Applying from outside Canada - where does file get transferred to?

[Beaverdiva]

My husband's posting out our Spousal sponsorship papers to the CPC in Mississauga this week.

I've read on here that after SA some files have been randomly transferred to Ottawa.

Does this only apply to some Outland applications where the PA is living in Canada with their sponsor?

My visa office is London UK, so you can see why I'm asking.... sigh

 

[KelseyTVS]

Only USA applications are routinely sent to Ottawa, they only go to LA or New York if there are big red flags. But I have seen a few applications from other countries sent to Ottawa for seemingly no reason. Whether the applicant and sponsor are living together doesn't seem to be a factor. I'd assume yours will go to London, but there's always a small possibility it'll stay in Ottawa.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

If you check out the spreadsheet in my signature, you'll see LOADS of applications gone via London between 2010 and now.

Since late 2013, applications that would normally go to London stopped exclusively going to London because London started helping process backlog from Islamabad. As a result, a load of applications went to either Ottawa or Mississauga instead. There hasn't been an application held in Mississauga for quite awhile, but there are still some going to Ottawa.

You'll know where yours went when you get your sponsor approval. There's more info about this in both the cover page of the spreadsheet and in the first few questions of the FAQ, both of which are linked in my signature.

 

[Majromax]

London's processing times are also misleading. The "80%" figure posted on CIC's website is entirely due to the age of the files transferred from Islamabad.

Take a look at the London spreadsheet for a more nuanced summary of recent processing times, along with the corresponding thread.

 

[Beaverdiva]

Thanks guys,

I feel a little bit more positive now.

I would love to be added to the spreadsheet once we've filed, if that's okay SchnookoLoly?

Thanks
BDiva

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Thanks guys,

I feel a little bit more positive now.

I would love to be added to the spreadsheet once we've filed, if that's okay SchnookoLoly?

Thanks
BDiva

Absolutely! Adding your info to the spreadsheet is the best way to say thanks and to pay it forward for the help you receive on here!

Post your info in the London thread that's linked above once you've sent it all off, and either I or AndrewBrit will add you in!

 

[Beaverdiva]

Fantastic! I'll keep you informed.

Your support keeps me sane and I feel less isolated to know others are in a similar situation :-*

 

[polixenes]

It seems an element of randomness is involved. My app package was supposed to go the the US but it went to London.

 

[SchnookoLoly]

It seems an element of randomness is involved. My app package was supposed to go the the US but it went to London.

Applications go abroad based either on residency or on citizenship, depending on how CIC views the circumstances. Presumably you are a Brit living in the US, and they chose to send your app to London based on your citizenship, as opposed to Ottawa or LA based on your residency.

 

[polixenes]

SchnookoLoly - thanks, that clarifies my situation.

 

[Majromax]

Applications go abroad based either on residency or on citizenship, depending on how CIC views the circumstances. Presumably you are a Brit living in the US, and they chose to send your app to London based on your citizenship, as opposed to Ottawa or LA based on your residency.

One clarification here: family class applications are not transferred to LA for ordinary processing. Only files with "red flags" or that require an interview go to that visa centre, and even then only after first being transferred from CPC-Ottawa.

 

[stephcy]

I supposed by now you must know which is your visa office....

Just to say I was on the phone with CIC today, as we just received sponsorship approval today and it was saying that our file was transferred to Ottawa even though i'm not from the US, and my visa office should be ROME.

The visa officer told me that eventhough we applied outland, as I'm in Canada as a visitor, the visa office automatically becomes Ottawa. So if the sponsored person is in Canada even as a visitor, the application is proceed in Ottawa....

Maybe that's not the case for everyone...