MAY 2014 OUTLAND Applicants

[ydj_dil]

Guys, I got my SA this morning!!! Yay!!!!!! Finally ;D Thanks much for all your emotional support guys! Its nice that you guys helped me stay positive

@lsturtle - I understood its not an official AOR because official AORs have file number on the top. Mine didn't. I checked on the forum, and apparently, others who called also received the same AOR-type letter, but with no file number on top. Also, the subject of the email was "Re:", indicating that it was a reply for my enquiry that the agent initiated.

Also, apparently the trend now is that they are not sending AORs any more - its straight to SA.

I'm quite much happy right now! Yay!

 

[kasia333]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to do an update and say that we got our SA by email on the 23rd. Our application is not being forwarded on to a different visa office. We got the letter in my husband's (sponsor's) email. We're happy that part is over and hope for the best with the rest. I think our wait time was almost exactly two months for the SA.

I also wanted to add that we did NOT include an Option C, but we instead included 12 months of pay stubs along with an explanation letter explaining why we didn't include it... They didn't require the Option C in the email we got. So, if like us, you made a mistake of not including it, and sent some other stuff with it (we did 12 months, letter, and some other tax related stuff we could find useful), you might still get through part 1 of the process and get your SA.

I just checked our UCI number that was in the email on the CIC website, and we're definitely in the system, which is great.

Good luck everyone

Also, my visa office to send questions to is Ottawa. Is that what is supposed to be if I'm from the States and applying outland? Just wanted to verify it. Thanks

 

[rhcohen2014]

A sign of life on ecas this morning.

Sponsorship changed from "Application Received" to "Decision Made" and Stage 2 changed to update that Medical Received. Does anyone else's specify their visa office on theirs, because mine doesn't?

No, ECAS will not mention the specific visa office location.

 

[Trav0370]

Mine also says decision made. no visa office specified. However they did specify the office in the SA email.

funny twist to mine... they also requested me to send medical report as I failed to include that in my application. Since I have not yet sent that (doc appointment is tomorrow)... i wonder how they were already able to make a decision.. hmmm...

 

[uskyoot]

Glad to see May is moving along. March and even April are getting DM and In Process. Ottawa seems to be moving along quickly.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Mine also says decision made. no visa office specified. However they did specify the office in the SA email.

funny twist to mine... they also requested me to send medical report as I failed to include that in my application. Since I have not yet sent that (doc appointment is tomorrow)... i wonder how they were already able to make a decision.. hmmm...

because the medical is not necessary to make a determination on the sponsor's eligibility. it is a form that *can* be sent later, even though it is preferred upfront.

 

[Trav0370]

Gotcha, ok. Thanks. Scared me for a sec that they may have jumped the gun a little there. Also I just re-checked it. noticed there is two columns. one for sponsor and one for PR. the PR one, as expected, says recieved. Phew!

 

[Nltocan]

Guys, I got my SA this morning!!! Yay!!!!!! Finally ;D Thanks much for all your emotional support guys! Its nice that you guys helped me stay positive

@ lsturtle - I understood its not an official AOR because official AORs have file number on the top. Mine didn't. I checked on the forum, and apparently, others who called also received the same AOR-type letter, but with no file number on top. Also, the subject of the email was "Re:", indicating that it was a reply for my enquiry that the agent initiated.

Also, apparently the trend now is that they are not sending AORs any more - its straight to SA.

I'm quite much happy right now! Yay!

Congrats! Who needs an AOR when you've got your SA directly....far more efficient I'd say!

 

[Nltocan]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to do an update and say that we got our SA by email on the 23rd. Our application is not being forwarded on to a different visa office. We got the letter in my husband's (sponsor's) email. We're happy that part is over and hope for the best with the rest. I think our wait time was almost exactly two months for the SA.

I also wanted to add that we did NOT include an Option C, but we instead included 12 months of pay stubs along with an explanation letter explaining why we didn't include it... They didn't require the Option C in the email we got. So, if like us, you made a mistake of not including it, and sent some other stuff with it (we did 12 months, letter, and some other tax related stuff we could find useful), you might still get through part 1 of the process and get your SA.

I just checked our UCI number that was in the email on the CIC website, and we're definitely in the system, which is great.

Good luck everyone

Also, my visa office to send questions to is Ottawa. Is that what is supposed to be if I'm from the States and applying outland? Just wanted to verify it. Thanks

Congrats! We've got an almost identical timeline

Our letter stated that they forwarded our application to Ottawa as well. As far as I know yours is supposed to go there but being that we're applying Outland in Europe it remains a mystery why they forwarded ours there vs our local VO....was almost excited for a second thinking perhaps we had the same case worker that day who decided to expedite our applications to Ottawa ;-)

Edited to add: I also didn't include an option c as I'm a Canadian citizen living abroad for some years and have no income in the meantime. We also didn't include anything financial except for a written explanation that I've been a stay at home mom abroad and my husband has been the breadwinner.... It seems that was sufficient, or else it'll come back to bit us in the arse during processing of stage 2

 

[Nltocan]

Mine also says decision made. no visa office specified. However they did specify the office in the SA email.

funny twist to mine... they also requested me to send medical report as I failed to include that in my application. Since I have not yet sent that (doc appointment is tomorrow)... i wonder how they were already able to make a decision.. hmmm...

Also congrats to you too on your SA! We tossed around the idea of waiting to do a medical for my husband as I've heard they can expire regardless before landing but at the end of the day we didn't want anything additional to possibly give them a reason to stall in processing our application. Including paying all possible fees upfront etc.

 

[kasia333]

Congrats! We've got an almost identical timeline

Our letter stated that they forwarded our application to Ottawa as well. As far as I know yours is supposed to go there but being that we're applying Outland in Europe it remains a mystery why they forwarded ours there vs our local VO....was almost excited for a second thinking perhaps we had the same case worker that day who decided to expedite our applications to Ottawa ;-)

Edited to add: I also didn't include an option c as I'm a Canadian citizen living abroad for some years and have no income in the meantime. We also didn't include anything financial except for a written explanation that I've been a stay at home mom abroad and my husband has been the breadwinner.... It seems that was sufficient, or else it'll come back to bit us in the arse during processing of stage 2

I can see that!!! Congrats to you! I'm surprised your letter says Ottawa.. but maybe it gets send to Ottawa first? (I think that's what someone told me earlier. It might've even been the creator of this thread.) Either way, don't stress..

Yea, we're still wondering if they will ask for Option C in stage 2.. but I doubt it. I think when I read other posts, people said that if they need it, they ask for it in stage 1 because it's connected to the sponsor and his finances (and being able to support the sponsored etc.). We do have Option C waiting in a safe place, JUST IN CASE... but I hope they won't ask for it in stage 2.

 

[kasia333]

Also congrats to you too on your SA! We tossed around the idea of waiting to do a medical for my husband as I've heard they can expire regardless before landing but at the end of the day we didn't want anything additional to possibly give them a reason to stall in processing our application. Including paying all possible fees upfront etc.

We did our medicals and paid fees upfront as well. We didn't want any delays and wanted to hand them everything "on a silver platter" sort of speak.. except we messed up with the Option C, though they approved my husband as a sponsor regardless of that.

 

[beeelythe]

Congrats to everyone who has received their SA! We're hoping it will be coming through by tomorrow (fingers crossed) since I'm sure they've sent out all of the notices for today.

Also, when are they going to update the CIC website processing times? Ten days with no update!

 

[Trav0370]

Also congrats to you too on your SA! We tossed around the idea of waiting to do a medical for my husband as I've heard they can expire regardless before landing but at the end of the day we didn't want anything additional to possibly give them a reason to stall in processing our application. Including paying all possible fees upfront etc.

Thanks, and to all of you as well congrats.

Yea. We did in fact provide a medical, but failed to realise it has to be from a panel physician. Our mistake, oh well. It probably works out better off this way to ensure that it doesnt expire.

 

[jack87]

Guys, I got my SA this morning!!! Yay!!!!!! Finally ;D Thanks much for all your emotional support guys! Its nice that you guys helped me stay positive

@ lsturtle - I understood its not an official AOR because official AORs have file number on the top. Mine didn't. I checked on the forum, and apparently, others who called also received the same AOR-type letter, but with no file number on top. Also, the subject of the email was "Re:", indicating that it was a reply for my enquiry that the agent initiated.

Also, apparently the trend now is that they are not sending AORs any more - its straight to SA.

I'm quite much happy right now! Yay!

Congrats ydj_dil!!! Do you have any idea why it took so long?

Now hopefully they will move on to our application!