UK Application Process Times

[Garfielduk62]

Can anyone who has gone through the App process tell us what length of time they had to wait for their App to be processed by the London Canadian Commission. There are statistics on average times but these range from 14 months for 30% of apps to around 3 years for 80/90% of them. It would also be nice to know why you think you had only a short or a long wait !

[Ali_UK]

The facts are for previous year and in future there will be more delays. It all depends how good you prepare the applications, citizenship and how many countries u lived in(for security checks). Currently London is saying 36 months to assess the application. So if u apply now, it could take good two to three years to get visa.

Good luck

[Kayalami]

Garfielduk62,

With respect it is pointless to mull over this in detail since every applicant has a different profile. It is best to note CIC's policy/view that spousal/child family class applications take the shortest time (circa 6 months) with skilled worker and parent/ grandparent family class taking longer (from 12 to 68 months dependent on visa post). Additionaly those with an interview waiver are processed faster than those who need an interview. Likewise delays can be experienced due to background/ security checks being an issue(there may be indamissiblity issues), medical complications, missing payments, adding family members to the application e.g. a new child, spouse etc. You give me your file and I'll give a relatively well informed idea of what timeline you should expect.

[Garfielduk62]

Kayalami, Thanks for the reply, I shall try and give you a quick summary of our file details. I already knew about processing times that the CIC give you from all the Commissions they have, I just thought it would be good to see what has actually happened in practice to various people depending on their circumstances.

Anyway, we are a family of 2 adults and 2 children. I was born in England and so have been a British Citizen all my life; my youngest daughter (Age 2) is also a British Citizen by birth and has a British passport. My wife is Ukrainian and has ILTR in her passport as does our 11 year old son. We should have British Citizenship for them in Spring 2006 and subsequenty British Passports.
All documents asked for have been submitted with the App Fees including Police Certificates from both countries, all documents notarized officially where necessary, all Russian/Ukrainian documents translated and certified by a Professional registered translator, certificates, education, work documents, etc all provided plus photos. I checked the Application many times to make sure everything was absolutely A1 and complete. We received a receipt notification and file reference in August after sending it off in May 2005. So are we likely to be at the shorter decision time, the average or worse still longer than average ?

[Kayalami]

Detail you provide does not provide enough to pinpoint timelines...have you always lived in the UK? What other countries have you lived in? How long? Why were you there? Same for your spouse? On first impressions security checks may be of longer duration due to the Uzbek angle. Also anyone with a criminal record/ has been arrested? Did you submit IELTS tests. Appropriate evidence of finances? Any custody issues with the 11 yr old (I deduce he is your step son? apologies if this is not the case). Are your employment records conclusive to the right detail to include contact details of referee with business card? Best to err on the side of caution and give yourself a 24 month window to grant of immigrant visas...that way anything happens before that you will be pleasantly suprised.

Where in Canada do you intend to move? What is your intended profession? Can you speak French and if so to what fluency? The Canadian labour market is notorious for not considering non Canadian qualifications/ work experience particularly in the regulated professions of medicine, dentistry, engineering, teaching etc. I often advise people to take as many trips to the area they intend to move to. It is also worth reviewing why you are leaving the UK.....it is easy for the grass to look greener on the other sider. Your approach to seek info is definitley the right way forward.

[Garfielduk62]

Hi again Kayalami,

Okay, here we go :

- I have lived in the UK all my life
- My wife has lived in the Ukraine until she came here in 2001
- Neither of us have any criminal records as shown by the police certs from UK and Ukraine
- We submitted an IELTS test certificate for my wife
- No IELTS cert for me, but a letter saying why not i.e. BA Honours degree, All GCSE's in English, Professional Qualification in Accountancy
- Letter from Solicitor saying what equity was in my property i.e. 90% equity, 10% loan plus statements from bank. In excess of $300000
- Son has taken my surname by deed poll and also statement saying we have joint responsibility
- Reference from last employer on headed paper with business card submitted
- I claimed full points for English Language but only basic knowledge of french
- We stated an intention to move to the Niagara Region (maybe Niagara on the Lake or St Caths in reality)
- I am a Qualified Accountant and my wife is a Care Assistant
And you are right, it is not right to go head on into emigration without researching why you are doing it, I could give you a long list of reasons but I won't in this post. I have a cousin who has lived near Toronto for over 20 years so I will be able to find out a lot of information off him.
Thanks for your replies.

[Kayalami]

- I have lived in the UK all my life
- My wife has lived in the Ukraine until she came here in 2001
- Neither of us have any criminal records as shown by the police certs from UK and Ukraine

Living in one country makes the background and security checks in principal smoother/ faster since there are less governmental bodies involved.

- We submitted an IELTS test certificate for my wife
- No IELTS cert for me, but a letter saying why not i.e. BA Honours degree, All GCSE's in English, Professional Qualification in Accountancy

Good for the spouse. IELTS is the only objective indicator of language ability. If I was in your shoes I would take it - I appreciate its a slap in the face but bureacracy is a pain.....if it helps applicants for British naturalisation must take an english/ welsh etc type test...Ozzies, Kiwis, US, Canadians and others who have lived in the UK for years have to do it...understandably they are not amused. The visa officer has to go through a circa 100 page book to equate your given documents to the IELTS.....if you were in his/her shoes what would you think about an applicant who has saved you all that trouble.

- Letter from Solicitor saying what equity was in my property i.e. 90% equity, 10% loan plus statements from bank. In excess of $300000

Your funds are o.k. - I would suggest when landing only taking the required amount.

Son has taken my surname by deed poll and also statement saying we have joint responsibility

Doesn't categorically rule out the other parent's legal rights which the visa office want to ensure have been considered by competent authorities. Was he under his mother's sole responsibility as evidenced by a court order when he left Ukraine. If not I would get this resolved or it will come to bite you in the proverbials.

- Reference from last employer on headed paper with business card submitted

Good in so far as adding to bonafide aspect of application.

- I claimed full points for English Language but only basic knowledge of french

See my comments on IELTS. French requires TFE results so it will be a cse of nil points I suspect.

- We stated an intention to move to the Niagara Region (maybe Niagara on the Lake or St Caths in reality)
- I am a Qualified Accountant and my wife is a Care Assistant
And you are right, it is not right to go head on into emigration without researching why you are doing it, I could give you a long list of reasons but I won't in this post. I have a cousin who has lived near Toronto for over 20 years so I will be able to find out a lot of information off him.
Thanks for your replies.

Accounting regulated profession so you will have soem challenges I'm afraid. Check out the Canadian Accounting bodies and specifically those for Ontario. I believe some used to have a recipricol agreements with their UK equivalents (ICAEW, CIMA etc) to recognise UK qualifications but last I remember they had scrapped this and there was a huge bruha about this. IIRC Canadian titles are Certified General Accountant (CGA), Chartered Accountant (CA) - deemed to be the most prestigious and Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Either way be prepared to likely do some (expensive and maybe even needless) exams (could be done whilst waiting for your visa) and likely take a back step in your career. If you are willing to do this and stick it out in the long term you no doubt will find the quality of life you are seeking.

I wish you the very best of luck

[Garfielduk62]

Thanks for replies on different items.

Do you know how many English applicants atually take IELTS tests ?

My Accounting body is CIMA and has a Canadian Arm of it called CIMA Canada based in Toronto, they provide mentoring services for British Immigrants so I hope this will help but I do know that the Canadians are a little funny over accepting Foreign Quals, rather strange when their Government seem to want to attract so many people to the country I think. Might be better to set up my own business in the light of this.

As regards custody and so on, my wife had a sole responsibility order legally signed off from Ukraine when leaving otherwise they would never have been able to leave the country.

[Kayalami]

Do you know how many English applicants atually take IELTS tests ?

Sorry no.

My Accounting body is CIMA and has a Canadian Arm of it called CIMA Canada based in Toronto, they provide mentoring services for British Immigrants so I hope this will help but I do know that the Canadians are a little funny over accepting Foreign Quals, rather strange when their Government seem to want to attract so many people to the country I think. Might be better to set up my own business in the light of this.

Indeed an iexplicable status - issue is that there is a disjoint between federal immigration targets and canadian labour market...same thing with the UK's HSMP. Canada needs plumbers, electricians, lorry drivers, bakers but the points matrix is skewed in favour of degree holders. Also Canadian labour market heavily unionised which doesn't help newcomers. IIRC CIMA one of the non equivalency bodies but double check on this. Self employment is often a way round this frustration but again may not be straightforward depending on the nature e.g. will you be a financial advisor...you need to take tests. Note its not all doom and gloom...there are lots of successful Brits in Canada. Often those who hang on (5 years plus) end up good.

As regards custody and so on, my wife had a sole responsibility order legally signed off from Ukraine when leaving otherwise they would never have been able to leave the country.

Your initial response was not categorical on this - sorry no offence was meant.

[heavymen]

I come from a country whose official language is English ... all my education has been in english , still , my consultant advised that i take the IELTS . Its more of an inconvinience that anything else . It might be a good idea to take it just to make things smooth .

[sj1202]

We have received our AOR this month and were horrified to learn the processing time could be up to 39 months. In the letter that came it stated that it would be up to 6 months if you have employment I assume that this only applies to the principle applicant or if the secondary applicant can get employment does this count? We have also been putting off having children until we get to Canada how does having children whilst the application is being processed affect it?

any help will be most appreciated

[Garfielduk62]

If you have children before going these obviously have to be added to the application, bit of a bind but has to be done. It's like booking 2 airline tickets for you and your wife and at the last minute saying to the airline, sorry but my mother wanted to come as well but I haven't got her a ticket and they say sorry, no ticket, no boarding !!

[sj1202]

Thanks Garfield, I realise that any children have to be added to an application I was wondering:

1, How easy it is to add children
2, Does the application go to the back of the queue again once they are added

cheers

Scott

[Garfielduk62]

I would just fill out the parts of the forms where children are listed and send with a covering letter saying it is a change of circumstance or addition for your file.

And No it will not go to the back of the queue, but every change you make will obviously add some time to the Application from a few days to weeks, you never know.

[rely]

Thanks Garfield, I realise that any children have to be added to an application I was wondering:

1, How easy it is to add children
2, Does the application go to the back of the queue again once they are added

cheers

Scott

Do the following things:
1.Enclose 7 passport size photographs, matte finish, white background.Write name of the child at the back of these photographs.
2.Notarised birth certificate of the child.
3.Processing fee for the child.
4.On a plane piece of paper write height and eye colour of the child .

Prepare covering letter and send all these.
These things will not delay your application even by a single day because your first review (interview or interview waiver) has been not taken place.It generally delays if first review is completed and you are through with medicals.
bye
rely