₦airaland Forum

Came across a page on IG (voicesfaircheck) and they’ve been covering recent protests against processing delays. Some have been stuck in background checks for 5/6 years. Unbelievable.

Thanks for sharing these. Do you think this visit visa will apply in my case? My wife being the PA had a 10-year visitor’s visa which she always travelled with before this process and expires next year. Also, when she got eCOPR through EE two years ago, she never landed with it because we were getting married. Our medicals are valid till year end so I don’t think that should be an issue. However, my passport expires in 4 months so I had to quickly renew and I’ll share with them next week. I don’t want any excuses from them at all. Madam isn’t keen on going if she wouldn’t be able to work, hence my ask if I can go this your route.

We raised a webform to ask if she can travel with the visitor’s visa (at least till next year when it expires), no response yet. Seems government agencies are the same everywhere. The slowness (maybe inefficiency) is surprising. Our application is in its 11th month.

Btw I have done another request for GCMS notes last week. Let me see what has moved since February.

bigmills:
So here is what we have been up to.
My partner's visitor visa came through — she is now here in Canada with me while we wait for the PR to be finalised. The visa is valid until 2035 which matches her 10-year passport. This is actually something IRCC allows for people already in the family sponsorship process, and the good news is the visitor visa processing for this type of application is usually pretty quick.
The second thing we sorted out — I reached out to the Accra office and told them that since she is already here in Canada, there was no point sending a PPR through the overseas office. I asked them to issue an eCOPR instead so she can get her PR status right here without having to travel back. They came back and said they are happy to do that, but the medical results need to have at least 90 days validity left before they can go ahead with it.
So we went and did a fresh medical and submitted everything yesterday.
Now we just wait for them to confirm the medical has been received and processed — and after that, the eCOPR should come through.

bigmills:
Hi All,

We have received Pre-Arrival Service letter from Accra VO exactly 13 months since we submitted our family sponsorship application.

Congratulations, Bigmills! Still thought about checking in with you this week. So happy for you.

ijayalolo:
This might be coming late. I think you should listen to the people that talked earlier. With your Nigerian passport every benefit from the US government is presently on hold.

Even the students that just graduated now are stranded because processing of OPT and even CPT (which you get as a student o) are both on hold.

Although they are authorized to be in US for as long as it takes them to process the OPT (even if 10 years) but THEY CAN'T WORK until their EAD is out.

So that your OPT plan e get as e be unless of course, the ban is lifted. Many people are hoping things might change after the mid-term election though when the Dems in the house will be able to dictate things better.


Thank you for your attention to this matter

Thanks for your advice. It’s not late at all.

I didn’t know current students were facing this restraint and couldn’t work too. Sad stuff.

Poormanpikin:
Can Universities in the US still admit students from restricted countries amidst this visa ban?

I think they can because some students have dual citizenship, some have other visas that may allow them school in the US etc. But, overall, I believe schools are reducing admission offers to the banned countries because it’s more or less a waste of limited admission slots when you give people that can’t attend because of the ban.

Nozino:
As long as you’re still using a Nigerian passport, the ban applies to you.

Also consider why you want to move to the US. If you’re not going to an Ivy League or a top school, I’d strongly advise against it. It is better to do the Masters online than wasting money and time coming over unless you just want to live in the US.

Thanks a lot for this. It’s a T-20 MBA and plan is to use my OPT to work there for 2/3 years and head back to Canada.

Alapereketu:
As a Nigerian citizen, you are generally affected by the current partial visa restrictions to the United States. However, Nigerian students who already hold a valid F1 visa are not affected. Because you need to apply for a new visa, you may be subject to increased scrutiny and potential denial based on these restrictions.

Thank you. Was just a bit confused interpreting some of the policies for my situation. Chatgpt says I am not affected but wanted to check with others.

Taal17:
Yes you are affected because you currently have only Nigerian passport. Your PR doesn't exempt you.
You need to wait till June when the ban would be reviewed and wait and see

Thanks for clarifying. Fingers crossed.

Olawrites:
But you're a parmanent resident already in Canada, why do you still want to still go and study master's in the US with all the uncertainty. School no dey tire una.

I mean you have PR Canada in the bag already and living in Canada.

The doors a US Masters will open for you in my field, you’re never getting that in Canada

Hello All, I am a Nigerian living in Canada as a Canadian Permanent Resident. Am I affected by the visa bans? I have been admitted for a Masters program in US - to resume this fall - and need to apply for an F1 visa. Thank you.

bigmills:
If you can do medical upfront, please do it as well.

My spouse’s medical expired last year and we did another one upfront. It’s been almost 6 months and GCMS is showing medicals as “Passed-Expired”. Don’t know if it’s Q-life that hasn’t sent the updated results 6 months after.

bigmills:
Less than 1 Month.I used https://www.getgcms.com/en
They are very reliable

Thank you, Bigmills. Gotten mine as well. It seems my file has been transferred to Accra because that is what I’m seeing under Secondary Office. Primary Office has RROC.

Thanks a lot. We will smile soon by God’s grace.

bigmills:
I submitted since April and still expecting result and approval.
File is in Accra.

Hi Bigmills. Pls how long did it take to get a response on your GCMS request from the time you applied for it?

zinachidi:
Thoughts anyone?

Getting a US visa as a Canadian PR from Nigeria used to be easy, but now idk again

I understand it does. As long as you hold a Nigerian passport.

I’m in a similar boat. Submitted my police clearance in July. Did medicals and biometrics in September and it’s been silence since. Now thinking about it, my police clearance would have expired since validity is only 3 months but I don’t think I want to do another. Although it’s background check that’s outstanding. God help us.

bigmills:
Hi,
No updates yet. I received GCMS notes and saw that our file has been transferred to Accra. I heard Accra office waste time.
The notes also show that the application is still at the criminality check stage. It turns out the police certificate expired about a month into processing, and by that time only my sponsor eligibility had been completed. We’ve now submitted a new police report, along with additional photos from our church wedding and our wedding party.
Fingers crossed

bigmills:
All that can be done is wait.

Hello Bigmills, any update from IRCC on your application yet?

Sheron50:
Since it marriage before landing after COPR issued , IRCC will cancel her old COPR and re-assess the application to include you, which requires your medical and background checks before issuing a new COPR for both of you. The timeline is not fixed and usually takes a few months to a year, and there is no official way to expedite the process.

Thanks a ton.

Do you think a new PoF will be required?

Hello Family,

My wife got her COPR last year and we got married this year. She’s yet to land and now trying to add me to her COPR.

Anyone knows how long this takes and if there’s anyway to expedite?

P.S. A web form was raised to provide the requisite documents (i.e. forms, marriage cert, police report etc) to prove legitimacy of marriage. This was acknowledged and a call was put through some weeks after to follow up. IRCC agent we spoke to confirmed receipt, opened the application manually as it’s luckily being processed in CA and assured it’s being worked on.

Thanks.