In Process to Decision made timeline?

[daftfunk]

Hey everyone,

I sent in my application back in November of 2014. In February 2015, we received a letter that my spouse was cleared as a sponsor and my application was sent to the CPC in Ottawa. A week ago, I got an email saying my marriage license was invalid. This was because we sent in a photocopy instead of the actual certified copy. (OOPS!) After checking online for the status, it now says "In Process". Anyone have an idea of how long it might be for decision made?

We filed the sponsorship as outland.
I did upfront medicals and paid all the fees already, hoping to streamline the process as much as possible.
Currently, I'm staying with my spouse at her parents on a visitor visa. I requested to reside in Canada for a year, they approved it and sent me a visitor record showing my allowed time here.

Thank y'all for your time and replies.
Also, feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to be of help.

 

[RYIT]

You may want to ask this question in the Ottawa thread below.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/cppottawa-t118769.6810.html

Everyone in this thread is being processed through Ottawa so they will have more insight into the VO's timelines.

 

[Ravcat]

Ottawa has been going really fast with people apped in December, because of the hickup on the marriage thing, it did set you back a bit. I bet within the month or 2 you should have DM, that is with no other complications.

 

[jesmithers]

Hey everyone,

I sent in my application back in November of 2014. In February 2015, we received a letter that my spouse was cleared as a sponsor and my application was sent to the CPC in Ottawa. A week ago, I got an email saying my marriage license was invalid. This was because we sent in a photocopy instead of the actual certified copy. (OOPS!) After checking online for the status, it now says "In Process". Anyone have an idea of how long it might be for decision made?

We filed the sponsorship as outland.
I did upfront medicals and paid all the fees already, hoping to streamline the process as much as possible.
Currently, I'm staying with my spouse at her parents on a visitor visa. I requested to reside in Canada for a year, they approved it and sent me a visitor record showing my allowed time here.

Thank y'all for your time and replies.
Also, feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to be of help.

It depends. Some people wait weeks, others months, it depends on when they get a hold of your marriage certificate.

Also, I didn't realize that you needed to send in an original copy of your marriage certificate. I look all through the package.. >____> Looks like I'm doing more mailing!

Also congrats on making IP It's awesome to know they're looking at your stuff!!!

 

[daftfunk]

It depends. Some people wait weeks, others months, it depends on when they get a hold of your marriage certificate.

Also, I didn't realize that you needed to send in an original copy of your marriage certificate. I look all through the package.. >____> Looks like I'm doing more mailing!

Also congrats on making IP It's awesome to know they're looking at your stuff!!!

I'm assuming that's the reason they did not like the marriage certificate. In the packet, I don't remember it specifying the certified copy of the marriage certificate but it makes sense they would want that and not just a photocopy.

and thanks for the congrats! i hope your process goes well too

 

[cali2bc]

Excuse my ignorance, but I thought that photocopies of marriage licenses/certificates were just fine according to the document checklist? Don't most people send in photocopies without hiccups, or are certified copies the norm?

 

[daftfunk]

Excuse my ignorance, but I thought that photocopies of marriage licenses/certificates were just fine according to the document checklist? Don't most people send in photocopies without hiccups, or are certified copies the norm?

I hope they require a certified copy because if they don't accept the one I sent in now then I have no idea what a valid marriage license is.

In the email they sent me, saying the license was invalid, it provided a link to their website to order a certified copy.

 

[mcbeth]

They want the marriage licence and not the marriage certificate, or do they want both? I only sent a marriage certificate, a photocopy, and it was accepted for my Russian wife.

 

[daftfunk]

After googling about, I have seen some concerning threads similar to mine here.

Some were saying they required the "file size" marriage certificate instead of long form. But most others saying just the long form worked for them.
Hopefully it's just the mess up I originally thought it was. I don't want to have to wait more time ordering the file size and sending that in.

Also, I emailed CPC-O asking for them to clarify. Will let y'all know what they say.

 

[DanOCan]

Excuse my ignorance, but I thought that photocopies of marriage licenses/certificates were just fine according to the document checklist? Don't most people send in photocopies without hiccups, or are certified copies the norm?

I believe you are correct, at least according to the instructions provided in "Country Specific Instructions" for the US. It says to send originals of the immigration forms (Items 1-5) and police certificates. For all other documents it just says "photocopy" unless otherwise instructed. The marriage certificate comes as part of Item 7 so I would expect a photocopy is acceptable. I can't remember if I put an original in my application or just a photocopy.

There also seems to be a lot of confusion about license vs. certificate. Personally, I don't think a marriage license adds much value since all it does is say you're allowed to get married, it doesn't actually provide any proof that the wedding took place. (Again, that's here in North America -- I'm sure other countries will have different documentation.)

 

[mathews]

Hi my wife spouse me inland we send our application on August 2013 and the received on october 24 2013 when I see online the said
1.we received your application for permanent residence on october 24 2013
2.we start processing your application on March 31 2015
3.medical report has been received no date
how long it will take to make decisions

 

[daftfunk]

I believe you are correct, at least according to the instructions provided in "Country Specific Instructions" for the US. It says to send originals of the immigration forms (Items 1-5) and police certificates. For all other documents it just says "photocopy" unless otherwise instructed. The marriage certificate comes as part of Item 7 so I would expect a photocopy is acceptable. I can't remember if I put an original in my application or just a photocopy.

There also seems to be a lot of confusion about license vs. certificate. Personally, I don't think a marriage license adds much value since all it does is say you're allowed to get married, it doesn't actually provide any proof that the wedding took place. (Again, that's here in North America -- I'm sure other countries will have different documentation.)

We got married in Ontario. So what I sent is a certified copy of the marriage license. I don't see why it wouldn't add much value. It lists our names, where we live, our signatures, signatures of witnesses, the location and date where/when marriage took place and signed by the wedding officiant. Its a copy of the paper we immediately had to sit down and sign after the wedding took place. Honestly don't know what could be more proof than that.

But from what you state, that all other documents can just be photocopies is what also confuses me. A photocopy is what we originally sent in and was deemed invalid.

 

[daftfunk]

Hi my wife spouse me inland we send our application on August 2013 and the received on october 24 2013 when I see online the said
1.we received your application for permanent residence on october 24 2013
2.we start processing your application on March 31 2015
3.medical report has been received no date
how long it will take to make decisions

From what I understand, Inland applications are taking up to 2 years or something to that effect. I can't accurately give you a timeframe.

And nevermind, I now see you've had medicals done already.

 

[cali2bc]

I believe you are correct, at least according to the instructions provided in "Country Specific Instructions" for the US. It says to send originals of the immigration forms (Items 1-5) and police certificates. For all other documents it just says "photocopy" unless otherwise instructed. The marriage certificate comes as part of Item 7 so I would expect a photocopy is acceptable. I can't remember if I put an original in my application or just a photocopy.

There also seems to be a lot of confusion about license vs. certificate. Personally, I don't think a marriage license adds much value since all it does is say you're allowed to get married, it doesn't actually provide any proof that the wedding took place. (Again, that's here in North America -- I'm sure other countries will have different documentation.)

Thanks for answering, DanOCan. I double-checked the U.S. guide, and you're right, all they need are photocopies. In California, I believe the marriage license document becomes the certificate once the marriage is performed and the officiant and witness(es) sign. So in our case, it was a license/certificate in one. We also included the more commemorative certificate that has the county seal, just to be on the safe side.