MARCH 2015 OUTLAND APPLICATIONS

[JoyJohnLocke]

Seems a bit ridiculous to have to wait 65 days for a letter. Unreal.

But thanks for the info!!

 

[Sheps]

What were you approved for? (Sponsorship? Permanent Residence?) There are two "stages" for Outland and two "stages" for inland. First stage for outland is approval of the sponsor (Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident sponsoring their family). Second stage for outland is approval of the applicant and this is followed by a decision made letter. First stage for inland is "Approved in Principal" and includes approval of both sponsor and applicant. Second stage is verification of background, criminality, medical, etc.

Additionally, you may not have been "approved", it could have been an acknowledgement that your application was received. When did you send in your application? What did the letter/email say that you got for approval?

 

[d_j_heckford]

Seems a bit ridiculous to have to wait 65 days for a letter. Unreal.

But thanks for the info!!

hey don't knock it, used to be 90 days they are picking up fire so here's hoping it goes even lower then that

 

[Morganhannah]

I'm nervous now that I have used a channler for my fingerprints my application will be returned. We recieved the fbi prints in the mail on Saturday. I really hope it doesn't get returned.

 

[DanSlh]

currently, receiving AOR (acknowledgement of receipt) is taking 65ish days, it was taking about 90 until just recently. At this time, January applicants are receiving notification. you will not hear anything until then, and at that point it is the sponsor who is notified of status.

Maybe I'm thinking wrong, but if CIC still speeding up things, march applicants can receive the AoR in 50 days...

 

[rhcohen2014]

Maybe I'm thinking wrong, but if CIC still speeding up things, march applicants can receive the AoR in 50 days...

the processing time goes up and down regularly based on a number of factors, including application volume. this time last year it was about 30 days for SA.

 

[DanSlh]

the processing time goes up and down regularly based on a number of factors, including application volume. this time last year it was about 30 days for SA.

May I ask you something since you're a march applicant from the last year and your process was quite fast?
You did something special for this to happen?
It was lucky or your case was simple or...?
Just a curiosity

 

[JoyJohnLocke]

We've gone through both stages and are at "decision made" for spousal sponsorship. The decision being they've approved my husband for PR. I know how long the gov takes. Didn't think the approval letter would take 65 days :-X

 

[DanSlh]

We've gone through both stages and are at "decision made" for spousal sponsorship. The decision being they've approved my husband for PR. I know how long the gov takes. Didn't think the approval letter would take 65 days :-X

For sure none of us agree with the processing times. But unfortunately there's not only 2 or 3 applications, but hundreds of.
We have to wait and then wait some more.
Some of us have lucky, some don't.
It's boring and stressful since we're apart from the person we love but there's nothing we can do about it.

 

[d_j_heckford]

For sure none of us agree with the processing times. But unfortunately there's not only 2 or 3 applications, but hundreds of.
We have to wait and then wait some more.
Some of us have lucky, some don't.
It's boring and stressful since we're apart from the person we love but there's nothing we can do about it.

And then there's people like me who have to part later on due to expiring visa, being left in the unknown before the final decision. Not good times.

 

[rhcohen2014]

May I ask you something since you're a march applicant from the last year and your process was quite fast?
You did something special for this to happen?
It was lucky or your case was simple or...?
Just a curiosity

nope. did absolutely nothing "special". actually by this forum's standards, my application was a mess. My fbi clearance expired the same week i sent it in (did not know of the 90 day validity), i sent it all in 1 envelop, with no cover letter, our entire package was 95 pages TOTAL - including EVERYTHING (we did not send any text/phone/skype records), i hand wrote my forms (typing additional pages for the questions that required extra space), i'm pretty sure my husband's application (the sponsor) had 2 questions that were blank (incidentally the answers were provided in other parts in the application), i did not pay the RPRF upfront, after sending it i found many spelling/formatting mistakes (i made a copy), i neglected to answer the question about which visa office i wanted it to be processed at (back then the applicant was able to "request"), oh and I did no submit the "additional family information" form (Which delayed SA only 2 weeks - back then that was normal). did i mention i also previously had an exclusion order?

I think it was just luck in timing. when i submitted, we assumed it was going to be 8-10 months (which seemed to be the "average" for us citizens). Getting approved in less than 6 months was a complete shock, and not expected at all. At some point Ottawa just hit the go button and started approving people quickly.

My theory is we may start to see the same thing happening in the next little while. When I look at the ottawa spreadsheet, it seems to me what we are seeing now is the same 2013- early 2014 applicants saw last year. there were many late 2013 applicants who got approved AFTER 2014 applicants. Only time will tell if this is true or all just make believe...

 

[DanSlh]

nope. did absolutely nothing "special". actually by this forum's standards, my application was a mess. My fbi clearance expired the same week i sent it in (did not know of the 90 day validity), i sent it all in 1 envelop, with no cover letter, our entire package was 95 pages TOTAL - including EVERYTHING (we did not send any text/phone/skype records), i hand wrote my forms (typing additional pages for the questions that required extra space), i'm pretty sure my husband's application (the sponsor) had 2 questions that were blank (incidentally the answers were provided in other parts in the application), i did not pay the RPRF upfront, after sending it i found many spelling/formatting mistakes (i made a copy), i neglected to answer the question about which visa office i wanted it to be processed at (back then the applicant was able to "request"), oh and I did no submit the "additional family information" form (Which delayed SA only 2 weeks - back then that was normal). did i mention i also previously had an exclusion order?

I think it was just luck in timing. when i submitted, we assumed it was going to be 8-10 months (which seemed to be the "average" for us citizens). Getting approved in less than 6 months was a complete shock, and not expected at all. At some point Ottawa just hit the go button and started approving people quickly.

My theory is we may start to see the same thing happening in the next little while. When I look at the ottawa spreadsheet, it seems to me what we are seeing now is the same 2013- early 2014 applicants saw last year. there were many late 2013 applicants who got approved AFTER 2014 applicants. Only time will tell if this is true or all just make believe...

All I have to say is "lol!!!!"
I sent mine march 6! Maybe it's a lucky month, who knows.
Wish I had the same luck as you.
Also i sent my package in one single envelope too.
Followed the checklist on exactly order as they ask.
At least I'm happy that São Paulo vo (brazil) is one of the fastest.

 

[rhcohen2014]

We've gone through both stages and are at "decision made" for spousal sponsorship. The decision being they've approved my husband for PR. I know how long the gov takes. Didn't think the approval letter would take 65 days :-X

I would recommend the SPONSOR calling CIC, not the representative. If it's really been 6 weeks since they've mailed the approval, then you can call them and they can either send you a new one or put an inquiry in. CIC won't consider mail "lost" until 6 weeks has passed since it was mailed. i would not trust a representative to pursue it as urgently as the sponsor. best of luck!

 

[d_j_heckford]

All I have to say is "lol!!!!"
I sent mine march 6! Maybe it's a lucky month, who knows.
Wish I had the same luck as you.
Also i sent my package in one single envelope too.
Followed the checklist on exactly order as they ask.
At least I'm happy that São Paulo vo (brazil) is one of the fastest.

Mine was packaged in seperate envelopes in diff. categories with cover letters to em. Here's hoping we get processed fast

 

[rhcohen2014]

All I have to say is "lol!!!!"
I sent mine march 6! Maybe it's a lucky month, who knows.
Wish I had the same luck as you.
Also i sent my package in one single envelope too.
Followed the checklist on exactly order as they ask.
At least I'm happy that São Paulo vo (brazil) is one of the fastest.

oh, and *technically* CIC received my app in April, since I missed a formed and my application wasn't considered "complete" until they received it.