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Application Stages + What They Mean (MEP, IP1, IP2, Ghost Update...) - Version 2019

Yaha14

Hero Member
Jun 11, 2017
310
70
Guys, there is my timeline.
Can someone clarify what my stage can be now.

Inland, CEC
AOR - May 31
Profile updated:MEP+We are reviewing your BG-July 9
Profile update email-July 10
Ghost update-July 10 (not sure if the email was for this update or for MEP just a day before. When I got the email that my profile was updated I logged in and saw it was updated indeed but no status changes)
Ghost update-July 12
 
Last edited:

Napre

Full Member
Jun 26, 2019
28
2
Category........
CEC
AOR Received.
06-06-2019
.
Guys, there is my timeline.
Can someone clarify what my stage can be now.

Inland, CEC
AOR - May 31
Profile updated:MEP+We are reviewing your BG-July 9
Profile update email-July 10
Ghost update-July 10 (not sure if the email was for this update or for MEP just a day before. When I got the email that my profile was updated I logged in and saw it was updated indeed but no status changes)
Ghost update-July 12
B
 

will2009

Full Member
Dec 27, 2017
40
12
Can anyone comment on my case please! Thanks a lot!

Basic information:
FSW - Inland, Express Entry
AOR: June 17 (biometrics included as I applied for study permit two years earlier)
MEP: July 22
Email Update: July 23 saying that my application has been updated, but I did not see any changes on my application status page.

A bit of confusion here:
- 7pm July 22, I checked my application and it said "Application updated" (no email). I opened up the page and saw that my biometrics was linkedin to my express entry application
- 9pm July 22, I checked my application again (yes, I am obsessed), and it said "Application updated) again (no email). I opened up the page and saw MEP.
- 8pm July 23, I received an email saying that my application has been updated. I opened my account and nothing changed.
- Since 7pm July 22, my BG check status has always been "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information". And that causes my confusion.

Hope someone can shed some light on my case like what happened and which step am I in now?
 

wick_sran

Hero Member
Mar 5, 2012
670
310
34
India
NOC Code......
2174
AOR Received.
04-06-2019
IELTS Request
01-02-2019
July 14 - Email notification regarding application update.

July 17 - Ghost Update -
Background check (Same since AOR) - We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
Biometrics - Completed.

July 24 - Ghost Update -
Background check - Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.
Biometrics - July 16, 2019 Completed.

Where do I stand as per theory of this thread?
 

Vishala1

Member
Jul 10, 2019
16
29
July 14 - Email notification regarding application update.

July 17 - Ghost Update -
Background check (Same since AOR) - We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
Biometrics - Completed.

July 24 - Ghost Update -
Background check - Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.
Biometrics - July 16, 2019 Completed.

Where do I stand as per theory of this thread?
What is your aor date
July 14 - Email notification regarding application update.

July 17 - Ghost Update -
Background check (Same since AOR) - We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
Biometrics - Completed.

July 24 - Ghost Update -
Background check - Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.
Biometrics - July 16, 2019 Completed.

Where do I stand as per theory of this thread?
 

joanexa

Full Member
May 13, 2019
27
7
IRCC has introduced a number of changes in recent months and it is time to update our understanding of the post-AOR stages. I am simply building on the amazing work of @northern sunshine in developing an explanation of the various stages we can use - informally - to track the progress of our application. Huge thanks in particular to @USProgrammer who has posited the underlying trends and found evidence for them. In short, the traditional transition from IP1 to IP2 to ghost update to PPR still holds but in a modified way due to these changes.

From 31 Dec 2018, everyone except for Inland candidates has to provide their biometrics which means the default starting stage applicants will see for their Background Check is ‘IP2’ (“We are processing your background check…”), however, this is a ‘False IP2’, meaning an IP2 that has appeared before it is actually due as the application has not in fact progressed to the IP2 stage yet.

If you have an AOR of 31 Dec 2018 or later, follow the chart below to track your progress. Candidates will remain in a state of 'False IP2' throughout their application and only see a series of 'ghost updates' following their MEP; the first such ghost update (which should follow shortly after MEP) will signify your Real IP1, the second ghost update will signify your Real IP2, and the third will be your ‘Final’ Ghost Update, following which you are likely to receive your PPR.

If you have an AOR date of up to 30 Dec 2018
, the chart also applies to you if you meet one or more of these conditions: you are a CEC or PNP-Inland candidate, you were required to provide your biometrics or you did not pay your RPRF upfront.

Note for FSW-Outland candidates who have an AOR date of up to 30 Dec 2018: If you did not need to provide biometrics and paid your RPRF upfront, the old transition from NA1 all the way to a Final Ghost Update will still apply to you. Your Background Check should have started in NA1 ("Not Applicable" 1), meaning your Background Check status said "Not Applicable" right after you submitted your application.

General:
EE
- Express Entry: Canada's score-based program for economic immigrants
CRS - Comprehensive Ranking System: System for ranking candidates for EE
ITA - Invitation to Apply: an invitation to apply for permanent residence
e-APR - electronic Application for Permanent Residence: the online application for PR after receiving an ITA
RPRF - Right of Permanent Residence Fee: a fee collected as part of your PR application
AOR - Acknowledgement of Receipt (of application): email confirming receipt of your application after you submit and pay your fees
ADR - Additional Document Request: IRCC sends a message asking you to provide a specific document to supplement your application.

Post-submission stages:
False IP2
- Usually right from AOR or just after MEP. Background Check shows "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.”
MEP - Medicals passed: review of medical results changes from "You do not need a medical exam." to "You have passed the medical exam." There is no email for MEP.
Ghost Update - When you log in, the application says it's been "updated" but none of the fields have changed. Once you logout and log back in, the application returns to being "submitted". Ghost updates are not announced by email and a candidate must check their profile daily to not miss them.
Ghost Update #1 or Real IP1 - "In progress" 1: Background Check changes to "Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check." Usually follows MEP. Some applicants (especially Inland and CEC) skip this stage. You should receive an email for your Real IP1 - the email will not provide any details, just that your application has been updated.
NA2 - "Not Applicable" 2: Background Check changes to "Not Applicable" again after IP1. Some applicants skip this stage and it is easily missed. No email.
Ghost Update #2 or Real IP2 - "In progress" 2: Background Check changes to "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." No email.
NA3 - "Not Applicable" 3: Background Check changes to "Not Applicable" again after IP2 (uncommon).
Ghost Update #3 or Final Ghost Update - Often considered a sign that PPR is coming soon. Not seen by all applicants.
PPR - Passport request: IRCC sends "Ready for visa" e-mail asking you to submit your documents to your visa office so they can issue your CoPR and entry visa if applicable. A PPR is announced only by email, and there may be no changes made directly to the profile. If you are worried you might miss it, you can whitelist the email domain @cic.gc.ca to ensure the email comes straight to your inbox.
CoPR - Confirmation of Permanent Residence: A document that says you've been approved for permanent residence.

Other notes:
1. The ‘eligibility’ and ‘final decision’ fields in your profile will not change to passed until after you receive your CoPR. This is an example of what a profile may look like following a CoPR.
2. Remember that these are not "official" stages, but they are used frequently throughout the forum to track the processing of applications.

This is a combined effort of @northern sunshine, @USProgrammer and myself. Please share your feedback - it is likely we have missed a few things!
I'm not sure I'm now IP2 or just false IP2?
My timeline:
AoR: 6.19
MEP: 7.24
got an email today but nothing changed in the profile.
BG check says:
  • We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
 

derkdsou

Champion Member
Oct 3, 2018
1,069
2,266
IP1, from the information you have provided.
July 14 - Email notification regarding application update.

July 17 - Ghost Update -
Background check (Same since AOR) - We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
Biometrics - Completed.

July 24 - Ghost Update -
Background check - Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.
Biometrics - July 16, 2019 Completed.

Where do I stand as per theory of this thread?
False IP2.
I'm not sure I'm now IP2 or just false IP2?
My timeline:
AoR: 6.19
MEP: 7.24
got an email today but nothing changed in the profile.
BG check says:
  • We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.
 

hopefulbuddy

Member
May 22, 2019
16
3
Hello my friends can anybody give me any idea which stage am I now please
-AOR June 18
-MEP July 23
-Application updated July 23 ( MEP and BG change from not applicable to we are processing...)
-Ghost update 1 July 24 around i pm
-Email update ( but no changes) July 24 after ghost update ( I thought it was for theMEP of previous day)
-Ghost update 2 July 24 around 5 pm
 

faisalmf

Hero Member
Jun 24, 2019
253
92
40
Pakistan
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
London
NOC Code......
7315
AOR Received.
17-01-2019
LANDED..........
28-06-2022
IRCC has introduced a number of changes in recent months and it is time to update our understanding of the post-AOR stages. I am simply building on the amazing work of @northern sunshine in developing an explanation of the various stages we can use - informally - to track the progress of our application. Huge thanks in particular to @USProgrammer who has posited the underlying trends and found evidence for them. In short, the traditional transition from IP1 to IP2 to ghost update to PPR still holds but in a modified way due to these changes.

From 31 Dec 2018, everyone except for Inland candidates has to provide their biometrics which means the default starting stage applicants will see for their Background Check is ‘IP2’ (“We are processing your background check…”), however, this is a ‘False IP2’, meaning an IP2 that has appeared before it is actually due as the application has not in fact progressed to the IP2 stage yet.

If you have an AOR of 31 Dec 2018 or later, follow the chart below to track your progress. Candidates will remain in a state of 'False IP2' throughout their application and only see a series of 'ghost updates' following their MEP; the first such ghost update (which should follow shortly after MEP) will signify your Real IP1, the second ghost update will signify your Real IP2, and the third will be your ‘Final’ Ghost Update, following which you are likely to receive your PPR.

If you have an AOR date of up to 30 Dec 2018
, the chart also applies to you if you meet one or more of these conditions: you are a CEC or PNP-Inland candidate, you were required to provide your biometrics or you did not pay your RPRF upfront.

Note for FSW-Outland candidates who have an AOR date of up to 30 Dec 2018: If you did not need to provide biometrics and paid your RPRF upfront, the old transition from NA1 all the way to a Final Ghost Update will still apply to you. Your Background Check should have started in NA1 ("Not Applicable" 1), meaning your Background Check status said "Not Applicable" right after you submitted your application.

General:
EE
- Express Entry: Canada's score-based program for economic immigrants
CRS - Comprehensive Ranking System: System for ranking candidates for EE
ITA - Invitation to Apply: an invitation to apply for permanent residence
e-APR - electronic Application for Permanent Residence: the online application for PR after receiving an ITA
RPRF - Right of Permanent Residence Fee: a fee collected as part of your PR application
AOR - Acknowledgement of Receipt (of application): email confirming receipt of your application after you submit and pay your fees
ADR - Additional Document Request: IRCC sends a message asking you to provide a specific document to supplement your application.

Post-submission stages:
False IP2
- Usually right from AOR or just after MEP. Background Check shows "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information.”
MEP - Medicals passed: review of medical results changes from "You do not need a medical exam." to "You have passed the medical exam." There is no email for MEP.
Ghost Update - When you log in, the application says it's been "updated" but none of the fields have changed. Once you logout and log back in, the application returns to being "submitted". Ghost updates are not announced by email and a candidate must check their profile daily to not miss them.
Ghost Update #1 or Real IP1 - "In progress" 1: Background Check changes to "Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check." Usually follows MEP. Some applicants (especially Inland and CEC) skip this stage. You should receive an email for your Real IP1 - the email will not provide any details, just that your application has been updated.
NA2 - "Not Applicable" 2: Background Check changes to "Not Applicable" again after IP1. Some applicants skip this stage and it is easily missed. No email.
Ghost Update #2 or Real IP2 - "In progress" 2: Background Check changes to "We are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." No email.
NA3 - "Not Applicable" 3: Background Check changes to "Not Applicable" again after IP2 (uncommon).
Ghost Update #3 or Final Ghost Update - Often considered a sign that PPR is coming soon. Not seen by all applicants.
PPR - Passport request: IRCC sends "Ready for visa" e-mail asking you to submit your documents to your visa office so they can issue your CoPR and entry visa if applicable. A PPR is announced only by email, and there may be no changes made directly to the profile. If you are worried you might miss it, you can whitelist the email domain @cic.gc.ca to ensure the email comes straight to your inbox.
CoPR - Confirmation of Permanent Residence: A document that says you've been approved for permanent residence.

Other notes:
1. The ‘eligibility’ and ‘final decision’ fields in your profile will not change to passed until after you receive your CoPR. This is an example of what a profile may look like following a CoPR.
2. Remember that these are not "official" stages, but they are used frequently throughout the forum to track the processing of applications.

This is a combined effort of @northern sunshine, @USProgrammer and myself. Please share your feedback - it is likely we have missed a few things!
Can u plz tell that it takes how many days after the third ghost update to receive ppr email?
 
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MathewD99

Full Member
Jan 15, 2019
44
29
India
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
27-10-2018
Hi guys,

I recently added my wife to my application(FSW-O).

Below is my timeline.
AOR - 27th Oct 2018.
Got married - 17 May 2019.
Received ADR for spouse's list of documents - 5 June 2019.
ADR uploaded - 2 July 2019.
Spouse name added to EE profile - 4 July 2019.

Ever since uploading the ADR files the status on my profile says:

Review of additional documents: Not applicable.

Could someone please explain to me does it mean? & What are the stages after uploading ADR?

Thanks in advance.
 

mbaleine

Hero Member
Mar 13, 2019
275
166
Hi guys,

I recently added my wife to my application(FSW-O).

Below is my timeline.
AOR - 27th Oct 2018.
Got married - 17 May 2019.
Received ADR for spouse's list of documents - 5 June 2019.
ADR uploaded - 2 July 2019.
Spouse name added to EE profile - 4 July 2019.

Ever since uploading the ADR files the status on my profile says:

Review of additional documents: Not applicable.

Could someone please explain to me does it mean? & What are the stages after uploading ADR?

Thanks in advance.
I also had "not applicable" after uploading the ADR. I tried doing some research on the forum, but couldn't come to anything conclusive. Below is just my own experience -- I'm just posting it here for reference; keep in mind that it may very well be different for you.

For me, I had an ADR for a PCC. A few hours after I uploaded the PCC, the ADR status turned into "not applicable".
About a month later, the ADR status turned into "we're reviewing the additional document you provided".
Two days after that, PPR.

Now, after visa was stamped and the application status became approved, dates were posted for the status items.
For background check, the completion date shows the date I uploaded the ADR.
For eligibility review, the completion date shows the date the ADR status turned into "reviewing" (which doesn't make much sense).

So maybe one shouldn't read much to the ADR status (or any of those statuses for that matter). Even though I'm expecting to get the passport back tomorrow, the ADR status is still showing "we're reviewing".
 

Indayclariss

Star Member
Jan 29, 2019
55
46
Hi All, would like to share my timeline. I'm a PR Applicant under spousal sponsorship.

Timeline:


March 22 - Application Received

March 16 - Sponsor Approval

May 23 - Transferred to MVO

May 27 - Started processing application PA

May 30 - Biometrics Completed

June 8 - Medical Passed

July 29 - Ghost Update

Will I be expecting PPR email soon? Thank you!
 

MathewD99

Full Member
Jan 15, 2019
44
29
India
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
27-10-2018
I also had "not applicable" after uploading the ADR. I tried doing some research on the forum, but couldn't come to anything conclusive. Below is just my own experience -- I'm just posting it here for reference; keep in mind that it may very well be different for you.

For me, I had an ADR for a PCC. A few hours after I uploaded the PCC, the ADR status turned into "not applicable".
About a month later, the ADR status turned into "we're reviewing the additional document you provided".
Two days after that, PPR.

Now, after visa was stamped and the application status became approved, dates were posted for the status items.
For background check, the completion date shows the date I uploaded the ADR.
For eligibility review, the completion date shows the date the ADR status turned into "reviewing" (which doesn't make much sense).

So maybe one shouldn't read much to the ADR status (or any of those statuses for that matter). Even though I'm expecting to get the passport back tomorrow, the ADR status is still showing "we're reviewing".

Hi Mbaleine,

Thanks for the information. I wish there was some kind of flow after submitting ADRs. But every case is different so it might not be possible to standardize the process.
I have completed 1 month today. No Ghost update for me yet. Since i added my Wife's name to my application It will probably take more than a month.
Fingers crossed.