decision made notification timelines

[curtz678]

Hello! I am a US Citizen applying for permanent residence with Spousal Sponsorship. I had been checking the eCAS everyday for about a month with the status still saying "In Process." I then went to checking it maybe twice a week because I kept getting the same answer. Last Tuesday, I checked and it said, "Decision Made. You will be contacted with the decision" or something similar to that. I am unsure of the exact date that this changed because I had only been checking once per week.

My question is: How long after the status changes does the letter arrive?

Also, I'm seeing a lot of posts on passports being requested before the "Decision made" status is changed...this was never requested of me. Is this a bad sign?

Last but not least: my passport and application are in my maiden name. My passport cannot be changed unless I request a new one. I have my driver's license in my married name and would prefer my married name on my PR card. Is there a way to do this before I receive it?

TIA!

 

[Kayaker]

Depends on which visa office you went through and if you have a visa-exempt passport or not.

I did not get a passport request because I'm visa exempt. However, my visa office (Manila) does seem to ask visa-exempt people to submit an additional document (Appendix A) and/or (? not sure) a scan/copy of the bio page of their passport. I did not get a request for either.

My COPR was issued on Sep 29 (I didn't know at the time, obviously, but I saw the date when my COPR arrived)
My status changed to Decision Made on Oct 1 or Oct 2 (not sure, because I wasn't checking every day)
My COPR was sent by DHL from Manila on Oct 3 (according to what it says on the DHL package)
I got my COPR on Oct 7

It depends on whether or not your VO uses an express service like DHL or Fedex, or if they send it by regular mail. I've heard it (the COPR) can take around 2 weeks from Decision Made on Ecas.

Unless you are Not visa-exempt and unless you think you have some pretty major issues, I think you can expect to have your COPR in hand in a few days! Congrats!


I don't know about the name change - maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[curtz678]

Thanks Kayaker...the VO I went through was Ottawa. How do you know if you are Visa-Exempt?

 

[MilesAway]

You're American, so you are visa-exempt.
If you weren't visa-exempt, you'd have to apply at a consulate for a visa before crossing the border into Canada.

 

[curtz678]

You're American, so you are visa-exempt.
If you weren't visa-exempt, you'd have to apply at a consulate for a visa before crossing the border into Canada.

Ahhh... thanks!

 

[rhcohen2014]

ottawa will waive ppr for some applicants. the fact your passport still has your maiden name and they did not request your passport seems unusual, but that's CIC. Ottawa sends the COPR by regular mail. It arrives in a brown envelope.

The name in your COPR must match what's in your passport, and the initial PR card will be issued in that name. if you want your initial PR card in your married name, you have to change it in your passport first, and then ask the visa office to change the COPR before your land. Otherwise, you will have to land with your old passport, and wait until after receiving your first PR card then apply for a new card with your married name.

The fact your driver's licence is in your married name already *may* help you transfer your license in your married name, though i don't know that for sure.

 

[curtz678]

ottawa will waive ppr for some applicants. the fact your passport still has your maiden name and they did not request your passport seems unusual, but that's CIC. Ottawa sends the COPR by regular mail. It arrives in a brown envelope.

The name in your COPR must match what's in your passport, and the initial PR card will be issued in that name. if you want your initial PR card in your married name, you have to change it in your passport first, and then ask the visa office to change the COPR before your land. Otherwise, you will have to land with your old passport, and wait until after receiving your first PR card then apply for a new card with your married name.

The fact your driver's licence is in your married name already *may* help you transfer your license in your married name, though i don't know that for sure.

Thanks for that info...im wondering if the fact that my passport AND application are both in my maiden name may be the reason that I wasn't requested the passport...needless to say, my hubby and I are checking the mail everyday... Also, is the first COPR what is mailed or is it just a letter stating that I have been approved/denied and have to land by such-and-such date?

 

[Alurra71]

The COPR is what you will get in the mail. It will have an expiry date printed on it which you need to adhere to. You must land on or before this date in order to become a PR.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Thanks for that info...im wondering if the fact that my passport AND application are both in my maiden name may be the reason that I wasn't requested the passport...

actually, that's why i thought people DID get ppr, because their passport was still in their maiden name. perhaps my assumption was wrong...

 

[Alurra71]

actually, that's why i thought people DID get ppr, because their passport was still in their maiden name. perhaps my assumption was wrong...

I didn't get PPR either Rh. I did change my passport to reflect my married name though when the process was ALMOST completed.

 

[oconnoec]

Hello! I am a US Citizen applying for permanent residence with Spousal Sponsorship. I had been checking the eCAS everyday for about a month with the status still saying "In Process." I then went to checking it maybe twice a week because I kept getting the same answer. Last Tuesday, I checked and it said, "Decision Made. You will be contacted with the decision" or something similar to that. I am unsure of the exact date that this changed because I had only been checking once per week.

My question is: How long after the status changes does the letter arrive?

Also, I'm seeing a lot of posts on passports being requested before the "Decision made" status is changed...this was never requested of me. Is this a bad sign?

Last but not least: my passport and application are in my maiden name. My passport cannot be changed unless I request a new one. I have my driver's license in my married name and would prefer my married name on my PR card. Is there a way to do this before I receive it?

TIA!

Hey! When did you apply for your spousal sponsorship and hear back about SA? I am curious about your timeline as I am an American, too!

 

[curtz678]

Hey! When did you apply for your spousal sponsorship and hear back about SA? I am curious about your timeline as I am an American, too!

we sent in application to Mississauga and it was rec'd on May 7th...i want to say that we received notification of approval for my husband on 7/1...i know it was about 2 months. I was notified to present more information on 7/31. They actually recd the additional info on 10/7. Was expecting it to take longer for decision, but I guess we'll see what happens!

 

[oconnoec]

we sent in application to Mississauga and it was rec'd on May 7th...i want to say that we received notification of approval for my husband on 7/1...i know it was about 2 months. I was notified to present more information on 7/31. They actually recd the additional info on 10/7. Was expecting it to take longer for decision, but I guess we'll see what happens!

well congrats! that is so exciting

 

[keesio]

My question is: How long after the status changes does the letter arrive?

It is highly variable on a number of factors. One factor is when DM actually happened vs when eCAS was updated. last I remember, eCAS was updated once a week. So say for example it is updated on a Tuesday. And the case officer makes the decision on a Wednesday and enters it in the system. You won't see an update until the next tuesday, 6 days later. During that time your CoPR could have been printed and mailed out. So the time between DM on eCAS and when you get CoPR can be shorter than say in an instance where the decision was made on a Monday and eCAS updated your status the next day while your CoPR is still in the queue to be printed.

Other factors would be if the case officer updates the system quickly or not. Where you live, etc.

In my wife's case, I saw eCAS update to DM on August 14th of last year (I checked eCAS every day). My wife got CoPR in her mail box in NYC the NEXT DAY (August 15th). No way they printed it off and got it mailed out overnight to NYC. Most likely by the time eCAS was updated (or the case officer updated the records in the system.. or a combo of both), the letter was already sitting in her local NYC post office ready to get delivered the next morning.

Other US applicants have waited up to a month for CoPR.