Kingbsy

You mean the British Expat bible! its been read multiple times now i am prepared!

Hurlabrick

Agree wholeheartedly with that statement. Helped and still helping me!!

llysmabley

Congratulations. The end of the line.

Wish I could say the same. We applied 4th August. Decision Made (according to ECAS) on 12th May and email of same date requesting two photographs. To date - Nothing. Have sent 2 case-specific emails, contacted MPs office, checked the mail box every day, but still nothing. They certainly know how to make you suffer.

rtoddpm

Landed June 10th to activate, moving properly in November.

Landed in Toronto, everything went very smoothly - got ushered to the immigration area after passport control, then got issued my SIN at the airport and then went through customs, and got to keep hold of my goods to follow until I actually move.

Siouxie

Woohooo!

Congrats - and you're very welcome!

Siouxie

Well done you - and "Welcome to Canada eh!"

klogd

Just about to hit the mean/median number days for hearing back from the CIC (first stage), much excite!

Fingers crossed and praying to Thor that the application is sent to Ottawa. What is happening with London? From the spreadsheet it looks like they have done absolutely nothing since October last year (while Ottawa is currently doing stage 2 in 2 months).

PS: spreadsheet is missing my medical date: 2016-04-11

llysmabley

Just had a look at your London timeline, which may or may not be representative. For those who applied since 1st October 2015, 4 DM's have been made by London while 24 have been made by Ottawa. There seems to be something delaying things in the London office over the last 9 months. Even when you email them with a relevant question, all you get is an automated email that they will reply within 28 days.
Ottawa,on the other hand can carry out the whole process in a couple of months and issue CPR's in a matter of days. Maybe someone in London should have a look at this and resolve the problem. even if it means all files should be sent to Ottawa,including cases at present being handled in London.
Don't hold your breath !
This is not a criticism of the people working in the London office ; they will be doing their best as usual. Does anyone out there know why London has slowed right down ?

Kingbsy

As one of the few from October 2015 who has just been approved (still waiting on the COPR), London is busy as it doesn't just deal with the UK, other places like Sweden, Islamabad etc where as Ottawa are not. In fairness the Processing times have halved from 28 months to 14 months since the beginning of the year. If you have only been waiting a handful of months, this can be frustrating but in the grand scheme of things its not that long. They are still processing cases a lot faster than the posted times.

I did not send a single Case specific enquiry until my medicals were about to expire and that was only because i got them done over 2 months before I actually sent my application off (slight oversight on my part). Its people, who haven't even reached 50% of the posted processing times start sending multiple emails, getting their MP involved and generally overloading any channels of communication with non-urgent claims.

I know its easier said than done, but be patient. We can not see what goes on behind the curtain but they are dealing with things as fast as the under-staffed departments can deal with. I urge you, keep calm and carry on!

Bexleybuttler

Hi Kingsby firstly congrats and it seems that you have beaten me and i think i am the last man standing from October 2015 still without DM....

I have received an e-mail today which was in response to a case specific enquiry i sent to London. Basically i wanted them to confirm that they had received the Police record certificate from Hong Kong Police...

CIC london have sent me the following e-mail

'Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that we have receipt of your Hong Kong police certificate, your file is currently undergoing routine background checks. If any additional information is required we will be in touch.

Kind regards,

REO'

It doesn't really say to much apart from that they have received my Hong Kong police certificate... Obviously this has not been updated on ECAS (i have just checked). Hopefully someday in the near future they will actually get to look at my file and make a decision....

I will be sending another case request soon as we are about to change address... My medical only runs out on the 28th of sept...

As to why London is taking sooo soooo loooong to process apps who ffffing knows they seem to pull their finger out when they need to!!!

All the best

llysmabley

My application went in on 4th August 2015. There have been no queries or requests for further information. In fact nothing since SA on 6th October. On May 12th there was an email saying that to "finalise" my application I should send two photographs,which I did the same day. that was over 6 weeks ago. I have sent two case specific emails asking for confirmation that the photos were received but the reply was --- we will respond within 28days. Not much use as an answer to a simple but important question.

As my medical is coming up to expire on the 27th July, I emailed asking if I should renew it or not in the light of the " finalise " statement on the 12th May. The reply was that they would reply " within 28 days" .

Do they not read the email? If someone looked at it they would see that I do not have : 28 days before renewal.

I despair about the whole process, especially when I see what the Ottawa office is accomplishing every week.

Sorry about the rant but what else can I do ?

Kingbsy

When they asked for stuff from me it wasnt updated on eCAS im still "In progress" on eCas. As your case is slightly more complex than say myself who has only lived in the UK, my background checks took slightly quicker. You'll likely have a decision by July ill even bet on it. They have shifted into a new gear and you've got plenty of time on your medicals, plus there is only 2 days between our applications, the rest of October still havent been touched. It will happen soon!! I dont think you have to send a case request for change of mail you can do it yourself on eCAS where you existing address is, it gives you the option to change it there.

Keep us posted.

Kingsby

Kingbsy

The wording is important "in order to finalise your application" at the point of sending your photos it was not "Approved" nor "finalised" without these photos they could not complete it. You, upon receiving this, have sent them off, factoring in the lead time between you dropping them into the post, them receiving those photos, the program/case assistant opening it attaching it your file and then passing it on to a Case officer for review can take some time. I had been requested similar items at the end of March it is now almost July hopefully that puts into perspective your 5-6 week wait. Plus they will not do anything about your medicals until after they have expired.

As my medicals expire in a week I had emailed them. They turned around and responded with this "If possible, we will try to arrange a medical reassessment for you to extend your medicals; however, this can only be done within a month of your medicals expiring."

This is very frustrating I know! but your are still within the so called average processing time of between 9-10 months with LVO. Plus they are pretty much Finalising yours, they aren't asking for more information or supporting relationship documents like they are other expats.. You just have to trust that things are going on behind close doors Give it a little more time a couple more weeks and then give them another prod. they usually get back to emails around 3 weeks, not the full 28 days. And whatever you do, do not look at Ottawa, that is a recipe for even more frustration.

Shirtback

:

WOOHOO! Congrats 🎉🎉

Bexleybuttler

Hi Kingsby

not sure mine is too much more complicated lived in HK for 2 years apart from that its UK only...
I am married to my sponsor have been together for 8 years.
Only myself on the application.
No Criminal record
should be straight forward... Have not ever over stayed or applied to live in Canada or anywhere else in the world before (apart from working in HK which was completely legal)...
Hopefully should be quire straight forward!!!!
Come on LVO Pull your fingers out......