Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[wally1961]

We are finally In Process as of Dec 12th. Should we send in the final payment or will they request it?

Gerry

 

[eeeeeeeelectric]

Juuuuuuuust checked e-cas and it says.... In Process! "We started processing your file December 8."

Woohoo!!!!

 

[krhale11]

Hello all,

I'm sorry to cut in the middle of your conversation, but I'm new to the forum and have a couple questions. As some background information, my husband is a Canadian Citizen living in Canada and I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. (I've seen this scenario throughout this forum, so it seems very common). We just submitted my Permanent Residency application in October, so we're just in the beginning stages of waiting. I found online something that I hadn't found prior to submitting my application.

For the FBI clearance, I sent in the clearance letter (created by an FBI-channeler). I found something now that says I had to have submitted an additional set of fingerprints as well (which I didn't include originally). I guess I have few questions:

1. Are FBI-channeler letters acceptable? I have not found a single statement on the CIC website saying they are not.
2. Do I have to submit fingerprints?
3. Until I have been sent a File #, can I even send documents to add to my application if items are missing?
4. Can my husband still receive approval as the sponsor, even if we're missing items in the rest of the actual application?

I'm just not sure what to expect. I've tried to find these answers online and by contacting various Visa office's, but I have not received any help. If anyone has any experience in this area, I would greatly appreciate some advice.

Thanks,

krhale11

 

[seattlegirl]

Besides Eddy070 am I the oldest app still waiting?

Still waiting also

 

[mjh49783aa]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

Yes, CIC will ask for the FBI clearance letter from you for the security check. They may also ask for clearance letters for every state you've lived in since you've turned eighteen. It would seem that when I filed my application, they've required both the state, and FBI clearances at that time. (I wonder why they changed it, unless I read that part wrong?) But yes, you'll need to do fingerprint cards and send them out to every state you've resided in if they make the request for those clearance letters.

Once your application reaches Buffalo, you may or may not receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) from them. This will have your file number. If they forget to send you one, you can email one from them.

It would seem to me that they will probably approve him as a sponsor if those documents are all that are missing. The Visa Officer (VO) in Buffalo will simply ask for them later.

Hello all,

I'm sorry to cut in the middle of your conversation, but I'm new to the forum and have a couple questions. As some background information, my husband is a Canadian Citizen living in Canada and I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. (I've seen this scenario throughout this forum, so it seems very common). We just submitted my Permanent Residency application in October, so we're just in the beginning stages of waiting. I found online something that I hadn't found prior to submitting my application.

For the FBI clearance, I sent in the clearance letter (created by an FBI-channeler). I found something now that says I had to have submitted an additional set of fingerprints as well (which I didn't include originally). I guess I have few questions:

1. Are FBI-channeler letters acceptable? I have not found a single statement on the CIC website saying they are not.
2. Do I have to submit fingerprints?
3. Until I have been sent a File #, can I even send documents to add to my application if items are missing?
4. Can my husband still receive approval as the sponsor, even if we're missing items in the rest of the actual application?

I'm just not sure what to expect. I've tried to find these answers online and by contacting various Visa office's, but I have not received any help. If anyone has any experience in this area, I would greatly appreciate some advice.

Thanks,

krhale11

 

[janyte]

Haha. Ecas tracker update #4 re medicals received.

We got our 4th or 5th today too...but when I actually went on - miracle of miracles...we're finally "In Process as of 12/8/11"!!! Missed our window of opportunity to move this year, but hopefully something will move along so we can get up to central Ontario by late spring! (Now if only the economy in MA would make selling a house possible!)

 

[mameelynn]

Just a quick question about form IMM 5490. Are they asking for only blood relatives for my husband or do we put his in-laws (my father, sister, nieces and nephew)? Thanks!

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Hi AmericaninQuebec,

Sorry for the delay, I missed your reply.

I went up to Vermont at Highgate (I-89) and was told that the car had to be in the U.S. for at least 72 hours while they did their thing. I returned after ~75 hours and then entered Canada. They were very clear about the 72-hour requirement and that's more-or-less what they say in the regs so I think you are looking for an exception rather than the rule.

Thanks for the response. I ended up calling again this morning, because the fax with my title wasn't going through. This time the woman at Derby Line told me that 1) I couldn't fax, but had to bring my title and 2 copies in person to kick of the 72 hrs, that 2) the 72 hrs are not business hours and even run during the weekend, and 3) I could take my car back to Canada (though obviously not as an import) while I waited for the 72 hrs to pass.

After thinking about it again this morning my husband and I decided to wait to export/import my car anyway. We figure that with the holidays approaching it would be a mess trying to get everything done within the required 45 day time limit. Instead I'll still land (he'll drive) as soon as my passport comes back, and I'll declare that my car will be following in the next couple of months. Then once the holidays have gone by I'll contact Derby Line again to confirm everything (since the requirements seem to change every time I call) and then go through the export/import process. That way if I have to leave Canada with my car for 72 hrs I could at least make plans to go visit friends for a long weekend down in Boston or something during January or February.

Thanks so much for your advice.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

I did import/export at Queenston/Lewiston. There you can fax your documents 72 hours in advance, they did not require the car remain in the states for that period (nor did the ask where the car was prior to exportation).

And, I can find no statement in the regulations that requires the vehicle to be in the US for 72 hours prior to export.

See link to the regulations for export here http://customs.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_trade/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml.

I would call Queenston/Lewiston and ask them about the hold period (maybe a couple other export offices too) to get a sense of how this is enforced and whether it is required! Then I would call the border office you intend to use again, share the info you've acquired and ask (politely of course) to point specifically to the section of the regulation where this is required. It would help if you are very familiar with the wording of the regs as well!

Read, in particular 192.2 part C, number 2 requires only the documentation to be presented 72 hours prior to export if the vehicle is under it's own power. The vehicle is only required to be present AT the time of exportation. If they can not point to it in the regs (and it is not followed at other export offices) I would then politely ask how they could hold you accountable for something that is not specifically required by the regulations.

That last part is a good point. When I called again this morning the woman didn't mention the car being there when I presented the title and started the 72 hr clock. I'll have to keep that in mind when we do export/import my car. As I said in another post we're going to put it on the list of possessions to follow and then go through the process when things are a little calmer after the holidays.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

Yes, CIC will ask for the FBI clearance letter from you for the security check. They may also ask for clearance letters for every state you've lived in since you've turned eighteen. It would seem that when I filed my application, they've required both the state, and FBI clearances at that time. (I wonder why they changed it, unless I read that part wrong?) But yes, you'll need to do fingerprint cards and send them out to every state you've resided in if they make the request for those clearance letters.

Once your application reaches Buffalo, you may or may not receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) from them. This will have your file number. If they forget to send you one, you can email one from them.

It would seem to me that they will probably approve him as a sponsor if those documents are all that are missing. The Visa Officer (VO) in Buffalo will simply ask for them later.

I did not send in state clearances with my application, and they were never requested. I believe the instructions indicate that you have to send an FBI background check, and you may be requested for state background checks. I took a chance and sent mine with just the FBI clearance letter and it turned out fine.

 

[ddobro2]

The file numbers are now on the sponsorship approval letters themselves. Also, I don't suggest she proactively seek out police certificates for each state the PA lived in. Almost nobody going through Buffalo does this when they initially apply and while yes, it is totally at the IO's discretion, very very few are then sent a request to submit those. I doubt Buffalo would want to change its way of doing this given that it still seems to be very much struggling to clear backlogs.

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

Yes, CIC will ask for the FBI clearance letter from you for the security check. They may also ask for clearance letters for every state you've lived in since you've turned eighteen. It would seem that when I filed my application, they've required both the state, and FBI clearances at that time. (I wonder why they changed it, unless I read that part wrong?) But yes, you'll need to do fingerprint cards and send them out to every state you've resided in if they make the request for those clearance letters.

Once your application reaches Buffalo, you may or may not receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) from them. This will have your file number. If they forget to send you one, you can email one from them.

It would seem to me that they will probably approve him as a sponsor if those documents are all that are missing. The Visa Officer (VO) in Buffalo will simply ask for them later.

 

[ddobro2]

Looks like you got some clarity on the subject and the "72 hr rule" seems to be more lax that previously though. I agree you should land and worry about the technicalities later. After all, doesn't landing- after how long we wait for it- deserve to be an event all by itself? God, I'm so glad I don't have a car

Thanks for the response. I ended up calling again this morning, because the fax with my title wasn't going through. This time the woman at Derby Line told me that 1) I couldn't fax, but had to bring my title and 2 copies in person to kick of the 72 hrs, that 2) the 72 hrs are not business hours and even run during the weekend, and 3) I could take my car back to Canada (though obviously not as an import) while I waited for the 72 hrs to pass.

After thinking about it again this morning my husband and I decided to wait to export/import my car anyway. We figure that with the holidays approaching it would be a mess trying to get everything done within the required 45 day time limit. Instead I'll still land (he'll drive) as soon as my passport comes back, and I'll declare that my car will be following in the next couple of months. Then once the holidays have gone by I'll contact Derby Line again to confirm everything (since the requirements seem to change every time I call) and then go through the export/import process. That way if I have to leave Canada with my car for 72 hrs I could at least make plans to go visit friends for a long weekend down in Boston or something during January or February.

Thanks so much for your advice.

 

[yooper]

The file numbers are now on the sponsorship approval letters themselves.

I never received a 'sponsorship approval letter, but rather than email (to sponsor) which seems to have served as such. The file# was on that email, of the form $F0000099999.

They explicitly told my sponsor to use her UCI (Uniform Client Identifier) on e-cas, but said nothing about how I as applicant might check my case. I tried using what I thought was the file#, as the 'Immigration File Number' on e-cas, and it work.

Also, I don't suggest she proactively seek out police certificates for each state the PA lived in.

Agreed. They said 'may', not 'must' or 'will'.

But what is a 'fbi-channeler' letter? They were very clear on what they want here, as I recall. I followed their instructions, send request to FBI, got letter of 'no record' on their funky paper, and sent it in.

 

[ddobro2]

The FBI channeler question was asked before and while there was not exactly a lot of clarity on the subject, PMM seemed to believe that CIC would *not* accept it because of the "apostilling" issue.

Basically, it would come down to this:

9. Does the FBI provide apostilles*?

(*An apostille is a certification that a document has been “legalized” or “authenticated” by the issuing agency through a process in which various seals are placed on the document.)

The CJIS Division will authenticate U.S. Department of Justice Order 556-73 fingerprint search results for international requests by placing the FBI seal and the signature of a division official on the results if requested at the time of submission. Documents prepared in this way may then be sent to the U.S. Department of State by the requestor to obtain an apostille if necessary. This procedure became effective on January 25, 2010 and will apply only to documents finalized after that date. Requests to authenticate previously processed results will not be accepted. This procedure replaces the letter formerly provided by the CJIS Division that indicated the service was not provided. Note: FBI-approved Channelers cannot provide an apostille. A request for your FBI Identification Record must be submitted directly to the FBI if an apostille is needed.

Obviously, CIC only stipulates "originality" for the police cert, not whether it is "authenticated" or not. However, if the document provided by the channeler is missing seals that are normally on the FBI cert when someone requests directly, I can see how Buffalo may not want to acknowledge that kind of document. I really think that you'll have to just wait and see what they say. Hopefully, CIC can amend the U.S.-specific checklist to clarify the policy on certs provided through FBI channelers.

I have no idea what you mean by providing fingerprints. You provided the fingerprints to the FBI, which is how you got your police certificate. If you're talking about submitting new fingerprints for an RCMP check, no you do not need to do that. If you're talking about having fingerprints done and submitting them directly to CIC, no, you definetely do not need to do that.

I would really wait until your application was at Buffalo to submit documents that you were unable to provide with the initial mailing of the package (ideally and technically, you need to include everything listed in the checklist and submit it at the very beginning). And yes, I would have my visa file number prominently displayed when I do send documents in to Buffalo so they can reunite them with the parent file, if you want to call it that. CPC-M takes about two months to approve sponsorship, after which it sends you a sponsorship approval letter (addressed to the sponsor) that includes both the sponsor's Client ID and since recently, the visa file number, and also promptly forwards the PR portion of the file to the VO. So you would have the file number when you get sponsorship approval.

CPC-M may send the application back if you literally only mailed them the undertaking forms, I don't know, but the point is that they consider only the sponsorship portion of the package, so unless the document you're talking about has to do with one of the forms for Step 1 (I have seen people have them returned for forgetting to put "not applicable" in a line, so it is possible, but I think pretty rare), they're not going to deal with it. When they approve the sponsor in your case and forward the PR portion to the VO, the VO will be the one to contact you to request missing documents.

Hello all,

I'm sorry to cut in the middle of your conversation, but I'm new to the forum and have a couple questions. As some background information, my husband is a Canadian Citizen living in Canada and I am a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. (I've seen this scenario throughout this forum, so it seems very common). We just submitted my Permanent Residency application in October, so we're just in the beginning stages of waiting. I found online something that I hadn't found prior to submitting my application.

For the FBI clearance, I sent in the clearance letter (created by an FBI-channeler). I found something now that says I had to have submitted an additional set of fingerprints as well (which I didn't include originally). I guess I have few questions:

1. Are FBI-channeler letters acceptable? I have not found a single statement on the CIC website saying they are not.
2. Do I have to submit fingerprints?
3. Until I have been sent a File #, can I even send documents to add to my application if items are missing?
4. Can my husband still receive approval as the sponsor, even if we're missing items in the rest of the actual application?

I'm just not sure what to expect. I've tried to find these answers online and by contacting various Visa office's, but I have not received any help. If anyone has any experience in this area, I would greatly appreciate some advice.

Thanks,

krhale11

 

[ddobro2]

That was a great and interesting point you made but as it turns out, my suspicions about what that IA letter was talking about were correct (I just love overly-generalized form letters, the only ones that are even better than CIC's are the ones from Revenue Canada).

So to recap, I got the IA on the Nov. 23rd (checked mail late), emailed the non-f*ck off dept. regarding the certified issue the next morning, sent a copy of the CSQ via post later that day, of course did not get an email response for several days, re-sent the question to them on the 28th, emailed them a scanned copy of the CSQ on the 29th, and then got an email response from them about an hour after I did so. The response being, "You can send in a copy of the CSQ." That was it. So then lastly I faxed a 3rd copy of the CSQ on Dec. 1. On Friday, I reluctantly emailed the "non-FO department" again to ask if they might confirm receipt of the multiple copies sent, and to my surprise, they actually emailed me back an hour later to say that they had.

Needless to say, I wish I had been dealing with whoever is behind this email address back when I was begging them to tell me if they had my CSQ this summer.

Actually, you can't fax that if it's needed to be certified.

Basically what certification does is take a photocopy (facsimile of original) and authenticate it as a "true copy" -- unmodified -- essentially creating another original.

As soon as you put the original into the fax machine, the received copy is not original / certified -- it is a facsimile.

I only say this to spare you the time if it's requested. We all know that it would take a few days for them to look at the fax, then send you a letter asking for it to be sent by snail mail, blah, blah blah.