Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[ljane79]

Go to profile on top of screen
clip on forum profile information
Then type the info into the siganture box, this allows you to post info at the bottom of posts.

Oh, that was easy. Thank-you. Sure beats posting it every time.

 

[heatherusa]

Exactly my feelings!!! We try to do things the right way and we have to go through hell.. but hey, if I had 50,000 to throw away by jumping on a boat, I would have gotten the red carpet treatment, a free doctor's visit (which I need desperately right now), etc!

Heather, Buffalo LOVES to 'lose' FBI records even when it's all sent together. I think it's a part of their game sometimes. You saw where they sent me the wrong form letter for AOR, right? They can't even bother to copy and paste the right information!!

It amazes me the incompetence. I emailed the Minister of Immigration this morning expressing my concern over the lack of "caring" that the B'lo office has and that they give inconsitent information. I doubt it will produce any results.


We did find out today that when we sent the FBI our new credit card information that they had asked us to send they filed it with our first request for prints and so it just got put in a drawer while our send print request sat around waiting for payment information. A month it took them to figure this out.

*sigh*

 

[wmaitner]

It amazes me the incompetence. I emailed the Minister of Immigration this morning expressing my concern over the lack of "caring" that the B'lo office has and that they give inconsitent information. I doubt it will produce any results.


We did find out today that when we sent the FBI our new credit card information that they had asked us to send they filed it with our first request for prints and so it just got put in a drawer while our send print request sat around waiting for payment information. A month it took them to figure this out.

*sigh*

But, everything is figured out now. I got the information faxed to a very helpful guy at the FBI, who is forwarding my fax as I type to the right person in the fingerprint area. Hopefully by this time next week I will have FedEx-ed my new FBI letter to Buffalo. This time I was a little smarter and requested TWO FBI letters. *sighs* This really is the definition of hurry up and wait.

 

[giggles1985]

i was browsing on other sites and see that after receiving an AOR it takes less than 2 months maybe 1.5 to get PPR

This is true in the "Best case" scenario. If there are no problems, missing forms, concern as to the legitimacy of the relationship, then you may possibly get PPR within 2 months. However, any number of factors can slow down processing and the average processing time in B'lo is 4-10 months so the people who get through on 2 or less are very lucky. Most people are likely going to have a bit longer of a wait.

 

[ljane79]

If I eventually get my passport request from the Buffalo office, where can I go to get my landed immigrant status from an immigration officer if I am in Canada visiting? Do I have to drive down to the border?

When and if passport is requested I'm assuming that they will send the instructions to my house in the USA? My dad will scan a copy of the instructions to me in Canada. Are there any forms that will not be accepted as a photocopy?

I just want to be prepared when/if it comes.

Sincerely,
the very hopeful

 

[jmni1]

I would recommend changing your address to your canadian address with Buffalo. Just send them a case specific e-mail and inform them that you need to update your MAILING address. I am also "visiting" my husband, but on my immigration froms I put my legal address as the U.S. one and mailing address and the canadian one. This way you can make sure to get all of your mail.

As for landing you can land at a local office by making an appt, but this can take a long time. My recommendation would be to drive to a border crossing to land. It is called Flag Poling, just enter the U.S. and turn around and come back to Canada and tell the border officer that you need to land as a PR.

I assume the documents must be originals, but maybe someone else has more experiance with that.

 

[AllisonVSC]

I assume the documents must be originals, but maybe someone else has more experiance with that.

ljane79, The document you receive in the mail is just a letter with instructions on how to submit the passport. A scan of it will suffice, but I agree with jmni1 you should update your mailing address using a case specific e-mail. Then scour your email inbox and junk mail folder, because the PPR may then come as an email. I almost tossed my email PPR because I didn't recognize the sender or the subject as having to do with immigration, and the only way they got my email was by updating my mailing address.

 

[ljane79]

I would recommend changing your address to your canadian address with Buffalo. Just send them a case specific e-mail and inform them that you need to update your MAILING address. I am also "visiting" my husband, but on my immigration froms I put my legal address as the U.S. one and mailing address and the canadian one. This way you can make sure to get all of your mail.

As for landing you can land at a local office by making an appt, but this can take a long time. My recommendation would be to drive to a border crossing to land. It is called Flag Poling, just enter the U.S. and turn around and come back to Canada and tell the border officer that you need to land as a PR.

I assume the documents must be originals, but maybe someone else has more experiance with that.

Thank-you both for your help. I'll change my mailing address today.

 

[spouse]

Be careful for appying OUTLAND... esp. US when you have to apply for US visa... they are very strict and may deny your application. This would just slow down your sponsorship application...

 

[ljane79]

Be careful for appying OUTLAND... esp. US when you have to apply for US visa... they are very strict and may deny your application. This would just slow down your sponsorship application...

Even if I'm just here visiting for 3 months? I'm at the very end of the process now. Would they deny my application this close to the end, just because I am visiting my husband for 3 months?? I just changed my mailing address via email. Should I change it back?? My permanent address is still in the USA.

 

[minna]

Even if I'm just here visiting for 3 months? I'm at the very end of the process now. Would they deny my application this close to the end, just because I am visiting my husband for 3 months?? I just changed my mailing address via email. Should I change it back?? My permanent address is still in the USA.

don't even worry about it. changing your mailing address will have NO effect on your application. there are no residency requirements for applicants, only for sponsors - you could go to Timbuktu if you wanted without any effect on your application at all. In fact, if anything it will help your application as it shows you are truly wanting to live with your husband in Canada.

 

[sbwv09]

Be careful for appying OUTLAND... esp. US when you have to apply for US visa... they are very strict and may deny your application. This would just slow down your sponsorship application...

Absolutely not. The US is a visa exempt country so you can stay for 6 months at a time unless the border people put a different date in your passport when you cross over. Even then, you can stay longer if you apply to extend your stay in Canada.

You can change your mailing address to a Canadian address. If they would happen to ask, I'm sure you have a US address you could give as a residence, but they really don't care. Many people do this and have no issues. You will absolutely not be turned down for visiting Canada.

On another thread, a citizen of the UK (another visa exempt country) applied to extend their stay, saying they were applying outland for PR. They got approved for a year and just got PPR this week.

 

[ljane79]

Absolutely not. The US is a visa exempt country so you can stay for 6 months at a time unless the border people put a different date in your passport when you cross over. Even then, you can stay longer if you apply to extend your stay in Canada.

You can change your mailing address to a Canadian address. If they would happen to ask, I'm sure you have a US address you could give as a residence, but they really don't care. Many people do this and have no issues. You will absolutely not be turned down for visiting Canada.

On another thread, a citizen of the UK (another visa exempt country) applied to extend their stay, saying they were applying outland for PR. They got approved for a year and just got PPR this week.

minna & sbwv09,
Thanks for the quick response. I was getting a little worried. I love this forum. It's so nice to be able to talk to people going through the same thing.

 

[the-fanatics]

Came back home with a pleasant surprise (have to work this weekend) - received another letter from B'lo saying that they are expecting to finalize our application without a personal interview. BUT! (there has to be a "but" somewhere) But, they are requested an extra police certficate from the applicant's home country (although the applicant has been living in the US since 17) and also a statutory declaration for common law union.

We are not surprised to see these two requests coming. We got the common law declaration done a month ago after reading the advice from some fellow B'lo applicants on the forum so we are ready to send those out. We couldn't apply for the police cert from the applicant's home country without CIC's request letter so at least now we can get the ball rolling. :-\

Just another bump in our way...but at least no interview!

 

[SaugaBoss]

Came back home with a pleasant surprise (have to work this weekend) - received another letter from B'lo saying that they are expecting to finalize our application without a personal interview. BUT! (there has to be a "but" somewhere) But, they are requested an extra police certficate from the applicant's home country (although the applicant has been living in the US since 17) and also a statutory declaration for common law union.

We are not surprised to see these two requests coming. We got the common law declaration done a month ago after reading the advice from some fellow B'lo applicants on the forum so we are ready to send those out. We couldn't apply for the police cert from the applicant's home country without CIC's request letter so at least now we can get the ball rolling. :-\

Just another bump in our way...but at least no interview!

at least you got some update and all they need is 2 documents pretty quick for no interview u just received your AOR not too long ago congrtz