What does AOS stand for and how long until I get one?

[British Matt]

Hi

I know AOS is to do with the receipt of an immigration application, but I'd like to know what AOS stands for please?

Also, I sent my application for permanent residency (family class visa) to the London office 2 weeks ago.  Can anybody tell me if and when I will receive an AOS?  Will this be by letter or email?

Many thanks in advance.

[whoopi83]

Hi Matt

I presume you sent the entire application to Missisuaga first?  They then forward the file to London once the sponsor is approved.  If you have sent the PR application to London you may have a problem....

The whole pack (sponsor forms and PR forms) are sent to CPC Miss. in Canada.  The sponsor is assessed for eligibility to sponsor - this takes around a month from you posting to them making the decision.  CPC then send a letter to the sponsor telling her/him the decision.  The file is then sent via diplomatic courier to London High Commission.  They will usually begin work on it within a month and it takes on average between 2-8 months for a decision - sometimes it's faster.  London occasionally send an Acknowledgement Of Receipt letter (AOR not AOS ;o) but not much.

[British Matt]

Hi there

Thanks for this, I have sent the application directly to London, as the guide said.  My sponsor lives with me in England, although she is a Canadian citizen.  This process is so confusing and the guidance isn't always clear.  I do hope now I have sent my application to London this does not hold up the process or cause problems! To be honest, this has made me worry even more now.  I don't have much faith in things like this at the best of times!

Any further advice I could take?  Is it possible or easy to contact the London office?

[ariell]

You should DEFINITELY contact the London office because you sent your application to the wrong place. The instructions tell you to mail the entire application to the Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, NOT to the visa office directly. As whoopi explained the CPC assess the sponsor's eligibility and THEN they send the application to London. I would contact them immediately to see if you can get your application back so that you can send it to the right office. Contact info is here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/missions/london.asp

[whoopi83]

Hi Matt

As far as I know the PR applicant is supposed to send/give the application to the sponsor who then mails everything off - to CPC Mississuaga.

After the person you are sponsoring has filled out all the sponsorship, immigration and region specific forms, they must send them to you with the supporting documents.

Once the all forms are properly filled out and all supporting documents are gathered, you must send the complete application kit to the Case Processing Centre.

Case Processing Centre – Mississauga
P.O. Box 3000, Station A
Mississauga, Ontario L5A 4N6

If you do not send the sponsorship and immigration applications together or these are not completed correctly, the Case Processing Centre will not process them. They will return the applications to you (the sponsor.)

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

I would presume London will send the application back to you.

Not sure what the process is for you to contact London - you can fax them or email them but there is no tel. number.  You may want to give a shoutout on this board to PMM - he knows so much.

[British Matt]

S**t

I feel such an idiot.  This will only delay things even more.

[whoopi83]

Don't feel too bad Matt; you're not the last I'm sure.

I presume the sponsor sent the sponship forms to Mississuaga?  Or did you send the entire package to London?  I would think they will return it, but do find the fax and email for London immigration division and get in touch.  London have been very good with ours and contrary to other views, they responded to 3 emails I sent within days.

[British Matt]

Thanks Whoopi.

My sponsor lives with me here in England, so we sent the whole application as one to London.  Sillly oversight really.  I did call the London office by phone today and they said in these circumstances they would send the whole thing back to me.  However, they were talking generically and didn't refer to my specific case.  They said to give it another week (it has been almost two weeks since I sent it) and get in touch with them if I don't hear anything.  They deal with important documents all the time, so I'm assuming they will take proper care of my paperwork and send it special delivery.

I'll email them as well just to be thorough and fax if this does not bear fruit.