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Visitor visa for a Russian

amircanada2023

Full Member
Mar 5, 2022
31
5
Any updates from anyone ? TRV submitted on 14th July 2022, biometric done 25th July 2022 , no updates since then , processing time was 60 days that time , now its 173 days
 

Ololosh

Star Member
Aug 4, 2019
59
17
Any updates from anyone ? TRV submitted on 14th July 2022, biometric done 25th July 2022 , no updates since then , processing time was 60 days that time , now its 173 days
Nope, nothing. I applied on June 27. There is an article on cicnews that says that backlog has decreased from 2.6m to 2.4m in October. It’s the first decrease since 2021. So I guess things can’t get worse anymore, and they are finally dealing with the situation.

anyways, I think 6-8 months is reasonable to wait now.
 

Idilia555

Full Member
Jun 14, 2021
30
25
Hello, I actually want to tell you guys that my MP helped with my mother's TRV application. Visa processing time was overdue for 30 days. It is when I made request about it to MP's office. And his office with due diligence made the job, IRCC responded in 3 weeks to his office and than visa was approved, passport request was from Moscow and my mother sent her passport to Moscow. If you are PR or Canadian citizen I encourage you to contact your MP if visa processing time is overdue.
 

Ololosh

Star Member
Aug 4, 2019
59
17
Hello, I actually want to tell you guys that my MP helped with my mother's TRV application. Visa processing time was overdue for 30 days. It is when I made request about it to MP's office. And his office with due diligence made the job, IRCC responded in 3 weeks to his office and than visa was approved, passport request was from Moscow and my mother sent her passport to Moscow. If you are PR or Canadian citizen I encourage you to contact your MP if visa processing time is overdue.
This is great, congratulations! I always thought that contacting an MP is a waste of time, but might try this in the near future then.
 

Idilia555

Full Member
Jun 14, 2021
30
25
Thank you, you definitely should. It is not good to keep people without an answer when visa processing time have passed, they should find appropriate reason to reject it or if there is none than it has to be approved. And honestly It did not look that they were very busy at Moscow office, MP's office contacted IRCC and officially they must respond in 3 weeks. So same say when 3 weeks passed there was a message in CIC account from Moscow office that my mother's biometrics was accepted (even though she did it long time ago). Than in 4 days there was passport request message, pretty fast for me, than they sticked visa same day when my mother's passport was received at their office. I personally did not notice any backlogs on their side, I can guess why they are doing it. But off course it could be just my personal opinion.
 

chester2000

Member
Nov 2, 2018
18
15
Thank you, you definitely should. It is not good to keep people without an answer when visa processing time have passed, they should find appropriate reason to reject it or if there is none than it has to be approved. And honestly It did not look that they were very busy at Moscow office, MP's office contacted IRCC and officially they must respond in 3 weeks. So same say when 3 weeks passed there was a message in CIC account from Moscow office that my mother's biometrics was accepted (even though she did it long time ago). Than in 4 days there was passport request message, pretty fast for me, than they sticked visa same day when my mother's passport was received at their office. I personally did not notice any backlogs on their side, I can guess why they are doing it. But off course it could be just my personal opinion.
Totally agree.
Could you please share the details on how the request looked like?
In my case, when I reach out to MP, they just get back to me with the details on the current state of the application:
As per your enquiry, the application received in April is being processed in Warsaw.
The biometrics and criminality assessments passed , although eligibility has not been initiated .
However, this is not very helpful, since this information was already known.

How did you ask your MP not just provide the status, but also find out the reason of a delay?

Thanks in advance :)
 

Idilia555

Full Member
Jun 14, 2021
30
25
Totally agree.
Could you please share the details on how the request looked like?
In my case, when I reach out to MP, they just get back to me with the details on the current state of the application:

However, this is not very helpful, since this information was already known.

How did you ask your MP not just provide the status, but also find out the reason of a delay?

Thanks in advance :)
Well, I basically explained the situation, where emphasized that 5 month of waiting is disproportionately long and we are very much disappointed and distressed that IRCC cannot finalize the application. Provided mine and my mom's info (names, my address, DOB, application #, date of submission).

Final answer from MP's office quote to quote was:
"I've received the following verbal feedback from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
  • TRV application
  • In the Moscow office
  • April 13 received
  • Everything appears to be passed
  • Will send in a status check to the local office to get an update
In these cases, often IRCC reaches out to the applicant directly. Should I receive anything though, I’ll let you know. If you don’t hear from IRCC or myself in 1 month, let me know."

But after that visa was approved.
 

dockerhooman

Full Member
Aug 5, 2021
26
11
I’ve contacted my MP 5 months ago, they got response from IRCC that the application is in progress. They said to contact them again in 1 month if no updates. So starting that I’ve been communicating with MP every month but no result yet. I also wrote some letter to IRCC and MP forwarded it to them, got generic response and that’s it. Still waiting, it’s been 8 months now.
 

chester2000

Member
Nov 2, 2018
18
15
Well, I basically explained the situation, where emphasized that 5 month of waiting is disproportionately long and we are very much disappointed and distressed that IRCC cannot finalize the application. Provided mine and my mom's info (names, my address, DOB, application #, date of submission).

Final answer from MP's office quote to quote was:
"I've received the following verbal feedback from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
  • TRV application
  • In the Moscow office
  • April 13 received
  • Everything appears to be passed
  • Will send in a status check to the local office to get an update
In these cases, often IRCC reaches out to the applicant directly. Should I receive anything though, I’ll let you know. If you don’t hear from IRCC or myself in 1 month, let me know."

But after that visa was approved.
Thank you Idilia555.
I will try to reach out to my MP with this with the similar request.
I will post here with the results. Hope that it would help.

@dockerhooman
Sorry to hear that. I am in the similar situation. No updates for 8 months.

Now IRCC is saying that they have "there are over 1.5 million applications within IRCC right now so that has resulted in a significant backlog".
Of course there would be that many applications in the queue, if applications are processed so slow.
It is similar to a student not doing his homework for 1 week, and then complaining that he has so many assignments to complete on Sunday.
Maybe, they should have been processing it timely in the first place and not make COVID as an excuse.
 

YANKOS28

Newbie
Jan 9, 2023
1
1
I applied for my moms super visa in Feb 2022 and just now received the invitation to complete her medical.. same with my sisters Visitor visa applied in feb 2022 and she got approved yesterday by the office in Warsaw. Now my question how can my sister send her passport from Russia to Poland and get it stamped and returned to her? or should she now go to Poland?
 
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Idilia555

Full Member
Jun 14, 2021
30
25
I applied for my moms super visa in Feb 2022 and just now received the invitation to complete her medical.. same with my sisters Visitor visa applied in feb 2022 and she got approved yesterday by the office in Warsaw. Now my question how can my sister send her passport from Russia to Poland and get it stamped and returned to her? or should she now go to Poland?
Thanks for sharing your timeline. Unfortunately I do not in now any courier services which can do it.
 

dashads

Full Member
Jul 6, 2022
24
12
I applied for my moms super visa in Feb 2022 and just now received the invitation to complete her medical.. same with my sisters Visitor visa applied in feb 2022 and she got approved yesterday by the office in Warsaw. Now my question how can my sister send her passport from Russia to Poland and get it stamped and returned to her? or should she now go to Poland?
I am not 100% certain, but I think the passport stamp is made in the Embassy in Moscow. I work with international students, and they have been getting their visas in Russia without having to travel. I believe the decision is made in Warsaw, but the sticker is made in Moscow. Hope this helps.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,975
12,768
Hello, I actually want to tell you guys that my MP helped with my mother's TRV application. Visa processing time was overdue for 30 days. It is when I made request about it to MP's office. And his office with due diligence made the job, IRCC responded in 3 weeks to his office and than visa was approved, passport request was from Moscow and my mother sent her passport to Moscow. If you are PR or Canadian citizen I encourage you to contact your MP if visa processing time is overdue.
There are no exact processing times and current posted processing times are usually incorrect. Assume TRVs data during the height of Covid is still interfering with average processing times being posted. 30 days is not considered a very long time for any TRV unless it is a specific urgent situation like end of life situation. Most MPs will only help if processing times are very unreasonable compared to other citizen’s processing times. Enquiring after 4-6 months is likely much more realistic.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,975
12,768
Thank you Idilia555.
I will try to reach out to my MP with this with the similar request.
I will post here with the results. Hope that it would help.

@dockerhooman
Sorry to hear that. I am in the similar situation. No updates for 8 months.

Now IRCC is saying that they have "there are over 1.5 million applications within IRCC right now so that has resulted in a significant backlog".
Of course there would be that many applications in the queue, if applications are processed so slow.
It is similar to a student not doing his homework for 1 week, and then complaining that he has so many assignments to complete on Sunday.
Maybe, they should have been processing it timely in the first place and not make COVID as an excuse.
The situation with Russia has made applications take longer and be examined more carefully. Most are being processed in Warsaw which is processing the bulk of the Ukrainian CUAET visas which are getting priority processing. Obviously most Russian’s have very little control over the actions of their government but they will feel the repercussions when it comes to permits/visas processing times and approval rates just like sanctions.
 

dashads

Full Member
Jul 6, 2022
24
12
There are no exact processing times and current posted processing times are usually incorrect. Assume TRVs data during the height of Covid is still interfering with average processing times being posted. 30 days is not considered a very long time for any TRV unless it is a specific urgent situation like end of life situation. Most MPs will only help if processing times are very unreasonable compared to other citizen’s processing times. Enquiring after 4-6 months is likely much more realistic.
I applied on March 2nd, 2022 with no response still. This is beyond any realistic timelines.

The MP tried to help when I reached out back in July-August, but pretty much the response they got from IRCC was that it's "in progress". The usual BS, pretty much. They told me that in case there is an urgency and I can explain it/prove it, write them a letter that they can send to them, but I don't have urgency until May 2023. if we don't have a response by then, I will try to go this route.