Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[doctorkb]

At this point it would be more for your own tracking purposes, because it's way too soon in the process to start bugging them.

Just to clarify, the "bugging" doesn't affect your processing time. It's an office in Ottawa that provides the GCMS notes out of the centralised database.

 

[doctorkb]

Haven't done this. Just trusting the Great Buffalo to be beneficent. If I do this, what action can then be taken? (I just started 'processing' on 2 Nov, so I have patience now for a few more days!)

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Buffalo? Beneficient? Seriously, you used those two words in the same sentence? That's about the most wild contradiction in terms I've heard! That's even better than "military intelligence"!

 

[doctorkb]

I don't quite get your point. Should the person with the less complex file then go through more quickly than the other? I would assume so, but if that were the case my own file would already have been processed. This is my first marriage, we're both in our twenties, professionals, etc. On paper our file should have not raised any red flags and gone though processing quickly. In fact, my GCMS notes show that they had no issues with my file (noted that relationship appeared genuine upon their first review of the file and advised for waiver of an interview), yet they then didn't bother to touch my file again until I started pestering them this past week.

Really, I don't think you can say that just because someone's situation seems more or less complex that they're going to get through the process any faster or slower than someone else. Sure there are exceptions, but I think it's kind of a crap shoot at times as to how much time it's going to take.

Ultimately, there are more variables than just complexity. BUT, I do believe that complexity ties into it. If they don't have much to verify, the verification happens more quickly.

I wouldn't recommend bothering Buffalo after only a couple of months, but if you've been waiting for more than a few months then I highly recommend getting your GCMS notes and potentially trying to contact them to see if there are any issues with your file that need to be resolved.

Get the GCMS notes -- that doesn't bother Buffalo at all. Then if something stands out, contact the consulate to have it dealt with.

Agreed. If it boiled down to complexity, logically my file should have flown through... First marriage for both of us, no kids, no criminal history, etc. As of the date of application submission, we had over 6 years together and 9 months married. No obvious snags. Yet my file sat in Buffalo from Jan 26 to March 31 before I even received the AOR, and after that it wasn't touched again till the end of September. Then came the RPRF debacle. Clearly there's no rhyme or reason as to how Buffalo handles things, and the computer change didn't help at all (confirmed by the officer I talked to while landing... I swear I'll post about that eventually!)

Oh, I thoroughly believe there are many other variables, too. But I also believe that if you had a more complex case, it would have taken even longer.

(and to all the MPs who swear up and down "no no no, it's ALWAYS first come, first served! ALWAYS!"... There isn't much I can say here, because it would get censored anyway

I'm with you. I'm pretty sure that CIC does its best to act like a black box -- even the government doesn't know how it works.

 

[Eddy070]

My fingers still hurt from been crossed since January not sure what to expect.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Ottawa Regional Medical Office
Health Management Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
219 Laurier Ave. West, 3rd floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 1L1
Fax: +1 613 954 6211

Here is the text of the letter we faxed:
The Medical File Number was found on the FOSS notes.

Thanks for the info! Would it work if I just put down my Fxxxxx Bxxxxx numbers? I made a photocopy of the form the doctor's office gave me (the one I sent with my application). Perhaps I should fax that along with my letter? Just wondering out loud.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Just to clarify, the "bugging" doesn't affect your processing time. It's an office in Ottawa that provides the GCMS notes out of the centralised database.

Oh I meant bugging Buffalo. No point bugging the office that does the GCMS notes, unless they take more than 30 days to get them to you. I just meant that getting the GCMS notes that early on would be more for their own tracking purposes/curiosity and not for the purpose of using it to bug Buffalo regarding their file.

 

[mcmasters]

Good moooorniiiiiing everyone! ;D

No need or reason for me to be this cheery, just trying to remain positive.

Already we are into the second day of a new week. New passport rule takes effect in just two days! Well I think it's safe to say that anyone who hasn't gotten a PPR yet ain't gettin' one, but a COPR instead, which is just fine, I s'pose.

Today is the 35th calendar day since my hubs mailed the request for our GCMS notes. Gaaaah a month is such a long time to wait!

Today also marks 36 days since our RPRF receipt was delivered to Mississauga. If all is "going according to plan & posted timelines," that means we're now past the 30 day allowance to process RPRF receipts.

I guess my point is, I feel like I better get SOMETHING in the mail soon. Even if it's just GCMS notes. Although it could easily be another week, maybe two. Which SUCKS.

Every day that goes by and the mailbox has nothing but ads and bills I feel sad, even though I know I should put it out of my mind, and be "happily surprised" when I finally do get something.

There's a little part of me that hope, hope, hopes I get a COPR in the mail next week, but even saying it out loud seems blasphemous.

Anywho I won't hope for PPRs this week, but I will hope that everyone who is waiting on new info or documents gets it soon, and that a flood of COPRs will be sent out this week or next in accordance with the policy change.

 

[ddobro2]

Hey waitmate. The "30 day allowance to process RFRF receipts"???? Oh no, unforch. I'm not aware of any such allowance (for any time limit), but others report that it takes them 6-8 weeks to complete processing, so I think you need to give them a bit more time.

Good moooorniiiiiing everyone! ;D

No need or reason for me to be this cheery, just trying to remain positive.

Already we are into the second day of a new week. New passport rule takes effect in just two days! Well I think it's safe to say that anyone who hasn't gotten a PPR yet ain't gettin' one, but a COPR instead, which is just fine, I s'pose.

Today is the 35th calendar day since my hubs mailed the request for our GCMS notes. Gaaaah a month is such a long time to wait!

Today also marks 36 days since our RPRF receipt was delivered to Mississauga. If all is "going according to plan & posted timelines," that means we're now past the 30 day allowance to process RPRF receipts.

I guess my point is, I feel like I better get SOMETHING in the mail soon. Even if it's just GCMS notes. Although it could easily be another week, maybe two. Which SUCKS.

Every day that goes by and the mailbox has nothing but ads and bills I feel sad, even though I know I should put it out of my mind, and be "happily surprised" when I finally do get something.

There's a little part of me that hope, hope, hopes I get a COPR in the mail next week, but even saying it out loud seems blasphemous.

Anywho I won't hope for PPRs this week, but I will hope that everyone who is waiting on new info or documents gets it soon, and that a flood of COPRs will be sent out this week or next in accordance with the policy change.

 

[Newbie1234]

Hey waitmate. The "30 day allowance to process RFRF receipts"???? Oh no, unforch. I'm not aware of any such allowance (for any time limit), but others report that it takes them 6-8 weeks to complete processing, so I think you need to give them a bit more time.

What if your medicals are about to expire and they did not process the fee? Will they extend the medical or it will take another three months for medical?

 

[ddobro2]

I don't believe there's a relationship between the medicals expiring and the processing of the RPRF fee per se. Processing the fee is just another step chez the VO. Technically, one's medicals expire a year after the date of the exam, and that person must land before they expire (in other words, the VO should have completed ALL steps by this point). In practice, Buffalo rarely if ever requests someone to redo his or her medicals (particularly if one completed them a relatively short amount of time before filing, as is suggested). Apparently, they extend them but don't directly communicate to applicants this step (i.e., it's an internal thing). I have no idea what your question about "another three months for medical" refers to.

What if your medicals are about to expire and they did not process the fee? Will they extend the medical or it will take another three months for medical?

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

So I started reviewing my GCMS notes again this afternoon, because the idea that Buffalo doesn't have my meds was bugging me since the MP's office told us they had them at the beginning of October. Of course, they also said that they were still waiting on my background check, which wasn't true. Anyway, I decided to go back to the GCMS notes to see what I could decipher from them.

Long story short, it's pretty clear under the "Medical" section that they received and assessed my meds on July 14, 2011. I can see, among other things, the following on my notes:

IME Status (not certain what IME stands for though): Assessed
Description: Excessive Demand Exempt applicant with no identified health condition
Description: No surveillance required
Valid until: 2011-10-29

I am wondering if they've decided not to extend my meds, but haven't bothered to inform me. Or, whether the fact that the person writing me couldn't get my last name right meant they either weren't looking at my file or were looking at the wrong file.

Anyway, I wrote to her again stating all of this very diplomatically. I'm curious as to what she'll say in response this time. I don't want to harass her, but something seems off about her claim that they sent a follow up request to Ottawa for my meds two weeks ago and that they're still waiting on them. :-X

 

[mcmasters]

Hey waitmate. The "30 day allowance to process RFRF receipts"???? Oh no, unforch. I'm not aware of any such allowance (for any time limit), but others report that it takes them 6-8 weeks to complete processing, so I think you need to give them a bit more time.

&%$#@*&^$ Seriously? I thought I read on here they were allowed 30 calendar days to process the RPRF receipt. S of a B.

Ugh. So if the receipt was received in late October, then they have until late December to "process" it?

Gah. Fine. Whatever. I am not allowed to expect that ANYTHING be done in a timely fashion. Well, I can look forward to my period of unemployment... long dog walks... plenty of time to exercise... plenty of time to research jobs I'd like to have once I'm legally allowed to work in Canada...

Bleeeeeeh.

 

[ddobro2]

I'm not saying that it DEFINITELY will be another month, but I'm saying that it can go up to two months, from what others have reported, to process .....and perhaps since yours came in past the deadline they gave you, that requires some additional administrative wiggling (I have no idea what else to call it.......they do have a LOT of their time spent on "administrative" stuff that is not directly related to processing). Let me know what your GCMS notes say when you get them.

&%$# @ *&^$ Seriously? I thought I read on here they were allowed 30 calendar days to process the RPRF receipt. S of a B.

Ugh. So if the receipt was received in late October, then they have until late December to "process" it?

Gah. Fine. Whatever. I am not allowed to expect that ANYTHING be done in a timely fashion. Well, I can look forward to my period of unemployment... long dog walks... plenty of time to exercise... plenty of time to research jobs I'd like to have once I'm legally allowed to work in Canada...

Bleeeeeeh.

 

[mcmasters]

Yar, whenever they get here, I will. I was hoping that after processing my RPRF receipt they would say, "this is the last thing we needed!" and the visa would come after that. But it sounds like it is just as likely that my file will sit and sit and remain inactive for long periods of time, sometimes for no good reason, as in AmericaninQuebec's case.

Well I guess I just have to accept the fact that I'll be sitting in limbo for a couple of months, the app will get done eventually, and worrying about it won't help anything. Only getting GCMS notes and acting on what they say will get me anywhere. And I have to be patient about getting those, too. Blurgh.

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

Yar, whenever they get here, I will. I was hoping that after processing my RPRF receipt they would say, "this is the last thing we needed!" and the visa would come after that. But it sounds like it is just as likely that my file will sit and sit and remain inactive for long periods of time, sometimes for no good reason, as in AmericaninQuebec's case.

Well I guess I just have to accept the fact that I'll be sitting in limbo for a couple of months, the app will get done eventually, and worrying about it won't help anything. Only getting GCMS notes and acting on what they say will get me anywhere. And I have to be patient about getting those, too. Blurgh.

On the upside, sounds like you'll get to take some "vacation" time while you wait.

Seriously though, I feel your frustration. Here's hoping that by the time your GCMS notes get here they will be nothing more than an interesting read, since you'll already have your PR.

I think I'll go write a letter to Santa and see if he can't help us out. At this point I'm starting to think that might be just as effective as writing to Buffalo.