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Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

nhl1011

Star Member
Sep 18, 2011
103
1
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
19-05-2011
Doc's Request.
N/A
AOR Received.
03-08-2011
File Transfer...
27-06-2011
Med's Request
N/A
Med's Done....
N/A
Here is my landing story
6:45am headed to peace bridge(follow QEW to fort Erie)
8:45am arrived at the border. I stayed there (I don't have us visa) my friend went to buffalo to get my passport stamped and received landing paper.
He waited there like 3hr.(a long line up). consulate is 5km away from border. He paid $5 for parking.
12pm he came back to border.
Around 12:10pm I became immigrant. Finished landing. ;D



Ps: consulate is going to be closed to public from may 7th...if I remember correctly. Which means you can't submit your passport in person anymore from may 7th.


Ps I received my ppr on April 24th, landed on may 1st
 

OhCanadiana

VIP Member
Feb 27, 2010
3,086
217
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
nhl1011 said:
Here is my landing story
6:45am headed to peace bridge(follow QEW to fort Erie)
8:45am arrived at the border. I stayed there (I don't have us visa) my friend went to buffalo to get my passport stamped and received landing paper.
He waited there like 3hr.(a long line up). consulate is 5km away from border. He paid $5 for parking.
12pm he came back to border.
Around 12:10pm I became immigrant. Finished landing. ;D
Congratulations!!!
nhl1011 said:
Ps: consulate is going to be closed to public from may 7th...if I remember correctly. Which means you can't submit your passport in person anymore from may 7th.
:(
 

bbiery

Star Member
Aug 7, 2011
64
3
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
04-10-2011
Doc's Request.
5-3-2012
AOR Received.
20-12-2011
Med's Request
08-03-2012
Med's Done....
20-09-2011
Passport Req..
26-04-2012/Decision Made 14-05-2012
Anyone from in Canada have any time lines from date passport pages were sent to copr? Is it ever faster than 15 business days? My passport pages were in Fort Erie in the morning on Thursday of last week.
 

Bargeld

Hero Member
Sep 17, 2011
338
53
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
30-05-2011
AOR Received.
14-07-2011
File Transfer...
05-07-2011
Passport Req..
06-10-2011
VISA ISSUED...
20-10-2011
LANDED..........
20-10-2011
nhl1011 said:
Here is my landing story
6:45am headed to peace bridge(follow QEW to fort Erie)
8:45am arrived at the border. I stayed there (I don't have us visa) my friend went to buffalo to get my passport stamped and received landing paper.
He waited there like 3hr.(a long line up). consulate is 5km away from border. He paid $5 for parking.
12pm he came back to border.
Around 12:10pm I became immigrant. Finished landing. ;D



Ps: consulate is going to be closed to public from may 7th...if I remember correctly. Which means you can't submit your passport in person anymore from may 7th.


Ps I received my ppr on April 24th, landed on may 1st
That's odd, there are so many people that go to the HSBC Centre, not just for family class but when I was there I saw so many students it made my head spin.. wonder why if this is true.

As for landing if I had seen any post that said something about landing I'd have recommended Queenston-Lewiston.. there was not a single person in line and I landed about noon'ish, took care of PPR in person like 8am-10am, then went for some food before driving up to Queenston-Lewiston to land. It took me a matter of minutes (10'ish minutes) to complete landing formalities, both B4/B4A.
 

amaranth

Hero Member
Oct 31, 2009
333
11
Toronto & Buffalo
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
17.12.2010
AOR Received.
31.3.2011
File Transfer...
18.1.2010
Med's Done....
30.11.2010
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
25.10.2011
VISA ISSUED...
10.11.2011
LANDED..........
17.11.2011
Bargeld said:
That's odd, there are so many people that go to the HSBC Centre, not just for family class but when I was there I saw so many students it made my head spin.. wonder why if this is true.
No details, but it's on the Buffalo site...

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Edit: "Effective May 7, 2012, the Canadian visa offices in Buffalo and Detroit will no longer offer same-day non-immigrant services. Applicants for Temporary Resident Visas, Study Permits, Work Permits, Temporary Resident Permits, and Permanent Resident Travel Documents must submit applications by mail only. No cash payments will be accepted..."

I wonder if this means permanent resident applicants might still be allowed the same day service? It only says non-immigrant services, and the only mention of perm res here are travel docs... hmm...
This could be a good thing though. Not having to deal with tons of people in person every day might allow them to focus more on family class applications. Just speculation.
 

OhCanadiana

VIP Member
Feb 27, 2010
3,086
217
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
amaranth said:
No details, but it's on the Buffalo site...

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/buffalo/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d
Wait, wait, the statement on the home page in the yellow box references only same-day non-immigrant visas (not immigrant visas).

It also it says applications have to be submitted by mail which is a change for tourist visas (which you can now do in person same-day walking in with all documents without mailing in the application beforehand). No change there for family class apps that need to be mailed to CPC-M.

I will retain hope that they will still issue same-day immigrant (ie PR) visas for everyone waiting :) And that this isn't simply an omission in the statement.


"Attention:
Effective May 7, 2012, the Canadian visa offices in Buffalo and Detroit will no longer offer same-day non-immigrant services. Applicants for Temporary Resident Visas, Study Permits, Work Permits, Temporary Resident Permits, and Permanent Resident Travel Documents must submit applications by mail only. No cash payments will be accepted. Please see the following links for application submission and fee payment instructions at the Canadian visa offices in the United States: Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Washington."
 

muffy1

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2012
371
9
Oh Canadiana!
I had the same interpretation and I'm glad someone else such as you did, as well! I am hopeful because I've been waiting and waiting, hopeful to get a PPR soon and was planning to submit in person. Fingers crossed!
 

Bargeld

Hero Member
Sep 17, 2011
338
53
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
30-05-2011
AOR Received.
14-07-2011
File Transfer...
05-07-2011
Passport Req..
06-10-2011
VISA ISSUED...
20-10-2011
LANDED..........
20-10-2011
Good luck on the PPR/landing muffy1.
 

OhCanadiana

VIP Member
Feb 27, 2010
3,086
217
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
muffy1 said:
Oh Canadiana!
I had the same interpretation and I'm glad someone else such as you did, as well! I am hopeful because I've been waiting and waiting, hopeful to get a PPR soon and was planning to submit in person. Fingers crossed!
I really hope it works out for you muffy1. Fingers crossed.
 

Amoss

Hero Member
Feb 28, 2012
328
2
Category........
Visa Office......
LA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
10-01-2012
AOR Received.
10-03-2012
File Transfer...
to Buffalo 20-03-2012 -- to LA 08-05-02012
Med's Done....
20-12-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
08-08-2012
Hi! So I got my sponsorship approval from CIC-M on March 20th and was informed our file was being transferred to Buffalo.. Well, as you know, that was over a month ago now (almost a month and a half) and we haven't received anything from Buffalo yet. How long does it usually take to get an AOR (or sign of life) from them?

Our e-cas was updated about a week ago and now says "medicals" received" but that's it. no "in process" or anything like that. I guess that is kind of a sign of life ::) but wouldn't mind the official "we have your app" letter
 

York Region

Star Member
Oct 20, 2011
65
0
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
19-05-2011
AOR Received.
08-08-2011
Med's Request
extended
Med's Done....
19-04-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
08-05-2012
VISA ISSUED...
10-05-2012
LANDED..........
10-05-2012
Nothing this week so far Buffalo hellooooooo Wake uppp!!!!!!
 

Lasiar

Hero Member
Mar 1, 2012
224
3
124
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo/Detroit
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
09-09-2011
Doc's Request.
02-22-2012
AOR Received.
12-09-2011
File Transfer...
11-15-2011
Med's Request
medical extension 07-06-12 request sent by VO
Med's Done....
13-06-2011
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
16-05-2012
VISA ISSUED...
COPR 16-08-12
Hello All.
I sent an email off yesterday to my MLA. giving him a bit of background on my application process and the lack of updates from the CIC or the VO dealing with our application. He did respond back within 10 mins which I thought was great. He said he would look into my case, and see what he can do or at least find out for me. He said he would also speak the federal MP as well, as there were others inquiring also. So hears hoping for some good news or at least an update. let you all know what happens. :)
 

GOGOGO

Hero Member
Jan 12, 2012
540
13
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo->New York
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
27-09-2011
Doc's Request.
23-02-2012
AOR Received.
04-01-2012 (Email from Buffalo)
File Transfer...
02-02-2012 (Buffalo->New York: notified by email from Buffalo)
Med's Done....
18-01-2012
Passport Req..
11-04-2012; 23Apr: PP copy delivered at NY
VISA ISSUED...
01-05-2012 (as per COPR); 4May: Decision Made on eCAS; 8May: COPR rcvd (Canada address)
LANDED..........
10-05-2012; 12May: Status in eCAS disappeared; 13Jul: PR Card rcv'd
Good to have known about it now then later! :) And yes, you should go ahead and get FBI now as it will take 2-3 months to receive the cert back. Good luck!

oldlovey said:
I finally received some news on the 23rd, that I was approved for sponsorship!

Also I see that they received his medicals...but while I was browsing this forum, I realized that we actually needed a FBI criminal background check and not simply a state one. Wow. I feel so stupid right now! I can't believe we made such a silly mistake...

Anyways, to remedy the situation. Should I wait for them to contact me before asking my husband to go get one? Or should we go ahead and start getting FBI clearance as soon as possible?
 

GOGOGO

Hero Member
Jan 12, 2012
540
13
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo->New York
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
27-09-2011
Doc's Request.
23-02-2012
AOR Received.
04-01-2012 (Email from Buffalo)
File Transfer...
02-02-2012 (Buffalo->New York: notified by email from Buffalo)
Med's Done....
18-01-2012
Passport Req..
11-04-2012; 23Apr: PP copy delivered at NY
VISA ISSUED...
01-05-2012 (as per COPR); 4May: Decision Made on eCAS; 8May: COPR rcvd (Canada address)
LANDED..........
10-05-2012; 12May: Status in eCAS disappeared; 13Jul: PR Card rcv'd
This is what I normally did:

On the envelope, wrote the following (serves as return address too):
1) Application/File #
2) Applicant UCI
3) Applicant Name
4) Applicant Address

Attach a cover letter to summarise what documents were being sent, which contained the following information for them to match the case:
1) Application/File #
2) Applicant UCI
3) Applicant Name
4) Date of Birth
5) Place of Birth
6) Sponsor’s UCI
7) Sponsor's Name
Note: 1-5 above are those information required when sending Case Specific Enquiry.

Also...
1) made photocopy of the document and faxed the VO with a cover letter as mentioned above,
2) scanned the document and upload via Case Specific Enquiry, or,
3) Sent email with the same information.

These worked for me so hopefully work for you too. Good luck!

oldlovey said:
When sending in the FBI Clearance to the Visa Office, what kind of information should I include?

Our Unique Client Identifier? Should that be on the envelope or written on a piece of paper inside the envelope?

I just want to make sure that when I do send it in, that it's received properly and catches up with the rest of the application!

Thanks for anybody's help!