US outland applicants' thread :)

[Cheerio]

Hello,

I'm wondering, have any of you tried crossing the border while your application is out by bus? How did that go?

 

[mameelynn]

My observation after reading these forums for many months is that US/Canadian relationships are by far the easiest when it comes to being allowed into Canada. Call it privilege or not, but they know you aren't coming to Canada to escape dire economic circumstances, rampant crime, corrupt government, etc. It's definitely much easier than from other countries (I've seen cases where spouses must be separated for YEARS because one is a PR and the other outside Canada. TRVs are denied, etc.)

Congratulations on getting your VR. Good luck with your PR application.

I agree with you on the travel between the US and Canada... what I don't understand is why the wait time for PR is so long?! Everyday I get more frustrated with this whole process! We really thought that we would be either moved up by now or getting ready to move up to Canada at this point and the fact that we aren't even "in process" is very disheartening to me. I will for sure getting involved politicly in some way once we are up in Canada because I don't want other people that will go through the immigration process to have to feel so ignored by their country as I have and do feel at this point!

 

[computergeek]

what I don't understand is why the wait time for PR is so long?!

While it might seem long, keep in mind that some visa offices are FAR worse. You could be going through Nairobi - 31 months processing time!

But each time CIC saves money by cutting back services it seems to increase processing times. I was just looking at the open data project last night - before Buffalo's closure the backlog there was almost 2,000 spousal applications, while the satellite offices had under 200 each.

Then there are the poor pre-February 28, 2008 FSW applicants who had their applications bounced back - hundreds of thousands of them. Can you imagine waiting 8 YEARS only to have CIC tell you they're simply abandoning your application?

It is discouraging...

 

[Kiri]

While it might seem long, keep in mind that some visa offices are FAR worse. You could be going through Nairobi - 31 months processing time!

But each time CIC saves money by cutting back services it seems to increase processing times. I was just looking at the open data project last night - before Buffalo's closure the backlog there was almost 2,000 spousal applications, while the satellite offices had under 200 each.

Then there are the poor pre-February 28, 2008 FSW applicants who had their applications bounced back - hundreds of thousands of them. Can you imagine waiting 8 YEARS only to have CIC tell you they're simply abandoning your application?

It is discouraging...

That would kill me... I mean, just having to wait 3.5 months only to be told that I dont' have the right forms (which I did) for 3 forms and that my application was being returned unprocessed (all the folders the papers were in that were labeled with keys explaining the contents thrown away and everything mushed together, with a rubber band around it, half the things out of paper clips.. or clipped to other parts, some of the clips missing... and some of the papers torn from the rubber band) and that there is absolutely no way I can be treated as a May applicant anymore... so I'm starting over new once I get it resent out next week as a September applicant... and here I thought my year extension would keep me with my partner.... it'll expire in May and I won't have PR.... I hate this. My FBI check has expired if it's a 3 month time frame on the validity... if it's 6 month, I'm still okay. Medicals will expire in May too. I hate this and I almost thought to wait out my extension since he'll be finished with University around the same time and him just go back to the states with me temporarily and then get a visa based on work. I was really ready to say to hell with it all recently.

 

[MisterDBarton]

So we mailed our application middle of August and we still haven't seen it entered on the CIC site...is that bad? We' closing in on 1 month since we mailed it out and we live in Buffalo, NY so it shouldn't have taken more than a week or two to make it to Mississauga.

 

[simb]

So we mailed our application middle of August and we still haven't seen it entered on the CIC site...is that bad? We' closing in on 1 month since we mailed it out and we live in Buffalo, NY so it shouldn't have taken more than a week or two to make it to Mississauga.

you cannot see anything on ecas till you get aor.
so i would say wait. as cic is fast for aor. so you will hear from them soon

 

[OhCanadiana]

So we mailed our application middle of August and we still haven't seen it entered on the CIC site...is that bad? We' closing in on 1 month since we mailed it out and we live in Buffalo, NY so it shouldn't have taken more than a week or two to make it to Mississauga.

No need to worry. It usually doesn't show up on eCase until a couple of days before you get approved. If you sent it signature required, that is the proof that it was received.

 

[URIFiggy]

Hey everyone, so I just wanted everyone to know that my status just changed to "In Process" on September 7th! I can't believe it, I thought it'd be another month before I heard something. ;D

 

[simb]

Hey everyone, so I just wanted everyone to know that my status just changed to "In Process" on September 7th! I can't believe it, I thought it'd be another month before I heard something. ;D

finally some movement in ottawa region

 

[crna80]

congrats! Where do you find the in process, under the sponsor or applicant or both?

Hey everyone, so I just wanted everyone to know that my status just changed to "In Process" on September 7th! I can't believe it, I thought it'd be another month before I heard something. ;D

 

[Tullysgirl]

OMG. So I'm ready to send off my package TOMORROW and I have the 02/2012 forms....THEY CHANGED THEM IN JULY!!????

So, I already printed my 0008 with the barcodes.....what do I do??

 

[parker24]

OMG. So I'm ready to send off my package TOMORROW and I have the 02/2012 forms....THEY CHANGED THEM IN JULY!!????

So, I already printed my 0008 with the barcodes.....what do I do??

Did 0008 change too? If so, sadly, you are going to have to reprint it. If 0008 DIDN'T Change, then you're fine.

 

[Tullysgirl]

Did 0008 change too? If so, sadly, you are going to have to reprint it. If 0008 DIDN'T Change, then you're fine.

Yep. I just checked all 6 forms we need to do and the 0008 and the 1344 were updated 7/2012. BAH!!! Where is the crying emoticon?? Well, blessed that I found this out BEFORE mailing it. I think it was from on the forum that I caught wind of it and thought, "Oh, I printed the new ones (hello...in June!)...so I'm ok." HAHA...

 

[Occasita]

Hey everyone, so I just wanted everyone to know that my status just changed to "In Process" on September 7th! I can't believe it, I thought it'd be another month before I heard something. ;D

Grats!!!!
We submitted our app a week after you, hopefully this is good news ^_^

 

[simb]

OMG. So I'm ready to send off my package TOMORROW and I have the 02/2012 forms....THEY CHANGED THEM IN JULY!!????

So, I already printed my 0008 with the barcodes.....what do I do??

why cic keep on changing the forms version. month by month.?
they should make it like yearly or quarterly (whatever suits good) but without any notification they change and then the problem arises for us (the applicants or sponsors..whatever)
we have so many cases for these on this forum