Hi Everyone,

I am in the process of applying for permanent residency FSW category 3. I applied through buffalo and my file was transferred to Los Angeles for processing.

I received a letter on November 1st requesting additional financial information which I promptly sent off. I have been waiting to hear something but when I looked at the letter this morning I realised that the reference number was different to the one I had all along! I am hoping this can easily be rectified. I have sent a case specific enquiry about it. But was wondering if this has happened to anyone in the past?

That's normal, you get given a proper case number (which will be different to your original one) after you get your AOR - everybody does. Don't worry!

Really? I already got a BXXXXXX number and am still able to check ECAS with the original number. This other number also begins with a B....If I try to look up E-Cas with it, it does not work.

I began my application in Sep 2009, my file was sent to buffalo May 2010. My file was transferred to Buffalo August 2010. They started processing my application September 2011 and this letter with a new reference number came on November 1st 2010.

Maybe it's a coincidence and, in this instance, the 'B' in the letter stands for Buffalo?

The "B" series of file numbers has been around for years and has nothing to do with Buffalo. We know that there is a new UCI (or whatever they call it) that is coming with the new universal client system. Perhaps that is the explanation. I would email the visa office just to be sure.

Thanks for the advise guys! Hopefully it can easily be solved. I looked back through some other letters yesterday. When my file was transferred from Buffalo to Los Angeles it did say that the reference number would stay the same. I sent them an email yesterday. I have no idea how long they take to reply to emails or anything like that but hopefully things will get moving soon. Good luck and thanks