Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Hi everyone,hoping someone will be help out and know the answer to this.
Allan and I were sitting in a coffee shop today having our usual daily gripe about living in the UK and about how long we've been waiting to hear from CIC London(curently sitting at 2 yrs 5 days)and remember reading on another message board about how you can just turn up at Canadian Embassy,wait in queue and actually speak to someone about how your application is progressing.
If I remember correctly it said you had to be there at stupid o'clock in the morning,which we're prepared to do.The only day we have free to do this between us is tomorrow but we're feeling very proactive since getting back from Calgary on Sunday so have decided it can't do any harm,or can it????Realise it's the eleventh hour but just wondering if anyone has done it or has any info they can divulge.
Tracie :confused:

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Hi
You can see someone between the hours of 8am and 11am. My husband got there around 7.30am and there was a queue of about 25 people. They let in at around 5 at a time so you don't wait too long. Then you take a number to wait again inside.
Beware they will only discuss your application if it's for work permit or travel visa, however that was on a Tuesday and maybe different on another day.
Maybe others could also advise you, as my husband was dropping in our PNP paperwork having submitted our PR application in May.

Hope it helps

Elli :D

Also forever waiting .......

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

My husband was at the Embassy in London yesterday, at a Calgary Police Recruitment Talk and they have two entrances.

The first entrance had a huge long queue :scared: for people with queiries like youself. It would take hours to get to the head of the queue unless you arrived say at 7.00 a.m. to try and be first in line.

He walked straight in another door for his appontment :o.

Good luck, take a packed lunch and an umbrella. :(

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Hi was there about three weeks ago, i got there at about 7.50am and there was a queue of about 20 people in front of me. They let people in at about 5 or 6 at a time. It took me about an hour and a half from queing to being seen.


good luck. :)

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

They have three entrances. Your hubby was invited to a function and was presumably expected. He would have entered through the Grosvenor Square entrance or, more likely, through the one just round the corner on Grosvenor Street (the entrance for functions). Visa stuff is handled through the the third entrance, also on Grosvenor Street. You queue there.

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Hi,thanks for the info.An hour and a half is pretty bearable,if we knew we were gonna get some kind of definitive answer we'd queue all day! Can I ask were you just enquiring about a skilled worker PR application?Bit worried about another comment about them only dealing with work permit/travel visa enquiries.Don't want a wasted journey although have said if worst comes to the worst we can go and sit in the Canadian bar in Covent Garden and drown our sorrows :beer:

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

hi

It is very unlikely that they would pull your file for a little chat, you are probably wasting your time, but hey its your time.

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Hi Poppy

Our answer from CIC took exactly 2 years 1 month so you should be getting close. We applied in July 2004 but did get a letter from them in Jan 2006 saying that the processing times were longer than anticipated but we would get an answer by September. In fact it was Beginning August.

Good luck

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

We were there in April to enquire about my wifes temp work permit. Didn't really achieve anything but at least it felt like we were trying to do something! Not sure it's worth the trip for you though...

Anyway - turned up about 20 mins before opening and there was a queue of around 20 people. Took under an hour

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

I was there last week to drop off my PNP Work Permit stuff and pay the fees.

Got there about 7.40am and there were about 12 people in front of me. They started letting people in around 8am, a few at a time.

I was inside by around 8.10 and the security guard that scans the bags and mans the metal detector said it was quite quiet that day (when I asked him).

Got seen about 15 minutes later, handed in the documents and money only to be told that we shouldn't book our flights until we have heard from them which will take 2-3 weeks.

If it's 3 weeks then that's about the time we will have to vacate the house. Typical shoddy, unhelpful and vague service I have come to expect from the CHC.

2-3 weeks to type some stuff in on a computer and check a few forms? Pathetic!

We're now stuck waiting for them once more. Can't book the flights, can't arrange the shipping, can't go over as tourists (in case we're not let in), can't do f***ing anything except wait :mad:

We couldn't even apply for the permits earlier as we have been waiting to exchange contracts on the house sale (and we're still waiting). Apparently our buyer's solicitor was waiting for their mortgage offer that he already had months ago :mad: :mad: :mad:

Why is it no matter what you do there is always one or more incompetent idiots making things slower and harder than they should be?

Rant over....for now....

Ian.

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Just so you know - it is not any different in Canada! :(

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

It may come as a shock to you to hear this but the CIC people in London (most of which are locally employed Brits) are not there to provide a service to potential immigrants. They are there to administer an immigration programme and have little or no leeway in applying the rules.

I knew many of them and they are far from being incompetent idiots. They are, however, seriously over-stretched and delays are created by:

- sheer numbers of applicants, most of which are not UK nationals

- having to deal with constant barrages of hassle from immigration consultants and applicants that want to know why they haven't received an acknowledgement for the letter they sent last week

- dealing with people that can't fill in a form properly

- waiting for the spooks in Canada to handle the security checks (the CIC people have no control over this)

Please do not slag off the CIC staff in London.

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Can you post your timeline (if you haven't already) ? Is it a SW application ?

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Ahh, I've just read a couple of your previous posts and now I know who you are. I have previously exchanged emails with Alan, we are both using the same consultant firm. I though you guys had a job offer lined up ?

Re: Queuing up at CIC London?
 

Big hello,funny was only thinking couple of nights ago that I should nudge him into contacting you.
Yep,job offer definate.They submitted LMO approx 11 weeks ago so we should hear something very very soon(praying,hoping,begging lol).You know how it is,even then the wait won't be over,it'll be applying for the temp work permit from London and a bit more waiting........
I was not blessed with patience when it was handed out.
You guys heard anything yet?