"In Process" - does it still mean something?

[CANzanillo]

Mexico Outland applicant here. Received SA March 24, 2015. Sometime after Aug 12th our ECAS status changed to IP. The only sub line is application received Jan 19, 2015. we have yet to receive AOR2 so we don't know what to think about this status change. Hopefully it does mean they are actually reviewing our file, but until we actually receive direct communication from the MCVO I remain only cautiously optimistic. BTW, at least 3 other MCVO applicants confirmed an ECAS status change to IP after I posted mine. Trying to stay positive...

 

[bladeguard]

That right, unless they request the PPR in the beginning of the process then take that with a grain of salt, if they did not they will conduct criminality and security checks that is if you have passed the stage where the visa officer believes your relationship is genuine once those three things are done and your medicals are satisfactory, you will submit your physical passport to the VO and once they return the passport back to you, your COPR will arrive within weeks if not earlier.

Thanks for the info Jam.. VO did not requested PPR eversince.. They have requested and received my medical exam results since February 2015 and Police Clearance was also requested last June 2015 and submitted it last July 12 along with my PP copy... At this point and stage, do you think the Visa Officer still has doubt with regards to the authenticity of our marriage and haven't surpassed that stage yet? Thanks for your realistic advise and opinion Jam..really appreciate your kindness.

 

[Gemmie]

Yeah...I think it means literally that they are starting to process your application....so the beginning of the process not near the end...

I think previously...they were late to update this in the ECAS for people...which made it seem like it was near the end of the process rather than the beginning.

So maybe now they are finally following the proper procedures....

C.

I think that you are correct. I am a May applicant, that got SA on the 17 Aug and my husband PR application went into IP today , showing IP starting Aug 20th. I am
going to consider this like an AOR2. It makes sense with their description of what IP means when you click the link.

 

[CANzanillo]

After reading this thread I thought I better check ECAS again...

Here is what the ECAS sub items say as of today;

Permanent Residence
We received (your wife's) application for permanent residence on January 19, 2015.
We started processing (your wife's) application on August 10, 2015.


So, it would appear that they have begun to scrutinize our application in the MCVO!!

Anxiously waiting for AOR2 to confirm.

I will add my speculation to the mix here about why the sudden status change for many applicants. Hopefully a simple, logical one;

The call centre and world-wide visa offices are receiving soooo many inquiries about the status of applications that a mandate went out to the VO managers to enforce proper use of ECAS to take the pressure off from so many inquiries. Maybe they will now use ECAS they it should be/was intended to be used!

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Aquakitty]

Hello Guys, I am from Perú and I got married in my country 5 months ago with a canadian citizen, my husband is living in Canada right now and i am living in Peru, we send the application for the Assessment of Sponsor on June, and when i check the status at the CIA Web Page said that was received on June 25 and started to process it on July 28. Someone know how long it takes have an answer? because when i check the status today, still saying "in process". Thanks!

Pretty darn soon, Peru is one of the fastest of Canada's VO's.

 

[jamsham12]

Thanks for the info Jam.. VO did not requested PPR eversince.. They have requested and received my medical exam results since February 2015 and Police Clearance was also requested last June 2015 and submitted it last July 12 along with my PP copy... At this point and stage, do you think the Visa Officer still has doubt with regards to the authenticity of our marriage and haven't surpassed that stage yet? Thanks for your realistic advise and opinion Jam..really appreciate your kindness.

Have they requested you pay the RPRF if they have, then most likely they view your relationship as genuine and are conducting security and criminal checks before a decision can be made. if not then its hard to say, but if you had a straight forward relationship then marriage then sponsorship i would have no concerns. If it was met a couple times then married then sponsorship right away there might be some reservations as it could be a red flag of immigration fraud. I wouldn't worry too much, it seems like they are processing your file and hopefully you get PR by the end of October.

 

[chilkootcee]

I think that you are correct. I am a May applicant, that got SA on the 17 Aug and my husband PR application went into IP today , showing IP starting Aug 20th. I am
going to consider this like an AOR2. It makes sense with their description of what IP means when you click the link.

Yeah...I am too...but technically we should all still be receiving AOR2 from our respective VO's....perhaps if everyone asked their MP to ensure an AOR2 letter is sent, they would get the hint...but on the other hand, I don't want to burden the system too....where to find the balance? We shouldn't be complacent in accepting service that does not meet standards....(sign my petition, sign my petition, sign my petition...you are getting sleepy...sign my petition LOL!)

Also..I pointed out in my letter to MP's that if they use the ECAS system and gave timely updates, they would be less inundated with CALLS...

C.

 

[norkathompson]

Pretty darn soon, Peru is one of the fastest of Canada's VO's.

Thanks! but, I mean the first application that is my husband´sponsor application, do you know if sometimes take more than 57 days as it says at the Web Page?

 

[bladeguard]

Have they requested you pay the RPRF if they have, then most likely they view your relationship as genuine and are conducting security and criminal checks before a decision can be made. if not then its hard to say, but if you had a straight forward relationship then marriage then sponsorship i would have no concerns. If it was met a couple times then married then sponsorship right away there might be some reservations as it could be a red flag of immigration fraud. I wouldn't worry too much, it seems like they are processing your file and hopefully you get PR by the end of October.

They haven't requested yet.. and I hope not too soon, they will.. Again, thank you Jam for your valuable responses and for kindly sharing informations. I hope our respective VOs will work efficiently with our applications and we all get our PRs very soon, in God's will. Praying and patiently waiting..

 

[nreilly]

So does this mean that '' in process''now doesn't really mean that you are close to the final stage? , it's kind of like gettin' AOR2, so it means there's still lots of month to go til you can finally get at the end of this process :-X

 

[amostpainfulwait]

I think the "In Process" now is equivalent to AOR2.

I suspect that this may be the case because they added a new line for me in ECAS, which is the AOR2 date.
ECAS shows: "We started processing XXXX's application on August 3, 2015" (and that is the date the file was received at SVO).

However it does make me wonder whether this means that they actually started looking into the file at SVO. From what I have seen, they do not open the file so soon after having received it...which is why I'm a bit confused.

Hmmm. I wonder what now and how much longer the next wait is...

 

[sashali78]

Here is a probable cause for the new IP status. From now on, the receiving VO must open (i.e. process) the file upon receipt and verify the applicants photos. Just a theory, but i think it makes sense.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2015/ob540B.asp

 

[jamsham12]

Like i has stated on the other threads, have any of the new "IP" applicants so for applicants which applied in May and June 2015 have been requested to provide proof of intent to reside in Canada or pay the RPRF fee, if so please respond, otherwise I am in the belief if the applicants who have been requested the intent to reside in Canada their applications are actually "in process" with criminality and security checks upcoming before DM. From my understanding the applicants who are from early 2015 and even late 2014 who have been shown "IP" on August 6th 2014, they have mostly been requested to prove their intent to reside in Canada and the RPRF payment. I have not seen any applicants who got SA in May 2015/June 2015 who status showed "IP" on August 6th and beyond stating that they were requested these two documents by the VO. I could be wrong but if i am please advise. I am under the assumption if the VO has requested these documents the process is close, just waiting on the criminal and security checks.

 

[heshamkate]

I got SA about a month ago (44 days ago) and it was updated today both to say that they are processing it both on the main screen and when you click with the specific date.
There is a 28 month wait time for my visa office. So in my view this really only means that the visa office got the package (AOR2) I don't think I will be the lucky lady who's husband gets his visa 27 months ahead of schedule

 

[CANzanillo]

Here is a probable cause for the new IP status. From now on, the receiving VO must open (i.e. process) the file upon receipt and verify the applicants photos. Just a theory, but i think it makes sense.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2015/ob540B.asp

You may well be correct. Although I didn't read anything in the document that said specifically that they must open the file upon receipt, it certainly makes sense that a documentation review, including correct photos, be done at the earliest stage to provide for the quickest possible processing.

here is an excerpt;

Background

Admission as a permanent resident automatically triggers the processing of a permanent resident card (PRC), following confirmation of that status. The photo that is affixed to the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) is used to produce the PRC. It is therefore very important that the photo meet the proper specifications. When a photo is non-compliant, applicants must retake their photo, which delays the processing of the PRC. As it currently stands, approximately 15% of photos must be retaken.

To reduce the number of photo retakes after an applicant arrives in Canada, visa processing offices must carefully examine applicant photos to ensure that they meet the prescribed specifications.

As the first point of handling, visa processing offices have the ability to catch non-compliant photos before they are affixed to CoPRs. Early detection helps to speed up the PRC process and reduces additional work by the ports of entry, local Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices and the Permanent Resident Card Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia (PRCC Sydney).

Guidelines

When photos are received from the applicant, the processing office must confirm that they meet the required specifications. The photos should be examined to ensure that they were taken by a commercial photographer within six months before the date on which they were received by CIC and that they meet CIC's specifications.

See the permanent resident card photo specifications (PDF, 3.25 MB) for a complete list of specifications. The name and complete address of the photo studio and the date the photo was taken, along with the applicant's name and date of birth, must be included on the back of one photo. One photo should be left blank.

When examining photos, processing offices should also watch for the following errors, which most commonly appear on non-compliant photos:

altered original
taken from an existing photo
out of focus subject
incorrect photo background (must be white)
poor lighting
shadows on the applicant's face, especially around the ears
incorrect head size (too large)
If the photo does not meet the specifications, it should be returned to the applicant, along with a copy of the permanent resident card photo specifications (PDF, 3.25 MB) and/or the Photo specifications – Notes to the applicant and the photographer (PDF, 537.18 KB) and instructions to submit new photos. Until the new photos are received, processing should continue as usual; however, the application cannot be finalized until compliant photos are received.

Compliant photos must be on file when the COPR is printed. The photo without the applicant's information on the back must be affixed to the COPR with a photo patch (double-sided tape). Photo patches can be ordered using the Requisition for Non-Controlled Immigration Forms [IMM 1389], by selecting the item “(CIC 0108B – Photo Patch/Pièce encollée pour photo)” from the drop-down menu and entering the number of packages required.

...end of excerpt...

It is interesting to me that when we submitted our application, there was no mention in the guidelines, of having to include the name of the photo studio nor date the photo was taken... I hope that doesn't result in rejection and delays in our case.

EDIT: This Operational bulletin is an update to a cancelled Bulletin dated Dec 2014. the link is here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2014/ob540A.asp

I am now doubting that this is the reason for the sudden ramp up in IP appearances as the protocol has essentially been in effect for 9 months already.