US outland applicants' thread :)

[TanyaVV]

Does anyone know the phone number to call the Mississauga office from OUTSIDE of Canada as their "Canada only" phone # 1-888-242-2100 doesn't work. I wanna see if they received my application as its been almost 1 month and no AOR yet. Thank you!!!

 

[joeinkocha]

Hello everyone, my wife landed today! We drove to the Peace Bridge, crossed to the US side, got gas and came back to land. The officers told us that you can no longer just turn around and flagpole, that you actually need to go into the US (or other country, but that's not possible at the Peace Bridge ) before coming back to land, so it's a good thing we went to get some gas! Just a heads up on that. Good luck to all who are still waiting, the end of the process happened so fast it took us by surprise!

 

[OhCanadiana]

Does anyone know the phone number to call the Mississauga office from OUTSIDE of Canada as their "Canada only" phone # 1-888-242-2100 doesn't work. I wanna see if they received my application as its been almost 1 month and no AOR yet. Thank you!!!

Unfortunately, even if you were in Canada, they wouldn't help you until after the processing time has passed (currently 29 days per http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-fc.asp) so hold tight until that month has passed.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Hello everyone, my wife landed today! We drove to the Peace Bridge, crossed to the US side, got gas and came back to land. The officers told us that you can no longer just turn around and flagpole, that you actually need to go into the US (or other country, but that's not possible at the Peace Bridge ) before coming back to land, so it's a good thing we went to get some gas! Just a heads up on that. Good luck to all who are still waiting, the end of the process happened so fast it took us by surprise!

Congratulations!

Indeed, US citizens need to enter the US (since as citizens, they wouldn't be denied entry) before landing (vs. 'flagpoling' via denied entry).

 

[computergeek]

Congratulations!

Indeed, US citizens need to enter the US (since as citizens, they wouldn't be denied entry) before landing (vs. 'flagpoling' via denied entry).

I actually stopped and had my passport stamped by the US side - a friend of mine was sent BACK by CBSA to the US side when he didn't have an entry stamp from the US and they wanted to confirm he really had been inside Canada. I think it's my second US entry stamp (since they don't stamp US passports when you enter on Global Entry or Nexus...)

 

[OhCanadiana]

I actually stopped and had my passport stamped by the US side - a friend of mine was sent BACK by CBSA to the US side when he didn't have an entry stamp from the US and they wanted to confirm he really had been inside Canada. I think it's my second US entry stamp (since they don't stamp US passports when you enter on Global Entry or Nexus...)

LOL. I was actually thinking of your landing as wrote out the reply.

 

[vasask]

My Canadian fiance and I have been delayed in getting married...we thought it would be last September, now it's this coming May.

My FBI clearance letter is dated March 27, 2013. Does anyone know if that is going to be an issue if we file in May? I'm not looking forward to going and getting fingerprinted again (already had to do it twice) and resubmitting to the FBI.

 

[OhCanadiana]

My Canadian fiance and I have been delayed in getting married...we thought it would be last September, now it's this coming May.

My FBI clearance letter is dated March 27, 2013. Does anyone know if that is going to be an issue if we file in May? I'm not looking forward to going and getting fingerprinted again (already had to do it twice) and resubmitting to the FBI.

Unfortunately, you'll need to plan to redo them. Police certificates expire after a year and CIC asks that they be submitted within 3 months of the date issued.

 

[vasask]

Unfortunately, you'll need to plan to redo them. Police certificates expire after a year and CIC asks that they be submitted within 3 months of the date issued.

Thanks, wishful thinking on my part that I wouldn't. Of to the courthouse, once again, I go.

 

[jddalove]

hi everyone,,hope you'll very well.
question,,for those who have had experience,,which VO has been the fastest(in us) NW or L.A ?

 

[jddalove]

hi,,
question,,for those who have had experience or have read it,,which visa office in usa has worked faster with outland spousal applications?

 

[Zarilenth]

hi,,
question,,for those who have had experience or have read it,,which visa office in usa has worked faster with outland spousal applications?

US cases are always processed at the Ottawa visa office. You can't request NY/LA. They'll only send you app there if there are issues with it or you need to do an interview.

 

[computergeek]

US cases are always processed at the Ottawa visa office. You can't request NY/LA. They'll only send you app there if there are issues with it or you need to do an interview.

Or if they choose to do so for some mystical internal CIC reasons (e.g., "program integrity").

 

[Saneth]

Question about status

Hi there,

My husband, a Canadian citizen who has been living here in the US for the last 20 years with me, submitted an application to sponsor me as an outland applicant.

We sent the application on 10/16/13.
The application was received on 10/31/13.
Stage 1, approval for him to sponsor me, was received on 11/6/13.

Hubby received approval from his employer to transfer to their office in Ontario, and he began work there on 12/1/13.
We sent a copy of his offer of employment at the Canadian office to the Mississauga CIC office.
After he moved to Canada, he updated his mailing address with them.

It's now March 24 and we have not heard a peep. Hubby thinks that I need to call and change my status (?) although I we submitted the application as Outland.

I think he needs to phone the office and follow up with them.

Should I be concerned that it's been almost five full months since they approved Stage 1 and we haven't heard a word from them?

Is there any specific follow up we should be doing? I felt we submitted a very thorough package; when we mailed it it weighed in at over 2 lbs. Tabbed and indexed.

Thanks!

 

[Jokers]

Hi there,

My husband, a Canadian citizen who has been living here in the US for the last 20 years with me, submitted an application to sponsor me as an outland applicant.

We sent the application on 10/16/13.
The application was received on 10/31/13.
Stage 1, approval for him to sponsor me, was received on 11/6/13.

Hubby received approval from his employer to transfer to their office in Ontario, and he began work there on 12/1/13.
We sent a copy of his offer of employment at the Canadian office to the Mississauga CIC office.
After he moved to Canada, he updated his mailing address with them.

It's now March 24 and we have not heard a peep. Hubby thinks that I need to call and change my status (?) although I we submitted the application as Outland.

I think he needs to phone the office and follow up with them.

Should I be concerned that it's been almost five full months since they approved Stage 1 and we haven't heard a word from them?

Is there any specific follow up we should be doing? I felt we submitted a very thorough package; when we mailed it it weighed in at over 2 lbs. Tabbed and indexed.

Thanks!

Hey Saneth,

It's normal for you have not to have heard anything yet. My wife and I submitted our outland application on September 25th, 2013 and we've yet to hear anything.

The typical turnaround time for outland applications for individuals in the US seems to be averaging 8-9 months from Application turn in to Landing.

I don't totally understand when you say "change my status", so maybe elaborate. If you are referring changing to an Inland applicant, the wait times are much longer then the outland application.

I also tried to follow up with the CIC and ask them if there was anything I needed to do to follow up because I felt the very same concern you're feeling right now. The email I got was as follows:

Dear Applicant,
Please note your application is currently in queue to be reviewed by a Case Analyst and Case officer. Should any additional documents be required during processing your will be notified.

Processing times currently on posted on our website – 15 months.

Kind regards,
Case Processing Pilot - Ottawa

From what I've gathered through this forum, not much we can do besides wait patiently... which is tough.

Hopefully we'll both hear something soon! It helps to look back a few pages on the forums and read about some of the June and July applicants that are landing! Soon we will be as well!