Thread for Outland LONDON, UK Applications!

[Baloo]

The process takes as long as it takes.

If your husband is a Brit' citizen he can travel to Canada for a visit, without a visa (visa exempt).
He will not be able to work in Canada, and as you are applying outland, if an interview is required he will have to return to the UK.

If approved, his passport can be sent to London and will be returned to Canada, no need for him to travel back for that.

[spacey]

I am a Canadian Citizen sponsoring my British husband and having a total nightmare with our application in London. They have had his PR application in London since October 2010 and then asked for 2 police certificates from France and New Zealand where he lived 10 years ago. They received the French one months ago and the New Zealand one got lost in the post or it hasn't arrived yet.  They say it can take them weeks to even open their post from Sydney. We have since Fedex'ed another form but still no joy.

Would love to know after all this how long it might take to get it approved?! I am planning on leaving the UK next month and leaving my husband here. I can't find out anywhere if he can come and join me in Canada while he waits for his PR to be approved. He wouldn't work etc.  Will this mess up our application and will he have to come back to London to pick up his PR once it is approved or can he collect it in Canada???  Any help would be appreciated!!

If you look at others timelines it can be anywhere from 2 months to up to a year. It really depends on how much proof you provide them and how straight forward your case is or if they request additional documents. Some people that applied in October are now recieving their passport requests and requests for additional documents. Others from september still haven't heard anything. So it really depends. As for your husband joining you. If he can provide proof that he does intend to leave canada after his visit- like you normally would flying in, there is no reason he can't stay with you for up to six months before applying for an extention- others on this thread would know more about this as we have chosen to have my husband remain in the UK until this process is over.

[motul2000]

Hey Peeps,
  Just had an hour and 10 mins interview at the london CHC office yesterday and the VO promised to get back to me via email to tell me the outcome and said she would request for passport if her decission is positive after review, she did mentioned I would need to pay landing fees before I told her we have already paid all fees, so she promised getting back. But my question is how long does it normally take VO from london office to get back to applicant after interview? And why didnt she give me the visa right away after the interview?
  Anyone had this experience before? Pls help!!!!!!!

Hi fredrickpedro:

I know some people get their visa the same day after interview, it depends on how much VO believe the truth of your marriage and the evidence you provide.
Do you mind to tell us what was the interview about? What did they ask about?

[Rob.Barrett]

Hey Peeps,
  Just had an hour and 10 mins interview at the london CHC office yesterday and the VO promised to get back to me via email to tell me the outcome and said she would request for passport if her decission is positive after review, she did mentioned I would need to pay landing fees before I told her we have already paid all fees, so she promised getting back. But my question is how long does it normally take VO from london office to get back to applicant after interview? And why didnt she give me the visa right away after the interview?
  Anyone had this experience before? Pls help!!!!!!!

Please let us know your case details - seems odd that a marriage called for a interview...

[mmhughes]

There was no sticker as it was an email. They asked that we include our file number (Given to us in the email) on the top left hand of the envelope and corresponance we sent.  

That's a very good sign that your file will not be put at the bottom of the list. Most likely they'll continue processing it once it reaches their office again. They would have never asked you to identify your envelope if they weren't going to give it special treatment. It's all good!

[mmhughes]

The process takes as long as it takes.

If your husband is a Brit' citizen he can travel to Canada for a visit, without a visa (visa exempt).
He will not be able to work in Canada, and as you are applying outland, if an interview is required he will have to return to the UK.

If approved, his passport can be sent to London and will be returned to Canada, no need for him to travel back for that.

And correct me if I'm wrong - but after six months and if you still haven't heard anything (which I personally think is highly unlikely) then your husband doesn't have to technically return to the UK, he just has to leave Canada for a certain amount of time. So I think a weekend long trip to the US should suffice.

[spacey]

That's a very good sign that your file will not be put at the bottom of the list. Most likely they'll continue processing it once it reaches their office again. They would have never asked you to identify your envelope if they weren't going to give it special treatment. It's all good!

We can only hope. It was a long day of doubts yesterday but after a few tears and being upset with being so stupid as to miss an entire form we are back to waiting and being hopeful. Keeping myself busy and staying positive is the only thing that gets me through. We had tracking and it arrived at 11 am this morning. So wishful thinking is that it found its way into our folder not at the bottom of the pile
The support has been so fantastic here. Funny how a simple response to something can raise your spirts

[pinklady]

And correct me if I'm wrong - but after six months and if you still haven't heard anything (which I personally think is highly unlikely) then your husband doesn't have to technically return to the UK, he just has to leave Canada for a certain amount of time. So I think a weekend long trip to the US should suffice.

Which is risky, as the US might deny you entry like they almost did to me when i had been in canada for 5 months and 1 week. US border ummmed and ahhhhhed then decided I was 'Canada's problem' and let me in for a holiday.

[Baloo]

You can "land" while inside Canada; As soon as you have your passport and COPR, phone the call centre and make an appointment for "landing" at your local CIC office.

[mmhughes]

We can only hope. It was a long day of doubts yesterday but after a few tears and being upset with being so stupid as to miss an entire form we are back to waiting and being hopeful. Keeping myself busy and staying positive is the only thing that gets me through. We had tracking and it arrived at 11 am this morning. So wishful thinking is that it found its way into our folder not at the bottom of the pile
The support has been so fantastic here. Funny how a simple response to something can raise your spirts

Unless Mississauga does things differently, I'm speaking from experience. My husband missed a signature and forgot to sign the back of his passport sized photos and they sent the ENTIRE application back to us. They gave us a sticker to put on the envelope depicting our file number and in under a week of sending it back to the office ECAS was updated that a decision was made and that a letter was sent. We received our official letter around 1.5 weeks or so after re-sending the application. In essence, we didn't have to wait another month or more for them to continue processing the sponsorship applicaiton. So I'm assuming that the PR application is similiar.

[Baloo]

And correct me if I'm wrong - but after six months and if you still haven't heard anything (which I personally think is highly unlikely) then your husband doesn't have to technically return to the UK, he just has to leave Canada for a certain amount of time. So I think a weekend long trip to the US should suffice.

IMO it is better to apply for an extension.

[mmhughes]

Which is risky, as the US might deny you entry like they almost did to me when i had been in canada for 5 months and 1 week. US border ummmed and ahhhhhed then decided I was 'Canada's problem' and let me in for a holiday.

That's the first time I heard of that happening! Loads of my family members (including my hubby) as well as friends have been doing that for years! Going to the US for a long weekend visit or continuing to travel into the US after quite a few months working in Whistler, BC and bumming about as travelling hippies. It's sounds like you got a grumpy Customs Officer Sorry to hear that.

[pinklady]

That's the first time I heard of that happening! Loads of my family members (including my hubby) as well as friends have been doing that for years! Going to the US for a long weekend visit or continuing to travel into the US after quite a few months working in Whistler, BC and bumming about as travelling hippies. It's sounds like you got a grumpy Customs Officer Sorry to hear that.

Yeah, I think I did get power hungry guy having a bad day. Thankfully though he asked his superior before making the final decision, and his boss told him to let me enter. Was VERY stressful!!
I have never wanted to risk it again though.
Being denied entry to the US is not the answer!!

[pinklady]

Unless Mississauga does things differently, I'm speaking from experience. My husband missed a signature and forgot to sign the back of his passport sized photos and they sent the ENTIRE application back to us.

Oh my Goodness, now I am totally scared!! I am pretty certain that I did NOT sign the backs of the passport photos. I'm expecting sponsorship approval for my husband anyday now and getting more worried by the hour arrrgghhhhh!

[mmhughes]

Oh my Goodness, now I am totally scared!! I am pretty certain that I did NOT sign the backs of the passport photos. I'm expecting sponsorship approval for my husband anyday now and getting more worried by the hour arrrgghhhhh!

Oh dear! I didn't mean to stress you pinklady. And it's seriously not a big deal if they send your application back because you forgot to sign something. In all honsty, it pushed us back by two weeks max. Please don't worry. Historically speaking, Mississauga got in trouble for sending "incomplete" applications to the London office (as I was told). So if you forgot anything most likely they will return your application (yes the entire darn thing) to your house in Canada (assuming that you are the sponsor). If your husband is in the UK right now, and he forgot a signature, I'm afraid you'll have to send that particular form or photos to him in the UK to sign, then he'll have to send it back to you so that you can send off the entire application back to Mississauga. But they will give you a sticker to put on the front of your application with the initials of the officer who is looking at your application. Therefore, it'll be put right on his desk once you re-submit your application and he will process it straight away. Please stay strong and roll with the punches. It'll all be worth it in the end.

PS - you only have to sign the back of one photo per set. They will send you a detailed letter explaining that.