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Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
123
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
While I know that people get very anxious about knowing whether their invaluable bundle of documentation was or was not actually received in Ontario, I don't see sending confirmation letters to people as a good use of CIC's time, unless this somehow helps them process sponsorship approvals faster, which I doubt. Tracking numbers and signatures, if using courriers, already take care of the issue of verifying delivery and CPC-M should focus on decreasing that currently 68-day waiting period instead of spending time sending out confirmations.
Quince777 said:
That must be a new procedure from CIC because this is first time I see this happening.
 

yooper

Star Member
May 16, 2011
85
1
Detroit, MI USA -> Sechelt, BC CANADA
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
13-06-2011
AOR Received.
11-08-2011
Med's Done....
w/ app
Passport Req..
06-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
20-12-2011
ddobro2 said:
While I know that people get very anxious about knowing whether their invaluable bundle of documentation was or was not actually received in Ontario, I don't see sending confirmation letters to people as a good use of CIC's time, unless this somehow helps them process sponsorship approvals faster, which I doubt. Tracking numbers and signatures, if using courriers, already take care of the issue of verifying delivery and CPC-M should focus on decreasing that currently 68-day waiting period instead of spending time sending out confirmations.
ddobro2: This weill speed up processing -- indirectly. The goal of ECAS is likely not just to keep applicants happy -- but to allow some insight into the process. Its not perfect -- and may never be. But it is likely to improve and it has effects. CIC does measure their performance. And that's good. And your very spreadsheet does the same -- and while it may have a very indirect effect, the knowledge lets applicants tailor their nudging of the system. And this will make the system faster.

It'll be hard to 'forget' a file and let it collect dust now. And the officers will know it.

(And while I'm at it, three cheers for you and your spreadsheet!)
 

Calgary-Bound

Hero Member
Jun 9, 2011
420
3
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
14/2/2011
AOR Received.
15/3/2011
File Transfer...
24/2/2011
Med's Done....
27/9/2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
02/04/2012
LANDED..........
28/04/2012
ddobro2 said:
5 months is nothing. Some were done in a little over 4 months and that includes an initial 2 month wait with Mississauga. Sigh..........who knows how much longer until I am out of this immigration hell.

I was just useing the 5months to 1 year as an example.Believe me I know there have been people getting done alot sooner especialy when I have been waiting 11 months already.
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
123
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Thanks, yooper.

From my understand of timemachine's post, they are informing people by way of email, so e-cas is not involved and I have no doubt that e-cas will remain as relatively useless as it has historically been. So I'm not sure what indirect effect you're talking about. In my thinking, adding the visa file numbers to correspondence at the time of sponsorship approval, which was their most recent change before this, would alleviate inquiries to CIC at the overseas offices and doesn't cost CPC-M that much in terms of administrative work. Sending confirmations that applications were received at CPC-M, however, doesn't do either of those things.

yooper said:
ddobro2: This weill speed up processing -- indirectly. The goal of ECAS is likely not just to keep applicants happy -- but to allow some insight into the process. Its not perfect -- and may never be. But it is likely to improve and it has effects. CIC does measure their performance. And that's good. And your very spreadsheet does the same -- and while it may have a very indirect effect, the knowledge lets applicants tailor their nudging of the system. And this will make the system faster.

It'll be hard to 'forget' a file and let it collect dust now. And the officers will know it.

(And while I'm at it, three cheers for you and your spreadsheet!)
 

Quince777

Hero Member
Aug 16, 2011
465
6
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
ddobro2 said:
While I know that people get very anxious about knowing whether their invaluable bundle of documentation was or was not actually received in Ontario, I don't see sending confirmation letters to people as a good use of CIC's time, unless this somehow helps them process sponsorship approvals faster, which I doubt. Tracking numbers and signatures, if using courriers, already take care of the issue of verifying delivery and CPC-M should focus on decreasing that currently 68-day waiting period instead of spending time sending out confirmations.
I think if the the app is sent from outside Canada senders can't see confirmation of delivery as far as I read from some people on this forum. Since I sent it within Canada I got a proof of delivery, so I didn't have any problems with that. Maybe CIC was receiving too many phone calls from people who sent in their apps wondering if CIC got it. So this new procedure might reduce some phone calls for CIC. But I agree with you that 68-day wait is ridiculously long in comparison to before.
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
123
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Hmn, I was under the impression that using a courier, you'll have a signature confirmation of your package being delivered, no matter what country you sent your application from, as long as you have your courier company (FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc) deliver to the *courier* address at Robert Speck Parkway and not to the P.O. box address.
Quince777 said:
I think if the the app is sent from outside Canada senders can't see confirmation of delivery as far as I read from some people on this forum. Since I sent it within Canada I got a proof of delivery, so I didn't have any problems with that. Maybe CIC was receiving too many phone calls from people who sent in their apps wondering if CIC got it. So this new procedure might reduce some phone calls for CIC. But I agree with you that 68-day wait is ridiculously long in comparison to before.
 

AmericaninQuebec

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2011
528
7
Quebec
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-02-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
05-12-2011
VISA ISSUED...
15-12-2011
LANDED..........
11-01-2012
Sigh. Apparently Buffalo likes to send my stuff to the "collect dust and forget about it" pile. I tried being polite and only sent emails to the generic contact addresses regarding my passport this week, and didn't even get a form response from them. I finally emailed the woman who (I assume mistakenly) wrote me back directly from her email address in November, and she wrote a couple hours later to tell me it had been mailed today. My reading on that is she called someone, who called someone, who sent someone to look in the "collect dust" pile, where it was found, then put in the "to mail" bin. Oh Buffalo. You are so incompetent it's not even funny anymore. ???
 

ddobro2

Champion Member
May 4, 2011
2,589
38
123
Montreal, QC Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Yep, they're FUBAR alright.
AmericaninQuebec said:
Sigh. Apparently Buffalo likes to send my stuff to the "collect dust and forget about it" pile. I tried being polite and only sent emails to the generic contact addresses regarding my passport this week, and didn't even get a form response from them. I finally emailed the woman who (I assume mistakenly) wrote me back directly from her email address in November, and she wrote a couple hours later to tell me it had been mailed today. My reading on that is she called someone, who called someone, who sent someone to look in the "collect dust" pile, where it was found, then put in the "to mail" bin. Oh Buffalo. You are so incompetent it's not even funny anymore. ???
 

mjh49783aa

Hero Member
Sep 22, 2011
285
2
Ontario, Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, USA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12-05-2011
Nomination.....
Sponsor approved: 13-06-2011
AOR Received.
03-11-2011
File Transfer...
28-06-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
04-01-2012
VISA ISSUED...
COPR received 13-01-2012
LANDED..........
15-01-2012
Passport is away! Time for me to cross my fingers and do my final waiting.
 

mjh49783aa

Hero Member
Sep 22, 2011
285
2
Ontario, Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, USA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12-05-2011
Nomination.....
Sponsor approved: 13-06-2011
AOR Received.
03-11-2011
File Transfer...
28-06-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
04-01-2012
VISA ISSUED...
COPR received 13-01-2012
LANDED..........
15-01-2012
Hey, I'm pulling for you. By all rights, you should've had your PPR before me.

ddobro2 said:
Yep, they're FUBAR alright.
 

Rouge

Star Member
Sep 1, 2011
96
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo ---> NY Visa office 29/2/2012
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
File Transfer...
NY Visa office 29/2/2012
Passport Req..
19-03-2012
VISA ISSUED...
29-03-2012
Hi,
Is this my AOR?
Does this mean they have also received my CSQ?

UCI: ********
Application No.: **********
Quote these numbers when corresponding with our office.
This is an automated message. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this message.

Dear Rouge,
This confirms that your application for permanent residence in Canada has been received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) on ****/**/**.


Consulate General of Canada
Visa Section
3000 HSBC Center
Buffalo, New York
14203-2884, USA
 

Quince777

Hero Member
Aug 16, 2011
465
6
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Rouge said:
Hi,
Is this my AOR?
Does this mean they have also received my CSQ?

UCI: ********
Application No.: **********
Quote these numbers when corresponding with our office.
This is an automated message. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this message.

Dear Rouge,
This confirms that your application for permanent residence in Canada has been received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) on ****/**/**.


Consulate General of Canada
Visa Section
3000 HSBC Center
Buffalo, New York
14203-2884, USA
Yeah, I got a similar e-mail. I'm not sure about CSQ, as I'm applying from a different province.
 

Rouge

Star Member
Sep 1, 2011
96
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo ---> NY Visa office 29/2/2012
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
File Transfer...
NY Visa office 29/2/2012
Passport Req..
19-03-2012
VISA ISSUED...
29-03-2012
Quince777 said:
Yeah, I got a similar e-mail. I'm not sure about CSQ, as I'm applying from a different province.
Cool!
also I find it weird that it has the date that CPC Mississauga received our application, not Buffalo. Is this normal?
 

mjh49783aa

Hero Member
Sep 22, 2011
285
2
Ontario, Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo, USA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12-05-2011
Nomination.....
Sponsor approved: 13-06-2011
AOR Received.
03-11-2011
File Transfer...
28-06-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
04-01-2012
VISA ISSUED...
COPR received 13-01-2012
LANDED..........
15-01-2012
You're welcome.

Could you update my stats on the spreadsheet when you get a minute?

ddobro2 said:
Thanks and congrats to you.