Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[yooper]

No problem. I'll hopefully get to updating the spreadsheet for everyone again soon......sigh.

Take your time. And don't worry. Your much faster than what your tracking!

 

[ddobro2]

For something that took so much time and effort to assemble and is so life-changingly important, making a copy of the PR application package before you send it in for its months-long plight at the case processing centre and regional processing centre is absolutely a good idea. Well really, having a record of anything you send to a government agency is a good idea....

Okay. I wasn't aware of that as an option.Why would we do that? No one we've talked to ever mentioned that as an idea. All we can do is just smile and go on. Some people like to huff and puff, but unless they have anything on you, that won't do anything to you. Not unless they're really stupid and arrogant. (which worries me a little) I don't know. It must be the way I wear my hat or something.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Wow, there are words to describe people like that, but I'll refrain from using them on here! I suppose since you're clearly not staying for more than a week or so at most that's why they haven't bothered to give you the visitor record. It is true that it's mostly up to their discretion, but I find it odd that any of them would tell you something so absurd as that you could only stay 3 or 4 days a week. Just seems downright bizarre, especially when the going agreement between the U.S. and Canada permits Americans to visit for up to 6 mths without a visa (and vice versa for Canadians in the U.S.). She must have really been having a bad day and/or is generally an unpleasant person.

Also, I had them give me multiple 3 or 4 mths visitor records over the past 18 mths. Apparently I was suspicious enough to warrant a shorter entry period, but not enough to deny me entry. The last time I showed up a week before it was supposed to expire, and the border guard gave me the full 6 mths. He also told me he was sorry to report that in his system my file was showing that my PR hadn't yet been decided on. I have found it's better to go for that stuff during the day if possible, or at the very least not on the weekends. I once did it on the way back from a trip home late on a Sunday night (I was a few days away from expiry and didn't feel like wasting gas or time going back to the border for it). It was clear that at 11 pm on a Sunday night there was no real immigration officer on duty, and the guys there really weren't certain what to do. They had to call the head office for help!

I had to laugh while reading that question as I've talked with them numerous times during the course of dating my wife. Some of which they've pulled us aside to talk to me, and other times I've pulled ourselves in to talk to them. Now, this was at the time where I was visiting her 2-3 days per week. I'm just going to assume at that point that they've wanted to check and make sure I have no criminal record. (which is fine as I have nothing to hide) One of them said it was six months minus a day, and another person said some time later that I could just go to the States, and turn right back around to get another six months.

Now, the only time I was told the 'no more than 3 days a week' line was when I got that tongue lashing from that lady - along with other such wonderful phrases like, "What are you, stupid?!? Don't you realize we can track you by your licence plate?!?" I did nothing wrong! I was just trying to take her home! But yeah. After all that drama, someone pulled her aside and advised me that in the future, I should bring with me my rental receipts, my lease agreement, bank statements, and my bills from my apartment in the States to avoid any further problems. But yes, I didn't believe her, either. However, I was in no position to argue with someone that has the power to kick me out. The only point I was trying to make is that any border agent that's having a bad day has the ability to ruin your day!

And I did discuss with someone at the border later on regarding that incident, and although the guy said, "Yes, it's typically six months." he also said that it's ultimately at the discretion of the border agent on duty. So, if he, or she, wants to print you out a visitor record that permits you to stay for only three months, and that he/she requires you to surrender that document upon leaving, then you do what the border agent says.

But all that was quite some time ago. I haven't had any major issues since I've shown my proof of ties to enough people. Also, since being married, and being in process with that 12 month visitor record, I've had no issues at the border. I also just come over once a week, stay for a few days, and then leave. Meanwhile, all they ask now is "Where do you live?" and "Where are you going?" and "What's coming in with you?" and then it's "See ya."

 

[ddobro2]

That's fine, you'll get it once they issue you AOR, although if you have any previous dealings with CIC (I *think* that would include a visitor record, but it would certainly include something like a work or study permit), you already have one. My point was that now that you have her ClientID, you can see everything available about your case in e-cas. You actually would have been able to log in with the receipt number from paying your fees as well.

ddobro2, I don't know my ClientID. How would I know that, as an applicant? I only know my sponsors ClientID, and my ApplicationID. (And as always, thanks for your spreadsheet work -- wishing you the fastest response possible)

 

[ddobro2]

Right, log in as yourself. Better yet, have the e-cas tracker hold on to your info so it can email you updates (well, we'll use the word "updates" loosely when talking about e-cas ). You wouldn't have too much there if they got it late August and, thanks to the current 70-day wait for step 1, just approved sponsorship/transferred to the VO. Wow, that's a lot to pay for medicals.....I think I paid half that amount (in Montreal). Even if they "expire," you won't necessarily be asked to redo it, in fact I think since you did the tests not too long before sending it in, you should be fine.

Right thanks. Just to be clear, I am the sponsor, so I should log on just as myself then with my client number? The e-cas just says they received her application Aug 19, the same date as when I submitted. Nothing about medicals or anything else. She did her medical in the US in July and I included the Copy 2 form with her. I hope it's not going to expire before they approve. It cost 450 bucks to do it, which I could've had it done for free in Canada (at least the non-lab portions).

 

[ddobro2]

It does: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/redir.do?app=ecas&lang=en&redir=id_num

Never have seen a letter. So I don't know... but remember that the file# may not be labelled as such. Our email just had: Application: Fxxxxxxxxx I had to guess that that meant the same thing as ECAS's "Immigration File Number / Application Number". Good luck.

 

[ddobro2]

Oh my God, your post had me saying "serenity now!!" and I'm not even the one who had to endure that! Anyway, Facebook to the rescue huh?

Thanks everyone for the gratz Ah it feels good

We got it snail mail, and they sent it to his old address in the USA.
We were forever harassing Buffalo to change the address on our application... SO FRUSTRATING!
Then they finally did- and we got some correspondence from them (like when they transferred our file to LA notice came to our home here)

So... then LA gets their hands on our file, and somehow- they use his OLD address. We are lucky his friends are at the same address, they faxed it to me yesterday.
We don't have the original- but im hoping that doesn't matter when we show up because we have a copy- and proof that we put in for an address change and they
are the ones who messed up by sending it to the wrong place!

so yeah- you could imagine the terror when I read the letter dated October 12th. We have FOUR days to make it from the Tundra- to LA. Great.

what REALLY gets me, we had our MP look into our file for us they contacted us October 20th and said our application has been approved, the bring forward date is November 21st. I was thinking, why in the hell would they have approved us but not sent a PPR? And why would they wait over a month?? It didn't make any sense, and now i can see that my MP's assistant doesn't know jack-*censored word*.

I didn't post about this because I thought it might be better left unsaid but i will post now. Whatever.

So I had been emailing my MP for 5 months asking if they could look into our file. First because they weren't changing our address. Then because i was seeing everyone and their mom get approved while we were just in limbo. I sent a long letter (I posted it here somewhere on behalf of the December-Feb group, linked the timetable and the forums etc)His receptionist would never help- just say "I have forwarded this to *********" "I have told ********* about your issues" blah blah- i think it was 10 emails i had sent and each time i was brushed off,eventually it turned into "I have sent this to his assistant ******" no one ever got back to me. Finally i was like EFF THIS!! I went on facebook, of all places. Typed his name into the search and lo- and behold he had a facebook account!! SO I messaged him, I said i had been trying to contact him for months through his official posted contact info. I told him I needed help, and explained everything i had already done so in the emails. I told him i was extremely disappointed, i can post the letter here if anyone has interest in reading it. Anyway, HE GETS BACK TO ME WITHIN AN HOUR.

Not even joking.

so email your MP's office for 5 months- and hear nothing.
facebook message your MP and he gets back to you in an hour.

The response: an apology and "lets not do this on facebook"

okay, so within an hour after the fb message i got an email from him stating he needed a fax # to send over a consent form. I sent it, they faxed it right away. we signed it off and sent it right back. They called me within an hour to confirm everything was okay and it was sent off to the ministerial waiting queue or w/e.

So we wait. A week passes- Mp's assistant calls and says "Your application has been given a positive decision. You have a bring forward date of Nov 21st. PPR will be issued shortly after that"

Makes you wonder- did they just pull dates out of their asses? Did they even contact immigration?
This was on October 20th. My PPR has already been issued at this point- 8 days previous.

*sigh*

So yeah, would have been nice if when they "looked into our file" they had seen PPR was issued and said so. Then we wouldn't be scrambing with 4 days to make it to LA.


BUt- WHATEVER WE GOT PPR!!! *Happy Dance* We just passed the 11 month mark last week and i was to depressed to post that lol

 

[ddobro2]

congrats trish1982 and cbennett! ;D

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Right thanks. Just to be clear, I am the sponsor, so I should log on just as myself then with my client number? The e-cas just says they received her application Aug 19, the same date as when I submitted. Nothing about medicals or anything else. She did her medical in the US in July and I included the Copy 2 form with her. I hope it's not going to expire before they approve. It cost 450 bucks to do it, which I could've had it done for free in Canada (at least the non-lab portions).

Unless she has Canadian health insurance or you are close friends with one of the approved doctors, she could not have had it done for free in Canada. Foreigners pay full price when visiting a doctor in Canada (i.e. I got hit with a $150 bill when I asked the doctor to check if my lymphnodes were swollen while I was at the clinic to have my American prescriptions changed for Canadian ones), and the medical exam in Canada, at least in Montreal, was $210 last year. If you know of a free way for spouses of Canadians to get the medical exams done for free in Canada, please share. I'm looking at the expiration of my meds pretty soon, so I'd certainly like to know how to get them done again for free if necessary (and that's not sarcasm, I really would like to know if there is a legit loophole).

 

[cantor2537]

Unless she has Canadian health insurance or you are close friends with one of the approved doctors, she could not have had it done for free in Canada. Foreigners pay full price when visiting a doctor in Canada (i.e. I got hit with a $150 bill when I asked the doctor to check if my lymphnodes were swollen while I was at the clinic to have my American prescriptions changed for Canadian ones), and the medical exam in Canada, at least in Montreal, was $210 last year. If you know of a free way for spouses of Canadians to get the medical exams done for free in Canada, please share. I'm looking at the expiration of my meds pretty soon, so I'd certainly like to know how to get them done again for free if necessary (and that's not sarcasm, I really would like to know if there is a legit loophole).

Haha, no I'm a physician and two of my close colleagues are IME docs and have offered to do it for free for me. I did med school in the US (that's how I met my wife; albeit we met online and we initially thought we were going to stay in the US, but visa circumstances + the randomness of the residency match process made me return to Canada for residency and subsequently practice). I've applied in the past to be an IME doc but they said they have enough docs already; apparently it's quite lucrative for doctors to do IMEs.

BTW, for a newbie, what does AOR and PPR stand for?

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Haha, no I'm a physician and two of my close colleagues are IME docs and have offered to do it for free for me. I did med school in the US (that's how I met my wife; albeit we met online and we initially thought we were going to stay in the US, but visa circumstances + the randomness of the residency match process made me return to Canada for residency and subsequently practice). I've applied in the past to be an IME doc but they said they have enough docs already; apparently it's quite lucrative for doctors to do IMEs.

BTW, for a newbie, what does AOR and PPR stand for?

Haha! Yeah I suppose that would be the other apparent situation that I didn't think about. I assume it is really lucrative. I know the clinic where I went had between 20 and 30 people waiting just for immigration physicals every time I went (I had to go back because they messed up my bloods the first time). Each of us was charged $210 in cash so I guess they make a nice little profit off of PR applicants.

As for your other question:
AOR = Acknowledgment of Receipt
PPR = I'm blanking on the exact phrase, but basically the letter requesting your passport so they can issue you your PR visa

 

[cantor2537]

Haha! Yeah I suppose that would be the other apparent situation that I didn't think about. I assume it is really lucrative. I know the clinic where I went had between 20 and 30 people waiting just for immigration physicals every time I went (I had to go back because they messed up my bloods the first time). Each of us was charged $210 in cash so I guess they make a nice little profit off of PR applicants.

As for your other question:
AOR = Acknowledgment of Receipt
PPR = I'm blanking on the exact phrase, but basically the letter requesting your passport so they can issue you your PR visa

Thanks. So Buffalo should send the AOR to my wife in the US? I'm assuming that should come soon as Mississauga transferred our file Oct 28 (at least that was the date of the letter)?

 

[ddobro2]

PPR is passport request (not PR to set it apart from that other acronym, permanent residence). You can always look at http://immipedia.ca/Acronyms if you have any questions about immigration-related acronyms.

Haha! Yeah I suppose that would be the other apparent situation that I didn't think about. I assume it is really lucrative. I know the clinic where I went had between 20 and 30 people waiting just for immigration physicals every time I went (I had to go back because they messed up my bloods the first time). Each of us was charged $210 in cash so I guess they make a nice little profit off of PR applicants.

As for your other question:
AOR = Acknowledgment of Receipt
PPR = I'm blanking on the exact phrase, but basically the letter requesting your passport so they can issue you your PR visa

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Thanks. So Buffalo should send the AOR to my wife in the US? I'm assuming that should come soon as Mississauga transferred our file Oct 28 (at least that was the date of the letter)?

Ideally yes, but I personally never got an AOR from Buffalo. If she doesn't get one she should email them eventually and ask for one or at least for her file number, etc. I ended up doing that in October and I got a response back, because apparently that's the one thing they're required to respond to if they haven't already provided you with that info.

Also, I think a lot of people have gotten their AOR via email. Again, I never seem to get anything via email from Buffalo, but if she put down her email address on the application then she should make sure to check it and the junk mail folder just in case.

 

[mjh49783aa]

Indeed. I just didn't have the foresight to make a copy of the PR application at that time. Now I wish I did, but at least I know that they do have it, and they gave me a visa file number in an email with a standard boilerplate message stating that they'll get it done when they get it done, and they have no idea when it'll be done.

For something that took so much time and effort to assemble and is so life-changingly important, making a copy of the PR application package before you send it in for its months-long plight at the case processing centre and regional processing centre is absolutely a good idea. Well really, having a record of anything you send to a government agency is a good idea....