Troubles with eTA processing while awaiting spousal sponsorship - suggestions?

[embassyinternational]

Hi, my common-law partner and I are in the process of applying for her permanent residency (outland). She's a German national, I'm Canadian.

We are both currently in the UK and are planning to move back to Canada in 10 days. Her PR application will still be processing so she plans to enter as a visitor. She applied for the eTA more than two weeks ago and we still haven't heard anything. the online status update just says 'processing'. We're starting to get a bit worried that she won't have it by the time we fly.

Has anybody else had a similar experience? Could it be that the PR application is slowing down the eTA processing, as they are usually done within 72 hours. Does anybody know of a way to speak to an IRCC representative from outside of the country, in order to find out what the status is?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[CANUK2012]

Hi, my common-law partner and I are in the process of applying for her permanent residency (outland). She's a German national, I'm Canadian.

We are both currently in the UK and are planning to move back to Canada in 10 days. Her PR application will still be processing so she plans to enter as a visitor. She applied for the eTA more than two weeks ago and we still haven't heard anything. the online status update just says 'processing'. We're starting to get a bit worried that she won't have it by the time we fly.

Has anybody else had a similar experience? Could it be that the PR application is slowing down the eTA processing, as they are usually done within 72 hours. Does anybody know of a way to speak to an IRCC representative from outside of the country, in order to find out what the status is?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Hello,
I'm a British citizen and my spouse sponsorship application/Outland still in process since last year (not a straight forward case).

Last May, I did apply for the eTA and I was asked to get a police certificate, I managed to get it and upload it to my CIC account, and my eTA was approved after few days.

Make sure to check your email (email address used when applying for the eTA) and your CIC account if you've got any message from them.

You can contact them on the webform request with your V314XXXXX number.

Good luck.

Thanks

 

[embassyinternational]

Thanks for this reply. Finally, after about 3 weeks, the status was changed from "processing" to say that the application is being reviewed and there would be a response within 72h. No explanation of what the delay is, and no request for any other documents. We fly in exactly a week so fingers crossed that they don't delay further or want new documents!

Just to add, we contacted them through the Webform but only got a response that it was being processed.

 

[John013]

Thanks for this reply. Finally, after about 3 weeks, the status was changed from "processing" to say that the application is being reviewed and there would be a response within 72h. No explanation of what the delay is, and no request for any other documents. We fly in exactly a week so fingers crossed that they don't delay further or want new documents!

Just to add, we contacted them through the Webform but only got a response that it was being processed.

Please keep us updated!

 

[embassyinternational]

So, here is the latest on this story for those who asked.

Almost one month since the eTA applciation I am in Canada and my common-law spouse remains stuck in Europe with no eTA. We still have no explanation on why the delay is happening. There have been no requests for documents, and the online tool for checking the status still says that she will receive a response within 72 hours (HA!). She applied a 2nd time a few days before travelling, and got a message saying her application would take longer than usual and not to apply again.

We have emailed them 3 times, called 3 times, been to the High Commission in London (they refused to even see her), and had my new employer's immigration consultant try to get some information. Nothing has worked.

It is infuriating to have absolutely no indication of what might be wrong, not be able to speak to anybody who can provide answers, etc. We had already moved out of our apartment in the UK with the assumption that she would/could enter Canada as a visitor and stay here until her PR application process is finished (dual intent), so this is leaving her completely stranded. I had to take the flight to start my new job.

Our next step (tomorrow) is to write to my MP in Montreal to ask for them to inquire on our behalf. After that I have no idea what to do.

Any suggestions would be most welcome!

 

[scylla]

Is there any chance she is already a PR? (e.g. her parents immigrated when she was young but then decided to leave Canada and return to Germany) Has she lived anywhere else other than Germany? Any criminality issues?

 

[embassyinternational]

Is there any chance she is already a PR? (e.g. her parents immigrated when she was young but then decided to leave Canada and return to Germany) Has she lived anywhere else other than Germany? Any criminality issues?

No criminality, however, there was an issue related to her permanent residency in the past:

She was a PR for a few years as a child and when she returned to Canada in 2013 they discovered that she was still on the books as a PR for some reason (her parents did report that they were leaving the country, but she didn't get taken off the books for whatever reason). She then had to report her "failure" to comply with permanent residency requirements to CIC and was issued a departure order, which she appealed. However, before the appeal process ever came to a close we moved to the UK, so she formally withdrew her appeal stating that she was leaving the country (in 2014). She described all of this in the eTA application. This could very well be why there is a delay, which would be understandable. The problem we are having is the complete inability to get information on what is going on.

I would have thought that if this was indeed the reason for needing a closer review of her application, she would be requested to submit additional supporting/explanatory documents or undergo some kind of interview. There has been nothing. All we really want is to be able to get an explanation of what's going on!

 

[John013]

Im sure that is the reason for the delay, but why it takes so long or why there is no answer is a mystery.