Residence questionnair

[canadiann]

I received my RQ about 40 calender days ago. Since I have had to gather lots of papers which i didn't have with me, it is taking more than expected and still waiting for my old passport (which was sent to home country for renewal). In the letter it says that if I can't submit all the papers within 45 days, it might delay the process significantly or even the application process can be discontinued. Does anyone has idea, is 45 days means the calender days or business days?

Thank you.
Canadiann

 

[Suin]

I would say calendar days... but you can always send them the letter of explanation why you cannot send them the complete RQ in time.

 

[gta-local]

You should mail (express or priority) all the available documents plus a letter mentioning reason(s) for delay of the unavailable documents immediately. You must make sure that CIC receives your packet within the 45 days time frame.

 

[Msafiri]

I received my RQ about 40 calender days ago. Since I have had to gather lots of papers which i didn't have with me, it is taking more than expected and still waiting for my old passport (which was sent to home country for renewal). In the letter it says that if I can't submit all the papers within 45 days, it might delay the process significantly or even the application process can be discontinued. Does anyone has idea, is 45 days means the calender days or business days?

Thank you.
Canadiann

The relevant Operational Bulletin from CIC refers to 45 business days. Send what you have within this time including a cover letter that you will forward the rest when you get it. Its best to mail the package back to the local office or to Sidney as the case may be by courier or any other means where there is verification of receipt. For the benefit of the forum would you share your timeline, your local office, if the RQ was from Sidney or local office - check postmark on envelope containing the RQ letter.

 

[eileenf]

Does anyone has idea, is 45 days means the calender days or business days?

It's 45 business days.
OB 476 and OB 476B both state: "Applicants are given 45 business days to provide the completed RQ and supporting documents."
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2013/ob476B.asp

The RQ form itself states "45 business days".

However, I know the RQ cover letter states 45 days. I'm disappointed that the CIC has still not updated this, as it is an error.

When an important document, such as the RQ, contains conflicting information about something so basic as the due date, its does not engender confidence that one is encountering a well-administered process.

 

[canadiann]

Thank you every one for your comments. yes, it appears to be 45 business days. I will post my time line shortly.

 

[DELAWARE]

It's 45 business days.
OB 476 and OB 476B both state: "Applicants are given 45 business days to provide the completed RQ and supporting documents."
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2013/ob476B.asp

The RQ form itself states "45 business days".

However, I know the RQ cover letter states 45 days. I'm disappointed that the CIC has still not updated this, as it is an error.

When an important document, such as the RQ, contains conflicting information about something so basic as the due date, its does not engender confidence that one is encountering a well-administered process.

Does it mean they are very busying working on RQ cases? Eileen the post you sent was just recently put by CIC and quite interesting. So no test appearance can lead to file closure. Has anyone heard back after RQ before test of recent? No mentione of St. Claire office, it appears to say RQ processed at local office but this is not so. Are they planning to send RQs back to local offices? If anyone is aware please share this info.

I will really love to vote for next elections, hopefully this process moves faster than it is currently.

 

[look4d]

I always appreciate your informative posts eileenf, thank you

 

[eileenf]

Has anyone heard back after RQ before test of recent?

Some have. You can check Edmonton2011's spreadsheet to view people's timelines: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ai9o70015IRPdFl6MnhXV0VZbnN1YnZWLXpld0Vya1E#gid=4

No mentione of St. Claire office, it appears to say RQ processed at local office but this is not so. Are they planning to send RQs back to local offices? If anyone is aware please share this info.

St. Clair is a special case. To my knowledge, outside of the GTA, local offices process the local RQs. St.Clair processes many of the RQs for the GTA as a "backlog reduction centre" or something like that.

 

[DELAWARE]

Yes, looking at the spreadsheet, it seems RQs are getting oath after one year but cant clearly determine RQs before test. I really hope something is being done in the St Claire office to reduce RQ backlog because currently it just seems like a dumping ground! It would have been much better if local offices work on RQs. I wonder who initiated using just one office for the GTA, CIC decisions and accountability is really getting bad.

 

[layla.bee]

I received my RQ about 40 calender days ago. Since I have had to gather lots of papers which i didn't have with me, it is taking more than expected and still waiting for my old passport (which was sent to home country for renewal). In the letter it says that if I can't submit all the papers within 45 days, it might delay the process significantly or even the application process can be discontinued. Does anyone has idea, is 45 days means the calender days or business days?

Thank you.
Canadiann

45 days are Calendar days

 

[eileenf]

45 days are Calendar days

Layla.bee, please check the link I posted above. Per the CIC Operational Bulletins governing this process, the RQ is due in 45 business days, not calendar days. The RQ process is confusing enough on its own. It's important not to compound the stress of the RQ unnecessarily by sharing inaccurate advice or information.

If I misunderstood your message, please excuse my message, but the 45 business day deadline is something that we need to be really clear about on this forum.

If anyone is nervous about replying in 45 business days rather than 45 days, I suggest sending a letter (as always, with Canada Post tracking number) to the CIC with your UCI and file number stating your intent to reply to the RQ within the 45 business day deadline specified in OB476 and OB476B.

 

[OKK]

45 business days NOT 45 calendar days.

 

[layla.bee]

Layla.bee, please check the link I posted above. Per the CIC Operational Bulletins governing this process, the RQ is due in 45 business days, not calendar days. The RQ process is confusing enough on its own. It's important not to compound the stress of the RQ unnecessarily by sharing inaccurate advice or information.

If I misunderstood your message, please excuse my message, but the 45 business day deadline is something that we need to be really clear about on this forum.

If anyone is nervous about replying in 45 business days rather than 45 days, I suggest sending a letter (as always, with Canada Post tracking number) to the CIC with your UCI and file number stating your intent to reply to the RQ within the 45 business day deadline specified in OB476 and OB476B.

I appologize, but this is what I was told when a year ago I got the RQ. I called CIC and the agent told me this. Anyway, I am sure you must be right, 45 Business days make more sense.

 

[eileenf]

I appologize, but this is what I was told when a year ago I got the RQ. I called CIC and the agent told me this. Anyway, I am sure you must be right, 45 Business days make more sense.

When I got the RQ, a Call Centre agent told me the same thing & when I asked why it said 45 business days on the RQ itself when the cover letter said 45 days, he didn't know which due date was accurate. Instead he just rattled on about how there's a week or two grace period and said "I shouldn't worry about it".

Given the tone of the cover letter and RQ form itself (abandonment! denial! fraud! lengthy delay!) didn't think the "take-it-easy" approach suggested by the Call Centre agent seemed like a good idea, so I wrote the letter to the CIC stating my intent to reply in 45 business days. Around that time OB476 was published, so I included a reference to the OB's official clarification of due date in the letter.

Sometimes Call Centre agents aren't the authorities that we would like them to be.

This confusion over the due date is one of my pet peeves. The fact that, after more than a year, the CIC has not revised the cover letter in order to clarify this incredibly basic information (as well as clarifying to include only photocopies of documents and never origins as nothing will be returned) suggests to me that the CIC doesn't really care if the information is clear or not. If they cared, they wouldn't leave the typo on an official document that gets sent out tens of thousands of times per year. They would fix the typo.

An unwillingness to provide clear & accurate information suggests a lack of respect for clientele and RQ recipients in particular.