Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[BeShoo]

How long does it take for Buffalo to look at it, and set an interview date?

Usually between 4 and 11 months, sometimes more, sometimes less. There may be an interview or there may not. It's not uncommon to hear just about nothing from them until they are done or almost done. Be prepared to do a lot of waiting.

 

[BeShoo]

... don't believe it if you don't want to

I absolutely do believe it, although truthfully I don't want to (i.e. I wish I didn't) and I still find this behaviour by border officials rather astonishing. I still say that some are nice and some aren't. They all intimidate me.

i've been wanting to go get my driver's license but it's been so crappy out. for anyone else that has gotten theirs, do i have to retake the driving test or do i just swap them out?

I've only had experience swapping an Ontario one for a Quebec one. I'm assuming you have a currently valid U.S. license, in which case you can just exchange it. If you have "2 or More Years of Driving Experience within the Last Three Years" you don't need to take a road test, but they will test your vision.

It looks like you'll need a driving record print-out. Full details are here: http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/ExchangeReciprocal.aspx

By the way, it's worse than "crappy out" in my opinion. I ventured out today into the -40 wind chill and almost wished I hadn't. At least, I wanted to put gas in my car as fast as possible. I seem to have misplaced my warmer mittens back when we had an unseasonably warm spell around New Year's time and I really missed them tody.

 

[adetia9]

That's great advice. Thank you! Hopefully people from October and November will hear back from Buffalo soon enough. There's nothing worse than waiting.

I'm still waiting since March...

 

[FleetingDasein]

I'm still waiting since March...

Oh wow, Adetia! I hope you hear back soon!

 

[Pharoh]

I'm still waiting since March...

HUH???

What's wrong with your application?? Did you order CAIPS notes?? Your timeline is practically empty!!

Can you please bring us up to speed with what's happening to you? That's downright bizarre and frightening.

 

[TheHal]

And Hagar is no longer looking for Buffalo updates, perhaps I should start a Detroit thread??

Been transferred for more 'expediency' and Detroit IS actually closer by 2 hours...

Cheers
Hagar.

 

[linalizzie]

What's the longest time period anyone's waited (in Buffalo) after having the interview waived and to their passports requested? Feels like I've been waiting an ETERNITY. Could be that I'm impatient. 8)

 

[kelKel]

And Hagar is no longer looking for Buffalo updates, perhaps I should start a Detroit thread??

Been transferred for more 'expediency' and Detroit IS actually closer by 2 hours...

Cheers
Hagar.

That'd usually a good thing. There is a thread for files that have been transferred to another office. Most people get there PPR fairly quickly after the transfer.

 

[Pharoh]

What's the longest time period anyone's waited (in Buffalo) after having the interview waived and to their passports requested? Feels like I've been waiting an ETERNITY. Could be that I'm impatient. 8)

Hey linalizzie,

I'm not sure about that. I know it takes a while for some, longer for others. I'd recommend you order CAIPS notes while you wait. You'll get the results back in 30-ish days, if you don't have PPR by then. The CAIPS should indicate when your file will be looked at again and what's going on with it...

My two cents.

 

[adetia9]

lina..

it can be awhile. we got that notice back the first couple days in july.

 

[linalizzie]

Pharoh - I ordered my CAIPS notes last week. ;D We'll see what comes of it.
Adetia9 - So you've been waiting since July 2010? That's nuts! I submitted my app at the end of July 2010.

 

[patiently_waiting]

i've been wanting to go get my driver's license but it's been so crappy out. for anyone else that has gotten theirs, do i have to retake the driving test or do i just swap them out?

Here is the info you need for swapping your drivers license in Ontario from another country.. hope this helps! You should be able to just swap it over if it is a US license.

http://www.drivetest.ca/en/license/OutOfCountryDrivers.aspx

 

[scylla]

linalizzie -

I believe Adetia9 submitted her application in March (not July). If I remember correctly, Dralon (also still waiting for PPR) submitted his in mid-February.

 

[adetia9]

Our application went in in March 2010, but, the last correspondence we received was the letter notifying us of the waiving of the interview, back in July.
We faxed our request for CAIPS in, and are now waiting for that -- if anyone has any questions on how to do that, its very simple. And now, back to waiting.

 

[linalizzie]

I mailed my CAIPS request last week ... I didn't know faxing was an option? :