Anyone want to join a thread for people applying in the near future?

[lleahdoll]

FWIW, my FBI report, just last month, met their (28 business day) posted time as well. Mailed out march 24, credit card charged April 23, received April 30 (exact dates estimated)

PS - was going to share the acronym post location from another rhcohen post but she beat me to it! she's on fiahhhh! ;D

Woo! We didn't pay by credit card, so sadly we won't get any clue when it'll be almost done! Hopefully by the very end of the month!

hahah

march applicants saw a significant backlog. there were 3 reasons identified so far (without having the inside scoop at CIC):

1. the computer system got hit with some sort of bug that knocked it out for i think almost a week
2. there was a 4 day weekend for easter, so 2 weeks in april were short work weeks
3. just looking at the spreadsheets from this forum, march had a larger number of applicants than previous months (almost double february), and that's not including the applicants who don't post to this forum or share their submission date.

it seems that CIC is still catching up with all of that, so the processing time has increased dramatically. hopefully it will all even out soon enough so it will go back down again. i'm guessing there are also times of the year that sees an increase of applications.


i think it's important to note that just because the website says they are working on a specific day for applications, this doesn't necessarily mean all applications before that date are complete. there may be certain delays in their background checks for sponsors that delays certain applications. there may also be some strange rule about pulling applications we have no clue about.

we also don't know what the working day is like for these officers. perhaps there's a schedule for when to look at applications, or there has been an increase in meetings or whatnot that took people away from their desks. remember these are government workers. since my husband is a unionized city worker, i can say that government workers tend to not go over and beyond what they need to do each day. in fact, if they are unionized, chances are they are not going to be in any rush to do more work than they are contracted to. (and i say that lovingly because that's how my hubby is!)

Again, we will never know for sure because CIC doesn't tell us their secrets...

It'd be rad if times lessened by the time I send my app in!!!! ;D

 

[agarand8]

I know people like to stay positive about things but really I think in this whole process it really is better to prepare for the worst. If the worst doesn't happen you are seriously so happy but if you assume that you're going to get best case scenario everytime you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Honestly, be proactive and prepare for the worst. Assume you are going to have a jerk looking at your file and scrutinize every piece of evidence you send in, leave no holes, no room for questioning. Assume it's going to take the full 60 days to process stage one and then you won't get stressed out when you are 1 day over the processing time. Assume that you are going to get called for an interview and prepare hard for it. Assume that they are going to request more relationship evidence and continue to collect it even after you send in your application. And the biggest thing, do not start to sell your home or buy plane tickets to canada until you have your passport with the visa in it, in your hands. Nothing could be more disappointing than having to cancel your plane ticket because you assumed you'd be finished the process by then.

I swear, it seems depressing but it's really not, and instead of crying because of every delay you'll be crying happy tears everytime something good happens. Like I was today when they gave me my AOR instead of returning the application to me.

 

[lleahdoll]

I know people like to stay positive about things but really I think in this whole process it really is better to prepare for the worst. If the worst doesn't happen you are seriously so happy but if you assume that you're going to get best case scenario everytime you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Honestly, be proactive and prepare for the worst. Assume you are going to have a jerk looking at your file and scrutinize every piece of evidence you send in, leave no holes, no room for questioning. Assume it's going to take the full 60 days to process stage one and then you won't get stressed out when you are 1 day over the processing time. Assume that you are going to get called for an interview and prepare hard for it. Assume that they are going to request more relationship evidence and continue to collect it even after you send in your application. And the biggest thing, do not start to sell your home or buy plane tickets to canada until you have your passport with the visa in it, in your hands. Nothing could be more disappointing than having to cancel your plane ticket because you assumed you'd be finished the process by then.

I swear, it seems depressing but it's really not, and instead of crying because of every delay you'll be crying happy tears everytime something good happens. Like I was today when they gave me my AOR instead of returning the application to me.

I don't necessarily think people should NOT be positive.... just be realistic. Everything with CIC is an estimation or guess-- the processing times and the rules we think they go by. Assume everything will be worst case scenario, and be prepared but still stay positive and hopeful. Otherwise you'll just stress yourself beyond belief.

 

[CutiePie92]

march applicants saw a significant backlog. there were 3 reasons identified so far (without having the inside scoop at CIC):

1. the computer system got hit with some sort of bug that knocked it out for i think almost a week
2. there was a 4 day weekend for easter, so 2 weeks in april were short work weeks
3. just looking at the spreadsheets from this forum, march had a larger number of applicants than previous months (almost double february), and that's not including the applicants who don't post to this forum or share their submission date.

it seems that CIC is still catching up with all of that, so the processing time has increased dramatically. hopefully it will all even out soon enough so it will go back down again. i'm guessing there are also times of the year that sees an increase of applications.


i think it's important to note that just because the website says they are working on a specific day for applications, this doesn't necessarily mean all applications before that date are complete. there may be certain delays in their background checks for sponsors that delays certain applications. there may also be some strange rule about pulling applications we have no clue about.

we also don't know what the working day is like for these officers. perhaps there's a schedule for when to look at applications, or there has been an increase in meetings or whatnot that took people away from their desks. remember these are government workers. since my husband is a unionized city worker, i can say that government workers tend to not go over and beyond what they need to do each day. in fact, if they are unionized, chances are they are not going to be in any rush to do more work than they are contracted to. (and i say that lovingly because that's how my hubby is!)

Again, we will never know for sure because CIC doesn't tell us their secrets...

random fact of the day: i once searched (out of curiosity) government jobs on CIC's website and i found one that matched the description of processing immigration applications ... they required stuff like .. being able to lift large packages (up to 12 kg) (i "wonder" why ;D) and also to stay a lot overtime + weekends. so i'm assuming it's kinda tough to be there..

 

[lleahdoll]

random fact of the day: i once searched (out of curiosity) government jobs on CIC's website and i found one that matched the description of processing immigration applications ... they required stuff like .. being able to lift large packages (up to 12 kg) (i "wonder" why ;D) and also to stay a lot overtime + weekends. so i'm assuming it's kinda tough to be there..

HAHAHAHAHA!!! That is gold!!!
I wouldn't mind that job.. well the overtime would suck but I love sorting stuff... idk I'd probably hate it.

 

[CutiePie92]

i'd probably hate it too.. but i would like to get it.. and then tell everyone there to be CAREFUL!!! you're messing with people's lives! i wonder if they realize how much trouble they cause if they mispell a goddamned e-mail adress for example or files just get "lost" somehow.. it really freaks me out, we worked so much on that application and now it's in their hands. lleahdoll when do you plan on submitting?

 

[lleahdoll]

i'd probably hate it too.. but i would like to get it.. and then tell everyone there to be CAREFUL!!! you're messing with people's lives! i wonder if they realize how much trouble they cause if they mispell a goddamned e-mail adress for example or files just get "lost" somehow.. it really freaks me out, we worked so much on that application and now it's in their hands. lleahdoll when do you plan on submitting?

Right??? I'm sure close to none of them have actually been through the immigration process themselves. So they think it's just mundane paperwork and don't think about the people they can affect.

Well, I'm waiting on getting my FBI record back. So hopefully after that! The hubsy and I have a few things to work on for the app/evidence and stuff like that. So it should be done by the time the FBI mails my record to me.

 

[Elena78]

Quick question are you you guys sending in your police clearance certificate with the application or do you wait for CIC to request it?

 

[rhcohen2014]

Quick question are you you guys sending in your police clearance certificate with the application or do you wait for CIC to request it?

i sent mine in with the application, and there are people saying they waited until after SA to send them in. There is a risk to having your application delayed if you do that i suppose. Since it was on the checklist, i assumed it was needed to complete the application.

 

[agarand8]

Right??? I'm sure close to none of them have actually been through the immigration process themselves. So they think it's just mundane paperwork and don't think about the people they can affect.

I don't know about the people working in Mississagua but the people who work in our VO's and process our applications are Canadians working abroad. So I think it's likely that a lot of those people have personal experiences with the immigration system. We have to remember that they have seen a lot, and all of the different things that they have seen are what affects their attitudes and how they approach applications. Someone who might seem like they're scrutinizing every detail may have seen a LOT of fraud marriages in the past, and we just have to keep this in mind and do what we can to prove them wrong.

 

[hcseeker]

Depends on the applicant's citizenship. Are you the sponsor or the applicant?
hahaha yes, it's definitely an adventure!!
Welcome and congrats on the marriage!!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask here! Myself or some other frequents of this thread would be glad to answer!!
Always makes sure to try and research yourself first. I wasn't active on this thread for like a year. I made sure to do lots of reading on the forum and CIC's website.

lleahdoll, I'm the sponsor. Excellent advice to do "lots of reading on the forum and CIC's website." That's what I did too. What I read in the forum often illuminated what CIC said on their website.

 

[jjoon]

I don't know about the people working in Mississagua but the people who work in our VO's and process our applications are Canadians working abroad. So I think it's likely that a lot of those people have personal experiences with the immigration system. We have to remember that they have seen a lot, and all of the different things that they have seen are what affects their attitudes and how they approach applications. Someone who might seem like they're scrutinizing every detail may have seen a LOT of fraud marriages in the past, and we just have to keep this in mind and do what we can to prove them wrong.

Right! I actually put together my application AS IF I was LOOKING for fraud... it really helped me see some of the (unintended) holes, and then of course filled them in so it's (hopefully) watertight. For example, I tossed out a bunch of photos I had initially chosen. Typical coupley ones of 2 of you in some street in some town you *say* is Montreal, or Mexico, and you *say* is 3 years ago, but most of us don't change weight/hairstyles radically enough to clearly date our photos! I replaced them with eg, group family photos from different Xmas's showing how my nephews had grown in the 6 years we've been married. BC it's really ez to fake couple shots (remember Greencard, the movie? they posed in front of posters!). Much harder to get a big group of people to be in cahoots with you and fake-pose at a dinner table several years in a row.

Or, when I collected phone bills, at first I just highlighted all the calls to me, then I realized how do they KNOW this was my old #? I could pick any frequent call on his bills and highlight it... so that prompted a search for how to PROVE it was my #... etc. Emails? Just change the clock on your computer and write a bunch of emails to/from your "fake" husband. So I also included a bunch of emails to/from third parties referring to us as a couple... Basically tried to make sure there was at least some form of external validation for every type of POR. That's what made the process SOOO long for me! I kept discovering holes and iffy bits I didn't know were there.

Frankly, the process gave me a lot of empathy for their work at CIC. I realized how easy it is to fake them out. They really have to comb through these applications carefully. That's why they ask for SO much proof of relationship - its seems so overkill and redundant to us (genuine) couples, but that redundancy itself is a bit of a test/safeguard/hurdle against fraud.

BTW I'm not trying to make anyone paranoid! Suspicion was just a personal strategy of mine that worked well for MY situation. DH and I are trying to get preggers, and I'll have to spend the pregnancy in California (health insurance) until I can get OHIP here. If he's on a Toronto project, that's us being separated for months, maybe even during delivery! So I really really wanted to try not to get flagged, asked for more docs/proof, interviewed, etc. I needed to be sure I was covered if I *did* get that particular VO who's very suspicious.

 

[lounge]

Hello everyone, i really appreciate the quick response of members here as regard any question been asked. i need an answer to this question:
I will be applying soonest but trying to gather information. i can't remember the date of birth of my parents and they are not around now to contact them. what do u guys think i can do. should i leave the space blank or put "*" sign as indicated in the guide? Can this affect my application. Any advise will be highly appreciated

 

[rhcohen2014]

Hello everyone, i really appreciate the quick response of members here as regard any question been asked. i need an answer to this question:
I will be applying soonest but trying to gather information. i can't remember the date of birth of my parents and they are not around now to contact them. what do u guys think i can do. should i leave the space blank or put "*" sign as indicated in the guide? Can this affect my application. Any advise will be highly appreciated

if the guide suggests putting a *, then do that. check your birth certificate too. otherwise, if you can provide month and year atleast, then that will be helpful. i had difficulty with my father's dob and dod since he was 12 when he died. i didn't think of checking my birth certificate or know you can put an *, so i took a best guess of the dates. i knew month and year at least. i've since found his death certificate and was pretty close! i'm planning to keep a copy in case they question it!

 

[hcseeker]

Costa Rica is an amazing place, but I couldn't live there...

If I won the lottery or something crazy and had a bunch of money to start up a hotel of sorts, we would probably go back there to live. But since there's no money, I'm bringing him here.

I lived all my life in Alberta so I think the heat and humidity of Costa Rica would be intolerable. It's too hot here in California for me but it's dry heat at least.