I think they will not be able to locate application till you receive AOR. Since even Jan online applicants have not received AOR, it may take few months for you to get AOR. Only hope is that once online applicants get AOR, their application is processed fast.
Well, if after 3 months they tell you your ONLINE application is not in their system, then it probably isn't there. Something might have happened along the way.
What I would suggest is that you try to apply online again. There might have been a glitch when you applied and you might have been unlucky enough at the time to have been a victim. Use the same payment receipt and apply online and hopefully, the application will go through.
The reason why I'm suggesting you to apply online is because IRCC is likely going to speed things up once things are semi-normal/normal (whenever that is) and online applications seem to have a better and a more efficient workflow than their paper-based counterparts.
But its up to you, if you want to go with paper application, go ahead by all means. But giving online application another try might be well worth it. Who knows, you might see quicker processing than some 2020 folks who applied on paper.
I think they will not be able to locate application till you receive AOR. Since even Jan online applicants have not received AOR, it may take few months for you to get AOR. Only hope is that once online applicants get AOR, their application is processed fast.
I think it is a little different for online applicants. They should be able to see their application in the system since there is no manual digitization of documents/application form involved like in paper applications. Once the online application is submitted, it is electronically stored in their system and the call center agents should be able to pull that up with his/her UCI. The product design would have to be abysmally bad for this basic feature of tracking new applications with UCI to be absent and I don't think that's the case. Though the OP hasn't received his/her AOR, they must have seen the application in their system AFAIK for reasons I mentioned above.
If you see something that says below, you are good to go.
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You’ve submitted your application
If you need to update your application, contact us.(opens in new tab)
You successfully submitted your application!
What’s next
We’ll review your application to make sure you
provided all of the information we asked for
uploaded all required documents
paid the fees
If your application is complete, we’ll
start processing your application
send you a confirmation email (acknowledgement of receipt or AOR)
It can take some time before you receive the AOR. Check your email regularly to see if you’ve received it.
If we need more information from you, we’ll contact you by email. To avoid missing our emails
check your junk or spam folder
look for messages from email addresses ending in “@cic.gc.ca”
Check your email regularly.
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Its just a matter of time before you receive an AoR.
I think it is a little different for online applicants. They should be able to see their application in the system since there is no manual digitization of documents/application form involved like in paper applications. Once the online application is submitted, it is electronically stored in their system and the call center agents should be able to pull that up with his/her UCI. The product design would have to be abysmally bad for this basic feature of tracking new applications with UCI to be absent and I don't think that's the case. Though the OP hasn't received his/her AOR, they must have seen the application in their system AFAIK for reasons I mentioned above.
I think I read that somewhere too. Some applicants who applied online in January didn't start receiving their AOR until recently - took longer to receive it than applicants who applied by mail.
If you applied before March 2nd, then there was no confirmation email. As for IRCC reply, it really depends on the agent who replied. An agent actually went ahead and verified that my online application was in their system but still no AOR (probably sent an email or checked their backend system). Some agent will simply not go the extra mile to help you. I would say that if you have applied online, then don't worry and it will get processed soon(ish). It sucks that we hoped we would be getting our AORs in less than 2 months
