Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[mjh49783aa]

No kidding! I've renewed mine myself, and it wasn't even hard to do! C'mon, people! Save your money!!

$1000? Is that what some immigration consultants charge for a simple visitor record extension that costs $75 if you do it yourself? My god, I think I may need to set up practice as an immigration consultant if that's the sort of prices they're charging (and people are actually paying)! 

[ddobro2]

Seriously. They probably justify charging that much because they have membership dues to pay (they're regulated by CSIS which makes them pay about a thousand dollars or more per year. Regulated unscrupulous immigration consultants is expensive, after all). But why would you want to set up shop as a consultant when you're already a lawyer?

$1000? Is that what some immigration consultants charge for a simple visitor record extension that costs $75 if you do it yourself? My god, I think I may need to set up practice as an immigration consultant if that's the sort of prices they're charging (and people are actually paying)! 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Seriously. They probably justify charging that much because they have membership dues to pay (they're regulated by CSIS which makes them pay about a thousand dollars or more per year. Regulated unscrupulous immigration consultants is expensive, after all). But why would you want to set up shop as a consultant when you're already a lawyer?

Ah well, if I went into it for real I'd do it as an immigration attorney, but mostly I was just incredulous that they'd charge that much. I don't know if I'd want to deal with CIC for the rest of my life though. Haha.

[ddobro2]

Haha, true but it beats dealing with CIC and giving them your money 

Ah well, if I went into it for real I'd do it as an immigration attorney, but mostly I was just incredulous that they'd charge that much. I don't know if I'd want to deal with CIC for the rest of my life though. Haha.

[Quince777]

Consultations alone with some big lawyers cost around $200-300. You guys are lucky if you could do things on your own.

[Quince777]

It's easy to renew your visitor record online with CIC. All you really need to do is fill out the questions, and scan the ID and signature page of your passport. It will be good to have the Client ID number from your visitor record, as well as the visa file number for your PR application. This is what I did, and I had no problems. Don't forget to give them proof of how you'll be financially supporting yourself while in Canada. (or how you'll be supported)

Since you have a month left, I would advise you to stay in Canada while you wait for your new visitor record to come in the mail, but I'd file it real soon. It will cost you $75 to renew your visitor record.

Here's a couple of links to help you out....

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/e-services/extend-visit.asp

Also, you should be aware that if you file your renewal app after your visitor record has expired, you'll be charged an extra $200 to restore your status!

When you do it online does it have an option of uploading files, such as bank statements and other documents? Or do you just submit an online app and explain your situation in the space provided in the actual form?

When I did mine last year I had to do it through paper-based application because they didn't have such option of uploading files and I needed to send them additional docs to support my app.

[Quince777]

Me three about the waste of youth part. I believe nhl has a wifey not a hubby, btw 

Thanks for correcting me but I can't keep up sometimes with everyone's gender

[Quince777]

Thankfully, I've spent most all of my youth while I was still young. (not that I'm necessarily old)

I feel like I am speeding up my aging process with all this immigration crap, thus reducing my "youth" time. Did it make sense to anyone what I just wrote ?

[mjh49783aa]

Yes it does. I've uploaded a scanned image of my passport, along with some financial information for them to look through. You'll also have the option of explaining your situation after you've uploaded your stuff, too.

When you do it online does it have an option of uploading files, such as bank statements and other documents? Or do you just submit an online app and explain your situation in the space provided in the actual form?

When I did mine last year I had to do it through paper-based application because they didn't have such option of uploading files and I needed to send them additional docs to support my app.

[veronica.law]

Anyone who applied in August 2011, already have their file in process ?
I keep checking everyday, and every time I check shows only " File Received".
How many weeks or months more I can be a PR
Can't wait cant wait!

I hope I can have a good news on my birthday haha

[ddobro2]

Possible but doubtful that Buffalo would finalize a file they received in October. There are plenty of people still waiting whose applications have been at the consulate since July or earlier.

Anyone who applied in August 2011, already have their file in process ?
I keep checking everyday, and every time I check shows only " File Received".
How many weeks or months more I can be a PR
Can't wait cant wait!

I hope I can have a good news on my birthday haha

[veronica.law]

Possible but doubtful that Buffalo would finalize a file they received in October. There are plenty of people still waiting whose applications have been at the consulate since July or earlier.

so you mean that Buffalo has already finalize some October applicant while some July applicants still waiting??
How is that possible....this is so random...

This is a very time wasting process haha
I really wish I will receive something by my bday that would be the best bday and Valentine's day gifts ever from my boyfriend haha

[AmericaninQuebec]

so you mean that Buffalo has already finalize some October applicant while some July applicants still waiting??
How is that possible....this is so random...

This is a very time wasting process haha
I really wish I will receive something by my bday that would be the best bday and Valentine's day gifts ever from my boyfriend haha

Thankfully not according to Ddobro2's spreadsheet. A 3 month total turn around time? I don't think anyone has seen that out of Buffalo in a few years now. I know someone who got PPR back in 2009 or 2010 (forget which) after a 4 mth wait (including spousal sponsorship app processing time), but that's pretty much the shortest I've ever heard of. I think a safe bet average is about 6 or 7 mths.

[veronica.law]

Thankfully not according to Ddobro2's spreadsheet. A 3 month total turn around time? I don't think anyone has seen that out of Buffalo in a few years now. I know someone who got PPR back in 2009 or 2010 (forget which) after a 4 mth wait (including spousal sponsorship app processing time), but that's pretty much the shortest I've ever heard of. I think a safe bet average is about 6 or 7 mths.

SO hopefully, I can get my pr 2or 3 months later.

[ddobro2]

There are no files received in October that have been finalized according to the spreadsheet. I acknowledged that it was possible because the latest-applying people to have already received PPR had their files at Buffalo in August and their PPRs 2 to 3 months later. On the other hand, there have been people whose files have been at Buffalo for 7 months or more before they get PPR. So yeah, you're absolutely right when you say that it's random. Just another bit of evidence that when CIC writes in its operations manual that it processes applications in the order it receives them, they are not exactly being honest. In fact, I don't know if anyone has noticed it but there's a big block of green in the June section of the spreadsheet with many people in a row above that are NOT in green. This is becoming like a pattern with CIC. Right now pretty much all the people applying in March are done. But in the summer, there started to be a rapid succession of March applicants getting PPR one after the other, coloring out a big block of green in the spreadsheet, while people from February and earlier remained waiting. CIC thinks it's cute if they skip a month or two and then work exclusively on people who applied in that month. Or maybe they have performance quotas each month and every once in a while, they decide to work exclusively on the latest batch of applicants' files, say June, so they can raise their average dramatically after having sat on their hands for files that CPC-M got in April and May. I don't know. Not cute though, nope.

so you mean that Buffalo has already finalize some October applicant while some July applicants still waiting??
How is that possible....this is so random...

This is a very time wasting process haha
I really wish I will receive something by my bday that would be the best bday and Valentine's day gifts ever from my boyfriend haha