Jimmychuks2018:
I honestly do not like to involve myself into arguments like this, but I must point this out. In my GCMS note, the only documents that the visa officer mentioned that he reviewed were, my wife,s school enrollment, our bank statements, her Canada lease agreement, letter from host personal pysician, copy of marriage certificate, children's birth certificates, no apparent criminality (copy of Nigeria police report). Medical not done yet.
What ever this means! These were not the only documents I submitted in vfs! Then I asked myself, what happened to all the documents that I submitted?
I think those were the only documents that they scanned to the visa officer that was in charge of my paper application in Shanghai! At the end of the day, my visa was refused citing several reasons, including lump sum, which I explained and even added documents to back it up, unfortunately, the visa officer did not see that. God bless you as you draw your conclusion.

VFS scan documents to a visa office in shanghai?
Na wa o bros! Think no further, nothing like that happened.

It is certainly not possible for VFS to do anything close to that let alone decide which visa office to send submitted documents to.
Meanwhile, the GCMS is actually not meant to have in a listed form all you submitted. It is simply for the VO to document his/her conclusion on an application for reference. An officer most likely is compelled to input key information especially from the application form, medical, eligibility, admissibility, procedure taken as well as correspondence with the applicant. Every other details will be at the discretion of the officer. He/she can decided to give a full detail or not( as frequently seen in GCMS note here) to make a point or two. In your case, the entire details of your supporting documents wasn't given and this doesn't mean the officer did not review all you submitted. Your application went through the same process and handling others did as i remember you towed the SOWP way.

Regards.

Ratawu:
Ij

I posted something sometimes ago, some know-it-all were condemning me. Any information I post here is from the in-house. I disn't argue th because they are classical.
Only the required docs go to NAIROBI. Other optional docs that support your application stay back here. This is coupled with the strict nature of NAIROBI VOs who are majorly Indian-Canadians.
THE BETTER OPTION IS GO ONLINE IN YOUR NEXT APPLICATION

Your statement in bold actually is not accurate and may be misleading. All documents in support of an application are usually forwarded and reviewed by the appropriate visa office and by extension the officer in charge. The officials at VFS are not employees of the Canadian Government neither are they privy to any information as regards the processing of an application so they do not have any obligation whatsoever to withhold documents that is in support of an application. VFS is an outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages visa and passport issuance-related administrative and non-discretionary tasks for its client governments.

They do not always have their client government's classified information during visa processing as this would require security clearance usually given to consular officers as they are the face of their government overseas. So VFS officials would presumably follow instructions from the Canadian embassy to guide applicants as they submit their applications and all that would increase their chances of a visa approval.

Assuming you know already, Canada has one of the most meticulous and probably one of the most highly sequestered visa processes in the world. So your "in-house" information most likely would be from what is within the public domain or atleast those of VFS officials but certainly not from the consular's office.

Lastly and just as being stated on IRCC's website, the idea of an online application or a paper application is basically for CONVENIENCE. Non weigh more or less against the other. Applicants on both platform undergo same scrutiny, review and processing. However, the only significant difference could be that an online application can be processed anywhere around the world where there is a Canadian embassy but mostly not always the case. Majority of online applications are still processed within the applicant's region or in visa offices that have previously processed applications of citizens of same country as these offices apparently would have better understand of documentation and information from that region. Irrespective of processing office, they still use the same processing time, scrutiny, review and importantly the provisions of the law used to adjudicate study permit applications.

I have read your post a couple of times and usually find it informative and insightful. I don't think you were condemned, probably some folks did not agree with what your surmised. All the same, we all should work together for the good of all.

Regards bro.

jnyuwa02:


VFS workers are not trained to issue visas. Their work is more of an intermediary paper work marche. The job of issuing visas is relegated to a trained Canadian consular Officer.

Valid.

Kaka89:
Pls can someone tell me the meaning of this mail from the immigration office

I was not called for Medicals

If you were have not been called for medicals,I'm afraid it isn't looking good. Your application most likely is refused. You will need to get your returned passport as well as the letter attached to know the reason(s) for the refusal.

Big congratulations to you @Newmum0615. I'm happy for you and your family.

uyplus:


Lucky? Leniency? For such a highly delicate process as immigration? Please say what you know! I have read many posts where people send their medical results via email post visa application submission and their status got updated! I have even read posts where people still submitted supporting documents via email to visa offices and it was acknowledged! There is no absolute to this application thing. For instance, many June applicants here haven't gotten any update yet from CIC, which almost 9weeks for the early June applicants, whereas some others have already received refusal mails! That doesn't guarantee that all those who haven't received a refusal within the 3 to 4weeks period will be successful in their application! Even the supposed gurus can put in a visa application and still get rejected even after dotting all I's and crossing all T's.. There is no absolute! I personally know a Pharmacist who got admitted to UBC in his same course path, Pharmacy, submitted mother's SOA with over 100m in it, no SOP and he still got rejected whereas some folks on this thread submitted applications without SOP's and got approved!

This post actually got my attention. Permit me to indulge as i think you raised some vital points.

I quite agree with you that there is no "absolute" using the examples you gave but they all point to one thing, the modus operandi on the part of officers which is not completely open to the public. Also, applications are concluded based on it's merit, circumstances or uniqueness.

That an applicant sent upfront medical results, documentation etc and they were acknowledged or updated doesn't also mean the application will be approved or rejected. The officer in-charge of the application has the power to reject or accept such additional documents(when not requested) especially when it goes against the instructions on IRCC's website or the IRP act and regulations which brings us to the case of leniency.

Would this same officer be able to use these documents submitted against the applicant in case of a refusal and a judicial review in the federal court of Canada? Absolutely! The court looks at documents that were submitted at the time of application and acknowledgement by IRCC as complete and not additional documents that were not requested for.

Nobody can stop anybody from sending documents to IRCC but in so doing, i'd rather explain why i couldn't send it initially and also would take responsibility of any outcome be it good or bad. IRCC would not put up instructions on their website for the fun of having a website. They are also fortifying themselves legally in an event of legal proceeding same as the fact that their decisions are based on a stipulated law, provisions of the Acts and regulations and also discretions( leniency here again).


Lastly, about the pharmacist who submitted an SOA of 100m and no SOP.
One vital thing to note is that how an available balance was accumulated and the source of said funds is as important as the available balance itself. Closing balance alone has not always been the yardstick to financial sufficiency. Also, the idea of an SOP to me should be to serve a purpose of conveying something to a VO. If there is nothing to point out or an applicant feels his or her application is self explanatory, i see no reason to bother about it as it is not a requirement. Each documentation should serve a purpose and not because other persons added same to theirs. I personally did not add SOP when i applied and my application was approved. I guess the supporting documents were enough for the officer to reach a decision. So yes, i agree with you largely that there is no 'one size fit' but one thing we all must always encourage and advise is for us to follow the instructions, read for changes to the process on IRCC's website and importantly do our best to ensure we put in a good application and be hopeful.

Regards.

Frankrobbn1:

Boss!

Are you sure of this? I think I have seen a number of persons here who confirmed that they didn't undergo an upfront medicals during their application submission, but later went for it and send it to CIC through the webform/email, which was updated as "MEDICAL PASSED" on their MyCIC Account.

Please if you did this, signify by quoting this post.

Thank you!

My able guru, errmm, In as much as some people were able to undergo "upfront medicals"(I don't think it is upfront anymore )after submitting their application and forwarded it to IRCC shouldn't mean they did the right thing or it is a norm. IRCC has provided information for medical examinations as seen in the shots below. The emboldened words in the shots i assume would be them laying emphasis on important thing(s) to note. Applicants are to follow either of the two ways to get their medical examinations completed. Remember, an IME code is usually queried during the initial stages of an application or in the later part which signifies there is a procedure followed either using an upfront medicals or instructing an applicant to proceed for one. So the best advise should be that applicants either do an upfront medical or wait for an instruction from IRCC same way @mcobex advised.

Meanwhile, great job here buddy!

Newman1010:


@kylexy61, i think you did justice to this.

Another point to add is that, we all don't know how these guys work. For instance, on a scale of ten (10), Medical can be on number 8. So you send a mail to a VO, to jump nos 1-7, just to update your medical which is on number 8? I think we all need to be patient. There is a processing time, wait. If nothing happens, you are free to send a mail. My profile was not updated until the 8th week (the processing time as at then), although i applied when it was 6 weeks. We all need to be calm and focus on other things. What i see these days are applicants that will apply and get a notification, they won't take time to read and understand the message, the next thing is "please i got this message ---------, can anyone interpret". You applied Jun 24th and you are desperate for approval/ update, can't you see that the recent approvals are for people that applied in May? Except you want the kind of responses some June applicants have gotten which is a refusal, Just keep calm and pray that the outcome of your application is positive. Everyone will get a response before the end of August and i pray we all get a positive one.
Oya go back to work and get busy.

Success to all

Very valid points bro. One important thing to note also about sending unnecessary emails to CIC when an application has not exceeded the stipulated processing time is that it is noted in the applicant's GCMS file which is detrimental during a case review. I believe nobody would want a file note with any instance of desperation recorded especially when they have provided all that is to be expected and processing time has not been exceeded. Folks with applications within the stipulated processing time need to be patient and be positive about the outcome.

The routine and processing of an application is more to what we all assume and predict. The could be delay for various reasons but one thing is always certain, as long as you applied, they will revert back to you.

kpizzle:
Thanks @COPR and@jnyuwa02 and every other gurus in the house. Your views on the issue on SOP have prompted me to share my thoughts openly. I have been following this topic since March/April and I have seen many approval and refusal (including mine) and this has shape my view about the whole process.

There is this general believe that we cannot second guess the VO and they take their decisions based on impulse. I am not sure about this assumption, the VOs are professionals and they cannot be playing "Russia roulette" or throwing dices to take their decisions. As someone with several years of working experience in a professional environment, there will sure be standard operational procedure or guideline they follow when taking their decisions.

Students that finished with first class and are given full or partial scholarship are almost 90% or more to granted visa. This is no brainer because the VO wants to filter out the talents from other countries and support Canada to get the cream de la cream of the brains around the world. I have seen such people unnecessarily panicking on this forum and giving themselves unwarranted high blood pressure.

Also, people with “good” sponsor in term of cash only need to show proper ties to the sponsor via their relationship. The VO clearly needs to be comfortable that when one get into their country they will not become nuisance and start hustling on the street of Canada. They need to be sure someone will not get struck and desperate in their country. Instead it is more like a FDI (foreign direct investment) into their country.

This issue of family ties is the most confessing for me and this is my own thinking about it. The VO definitely knows that if someone is married with or without children, the person will want to bring their spouse and children to Canada too and it is could serve as a means of relocating. Landed properties belonging to the applicant can be sold at any time and cannot be a stumbling block to relocate. For me, I think home ties are favorable if ones family/spouse or the applicant has a company to return to or some establishment has guaranteed a job offer or the Dad or Mom has properties willed or transfers to the applicant.

As for me, part of the reason I was refused was based on poor academic record which was weird. Although I had a 2’1 but I was able to get admission into a top school, University of Waterloo. My argument was that “wetin concern VO with academic qualification, no be the school suppose check that one” but hey, we need to understand the Mordi of operadi of the VOs. They see themselves as a gate to Canada and they have to make sure they get the best into their country. They logical analyses all scenarios to decide on the visa via their “checklist”. They have seen all sort of people from those that get to Canada and don’t even attend school to those that could not cope with the rigor of academic and also those that decided to ship all their families into Canada immediately. They are just trying to protect their country from being “invaded” by someone who was able to “con” their schools to get admission.

I want to conclude with this note that we cannot continue with the narrative that we don’t know how the VO takes their decision. From all the shared approval and refusal we can have a better idea of what is going on. For those of my brothers and sisters who are in my shoes, maybe you are self-sponsored or has a weak sponsor and maybe you don’t have a first class with no offer of scholarship and maybe one is going for PGD, please don’t just give up. Keep fighting on, pour you heart into those SOP/LOE and pray that the God lord will Favour you.

Spot on! I couldn't agree more. One ishi-ewu for you dia!

yinkamic:
Hi @Austinpee4

Please I like to ask a question.. I got a Canadian visiting visa recently, I just got adminssions in a school in canada, do I need to apply for student permit from here before going to canada? Or I just go and apply for it within canada.. or do I go for visiting them come back to Nigeria and them apply for study permit .. Thank you

You will have to apply from Nigeria for your study permit. You may not adequately convince an officer why you are applying for a study permit in Canada with a visiting visa. It usually would be refused for 'current immigration status". You can go for your visiting and when you return you apply for your study permit. It will also clear any doubt of your likelihood to respect the conditions of a temporary resident(Study permit and visiting).

Regards.

orobs93:
when medical is not passed what happens ? and have you come across anyone who experienced it before and what was the situations like?

One thing to note about medical results is that it goes through a proper analysis before it is sent to IRCC.

Hardly would a panel physician proceed with sending medical results if there is anything wrong with you that would make you inadmissible to Canada. If there is a medical condition, the panel physician would advise you, do further test on a later date and ascertain you do not fall short of the test requirements. Also, results of an applicant's medical examination( if a minor condition has been indicated) is further analysed by IRCC medical team usually in Ottawa to establish if a further analysis or test is to be performed again by the panel physician to ensure any situation or condition (as indicated by the initial result) is completed devoid of health issues that would pose a threat to the health and safety of Canadians as well as burden on Canada's health and social services system.

This usually would be carried out before the applicant is deemed inadmissible on health grounds and hence would fail the medical examination. Most often, the applicant would be asked to go for further assessment before it is reached that he/she failed the test.

So once your medical examination appears to have gone well during the test day and you were not asked to return to the hospital on a later date for any reason after you were reached by the hospital, you most likely would pass the test.

Regards.

Hereissola:
Good morning. Accolades to those that contribute in every little way to this post. Trust people are getting results here year in year out.

Kindly educate my ignorance. I have always wanted to further abroad, Canada precisely. Just started working late last year and I am firm in saving to travel out for my education but the problem is, I don't even know the process or the cost. This whole thing gets me confused on what to do first and how to go about it. I know I am meant to go through the post from ab initio but discussions come in and I am lost.
I would be glad if anyone can guide me through.Thanks in anticipation.

Start by going through page 0 of this part. It has a comprehensive summary of the process and steps to follow as you begin the process.

Regards.

goingforward:


Hello @Austinpee4,

Thanks for this information. Please, I would like to ask, does it mean that if one already has a valid visitor TRV, upon approval of study visa application, passport request would not be requested for stamping ( since one already has a visa) only approval would be given and then when i travel i get my study permit at the point of entry?

Or is it that a special student visa for Canada exists, in this case, they will call for passports and reissue a particular student visa?

Please shed more light on this for me. Other nairalanders who have this information can also share please.

Thanks

goingforward.

Hi goingforward,

Once your study permit is approved, a visa foil will still be issued to you irrespective of the valid visiting visa you have. This is to help officers at the point of entry identify your purpose in Canada on arrival and subsequently issue you with the right document(s) for your stay. The category of visa is clearly written on the visa foil. So upon arrival, the officer would ask what you are in Canada for, once you say studying, the expect to see a visa issued for your study permit on your passport. Same as visiting, if you say visiting, your visiting visa must be valid too as well as other requirements for a visit.

So in summary, each visa is issued for a purpose and will be clearly written on the foil. Your answers to questions at the POE will determine the one the officer will check at the POE for validity and for issuance of appropriate documents. The only exceptional case is a PR approval. All other previously issued TRV will be cancelled.

Hope this is clear enough.

Regards.

myelims:



My passport still has 4 years before expiration.

The visa on your passport is NOT your study permit. It is a TRV to enable you travel to and fro Canada. Your Study permit will be issued to you at the port of entry(Airport).The study program length and your passport expiration will determine the length of the study permit to be issued at the point of entry. So the one year visa on your passport is to enable you travel in and out of Canada within one year(believing yours is the multiple entry visa). If you intend to travel after the expiration of the one year visa, you will have to renew you visa from inside Canada same as your study permit if you for whatsoever reason need to extend your study beyond the validity of your study permit. There is nothing to worry over.

Regards.

Jimmychuks2018:
I already asked this in the group for spouse open work permit, nobody is responding! Please guys Is it too early for someone that applied on April 19th to send case specific enquiry next week? Did upfront medical,not yet updated!still on background check! Just my biometrics that was updated after I sent an email! Note processing time was like 11weeks as at when I applied! (SOWP) thank you my people.

You can only send a CSE regarding your application after the stipulated processing time for SOWP has elapsed. Otherwise, you have to wait till updates emerge from the processing of your application. For your upfront medical update, be rest assured it will be updated(if this is the first time using the upfront medical). In all, be patient and hopeful.

Regards.

@Derel, i'm really happy for you. I looked forward to this day. Congratulations.

@dappydappa, @bonnie1, Congratulations!

QSola:
Your name is a strong tower Jesus, to you belong all power Jesus, everytime i call your name, you make a way, your name is a strong tower Jesus.

Where should i start, i heard about fsw november last year and at the same my bro in usa told me to come over. I got to usa and i was told various means to obtain the green card, in short my husband i met with my arrangee spouse and we started preparing on how to get the fake divorce papers. It got to a stage i told my spouse that we should stick witg express entry cos i was scared of the repercussions. I left usa after 2month and came back home. I wrote my ielts same month twice and made it. My step mum stopped talking to me cos i didnt stay back. She called once and told me to tell her the truth that maybe we were to broke to afford plane tickets back to usa. She wanted us to go tru asylum to canada and refused talking to me ever since them. But today olowogbogboro made a way where there's no way. PPR came in
ITA may 23
AOR may 28
Mep/ip1 june 8
Ip2 june 27
Ppr july 3rd. Saw the mail 1 hr ago.

Congratulations to you and your family.

Ethelia:
Unto Him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever dream or wish to ask for!! To Him alone be ALL the praise!!!

My people it is PPR!!!!

I'm coming back to give my detailed application story and testimony but I just had to share this first

Awesome! Big congratulations to you!

Omonoba1981:


There was actually no useful information on the notes. I can try collage and upload them. Notes 1- 4 were just Label client enquiry.

And were email I sent when they processing was after 6months

You GCMS file is missing the officer's note then. You may want to contact the platform you made the request from.

@tbabson47

You will be shooting yourself in the foot still. How would you explain the employment you have if it requires a minimum of a degree to be employed? Also, how do you intend to explain the education gap and what evidence do you have to show that indeed you were active doing something all through the years?

My advise for you is to consider a PGD/C or possibly a master degree program. Forget all the 'hiding' stuff. Get a progressive degree from the one you already have. It is only natural to seek advancement not retrogression. You would be giving the officer a clear decision to refuse your application for purpose of visit if you are unable to convince them with this diploma(hardly would fly) because it will discernible that your primary intention is other than study and will unlikely depart Canada at the end of your study.

Regards.

Banks039:
Hello ! How long does it normally takes before cic contacts you after submitting your online application, mine is alreadya month old and haven't heard from them

IRCC will contact you once there is a need to. This is usually within the stipulated processing time. Once your application exceed that time, you can enquire about your application. There is no particular time in exactitude to contact an applicant by IRCC during the time of processing. It could come anytime and when there is an update or a request. Be patient and hope for a positive outcome.

Regards.

tbabson47:
Hi everyone, I hold a BSc degree in accounting which I obtained 5 yrs ago, I have started working in an organisation and just of recent I got a Diploma in Business Administration (partial) scholarship from Toronto school of management, Canada. I have been asked to pay a deposit fee of $2000 which i plan to few weeks from m. Please what are my chances of getting a VISA considering the progression of studies.

Thanks for your response guys.

Your chances will largely depend on how well you are able to convince the visa officer that the diploma is what you need at this time in your career. Also, i'd assume the diploma is of post-graduate study otherwise, you will have to be beyond convincing to stand a chance with a "diploma" being that you already have a BSC . A diploma is lower than the degree you already have and unless you have an inch-perfect and cogent reason for opting for a diploma, i'm afraid, it will be an onerous task.

Regards.

Omonoba1981:


I already requested GCMS when i got rejected. there was no detail reasons. The notes also didnt say much just mostly mail threads when I was waiting for my result

The last page of the GCMS file usually contain the officer's note on the refusal. Check the file to ensure you have the complete pages. The screen shot here is only the generic reasons for the refusal which was also contained in the correspondence letter issued to you at the time of the refusal.

Massive congratulations to everyone with an approved application. It can only get better for you.

For the refused applications, restrategize and address the issue(s) and in the end, it will turn out well.

Cheers guys!

Phocusjosh:
Application approval after 16weeks!!!

Fall 2018 issa gooal

Big congratulations! I was expecting this news!

Phocusjosh:
14 weeks of application, medical request 6 weeks ago, no update till date

We await your good news soon! Just hold in.

Lemia:
Hello everybody!

Sum jus happen right now!

My Study Permit Application was just approved!!!!

Yes! Yes! Yes! I was expecting this good news! I'm so glad everything turned out well. Seeing your profile, your achievements and how you packaged your application, It was just a matter of time to this moment. I'm really happy for you. Congratulations!

CanadianNurse:
By the grace of God the boy don dey alright small now and will be more regular to contribute to the great forum
Where is mcobex Austinpee4 jnyuwa and my bosses

Present sir!!

Martswoll:
I owe y’all my timeline

Application : 28 February (online)
Biometrics: 1st March
Medical call : 10th May
Medical Done : 14th May
Medical updated to pass : 20th May
Passport request: 31st May
Passport stamped and collected: 5th June

Admitted into Post Baccalaureate Diploma in business administration.
School: Thompson Rivers university , Kamloops, British Columbia.

Even PGD applicants can get TRV , just make sure there are some prerequisites from your previous degree and make a mature sop .

Congratulations.

wealth360:
Austinpee baba I hail u oooo. Sighting u from here

Baba niyen! I hail you pass o. How waka na? Make we relate for the other side.

Big congratulations @ottawaboi! I remember your ordeal during your study permit application. Glad everything turned out well.

goingforward:
Hello Nairalanders,

For the Digital photo we are meant to upload, are we supposed to paste on word or PDF or just upload like that as a picture?
I am submitting via the online route.

Also for the signature for the CIC forms, can we use an e-signature instead of printing and signing?


Please advise.

Goingforward.

There is a tab for ' digital photo' on the online profile. Click on it to upload photo.

For signing, just fill out all forms and upload. At the end of all uploads, you will be prompted to accept that all information have been correctly and truthfully answered. You will also input your name. This is how online application forms are signed. At the point of submission.