US outland applicants' thread :)

[ryanntheredhead]

Did anyone receive PA approval without having their background check status change from "not started" to "in progress". People on my exact time line are starting to get approved through the Ottawa visa office (also my office), but since my file was transferred August 30th after SA there seems to be no further movement. We are a pretty straightforward case (at least I think we are - together five years, married, two with a one year old - he's Canadian and I'm American). Looking for feedback as to whether I should be freaking out that my app is now in some black hole!

What CDNPR said...

I filed almost two months before you and JUST got approved. It took a whopping 83 days to get SA, then less than a week to get a doc request, then another month before I got approved. There were people that filed a month after me that got approved over a month before me. So really, there is a general timeline but nothing is certain. And there are people that applied before me that are still waiting...Don't worry just yet!

 

[jms627]

What CDNPR said...

I filed almost two months before you and JUST got approved. It took a whopping 83 days to get SA, then less than a week to get a doc request, then another month before I got approved. There were people that filed a month after me that got approved over a month before me. So really, there is a general timeline but nothing is certain. And there are people that applied before me that are still waiting...Don't worry just yet!

Thanks. I should add I am grateful for the quicker times and don't want to appear that I'm not. The people on this board are my only frame of reference as to how quickly things have or have not been moving. I'm also not sure about the reliability of MyCIC or ECAS updates.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I'm also not sure about the reliability of MyCIC or ECAS updates.

I can't speak to MyCIC reliability. ECAS certainly is NOT a reliable source for determining the status of your application. Historically speaking, people were contacted about their application or received their COPR before status changes in ECAS were made. There really is no consistency with it, except for the fact it is consistently unreliable. I question whether MyCIC is any more reliable. it's best to not check ECAS or MyCIC regularly. it will only lead to disappointment and frustration.

 

[lalicatter]

Thanks. I should add I am grateful for the quicker times and don't want to appear that I'm not. The people on this board are my only frame of reference as to how quickly things have or have not been moving. I'm also not sure about the reliability of MyCIC or ECAS updates.

Hello, fellow worrier checking in. Hubby's application is May 31 through Ottawa and we are still waiting. I understand first-hand that it is stressful seeing others with a later timeline going through. Just hang in there.

 

[jms627]

Hello, fellow worrier checking in. Hubby's application is May 31 through Ottawa and we are still waiting. I understand first-hand that it is stressful seeing others with a later timeline going through. Just hang in there.

Thanks you

 

[ryanntheredhead]

Alright, new question for you guys: just got my CoPR in the mail and under conditions it says must live with sponsor for 2 years then in bold it says "ever been charged/convicted of a crime in any country and refused entry into Canada?"

I do have an arrest, charges dismissed, I sent proof of that. Does that mean they could deny me permanent residence at the border? Is that possible?

 

[CDNPR2014]

Alright, new question for you guys: just got my CoPR in the mail and under conditions it says must live with sponsor for 2 years then in bold it says "ever been charged/convicted of a crime in any country and refused entry into Canada?"

I do have an arrest, charges dismissed, I sent proof of that. Does that mean they could deny me permanent residence at the border? Is that possible?

they aren't going to deny your PR at landing. every COPR has these questions and every applicant must answer them at landing. Saying yes is not going to be a problem. I had to say yes to being denied entry to canada, and there was no issue at my landing. The CBSA agent even said, the reason for applying for pr is to overcome those issues. You have been vetted and approved for PR. if your history was an issue, you wouldn't have been approved. these questions are just part of the formality.

 

[ryanntheredhead]

they aren't going to deny your PR at landing. every COPR has these questions and every applicant must answer them at landing. Saying yes is not going to be a problem. I had to say yes to being denied entry to canada, and there was no issue at my landing. The CBSA agent even said, the reason for applying for pr is to overcome those issues. You have been vetted and approved for PR. if your history was an issue, you wouldn't have been approved. these questions are just part of the formality.

Oh whew, thank you. Doing my landing on Monday!

 

[yajiijay]

Hi I just have question.

The CIC sent me an email asking for a document which is a Police clearance from Philippines
Can I send the police clearance via email? Or does it have to be mailed to CIC?

 

[CDNPR2014]

Hi I just have question.

The CIC sent me an email asking for a document which is a Police clearance from Philippines
Can I send the police clearance via email? Or does it have to be mailed to CIC?

the original copy needs to be sent to CIC per the instructions in the letter. if the request letter didn't have information about mailing it, then refer to the sponsor approval letter for contacting the visa office.

 

[Joyce_tosf]

Oh whew, thank you. Doing my landing on Monday!

Let us know how it goes! My husband would have the same issue re: criminal charges. Sending you good vibes for your landing!!!

 

[tigermilo]

Oh whew, thank you. Doing my landing on Monday!

Congratulations and hopefully you have a quick and easy landing! I can't wait until it's our turn.

 

[tigermilo]

I've read that US applicants don't get looked into too too hard for relationship proof compared to non visa exempt countries. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

I hope you're right! I feel like we have a good amount of proof. I'm stressing out over everything.

 

[danawhitaker]

I hope you're right! I feel like we have a good amount of proof. I'm stressing out over everything.

You're probably fine. As I said, I probably went for overkill a bit (though not nearly as overkill as we could have, given we counted up and have almost 700,000 lines of text chat between us since 2010 or so, and that doesn't include any of the stuff from the years before with less consistent logging nor the 2-3 hours of voice chat per night). We've known each other for more than a decade but didn't actually become a couple until August of last year, so I felt it was better to include a lot of proof that we were actually visiting each other regularly once we were in a relationship and maintaining contact rather than bank on them not putting Americans through more scrutiny.

 

[tigermilo]

You're probably fine. As I said, I probably went for overkill a bit (though not nearly as overkill as we could have, given we counted up and have almost 700,000 lines of text chat between us since 2010 or so, and that doesn't include any of the stuff from the years before with less consistent logging nor the 2-3 hours of voice chat per night). We've known each other for more than a decade but didn't actually become a couple until August of last year, so I felt it was better to include a lot of proof that we were actually visiting each other regularly once we were in a relationship and maintaining contact rather than bank on them not putting Americans through more scrutiny.

It's better to have more than not enough. Our phone bills are only from the last few months but I found a program that will decrypt all of our iPhone data (call history, including FaceTime) which shows we talk for hours and hours every day. So that alone is 80 pages (two screenshots per page and that's only for the last year). We also included a few texts from each month (but only from 14 months or so). It's going to be a pretty thick package.