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US outland applicants' thread :)

Amalthea

Hero Member
May 27, 2014
488
64
Vancity
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
23-09-2014
AOR Received.
12-11-2014
Med's Done....
08-07-2014
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
waived
VISA ISSUED...
29-05-2015
LANDED..........
18-06-2015
If the FBI says they pick it up twice a day, I'm sure they have it:) but the USPS call centre may be able to give you some more information than what you see on the tracking, that was the case for me w/ my missing international parcel, at least. They were able to see that the clerk who scanned it in... scanned the zipcode as Australia.. lmao. I ended up getting it, as I'm sure someone saw the address and corrected it, but not after it had flown halfway around the world..:)
 

kawai103

Member
Apr 22, 2015
15
0
Category........
Visa Office......
OTTAWA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-01-2015
AOR Received.
26-03-2015
Med's Request
upfront
VISA ISSUED...
17-06-2015
LANDED..........
July 2015
Amalthea said:
Last time I spoke to USPS about an international package they were super helpful. Have you tried calling the general/call centre USPS phone #?
Yes I called the usps 1800# but wasn't able to talk to a real person. And I wasn't able to contact the clarksburg post office neither :/
 

Amalthea

Hero Member
May 27, 2014
488
64
Vancity
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
23-09-2014
AOR Received.
12-11-2014
Med's Done....
08-07-2014
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
waived
VISA ISSUED...
29-05-2015
LANDED..........
18-06-2015
kawai103 said:
Yes I called the usps 1800# but wasn't able to talk to a real person. And I wasn't able to contact the clarksburg post office neither :/
Really? Huh. I don't think I did anything special. Sorry, can't remember how I got a live person ;x it was a few weeks ago. But I definitely spoke to 2 people that weren't robots! haha:( sry you've been having trouble getting through. I'm sure you don't need to fret, though!:)
 

kawai103

Member
Apr 22, 2015
15
0
Category........
Visa Office......
OTTAWA
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-01-2015
AOR Received.
26-03-2015
Med's Request
upfront
VISA ISSUED...
17-06-2015
LANDED..........
July 2015
Amalthea said:
Really? Huh. I don't think I did anything special. Sorry, can't remember how I got a live person ;x it was a few weeks ago. But I definitely spoke to 2 people that weren't robots! haha:( sry you've been having trouble getting through. I'm sure you don't need to fret, though!:)
ya... hopefully it will be fine since the FBI was so sure they have it!
Anyways thank you so much for your help =)
 

CharisseyB

Star Member
Apr 21, 2015
157
2
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
07-04-2015
Doc's Request.
09-22-2015
AOR Received.
05-05-2015 Sponsorship Approval
File Transfer...
12-05-2015 Mississauga to Ottawa
Med's Done....
31-07-2015
Interview........
N/A
Passport Req..
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
DM 07-02-2016
LANDED..........
Possibly APRIL 2016
BeShoo said:
They always give a time limit if they ask for additional documents or information, but don't get too worried. As long as you write back to them with an explanation of the reason for the delay, it should be fine. They asked us for a medical and some other items last June, giving a deadline of August but we weren't able to get them everything by then. They sent another request for the remaining items, in September, I think, with a November deadline. We finally did get them all the items after sending another explanation for further delays and the application eventually got approved.

They are always threatening that they may just cancel everything, but they are very unlikely to do that unless they deem your application to be "abandoned." They'd like to get the documents, but an explanation will at least tell them that your application is not abandoned.
I did send an explanation via email and snail mail, and then another email to CPC Ottawa since the 2 other emails was sent to Mississauga. I am hoping my husband gets everything done by June though instead of July. I am so stressed out, I just want him here you know. :’(
 

BeShoo

Champion Member
Jan 16, 2010
1,212
36
Gatineau
Category........
Visa Office......
CPP-Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-01-2014
AOR Received.
28-02-2014
File Transfer...
03-03-2014
Med's Request
19-06-2014
Med's Done....
07-08-2014
Interview........
None
VISA ISSUED...
02-04-2015
LANDED..........
13-04-2015
CharisseyB said:
I am so stressed out, I just want him here you know. :'(
Oh, I know. I was stressed out, even with my man here with me. He was even more stressed out. He had trouble sleeping and everything. We're still trying to settle the driver's license, health card, and language classes from Immigration Quebec, but at least he's permanently here now.
 

VAtoBC

Star Member
Jul 5, 2014
52
1
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-10-2014
Doc's Request.
29-05-2015
File Transfer...
21-01-2015
Med's Done....
25-09-2014
Just tried asking CPC-Ottawa by email to confirm that FBI record had been attached to our file. Got an automated reply that this sort of request is one of a list of MANY to which they do NOT respond. Still no luck getting put through at the Call Centre. Such a very helpful communication system! Feels like our application has gone into a black hole. We're getting very old very fast waiting for this process to play out. "The wheels of justice grind slow and fine." :mad:
 

Amalthea

Hero Member
May 27, 2014
488
64
Vancity
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
23-09-2014
AOR Received.
12-11-2014
Med's Done....
08-07-2014
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
waived
VISA ISSUED...
29-05-2015
LANDED..........
18-06-2015
VAtoBC said:
Just tried asking CPC-Ottawa by email to confirm that FBI record had been attached to our file. Got an automated reply that this sort of request is one of a list of MANY to which they do NOT respond. Still no luck getting put through at the Call Centre. Such a very helpful communication system! Feels like our application has gone into a black hole. We're getting very old very fast waiting for this process to play out. "The wheels of justice grind slow and fine." :mad:
Sorry to hear that :( Have you ordered your GCMS notes yet? mine showed me that my FBI check had been attached to my application.
 

Mariac819

Hero Member
Feb 29, 2012
967
43
New York USA
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Sept. 10, 2014
Doc's Request.
May 06, 2015 - they lost my relationship proof and FBI clearance. They will accept copy of FBI, I sent in more relationship proof.
AOR Received.
Oct. 23, 2014 (By Phone)
File Transfer...
Oct. 28, 2014 (SA)
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
July 25, 2014
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
none
VISA ISSUED...
DM - June 23, 2015 COPR June 24, 2015
LANDED..........
July 12, 2015
kawai103 said:
Hello everyone,

I have a quick question about the FBI background check again. So I mailed out my application via USPS. Instead of delivering, the status says available to pick up since this Monday. Then I called the FBI, they say they go pick it up twice a day and I should be fine, probably the post office didn't scan to update. But I'm so worried because I still have no proof it was already picked up.

Did anyone have the same problem?
Or anyone have the Clarksburg post office number? (The 304-623-7700 doesn't work)

Thanks in advance!
I came across something like this with my NYS license plates that I had to mail back from Canada to NY. I called the 1800 number. They gave me the number to the local post office. They then gave me the number to some other person who handles lost packages and long story short they were able to explain that when packages go to a large government office they are logged in a book and then this book is scanned at the end of the night. If the book is not scanned then they packages stay in "limbo"... Eventually the DMV did verify they received my package. But I had to talk to like 5-8 people to get some clarification or information.
 

cali2bc

Star Member
Feb 6, 2015
174
4
California, USA
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
12-05-2015
Doc's Request.
23-10-2015
AOR Received.
11-06-2015
File Transfer...
14-07-2015
Med's Done....
09-02-2015
VISA ISSUED...
02-12-2015 (Decision Made 25-11-2015)
LANDED..........
08-02-2016
I'm still hoping for the day that CIC allows channeler reports once again. Too hopeful? Maybe. Practical? Absolutely.

Who's with me?? :p
 

rockgurl1965

Star Member
May 9, 2014
97
1
eureka ca
Category........
Visa Office......
ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
02-06-2015
Doc's Request.
24-11-2015
Nomination.....
SA 06-08-2015
AOR Received.
29-07-2015
IELTS Request
working on sponsored spouse file 8-18-2015
File Transfer...
06-08-2015
Med's Done....
15-05-2015 UPFRONT
VISA ISSUED...
decision made 12/12/2015 copr 12-21-15
I have a quick question concerning Form IMM 5490 question 24and 25 , What period of my relationship are they refering to? We have been married alost 6 years, and in the beginning my wife who is Canadian had to go back to canada to wait for us immigration paperwork to be approved. we were apart for almost 9 months, then she came to us to live from 2010-2014 until we decided that she would move back in august of 2014 and I am now in the process of immigrating to canada. We have lived together and we have lived apart.
 

kerryannbailey

Star Member
Mar 26, 2015
89
12
Mississauga
Category........
Visa Office......
CPC-Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01/10/2014
Doc's Request.
None
AOR Received.
20/11/2014
File Transfer...
/SA: 26/11/2014
Med's Request
upfront
Med's Done....
29/09/2014
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
Waived
VISA ISSUED...
21/07/2015
LANDED..........
10/08/2015
rockgurl1965 said:
I have a quick question concerning Form IMM 5490 question 24and 25 , What period of my relationship are they refering to? We have been married alost 6 years, and in the beginning my wife who is Canadian had to go back to canada to wait for us immigration paperwork to be approved. we were apart for almost 9 months, then she came to us to live from 2010-2014 until we decided that she would move back in august of 2014 and I am now in the process of immigrating to canada. We have lived together and we have lived apart.
All of it. Whatever dates throughout the whole relationship before and after marriage that you saw each other. That's what I got from it. So i wrote in every time i visited with my husband (vice versa) before we were married and then all of our visits the 6 years we've been married for including the times when I semi-moved to Canada for 6 month periods. So if you met her and started a relationship and she had to leave and then she came back and stayed a very long time with you then I'd say write that in. CIC wants your entire life on these forms it seems. :$ If I'm wrong then I'm sure someone will correct me :)
 

spinning_sponsor

Star Member
Jan 19, 2015
145
4
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
08-05-2015
Doc's Request.
09-10-2015 and 02-12-2015
AOR Received.
10-06-2015
File Transfer...
06-07-2015
Med's Done....
UPFRONT
VISA ISSUED...
IN PROCESS 09-10-2015 DM 11-02-2015
LANDED..........
11-03-2016
So are US Outland apps through Ottawa at a standstill right now? I haven't seen anyone post DMs recently, and the processing time on Ottawa's Visa Office has increased since last quarter.

I just submitted my app in May and this has me worried the fabled 9-month USA application timeframe is going to end up being much longer with the recent slowdowns.
 

Panamai

Hero Member
Oct 3, 2013
495
30
Kingston, Ontario
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Ottawa
App. Filed.......
29-01-2015
AOR Received.
28-03-2015
File Transfer...
31-03-2015
Med's Request
upfront
Med's Done....
16-01-2015
Interview........
waived
Passport Req..
DM 05-11-2015
VISA ISSUED...
17-11-2015
LANDED..........
23-11-2015
spinning_sponsor said:
So are US Outland apps through Ottawa at a standstill right now? I haven't seen anyone post DMs recently, and the processing time on Ottawa's Visa Office has increased since last quarter.

I just submitted my app in May and this has me worried the fabled 9-month USA application timeframe is going to end up being much longer with the recent slowdowns.
They are creeping along slowly. Right now, it's looking like 8-10 months still. I'm hoping for a speed-up! I applied in January 2015.. the wait is excruciating!
 

Evadyrrehs

Hero Member
Nov 4, 2013
383
25
Moncton NB Canada
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Sept 24/2014
Doc's Request.
None
AOR Received.
Nov 13/2014
File Transfer...
SA Nov 13/2014
Med's Request
Upfront
Med's Done....
July 22/2014
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
None
VISA ISSUED...
DM June 2/2015 and COPR arrived June 10/2015
LANDED..........
June 15/2015 Yay! 8) PR card arrived Sept 3/2015
spinning_sponsor said:
So are US Outland apps through Ottawa at a standstill right now? I haven't seen anyone post DMs recently, and the processing time on Ottawa's Visa Office has increased since last quarter.
I just submitted my app in May and this has me worried the fabled 9-month USA application timeframe is going to end up being much longer with the recent slowdowns.
Panamai said:
They are creeping along slowly. Right now, it's looking like 8-10 months still. I'm hoping for a speed-up! I applied in January 2015.. the wait is excruciating!
Hard to say with the Ottawa VO it seems.. I'm a September applicant and back then when we filed it was thought that it would take 4-6 months total. Not long into our wait it started creeping up but I think most of us thought 7 months max should do it, and then so on and so on from there.. Now it seems maybe 8-10 months but it's hard to say until it's actually over and depending if they don't ask for anything else etc.. I'm at 8 months and a few days and some are nearing the 9 month mark for the Ottawa VO in the Sept thread.. Here's to hoping they get going soon before all the summer vacations start at CIC and probably slow things down further.