Question on Passport request (PPR)

[fnet87]

Hi guys,

I'm sponsoring my wife (French citizen) through the outland process (The first step (sponsor) was approved and application fowarded to Paris VO on July 3, 2012) and now on e-CAS the status says:

"We started processing xxxxx's application on August 10, 2012."

A couple of questions:

1) My wife and I live in Canada and she's here on a student visa. When they approve everything and whe she gets her passport request (hoping all goes well), does that mean she needs to travel back to France and provide the passport to the Paris VO, and wait until that's done to come back to Canada? Or do you provide the passport at the border when you re-enter into Canada (i.e. cross the boarder into US and back)? Would be helpful if someone can explain this process...

2) Does the 8-month estimated wait time start from August 10, 2012 or would it be shorter now that they started processing it?

Thanks!

 

[Sweden]

hey!

as your wife is from a visa-exempt country, once the VO has assessed your application, you will be asked for a photocopy of her passport, but not the passport itself anymore ( procedure has changed last year for visa-exempt citizen). The Vo will mail you (to the address indicated in the application, but you can change it online) her COPR ( confirmation of PR). With that, she will have to "land" (complete landing procedures to activate her PR). That can be done either by leaving the country and entering again ( to the US if you are close to the border), or by taking an appointment at a local CIC office, or at an international airport - but that last option is still discussed as apparently some people say it can be done, some don't - so call the airport to check. Otherwise CIC local office.

Once that is done - she is officially a PR, and she will get her PR card in Canada ( she will be asked when she lands to which address the PR card should be sent).

the 8 months waiting time starts from when your file has reached your VO ( so when you were approved as a sponsor). now - it looks like you are already "in process", so if your case is straightforward, you probably won't have to wait for much longer. Keep on checking ecas! last week an applicant from Paris VO got the COPR in a little over 2 months ... so it's good that it went in "in process", and as soon as it says "decision made", it should be good! the COPR will be mailed to you, so make sure that you have provided the correct address.

Hope this helps - if you have questions, don't hesitate!
Cheers,
Sweden

 

[fnet87]

Thanks Sweden! That was a very thorough answer!