Stuck outside Canada: TRV security screening since May — experiences + advice on priority?

[ArKr1994]

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to return to Canada on March 15, 2025. My security screening started May 7, 2025 after IRCC requested my CV.

From my GCMS notes:

• Recevabilité positive (eligibility passed)
• Criminality passed
• Only security screening is in progress

My profile:

• PhD student at Polytechnique Montréal (valid study permit)
• Married to a Canadian citizen
• Currently pregnant (due January 2026) → baby will be Canadian by descent
• Clean travel history (Tunisia + short honeymoon in Mexico)
• Research is environmental/civil (unsaturated soils, water retention)

I am stuck outside Canada after my father’s passing in June and need to return to defend my thesis and reunite with my husband before the baby arrives.

Questions:

• Has anyone with a low-risk TRV profile had security screening?
• How long did yours take (3–5 months or longer)?
• Did anyone manage to get priority due to pregnancy or Canadian child?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated — I’m very anxious with the baby on the way and the long separation.

Thank you!

 

[forevermore76]

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to return to Canada on March 15, 2025. My security screening started May 7, 2025 after IRCC requested my CV.

From my GCMS notes:

• Recevabilité positive (eligibility passed)
• Criminality passed
• Only security screening is in progress

My profile:

• PhD student at Polytechnique Montréal (valid study permit)
• Married to a Canadian citizen
• Currently pregnant (due January 2026) → baby will be Canadian by descent
• Clean travel history (Tunisia + short honeymoon in Mexico)
• Research is environmental/civil (unsaturated soils, water retention)

I am stuck outside Canada after my father’s passing in June and need to return to defend my thesis and reunite with my husband before the baby arrives.

Questions:

• Has anyone with a low-risk TRV profile had security screening?
• How long did yours take (3–5 months or longer)?
• Did anyone manage to get priority due to pregnancy or Canadian child?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated — I’m very anxious with the baby on the way and the long separation.

Thank you!

There's nothing you can really do other than wait. Hopefully your study permit isn't expiring soon or it could create a bigger problem.

 

[ArKr1994]

It expires march 2026 but by then i would have already given birth

 

[forevermore76]

It expires march 2026 but by then i would have already given birth

Where are you applying from? Do you have a sponsorship application in progress too? "CV" request might be unusual since you already have an approved study permit. Your country of citizenship might be adding to the review delays. Also, being pregnant and mentioning that in your application might be complicating it too.

 

[ArKr1994]

I applied in canada and i am from tunisia
I mentioned that i am pregnant to them after i have been stuck in Tunisia. I have no other application in process other than my visa

 

[forevermore76]

I applied in canada and i am from tunisia
I mentioned that i am pregnant to them after i have been stuck in Tunisia. I have no other application in process other than my visa

Have you informed IRCC that you are no longer in Canada? Your application becomes outland. Although they can still process in Canada and later transfer it to your local office, it adds confusion leading to delays.

Being pregnant and announcing intent to give birth in Canada while being an international student might be raising red flags. It doesn't matter if you are married to a Canadian citizen as your application is processed based on your status and objectives. In fact, being married to someone here shows you have other intent than study and very likely to overstay.

Sadly, not much you can do other than wait at this point. If you have a visa to US, you can try crossing in to Canada through land-border. That's probably the quickest way for you to come here.

Also, you should start exploring sponsorship sooner than later.

 

[ArKr1994]

I did not say i want to give birth in canada but that i want to reunite my family. My husband is in canada and having his baby born away from him is completely unbearable for him . This is our first child i have mentioned many time to them also that i have a thesis defense on the hold. They are aware that i am no longer in canada and at some point informed me that my file is in the process of being transferred to the local office

 

[forevermore76]

I did not say i want to give birth in canada but that i want to reunite my family. My husband is in canada and having his baby born away from him is completely unbearable for him . This is our first child i have mentioned many time to them also that i have a thesis defense on the hold. They are aware that i am no longer in canada and at some point informed me that my file is in the process of being transferred to the local office

Here's how it appears.

- Your status is student in Canada which was granted based on your application to study. Your intent to come to Canada, atleast what you declared here was to study.
- You apply for a TRV and leave Canada during studies. While it's normal due to emergencies, it creates complexity to your application as now your application is not "inland" anymore.
- While overseas, you inform IRCC about your studies/research falling behind but also disclose you are married to a Canadian citizen? And, you would like to give birth in Canada.

Overall, it's my opinion that the delay is from all this confusion which muddies your actual intent to come to Canada. There's a good chance you will be granted a TRV as you have an approved study permit, but no one can predict when. Your application has already exceeded standard processing time for both Canada and Tunisia offices.

Further, for good or worse, IRCC decisions are not driven emotionally and has to meet standards of objective decision making.

You might have unintendedly added to the delays so my recommendation is to leave it alone and just wait for the decision, hoping it's in your favour.

 

[forevermore76]

Also, the security screening is very likely not a concern on your application. It'll probably stay "in-progress" until a decision is made.

 

[canuck78]

It expires march 2026 but by then i would have already given birth

When you graduate and not when your study permit ends is what is important. Study permits typically are no longer valid 90 days after you finish your studies. This may create international student insurance issues if you are not actively studying and your defence was scheduled to have already happened so you were scheduled to graduate likely in Spring/Summer 2025.