7/6/2011: Status changed in ECAS to in process, medical results received
20/6/2011: Email from Buffalo: passport request for visa issuance

I'm freakin' ecstatic -- it's been under 100 days so far (98!) and I was preparing myself for a long wait, based on some of the timelines of the December/January groups and lack of updates from them  

I do have a question though before I go back to celebrating another step in the process.  I obviously want to send my passport off ASAP, but with the Canada Post strike, I'm not sure the best way to get my documents to Buffalo.  I'm in Canada right now (Vancouver); should I be sending it to Ft Erie or to Buffalo (I'm pretty certain the latter, just doublechecking)?  And should I wait til the Canada Post strike ends (hopefully this week) or send it via UPS?  If sending via UPS, do I just include a prepaid return waybill or should I affix said waybill to a document package box thingy? The instructions on the CIC's site are kind of confusing :|  Sorry for the dumb questions, just want to make sure I do this step right!

Congratulations fizzlefunk!!
Did you get any information from your ECAS regarding this, or was it just an out of the blue message from your lawyers? Just trying to get a sense of whether or not ECAS is a good indicator of where in the process one's application is. Thanks!

[Rinnerz]

Just trying to get a sense of whether or not ECAS is a good indicator of where in the process one's application is. Thanks!

It's not. Too many people get PPR with their eCAS still stuck at "Application Received" or "In Process". Some never get the "medicals received" update, even though their CAIPS notes clearly show they are. There have even been people reporting that it didn't change to "Decision Made" until a LONG time after they'd landed. How reliable it is depends on the officer updating it for your file.

[sshelton]

It's not. Too many people get PPR with their eCAS still stuck at "Application Received" or "In Process". Some never get the "medicals received" update, even though their CAIPS notes clearly show they are. There have even been people reporting that it didn't change to "Decision Made" until a LONG time after they'd landed. How reliable it is depends on the officer updating it for your file.

Thanks Rinnerz. Hoping you hear something soon.

[Rinnerz]

Thanks Rinnerz. Hoping you hear something soon.

Back atcha

[buffalo-toronto]

One more case of utter chaos at cic buffalo. They say it will atleast take 30 weeks for AOR and on the other hand they are issuing PPR to March applicants when Dec/Jan/Feb are waiting, is there seriously no order there? and you would expect border and immigration offices to be properly managed!!

[hbwpg]

One more case of utter chaos at cic buffalo. They say it will atleast take 30 weeks for AOR and on the other hand they are issuing PPR to March applicants when Dec/Jan/Feb are waiting, is there seriously no order there? and you would expect border and immigration offices to be properly managed!!

To make you feel better, we sent our application in September and it started processing Nov 12/10. We just got PPR *yesterday*.

Our case isn't complex - we're both mid twenties, no previous marriages or common law, no kids, and the only additional docs they wanted were more copies of the RPF they lost and an RCMP check, which was done in Jan.

If there's one thing we've learnt, it's not to compare your case to anyone else's. We didn't think ours would take that long and were disheartened to see people in Jan be approved before us. At the end of the day, there's no real standard. It'll happen, though. Best of luck to you.

[hbwpg]

Congratulations fizzlefunk!!
Did you get any information from your ECAS regarding this, or was it just an out of the blue message from your lawyers? Just trying to get a sense of whether or not ECAS is a good indicator of where in the process one's application is. Thanks!

Nah, I wouldn't put much (if any) stock into ECAS. Ours has been at "in process" since December, with zero updates. Like someone above said, it depends on the officer, but I wouldn't put stock in it. We'd check it regularly but when we really wanted answers we'd send an email.

[buffalo-toronto]

To make you feel better, we sent our application in September and it started processing Nov 12/10. We just got PPR *yesterday*.

Our case isn't complex - we're both mid twenties, no previous marriages or common law, no kids, and the only additional docs they wanted were more copies of the RPF they lost and an RCMP check, which was done in Jan.

If there's one thing we've learnt, it's not to compare your case to anyone else's. We didn't think ours would take that long and were disheartened to see people in Jan be approved before us. At the end of the day, there's no real standard. It'll happen, though. Best of luck to you.

Thats true, but one would expect an order atleast in an immigration office not just haphazardly issuing visas from anywhere, there is a sequence of completion of order even in a restaurant so why not in an immigration office? Thats what surprises me.

[sparkle]

I wonder if it's worth it to send another case specific inquiry by everyone from Dec/Jan/Feb group to make them realize their mistake. I know someone suggested that in our Dec thread....and now I really feel we should totally do it !

[pdb1]

Sparkle,

Just to let you know, so you can update the spreadsheet, that the sponsor my application was approved on June 7th and ecas says file transferred to Buffalo June 13.

[buffalo-toronto]

I wonder if it's worth it to send another case specific inquiry by everyone from Dec/Jan/Feb group to make them realize their mistake. I know someone suggested that in our Dec thread....and now I really feel we should totally do it !

I did email them twice in last 2 weeks regarding file # due to address and passport no. change. NO Replies yet.

[kayan]

Thats true, but one would expect an order atleast in an immigration office not just haphazardly issuing visas from anywhere, there is a sequence of completion of order even in a restaurant so why not in an immigration office? Thats what surprises me.

I completely agree! You'd think they would concentrate on the older applications before proceeding to the newer ones...

[dhd]

I did email them twice in last 2 weeks regarding file # due to address and passport no. change. NO Replies yet.

I e-mailed them just to check on our application and got yet another confusing reply:

Thank you for your enquiry.
 
We accept more than 2000 permanent resident applications every month, most of them priority cases. Circumstances beyond our control can create backlogs. Files are usually created in our database and acknowledge letters are sent to the applicant within 20 weeks of receipt. Any application submitted without the required documents and information will be returned to the applicant.

So, it's 20 weeks, or 30 weeks, or just whenever the heck they feel like it.  Oh, and after 20 weeks, we might send it back to you.

Argh!!!

[chinook65]

Hey all,

I've been posting in the March thread, but I should share my timeline here as well:

15/3/2011: Application sent
16/3/2011: Application received by Mississauga
14/4/2011: Sponsorship approved
21/4/2011: Application received by Buffalo
7/6/2011: Status changed in ECAS to in process, medical results received
20/6/2011: Email from Buffalo: passport request for visa issuance

I'm freakin' ecstatic -- it's been under 100 days so far (98!) and I was preparing myself for a long wait, based on some of the timelines of the December/January groups and lack of updates from them  

I do have a question though before I go back to celebrating another step in the process.  I obviously want to send my passport off ASAP, but with the Canada Post strike, I'm not sure the best way to get my documents to Buffalo.  I'm in Canada right now (Vancouver); should I be sending it to Ft Erie or to Buffalo (I'm pretty certain the latter, just doublechecking)?  And should I wait til the Canada Post strike ends (hopefully this week) or send it via UPS?  If sending via UPS, do I just include a prepaid return waybill or should I affix said waybill to a document package box thingy? The instructions on the CIC's site are kind of confusing :|  Sorry for the dumb questions, just want to make sure I do this step right!

Congrats! Mine was submitted around the same time. Hopefully that means I'm close! Good luck the rest of the way...