- Jan 11, 2021
- 28
- Category........
- STUDY
- Visa Office......
- Ottawa
- App. Filed.......
- 04-08-2020
- Med's Done....
- 08-02-2020
Profile:
I'm in my twenties. I have a heart disease (so waiting for the medical examination result was exceptionally stressful for me). I have no high school education (only a GED diploma taken and passed in Singapore last 2018). I have no properties in my name, I have only little money in my bank account, and my aunt & uncle funded my schooling (sponsors). I work two full time jobs remotely.
So many red flags if I am to criticize the Principal Applicant's profile.
However, somehow, I do know what I did right - my SOP was written very elaborately and I covered as much bases as I can.
Here is my timeline:
Thoughts:
I received the famous "We sent you a message about your application" last night. When I logged in, the letter I was expecting to read was that I needed to complete another medical examination because it was already expired. What I received instead was BVL. I refreshed the page quite a million times in the next 30 minutes, logged in and out a couple of times, and just sat there drowning in my own thoughts. It could be an approval or refusal, but either way it's a final decision and I can have my closure if it's the latter.
After an hour or so, the OPR came next.
I know I have said in the title that it's a 6-month journey but in fact, it's more than a year already since I began working on my application. A lot has happened during that period and the pandemic truly made it so much more difficult to accomplish some things. Studying online is not easy, the 11-hour time difference will tire you out and throw you off your natural habits, and the school work will pile up and sneak up on you on your most stressful days.
With that, I would just like to thank each and everyone who have given their valuable insights during my application process, those who shared their progress, their tips and tricks, their amazing machine learning capabilities (in such a way that they are able to track a pattern in the behaviour and actions of IRCC).
Tips:
[Disclaimer: I am not an expert. These tips are solely based on my experiences as an applicant.]
Cheesiness:
Most of us have a dual intent in the application which means that we have set our goals and would like to achieve it. Therefore, to my fellow applicants who are still waiting, I know it's hard to keep holding on. The frustration is real, the stress is real, and sometimes these factors can affect our daily lives to some extent.
But everyday we sleep dreaming about the things we would become if we get approved, and everyday wake up with a fire in our heart that keeps us going.
So there, thank you for reading.
I sincerely hope and pray for your success.
I'm in my twenties. I have a heart disease (so waiting for the medical examination result was exceptionally stressful for me). I have no high school education (only a GED diploma taken and passed in Singapore last 2018). I have no properties in my name, I have only little money in my bank account, and my aunt & uncle funded my schooling (sponsors). I work two full time jobs remotely.
So many red flags if I am to criticize the Principal Applicant's profile.
However, somehow, I do know what I did right - my SOP was written very elaborately and I covered as much bases as I can.
Here is my timeline:
- 09 February 2020 - Completed IELTS
- 18 February 2020 - Upfront Medical Completed
- 05 March 2020 - Acceptance to NSCC
- 04 August 2020 - Lodged SDS Application
- 08 September 2020 - Fall 2020 Semester Started Online
- 22 September 2020 - Received AIP in GCKey (Other)
- 28 October 2020 - Submission of Biometrics
- 05 January 2021 - Winter 2021 Semester Started Online
- 14 January 2020 - Medical Passed
- 18 February 2021 - BVL and OPR
Thoughts:
I received the famous "We sent you a message about your application" last night. When I logged in, the letter I was expecting to read was that I needed to complete another medical examination because it was already expired. What I received instead was BVL. I refreshed the page quite a million times in the next 30 minutes, logged in and out a couple of times, and just sat there drowning in my own thoughts. It could be an approval or refusal, but either way it's a final decision and I can have my closure if it's the latter.
After an hour or so, the OPR came next.
I know I have said in the title that it's a 6-month journey but in fact, it's more than a year already since I began working on my application. A lot has happened during that period and the pandemic truly made it so much more difficult to accomplish some things. Studying online is not easy, the 11-hour time difference will tire you out and throw you off your natural habits, and the school work will pile up and sneak up on you on your most stressful days.
With that, I would just like to thank each and everyone who have given their valuable insights during my application process, those who shared their progress, their tips and tricks, their amazing machine learning capabilities (in such a way that they are able to track a pattern in the behaviour and actions of IRCC).
Tips:
[Disclaimer: I am not an expert. These tips are solely based on my experiences as an applicant.]
- Please if you can afford ordering your GCMS notes, order it and wait for it to get delivered. There are times when the notes are vague but you have this forum to ask for clarification.
- Although I can't help with the SOP writing as I have too much in my hands right now, please take the time to internalize and align your SOP to your application. Be honest with yourself and don't be afraid to express your emotions. I wrote my SOP in such a way that it isn't too formal. The VO needs to see you as a human being with a goal in mind. If you know that some part of your application is not strong (such as home ties), explain it in the letter.
- In the event of a refusal, addressing the VO's notes in your new SOP after a refusal is just as important as the other steps in the application process. Please order your GCMS notes.
- Read a lot in the forum. There are many instances or scenarios that may not be identical to yours but deep down in these threads are slivers of information that will be valuable to your application progression and your overall mental health. Experts in the forum can identify patterns in the application process (such as this: 30-45 days after medical passed, the final decision will arrive.)
- Ask for help in the forum.
Cheesiness:
Most of us have a dual intent in the application which means that we have set our goals and would like to achieve it. Therefore, to my fellow applicants who are still waiting, I know it's hard to keep holding on. The frustration is real, the stress is real, and sometimes these factors can affect our daily lives to some extent.
But everyday we sleep dreaming about the things we would become if we get approved, and everyday wake up with a fire in our heart that keeps us going.
So there, thank you for reading.
I sincerely hope and pray for your success.
