US outland applicants' thread :)

[jamsham12]

I'm starting to think "in process" might not mean anything more than just that "they have your file and will get to it when they get to it". I filed May 28, 2015, got SA and already "in process" for 2nd stage. Seems a bit too quick to me and since a lot of other's statuses changed to "in process" all on the same say, (Aug 6), I'm thinking maybe it doesn't mean much or it's something new. When I looked further where it says "The following tables will help you understand the status of your application" I clicked on the 1st link and for "In process" it says explanations are:

Application Received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
We have received your application and will review it in order of receipt. We will send you an acknowledgement letter.

Documentation Verified by CIC
We are reviewing your application to make sure it is complete and that no documents are missing. We will return incomplete applications for resubmission.

An Interview May be Required
We will review the application and decide if an interview is necessary. If so, we will inform you in writing of the date, time and location of the interview.

So if I'm correct, simply them receiving my application would be considered "In process" according to this definition. Which, unfortunately, probably means I'm still in it for the long haul..

I was on application received for almost 4 months after recovering SA when it changed to in process past week so it's a safe bet it is not what ur assuming or why the change in status. When it's in process there's an officer assigned to your file and accessing the application

 

[Brewbrew85]

"In Process" actually does mean something - they are actually looking at your file and are working on it. It means you should have a decision made in the next 3-4 weeks and possibly a lot sooner than that...some go to DM in a few days and others take a month...but either way, your application is moving forward and you should be receiving even better news relatively soon.

If the line that is making you think it's going to be awhile is the part that says they process in order of receipt, then forget that..there are tons of examples of people from 2015 who have gotten DM and landed, while others from the last three months of 2014 were waiting. It seems to just be luck of the draw...

The only thing that makes me question whether they're working on it is because it doesn't say when they actually started processing it, like they did when they started processing my sponsorship app. I never received AOR2 either. But who knows.. I HOPE this means we get DM soon.

 

[rugrat907]

The only thing that makes me question whether they're working on it is because it doesn't say when they actually started processing it, like they did when they started processing my sponsorship app. I never received AOR2 either. But who knows.. I HOPE this means we get DM soon.

Ottawa doesn't issue AOR2 so that's normal too.

 

[ChellyCat]

Howdy,

My family landed two years ago, but I thought this would be the best place to ask this question:

If you've recently received a police certificate from the FBI, could you please let me know how long it actually took? And did they charge your credit card right when they got your fingerprints, or when they actually did the check? I know the website says 11-13 weeks, but my experience in the past is that it has always taken a bit less than the posted time, and I'm hoping that's still true.

I've had to request one as part of the interview process for a job with the Canadian government, and it appears that channeler certificates are not accepted for any security checks going through the Canadian federal government (not just immigration checks). So, if you find yourself applying for a job with the federal government, keep in mind that you'll want to plan ahead and get yourself a police certificate from the US when you find out you're invited for a job interview.

The application process for the job I'm looking at is expected to take until late October, and I sent my prints to the FBI a week ago, so hopefully I'll just make it...

Good luck to you all!

Hey Ivan, unfortunately the 11-13 week estimated time is accurate. Here's my timeline:

Prints received by FBI: April 20
Card charged: June 29
Report Received: July 15

Total wait time: 12 weeks

You're in for a long wait, my friend! I hope you sent your prints with tracking, that way you can phone their call centre every so often and they can tell you what timeline they're currently working on so you can expect how long you have to wait. Good luck!

 

[IvanP]

Hey Ivan, unfortunately the 11-13 week estimated time is accurate. Here's my timeline:

Prints received by FBI: April 20
Card charged: June 29
Report Received: July 15

Total wait time: 12 weeks

You're in for a long wait, my friend! I hope you sent your prints with tracking, that way you can phone their call centre every so often and they can tell you what timeline they're currently working on so you can expect how long you have to wait. Good luck!

Thanks, ChellyCat. I sent the prints in a week ago - 12 weeks will be cutting it close, but hopefully I'll get the results by the end of October, which is when the potential employer said I'd need them by. I guess it's lucky that the government hiring process is about as slow as the FBI response time...

 

[ChellyCat]

Thanks, ChellyCat. I sent the prints in a week ago - 12 weeks will be cutting it close, but hopefully I'll get the results by the end of October, which is when the potential employer said I'd need them by. I guess it's lucky that the government hiring process is about as slow as the FBI response time...

I will keep my fingers crossed that you get it in time! When I first sent my prints in April, the time was listed at 12-14 weeks, and now it's down to 11-13, so it is going down, albeit slowly.

 

[IvanP]

I will keep my fingers crossed that you get it in time! When I first sent my prints in April, the time was listed at 12-14 weeks, and now it's down to 11-13, so it is going down, albeit slowly.

That's a smart move, crossing fingers instead of holding breath!

 

[keesio]

I'm not going on the CIC posted times; I'm going on what I've seen in these forums. Check out the 2015 spreadsheet and you'll see what I mean. US applicants nearly always go to Ottawa for processing. I do know that. But, they aren't given any sort of preferential treatment.

There is indeed some type of fast tracking system for US citizens. This has been fairly common knowledge. I wrote a detailed summary in a post earlier this year but I can't seem to find it. I did find this more abbreviated version however:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t316493.0.html;msg4453565#msg4453565

 

[Aquakitty]

There is indeed some type of fast tracking system for US citizens. This has been fairly common knowledge. I wrote a detailed summary in a post earlier this year but I can't seem to find it. I did find this more abbreviated version however:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t316493.0.html;msg4453565#msg4453565

Well what do you consider "fast tracking" ? My husband got his in under 4 months from when they got our application (3 months and 21 days to be precise), but it was sent to Ottawa as well.

 

[keesio]

Well what do you consider "fast tracking" ? My husband got his in under 4 months, but it was sent to Ottawa as well.

Yeah that is certainly fast-tracked timeline.

Note that i'm talking about a faster queue IN OTTAWA (they don't get transfered elsewere for the fast track, it happens in Ottawa). CPP-OTTAWA itself has several streams. When I say that US citizens are fast-tracked, that means that they are put in a fast stream IN OTTAWA.

 

[keesio]

If you've recently received a police certificate from the FBI, could you please let me know how long it actually took? And did they charge your credit card right when they got your fingerprints, or when they actually did the check? I know the website says 11-13 weeks, but my experience in the past is that it has always taken a bit less than the posted time, and I'm hoping that's still true.

Hi IvanP! Good to hear from you again (I recall you were anxiously waiting for your wife's PR around the same time that I was waiting for my wife's PR)

Unfortunately things have changed since 2 years ago. Back then CIC said 16-18 weeks but reality is 4-5 weeks. But the FBI changed their system sometime late last year I think and it cause a backlog and slowed things down. You figure they'd have everything sorted out by now but I guess not. So true timelines does indeed seem like 11-13 weeks. Sorry

 

[Aquakitty]

Yeah that is certainly fast-tracked timeline.

Note that i'm talking about a faster queue IN OTTAWA (they don't get transfered elsewere for the fast track, it happens in Ottawa). CPP-OTTAWA itself has several streams. When I say that US citizens are fast-tracked, that means that they are put in a fast stream IN OTTAWA.

Ah I thought someone said something about fast tracking only if Mississauga but that must have been another thread. I get what you mean now. It seems though that there are lots of straight-forward American applications that take many more months, so I don't know if this fast tracking is just random luck or what.

 

[lleahdoll]

Thought some might be interested in my immigration timeline that I kept track of during the process!

May 7th, 2014: paid immigration fees $1040
June 5th, 2014: received FBI check?
July 29th, 2014: medical done

September 4th, 2014: sent papers to CIC
September 5th, 2014: FBI check expired
September 9th, 2014: CIC received aplication
October 14th, 2014: AOR received bc they thought we were inland instead of outland
November 14th, 2014: Sponsorship Approval (Mississauga started working on it Nov. 7th after inland mistake)
November 25th, 2014: mailed CSQ app to MICC
November 26th, 2014: MICC received app for CSQ
November 28th, 2014: MICC charged credit card
December 8th, 2014: Received approved CSQ (dated December 4th)


May 5th, 2015: CSQ requested by Ottawa
May 6th, 2015: Ottawa received CSQ
May 15th, 2015: called CIC call centre to confirm CSQ was attached to my application
June 5th, 2015: submitted visitor extension & GCMS notes

July 6th, 2015: received GCMS notes.
July 14th, 2015: emailed MP (No response, on vacation til Aug 1st.)

July 29th, 2015: e-cas says application went into process this day (after DM).
July 31st, 2015: COPR was mailed by CIC

August 1st, 2015: DECISION MADE!

August 4th, 2015: called CIC to see when COPR was mailed- was mailed July 31st.
August 6th, 2015: received COPR in the mail! Expiration date: 7/22/2016

September 1st, 2015: Will be landing!

 

[keesio]

Ah I thought someone said something about fast tracking only if Mississauga but that must have been another thread. I get what you mean now. It seems though that there are lots of straight-forward American applications that take many more months, so I don't know if this fast tracking is just random luck or what.

Yes even that "fast-track" timeline jumps around. This is the mystery that we all wonder. We have seen applications go anywhere from 3-10 months for this stream. Usually folks at the later end of that timeline _~10 months) had something go slightly wrong (like CIC lost some document and asks for it again, waiting for CSQ, etc).

 

[ayrazar]

Hi there, if any of you fine folk got married in New York state, I have a question about marriage certificates. Post is here, don't wanna hijack this thread. Or pm me thanks!

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/marriage-certificate-t336848.0.html