CAIRO VISA OFFICE

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Hi all,

I have a question, since this strike thing is going for ever and the government don't care what so ever about the family class and it's processing times for us. I am planning to apply for a visitor visa I know that I might be refused specially that I got I refused 4 times before, but I want to try my chances.

The question is that I used to apply directly at the visa office and now they say that (As of June 12, all temporary resident applications (visitor visa, study or work permit) or permanent resident travel document applications should be submitted either online or through the VAC.)

Does that means that I can't apply directly to the visa office and shall I apply online or through this VAC better?
Since I am not living in egypt any more shall I apply in the through the VAC where I am living or it doesn't make or online?

It's kinda confusing the Canadian embassy where I am living now says (we encourage you to apply online or through the VAC as applications submitted directly to the visa office will take longer to process).

Please advice...
Thanks in advance

The VAC's confirm that your application is complete and completed correctly before it gets sent along to the embassy where a decision gets made.

 

[Canada Wolf]

yeah so where should I apply ? online or through the VAC??

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

yeah so where should I apply ? online or through the VAC??

I think you should send it through the VAC.

 

[Canada Wolf]

Happy news for every body, Cairo processing times 1 month less.... 18 month now..

Happy Eid!

 

[Canada Wolf]

any updates~!!

 

[egyptian_junk]

The embassy is closed again, this is from the website's front page:
"Due to the security situation in Cairo, our office is currently closed."

 

[CairoCouple]

Here is some current information regarding the foreign service strike. Let's hope something good comes out of the August 22 meeting.

http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2013/08/14/foreign-service-strike-may-go-to-arbitration/

Foreign service strike may go to arbitration

By Lynn Desjardins | english@rcinet.ca
Wednesday 14 August, 2013

On-going job action by Canada’s foreign service officers has caused long delays in processing visa and immigration applications abroad but that might end if the dispute goes to binding arbitration. About 150 officers have walked out of 15 of the busiest processing centres including Beijing, New Delhi, Mexico City and London.

An arbiter will hear arguments on August 22 and consider whether the government has been bargaining in bad faith as the union alleges. If so, he or she would then order the government to adjust its position and would send the two sides back to the bargaining table or might sent them to binding arbitration. A decision would likely come quickly after the hearing.

Diplomats could suspend strike action

If the dispute does go to binding arbitration there are chances the foreign service officers could suspend their strike action.

The diplomats are demanding parity with other government employees who do work they say is comparable to theirs. “You’ll have economists, lawyers, commerce officers and foreign officers all working side by side on, say, a trade negotiation with Europe or dispute with China for example,” said Colin Robertson, retired senior Canadian diplomat and former president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers.

“The foreign service officer looks and says ‘how come this guy is making significantly more, this woman is making significantly more than I am’ and that’s a legitimate argument.”

The government argues the jobs are not comparable. Robertson says the difference in salary can be as much as $15,000 a year and that, in the past, other public service unions have bargained harder and got better deals than the diplomats’ union and that now it is determined to catch up.

Robertson feels the government may be driving a hard bargain with the diplomats to set the example for several public service unions whose collective agreements expire next year.

Meanwhile the tourist industry says it stands to lose over a quarter of a million dollars because some visitors were unable to get visas to come to Canada.

Statement from Citizenship and Immigration Canada: “All visa offices remain open and continue to provide service to clients. Every visa office maintains a core number of staff that have been deemed “essential.” Over 1,000 locally engaged staff continue to work in the visas offices overseas, and CIC has hired additional staff on a temporary basis to help process visas both overseas and in Canada. Moreover, CIC is providing training on an urgent basis so that more staff can process applications, and is requesting that staff work overtime where possible. CIC is also shifting more work to Canada and to overseas offices that have additional capacity."

 

[Kuudir2]

Well that's some good news...

But, on the other hand I am really worried for my husband. The situation in Cairo, Egypt is not good and I feel restless knowing that somethingcan happen to him. The embassy has been shut down and there is no way of getting into contact with them but I need to know how far along they are with our application. I haven't heard from them since March ever since the SA they sent us, and I don't know what to do... I ordered my GCMS notes on the 4th of July and still haven't received them. Is that normal in a situation such as this?

And is there any way possible to get into contact with someone to do something for our spouses and families in Egypt? Or am I being delusional... :'(



Kuudir2

 

[CairoCouple]

My husband and I are in the same boat as you, and also haven't heard anything since March. I think it is standard for them not to contact us. Honestly, I don't think there is much we can do at this point, just wait. I'm not sure about the GCMS notes, but most things that have to do with the government are often slow, especially in the summer when I'm sure a lot of people are no vacation, etc. But who knows, maybe someone else has ideas/advice?

Anyway, you're not alone in this! I miss my husband so much, and given what is going on right now visiting him is not really an option. I can only hope this situation will end soon, and things can start to move forward in a positive way.

Try and stay positive, at least we have already applied and got sponsorship approval. Smiley

 

[Ahmedbaraka]

Hello to all of you here. To be honest with you. Nothing to do with your case. Only wait and inshallah Allah everything will be ok soon.

 

[MadeInCanada]

Well that's some good news...

But, on the other hand I am really worried for my husband. The situation in Cairo, Egypt is not good and I feel restless knowing that somethingcan happen to him. The embassy has been shut down and there is no way of getting into contact with them but I need to know how far along they are with our application. I haven't heard from them since March ever since the SA they sent us, and I don't know what to do... I ordered my GCMS notes on the 4th of July and still haven't received them. Is that normal in a situation such as this?

And is there any way possible to get into contact with someone to do something for our spouses and families in Egypt? Or am I being delusional... :'(



Kuudir2

The last time I ordered my notes they came about 2 weeks late. Just to give you a time frame on that. I think not hearing anything at this point is normal as well. The embassy being closed means files will be shipped to a different office as well or at least I would assume that is the procedure they will follow(from other times it was chaotic over there).

I would suggest anyone waiting still contact the local mp and the minister of immigration in the same email. Request urgent processing due to the instabilty of the country. If you have not downloaded and read the operational manuals (available on the cic website) You should get them. I can not remember the exact one so I will have to look it up and get back to you. But it says right in the manuals that due to situations such as this it is the sponsors responsibility to request urgent processing. Not the exact wording of it but the meaning. Try googling it if I don't get back with it in time.

Take Care
MadeInCanada

 

[MadeInCanada]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/

They are under overseas processing. Read them carefully. OP 1 section 5.14 says:
5.14. Processing priorities While Regulations do not establish processing priorities,operational priorities may be established. Departmental policy requires that applications in the family class for spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, and dependent children be finalized within six months. Section 5.7 of OP 2 lists exceptional circumstances that could result in visa offices legitimately not meeting these service standards. Refugee applications classified as urgent or vulnerable should also receive priority processing. OP 5 provides definitions and instructions on processing urgent and vulnerable refugee applications. In the event of a disaster, visa offices are reminded to continue to pull the applications of affected persons to the front of the queue for review, and advise the appropriate Geographic Desk, International Region of the situation. Given the variety of situations which can occur as a result of any disaster, it remains the applicant or sponsor’s responsibility to demonstrate that they are negatively affected by the situation. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provides sufficient discretion to respond in a flexible and humane manner to emergency situations. Although files from clients in affected areas may be put to the front of a queue, this is neither a special program nor priority processing, and messaging should not reflect otherwise. Where warranted, due to the severity of a disaster or surrounding issues, NHQ will issue specific instructions indicating what special programs or measures are to be implemented. These specific instructions would be provided to the applicable visa offices, inland offices and Case Processing Centres, as well as the Call Centre. In the absence of disaster-specific instructions, visa offices are to respond in the manner outlined above

Hope it helps!

Take Care
MadeInCanada

 

[CairoCouple]

Once again, thank you! I'm looking into it right now!

 

[CairoCouple]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/

They are under overseas processing. Read them carefully. OP 1 section 5.14 says:
5.14. Processing priorities While Regulations do not establish processing priorities,operational priorities may be established. Departmental policy requires that applications in the family class for spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, and dependent children be finalized within six months. Section 5.7 of OP 2 lists exceptional circumstances that could result in visa offices legitimately not meeting these service standards. Refugee applications classified as urgent or vulnerable should also receive priority processing. OP 5 provides definitions and instructions on processing urgent and vulnerable refugee applications. In the event of a disaster, visa offices are reminded to continue to pull the applications of affected persons to the front of the queue for review, and advise the appropriate Geographic Desk, International Region of the situation. Given the variety of situations which can occur as a result of any disaster, it remains the applicant or sponsor's responsibility to demonstrate that they are negatively affected by the situation. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provides sufficient discretion to respond in a flexible and humane manner to emergency situations. Although files from clients in affected areas may be put to the front of a queue, this is neither a special program nor priority processing, and messaging should not reflect otherwise. Where warranted, due to the severity of a disaster or surrounding issues, NHQ will issue specific instructions indicating what special programs or measures are to be implemented. These specific instructions would be provided to the applicable visa offices, inland offices and Case Processing Centres, as well as the Call Centre. In the absence of disaster-specific instructions, visa offices are to respond in the manner outlined above

Hope it helps!

Take Care
MadeInCanada

FYI My MP addressed the six month wait time issue. Here is what they said:

"It is important to note that OP2 Operations Manual to which you refer is an administrative procedures manual and not legislative or regulatory. Also, this manual was published seven years ago. While the priorities set out in this manual are the same today, operations are not. Since this OP2 was published, CIC’s backlog swelled to well over one million applications. At the same time, the present government cut CIC’s budget, closed processing offices and laid off hundreds of staff. So while CIC may still have an internal operational goal of reuniting families within six months, the chances of this goal ever being realized are, unfortunately, exceedingly slim."

So I guess 18 months...give or take...is what it is.

Also, the embassy in Cairo is closed to the public, but there is still a skeleton staff in the office working, probably very slowly, but at least it's something. I should know soon what they are doing with the files in Cairo, i.e sending them to another office or not, so when I find out I'll post here to let people know.

I hope everyone is well, and their loved ones in Egypt are safe.

 

[HRH]

Good news for every one The embassy reopen again in Cairo but with change in open and closed time.
Alhamdulelah.