US outland applicants' thread :)

[Tullysgirl]

I DID IT!! I READ THRU ALL 23 PAGES HERE!!!  Now, on to Leon's!

I know I have another thread where I've still got questions on the Inland/Outland thing, but thinking Outland is the way to go. And OhCanadiana, you're patience, me thinks, has been tested. As well as other! LOL

I need to lean on and learn from your experiences, whilst my feet are a little a tad cold and mind trying's to unwind from the CIC website and all the informative posts here.  

You truly are gems. Thank you for being here for us inexperienced, doubting Thomas', question everything people.

[computergeek]

I DID IT!! I READ THRU ALL 23 PAGES HERE!!! 

I know I have another thread where I'm still trying to figure out the Inland/Outland thing. And OhCanadiana, you're patience me thinks, may be tested. As well as other! LOL

I need to lean on and learn from your experiences, whilst my feet are a little a tad cold and mind trying's to unwind from the CIC website. 

Bare with me ya'll?

Inland = "applicant is in Canada, application is processed in Canada"
Outland = "applicant is anywhere, application is processed outside Canada"

The time required varies, and is often the reason people choose one versus the other (e.g., pick whichever is faster.) 

For someone from the US the usual advice is to do it OUTLAND (which is currently 3 months + 12 months for 80% of applications, or 3 months + 8 months for 50% of applications).  There is some doubt about this with the Buffalo visa office closure, but INLAND is 11 months + 7 months for 50% and 11 months + 12 months for 80% for spousal, so for it to be better inland would require a significant slowdown from the previous Buffalo times.   Check back in a year and we'll all have more data. 

[Tullysgirl]

... Check back in a year and we'll all have more data. 

LOL Oh, I'm SO not waiting that long for info! I'm starting to gather my stuff now and will hopefully send it in by month's end and be on the same waiting game! 

[computergeek]

LOL Oh, I'm SO not waiting that long for info! I'm starting to gather my stuff now and will hopefully send it in by month's end and be on the same waiting game! 

The waiting is definitely the least pleasant part of this process.  My sponsored spousal application is my second - the first was an FSW application that they rejected last December (and for which I've just been granted Federal Court review).  The second is the spousal application filed in March (somewhere in the 3 years it took them to reject me the first time I married the person I'd started seeing just before I filed - and the grounds for rejection aren't grounds for rejection for sponsored spousal applications.)   Of course, given that I've already been rejected once I am expecting sponsored application to take longer than normal.  Then again, since I've already been examined and passed everything ELSE, it could go faster.  So all I can do is the same thing: play the waiting game.

[OhCanadiana]

I DID IT!! I READ THRU ALL 23 PAGES HERE!!!  Now, on to Leon's!

I know I have another thread where I've still got questions on the Inland/Outland thing, but thinking Outland is the way to go. And OhCanadiana, you're patience, me thinks, has been tested. As well as other! LOL

I need to lean on and learn from your experiences, whilst my feet are a little a tad cold and mind trying's to unwind from the CIC website and all the informative posts here.  

You truly are gems. Thank you for being here for us inexperienced, doubting Thomas', question everything people.

We all started knowing nothing .   Let me suggest that the most important things to read are CIC's instruction guides and if you can put the time im OP-2 and IP-2.   

Also, this advice I wrote up for someone may help you:

Thanks for the quick clarification.   Then, you can sponsor her as a common law spouse with no worries (well, hopefully you have photos too )   Take another look at my post above (I edited the post to answer your questions on the same post while you replied to my first paragraph )

To elaborate on your last question re how to do the application, let me suggest:

Download the forms and instructions for the application off of http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp.   Make sure you download the sponsor forms, the sponsored (principal applicant), and visa office specific forms.  Print each form out and also print the visa specific instructions.   Your call on whether to print the instructions or refer to them online.

Carve out half a day.   Grab your print outs, a pen, and a notebook or pad of paper.   Start filling in the application from end to end.   If you are super familiar with Adobe forms you can fill it out on the computer and just highlight the questions you don't have answers to but otherwise just do it by hand.   I would recommend doing it by hand so you don't get bogged down and can easily/quickly mark what you have and what is missing.   For anything you can't do quickly write it down on your pad - don't get stuck.  At the end, you should have a stack of filled out forms and clarity on what you are missing (eg detailed info on your wife's Mother's place of birth, middle names etc).   Pat yourself on the back.  Now you know what you have and what you need for your forms.

If you feel you can close the gaps yourselves (perhaps with some guidance from here) then you can do the application yourself.    

By the way, if you are a fast reader and have time and want to know all the details you can read all about how CIC will assess your application and details on things like the fact that there really is no financial req't for spousal support at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf and at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip02-eng.pdf.   At that point, you'll be an expert!

Good luck on this journey!!!  

[Tullysgirl]

We all started knowing nothing .   Let me suggest that the most important things to read are CIC's instruction guides and if you can put the time im OP-2 and IP-2.   

Also, this advice I wrote up for someone may help you:

OP-2 and IP-2? Que? :0)

Thank you for the advice, that was helpful!

I sit here, with binders, sheet protectors, note pads, dividers and pens. READY TO START AND ORGANIZE!!

Oh, and a reminder to everyone to check with CIC's webpage for the most current forms. (I'd printed out the Document Checklist-Sponsor for Outland months ago (prior to the mass confusion!) and noticed that it's IMM 5491 (07-2011) E....the link you have on the first page shows it as being a revised form from 06-2012) Good lesson on check and double check! DISASTER AVOIDED!

[Sweden]

OP-2 and IP-2? Que? :0)

Thank you for the advice, that was helpful!

I sit here, with binders, sheet protectors, note pads, dividers and pens. READY TO START AND ORGANIZE!!

Oh, and a reminder to everyone to check with CIC's webpage for the most current forms. (I'd printed out the Document Checklist-Sponsor for Outland months ago (prior to the mass confusion!) and noticed that it's IMM 5491 (07-2011) E....the link you have on the first page shows it as being a revised form from 06-2012) Good lesson on check and double check! DISASTER AVOIDED!

way to go Tullysgirl! you seem to be a fast learner, from posting 3 days ago not knowing where to start, to now having "material" to start organising your application, read most of the post, gotten some advice - and most of all, a lot of energy and enthusiasm!

Good luck with the whole process, hopefully you will be sending your application soon!
Sweden

[computergeek]

OP-2 and IP-2? Que? :0)

OP = Outland Processing (Manuals) - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/index.asp
IP = Inland Processing (Manuals) - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/index.asp

If you go to those pages you will find links to "OP 2" and "IP 2" (they are PDF documents).

Note: the best thing to do is search for these forms if the links are not valid (so search "OP 2").  For me, it's the first hit that comes up on the CIC website.

These are the manuals that CIC uses.  The master link for ALL processing manuals (CP,ENF,FW,IL,IN,IP,IR,OP,PP, and OB) is currently http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/index.asp.

[OhCanadiana]

OP-2 and IP-2? Que? :0)

Thank you for the advice, that was helpful!

I sit here, with binders, sheet protectors, note pads, dividers and pens. READY TO START AND ORGANIZE!!

Oh, and a reminder to everyone to check with CIC's webpage for the most current forms. (I'd printed out the Document Checklist-Sponsor for Outland months ago (prior to the mass confusion!) and noticed that it's IMM 5491 (07-2011) E....the link you have on the first page shows it as being a revised form from 06-2012) Good lesson on check and double check! DISASTER AVOIDED!

Glad the info helped

The links to OP-2 and IP-2 are CIC manuals that will give you lots of info - links are at the bottom of my self quote in the post you replied to:

Also, this advice I wrote up for someone may help you:

...
By the way, if you are a fast reader and have time and want to know all the details you can read all about how CIC will assess your application and details on things like the fact that there really is no financial req't for spousal support at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op02-eng.pdf and at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/ip/ip02-eng.pdf.   At that point, you'll be an expert!

Good luck on this journey!!! 

[Tullysgirl]

So, if I want to keep "one step" ahead of the game, I can read the OP-2 guide, which is what CIC uses to process Outland Apps? (btw-why would I want to read the IP guide if I'm applying Outland? Like I need help getting confused!! LOL)

I've printed: IMM 3910 Country Specific Instructions and both Guide 3900 Sponsorship of a spouse living outside of Canada (for Sponsor) & 3999 (for Sponsoree (??) as well as all the forms for the Sponsor and myself to fill out, plus have them page protectors in a binder. WHEW!)

Are there any other guides you recommend?

[OhCanadiana]

So, if I want to keep "one step" ahead of the game, I can read the OP-2 guide, which is what CIC uses to process Outland Apps? (btw-why would I want to read the IP guide if I'm applying Outland? Like I need help getting confused!! LOL)

I've printed: IMM 3910 Country Specific Instructions and both Guide 3900 Sponsorship of a spouse living outside of Canada (for Sponsor) & 3999 (for Sponsoree (??) as well as all the forms for the Sponsor and myself to fill out, plus have them page protectors in a binder. WHEW!)

Are there any other guides you recommend?

Because, technically, sponsors are inland so their application is an inland application (person + assessment done inland  @  CPC-M) so step 1 will be covered by IP-2.   Yours will be outland so it's covered by OP-2 for step 2.

Trust me - you have more than enough reading .   I'd start with the instructions and then go through the OP and IP.   Have a highlighter handy.

Oh, and I would seriously fill out your applications as you are going through the instruction guides.  Then read OP-2 and IP-2 as you gather evidence and review them to double check your thinking.   While lots of people on here have experience, that way you will have it straight from the source.

Enjoy your reading-filled weekend.   See ya Monday when you'll know it all! LOL!

[Tullysgirl]

Because, technically, sponsors are inland so their application is an inland application (person + assessment done inland      @      CPC-M) so step 1 will be covered by IP-2.   Yours will be outland so it's covered by OP-2 for step 2.

Trust me - you have more than enough reading .   I'd start with the instructions and then go through the OP and IP.   Have a highlighter handy.

Oh, and I would seriously fill out your applications as you are going through the instruction guides.  Then read OP-2 and IP-2 as you gather evidence and review them to double check your thinking.   While lots of people on here have experience, that way you will have it straight from the source.

Enjoy your reading-filled weekend.   See ya Monday when you'll know it all! LOL!

OH!! I understand now. K. Got it. Roger. Check. Comprende. Okey Dokey. IP=hubby. OP=me. And hence, whey CPC-M transfers the file to CPC-O!!  

I just posted to the Sponorship thread, but OhCanadiana, I just printed the IMM0008 and IMM1344 and neither had the barcodes on them. This sounds like an issue....I thought we were supposed to use the barcoded forms.... ??

BAH! I'll need to be commited for a psych eval if I got it all in me noggin' over the weekend.  

[computergeek]

I just posted to the Sponorship thread, but OhCanadiana, I just printed the IMM0008 and IMM1344 and neither had the barcodes on them. This sounds like an issue....I thought we were supposed to use the barcoded forms.... ??

The form generates the barcodes after you press the "Validate" button.

Those barcodes encode all the data you enter on the forms so when they reach CIC they can just scan them and your data is entered into the computer.  It avoids the keypunch step and decreases the chances the data won't be entered properly into the computers.

[Tullysgirl]

The form generates the barcodes after you press the "Validate" button.

Those barcodes encode all the data you enter on the forms so when they reach CIC they can just scan them and your data is entered into the computer.  It avoids the keypunch step and decreases the chances the data won't be entered properly into the computers.

Woah. Never thought of it that way. That's pretty awesome actually, that they can do that. Thanks! I'm going to add this to the Sponsorship thread, it's being discussed as we speak...

[computergeek]

Woah. Never thought of it that way. That's pretty awesome actually, that they can do that. Thanks! I'm going to add this to the Sponsorship thread, it's being discussed as we speak...

I wrote code to generate (and read) barcodes on paper forms back in the early 80s for a mortgage processing company.  They can be a major time-saver.  Of course, CIC is just now getting around to actually using this new-fangled technology.  In their defence, they are using 2D barcodes (which allow them to encode more information). 

Here's a decent post for you to read when you need a distraction from CIC forms: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/barcodescanners.html. There's a nice link to 2D barcodes ("QR codes") as well.