I just called the FBI to follow up on my request, which was mailed around the end of May (forgot to track it
). Talked with Sonja who was very polite; told me that I'm not in the database yet but that it's taking about 10 weeks after receipt for them to log in the request. Seems it's pretty much like CIC - once they log it in, they start to process it . . . so she said to watch for the charge on my credit card and then I should expect the clearance about 2-3 weeks later.
Just for the record, I did write on the outside that I needed it by the end of June because of a request from Immigration Canada on an appealed application that is being re-processed - CIC gave me only 8 weeks to get everything back to them. I didn't ask her whether that will hurry things up because it seems pretty obvious that they are no longer expediting for any reason whatsoever. Last time I submitted requests (in 2007) the turn-around on all three of them (my sons and me) was 3 weeks! Now we're looking at 3 months. I'm really glad that I used the option for charging the credit card, instead of paying by money order, or I wouldn't have any way at all to tell when they start on it. But I really wish I'd at least tracked it - I wouldn't have to sit here wondering whether it's lost in the mail somewhere. I can't believe I didn't think of that!
The most frustrating part is that after waiting on the IAD for 2 years for an appeal, and waiting on CIC for six months after the appeal to get the application back in process, now I'm waiting on the
FBI for something I really shouldn't even need to get in the first place considering the fact that I haven't been in the States even
once since the last time I got an FBI clearance. It's so annoying. Sometimes I think it would've been faster and easier just to fork over another $775 in fees and start all over again with a new application.
