Canadian Visa Application Processing Delay Philippines

So you are now in the final stage of your application. The Canadian Visa Office Manila requested your original passport for visa stamping and you were told that it will be issued within 90 days. But it's almost 6 months now and you're still waiting. Is there a reason to worry? What should you do?


For some reason, Canadian Embassy Manila is super delayed in processing the applications and appears to be disorganized. There are those who submitted original passports for visa stamping since October 2010 and are still waiting for visa. These are applicants who have done their medical examination, paid the right of permanent resident fee and were advised to submit original passports for visa stamping. You would think that it's because of the volume of the applications they process. But there are those who have just submitted their passports and received the visa within a couple of months. Clearly, it's not just about the volume. Something is not right.

But as an applicant, you can't do anything but wait. Yes, you can make a follow up after the prescribed processing period lapsed. Your representative can make a follow up for you, and we are doing that. But most often than not, you will simply recieve a generic email like this:

This is in reply to the fax we received regarding the current status of your application.

Please be informed that your application is currently queued for review. We will advise you in writing if there are important updates regarding your application or if additional information and/or documents will be required.

In the meantime, your patience is appreciated as we continue processing your application.

Sincerely,

Federal Skilled Worker Unit
Immigration Section, Manila

Now, the question is how often can you make a follow up? Can you do it weekly?

Of course, you can send them even a daily follow up letter via mail, fax and email. But will it help speed up the process? No.

In making a follow up, chose only one form of communication (mail, fax and email). Do not send multiple copies. Successive follow up of the same will not help either. If fact, it may just add up delay in the processing. There is a limited manpower at the embassy and if you make successive multiple follow ups, they may just end up opening your letters and stop processing the applications. Please be reasonable. But I'm with you. It is not right to make you wait unnecessarily.

What's the worst scenario?

Well, if your medical examination results lapsed (good only for one year) and you still haven't got your visa, you may then be required again to undergo another medical examination.

You don't want that, of course.

If you have relatives in Canada, you may also want to ask them to write their Member of Parliament and complain about this delay. Let their MP's write the Canadian Visa Office in Manila. Or better yet, send a letter to the Immigration Minister and complain about this delay. You were promised 6-12 months processing from the time your application is received. Not from the time your passports are received for visa stamping. That is simply unacceptable.

Here's how to contact the Hon. Jason Kenney, Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister:

Constituency Office:

1168 137 Ave SE
Calgary, AB
T2J 6T6
P. 403-225-3480
F. 403-225-3504

Ottawa Office:

325 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
P. 613-992-2235
F. 613-992-1920

Email:
kennej@parl.gc.ca

So there. It's either you just wait and accept that you may undergo another medical examination or do something to get your application processed without delay.

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How to Obtain Police Clearance for you Canada Visa Application

To obtain police clearance for purposes of Canadian Visa Application is actually available at Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. But for some reason, I often receive an email asking for information on how to get a Police Clearance or Certicate from countries where they worked before. The common problem applicants face is that they seem to think it's impossible to get a police clearance since they are already in their home countries.

I have posted here before information on how to obtain police clearance from selected countries:

- How to get NBI Clearance from outside the Philippines

- How to get Saudi Police Clearance or Certificate

- How to get Canadian Police Clearance

- How to obtaine Vietnam Police Certificate

If you need information on how to obtain police clearance from other countries not listed above, you will find information from Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

If for some reason you can't get a police certificate from a certain country, make sure you tried all options possible before informing the Canadian Visa Office that you can't submit one.

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