Frequently
Asked
Questions |
|
| Where do I submit my application
for a Canadian Immigrant Visa? |
You submit your application for a Canadian
Immigrant Visa to a Canadian visa office. Every geographic region
in the world has a Canadian visa office to which your application
forms and supporting documents, along with all applicable fees, can
be submitted. Each visa office specializes in the examination of documents
from its region.
Even if there is no Canadian visa office located in your country of
residence, nonetheless your area is the responsibility of a particular
Canadian visa office. For example, the Canadian visa office in London,
England, is not only responsible for applications from the United
Kingdom, but is also responsible for applications from other countries
such as Finland and Saudi Arabia.
Applicants under the Business Immigration Program must submit their
applications to one of nine designated Visa Offices, which specialize
in the evaluation of these files.
If your destination is the Province of Quebec, you must submit an
application for a Canadian Immigrant Visa and an application for a
Quebec Certificate of Selection to a Quebec Delegation in your region.
This procedure is required because Quebec has exclusive jurisdiction
to select immigrants who intend to reside in that Province.
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| Can I apply to a Canadian visa office
which is not responsible for the area in which I reside? |
| As of May 1 2003, applicants are required
to submit applications to the visa office responsible for the jurisdiction
of their permanent residence, or the region to which they had been
legally admitted for a period of at least 1 year. |
| What documents should be submitted in
support of my application for permanent residence? |
| Supporting documents usually include
evidence of employment, education, assets, civil status, and an absence
of criminal convictions. Each visa office has specific requirements
regarding the submission of supporting documentation. It is advisable
to seek expert guidance or instructions from your visa office regarding
the submission of supporting documentation. |
| When must I submit the supporting documentation? |
| Each visa office has specific timing
requirements, but usually, supporting documents are submitted at the
same time as your completed application forms and processing fees.
Some Visa Offices insist that the entire file be submitted at once,
and may even return incomplete files without acknowledging receipt. |
| In what language must my supporting
documentation be submitted? |
| All supporting documentation in a language
other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or
French translation, as translated by a certified translator. |
| Can I transfer my application to a different
visa office after it has been submitted? |
| Immigration officials are required to
transfer applications only in those cases in which doing so would
enhance Program integrity. Visa offices can refuse to transfer a case
otherwise. |
| How long does the immigration process
take? |
| The average processing time of all world-wide
visa offices is approximately 12-18 months for applications where
a selection interview is required. Depending on the circumstances
of the case, and the office at which the application is submitted,
processing time may be as short as 6 months or as long as 42 months. |
| What is a lock in date? |
| A lock-in date is the date on which
a visa office receives a completed application form, with full payment
of the processing fees. The Canadian Courts have deemed the lock-in
date to be the date on which factors such as age must be assessed.
Thus, no points will be lost if the applicant's age changes during
the processing of the application. |
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