Buffalo Tracker (please add)

I got the full form of PCC and also the miscellaneous form in NY consulate for getting so. I guess this means we can get this clearance from here itself.. thanks a lot for this info..Now, if you could please tell me whether i should wait to get FBI finger printing and this PCC from indian consulate before filing??
Thanks.
 
PCC stands for Police Clearance certificate. Read the page properly there is download application below and then you have to check the PCC check box.Its right there on that link

You can wait till they request it or apply for it during the process, its your choice. If you apply too far in advance the FBI finger prints will expire so if you wait and then request it might be better. For India PCC go ahead and apply for it now
 
Thanks Srini..I read the procedure to get the finger prints etc. from FBI from the instructions form provided by the Canada Immigration site, but i am not clear as to how to proceed? Should i take my finger prints at local police stations and then send them to FBI??
I am sorry if i am sounding naive in this, i just want to be sure of what needs to be done.
 
Kenny04 said:
If your native language is not English I will strongly reccomend that you appear in IELTS to prove your proficiency in English. I have seen a recent trend (by reading the experience of a number of people on forums like this one) in the Canadian consulate in Buffalo (USA) to ask the applicants to provide IELTS score.

You dont have to put your application on hold just because of the IELTS score. You should send in your application but also book a date to appear in IELTS - in US the wait can be as long as 3 months. This way your application will be in queue and you can send in your score as soon as you get it.

Visit www.ielts.org for more information about IELTS. You will have to appear in the General section of the exam. To get the max. 16 points for english proficiency you will have to score at least 7 in each section (Out of 9).
Click to expand...

I was asked to provide IELTS score even though I was confident based on my school/college education and experience
 
everything_gud

You can ask the local police station if they keep the FBI fingerprint cards, if they do then go to mailboxes etc and get your finger print done or even the station might do it. Then mail it to the FBI address and they will send it back in 2 months or so.

If the police station doesnt have it request the fingerprint card from the FBI by mailing to the address mentioned on the cic web site and then follow the process above
 
5 month old pcc

Quick question,
I have FBI clearence which is almost 5 months old. Can i submit it with my application, or should I get a new one done.

srini88 said:
everything_gud

You can ask the local police station if they keep the FBI fingerprint cards, if they do then go to mailboxes etc and get your finger print done or even the station might do it. Then mail it to the FBI address and they will send it back in 2 months or so.

If the police station doesnt have it request the fingerprint card from the FBI by mailing to the address mentioned on the cic web site and then follow the process above
Click to expand...
 
It depends on how far down the process you are? if you have just started the process then by the time they request the finger prints these might expire(I believe they are only valid for a yr), but if you are already close to getting their request then use these. It doesnt matter if you submit it now, when they get to that stage in the processing it shouldn't have expired.

My personal opinion is wait till they request it otherwise you always run the risk of them expiring and having to spend money re doing it which happened in my case.
 
English proficiency

USCISisMockery said:
I was asked to provide IELTS score even though I was confident based on my school/college education and experience
Click to expand...

Same here, I have lived in the US for almost 10 years, completed my Bachelors here, also lived in Australia before for 3 years. I thought I had written a very nice and elegant letter, but I was still asked to take the English test which I did in mid-August and scored quite well on it with just a couple of weeks worth of preparation.

I think what might have happened is that many applicants must have used the sample templates they found online or had someone write the letter up for them. The Canadian authorities must have detected that and thus are now asking nearly everyone to prove English proficiency through a test score.


Stoned!
 
Stoned

I think that makes sense. I guess did you have any TOEFL OR TSE scores? I am not sure if those are still being considered as a valid alternative to IELTS. If you dont have any tests I think it doesnt matter any more how long you have spent in the US, Australia etc since people are always finding loop holes in the system.

But if you do have a valid test score just not IELTS maybe they still take it( like in my case) although my suggestion would also be to take IELTS no matter what, if you want to play it safe.
 
Toefl

Hello Srini,

I actually did have to give a TOEFL exam as that was a requirement for college admission in the US. I scored over 600 (can't remember the exact number) which was quite good at that time considering the minimum points required were 500 for most colleges and 550 for the better ones.

With that said, I did not send my TOEFL results with the application for Canadian PR. I was afraid that since those scores had expired and were outdated, I might get asked to take the English test. In my IA, they asked me to take the test anyway, and hence I was kicking myself in the head wondering had I sent my TOEFL results, they may have exempted me from this requirement.

Interestingly enough, while taking the IELTS exam, I met a lot, and I really mean a lot of people who had submitted their TOELF scores with their applications and they were still asked to take the test to display their proficiency. Perhaps their scores had expired, but I did not feel too bad after that and the self head kicking stopped.... :)

If they do ask for English proficiency through a test score, I think there are three or four organizations whose testing and scoring is recognized. IELTS, I believe is the most popular of them.
 
StonedAnt said:
Hello Srini,

I actually did have to give a TOEFL exam as that was a requirement for college admission in the US. I scored over 600 (can't remember the exact number) which was quite good at that time considering the minimum points required were 500 for most colleges and 550 for the better ones.

With that said, I did not send my TOEFL results with the application for Canadian PR. I was afraid that since those scores had expired and were outdated, I might get asked to take the English test. In my IA, they asked me to take the test anyway, and hence I was kicking myself in the head wondering had I sent my TOEFL results, they may have exempted me from this requirement.

Interestingly enough, while taking the IELTS exam, I met a lot, and I really mean a lot of people who had submitted their TOELF scores with their applications and they were still asked to take the test to display their proficiency. Perhaps their scores had expired, but I did not feel too bad after that and the self head kicking stopped.... :)

If they do ask for English proficiency through a test score, I think there are three or four organizations whose testing and scoring is recognized. IELTS, I believe is the most popular of them.
Click to expand...

Test scores from only two organization are acceptable by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) as proof of English language skills:

1) IELTS: International English Language Testing System
2) CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/skilled/qual-3-1.html

Therefore the best option to provide proof of your English language skills is to take a language proficiency test given by one of the above organizations.

TOEFL, GRE. GMAT etc scores (valid or expired) are not acceptable.
 
Srini, thanks for the info.. I think i will wait to get the request for fingerprint and get it done at that time. Right now i will file the application without the FBI report.
Another thing i wanted to confirm- the Consulate general of india in NY takes around 45 days to give the police clearance certificate. Is it ok for me to file the application now and send the PCC to buffalo office when i get it later. or shud i wait to send the PCC together with the application rite now?
Do i have to get the PCC for my wife also?
Thanks

srini88 said:
It depends on how far down the process you are? if you have just started the process then by the time they request the finger prints these might expire(I believe they are only valid for a yr), but if you are already close to getting their request then use these. It doesnt matter if you submit it now, when they get to that stage in the processing it shouldn't have expired.

My personal opinion is wait till they request it otherwise you always run the risk of them expiring and having to spend money re doing it which happened in my case.
Click to expand...
 
stonned, kenny, srini or other gurus

I am asked to submit IELTS score within 120 days. But the next available test date for IELTS in NorthEast is February 2006. If I don't submit they might not give me complete 16 point for language proficiency.
Even if they give me 12 points, I am above cut-off point (68)

Here are my options:

1) call Buffalo office and explain the problem (no date till Feb)
2) Submit letter from my school and college to prove that language of instruction was English.
3) Also submit some essay and technical articles I wrote from my job (this is bit tough because of confidentiality of the documents).
4) Also submit old TOEFL score
5) Wait and do nothing

Not sure how can you prove something which is so inherent. If they have any doubt they should call for interview rather than rejecting the application. With US visa retrogression, I am sure Buffalo will get flood of new application and they have to come up with such farce reason to deny applications. Hell with them but I am worried about 1000 bucks I spent on them. Now I am evaluating what I have lost in my blind pursuation to immigrate to US and Canada.

Please guide me, I am depressed with never ending immigration process.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi USCISisMockery,

Try the Boston ELS center, I just called them and they have seats available fo the IELTS General Training exam on Nov 12th.
 
USCISisMockery said:
stonned, kenny, srini or other gurus

I am asked to submit IELTS score within 120 days. But the next available test date for IELTS in NorthEast is February 2006. If I don't submit they might not give me complete 16 point for language proficiency.
Even if they give me 12 points, I am above cut-off point (68)

Here are my options:

1) call Buffalo office and explain the problem (no date till Feb)
2) Submit letter from my school and college to prove that language of instruction was English.
3) Also submit some essay and technical articles I wrote from my job (this is bit tough because of confidentiality of the documents).
4) Also submit old TOEFL score
5) Wait and do nothing

Not sure how can you prove something which is so inherent. If they have any doubt they should call for interview rather than rejecting the application. With US visa retrogression, I am sure Buffalo will get flood of new application and they have to come up with such farce reason to deny applications. Hell with them but I am worried about 1000 bucks I spent on them. Now I am evaluating what I have lost in my blind pursuation to immigrate to US and Canada.

Please guide me, I am depressed with never ending immigration process.
Click to expand...

If you cant get an earlier date than Feb 2006 then just write a letter to Buffalo and explain your situation. It is very important to keep Buffalo updated so that they know that you working on submitting your IELTS score.
 
Is it an option to NOT send the PCC with the application. Don't you HAVE TO submit the PCC along with the application, or it will returned to u as incomplete??
 
goingtocanada said:
Is it an option to NOT send the PCC with the application. Don't you HAVE TO submit the PCC along with the application, or it will returned to u as incomplete??
Click to expand...

the exact same question from me also. in addition, what about fbi fingerprint sheet? don't all these PCC from India and fbi clearance go together with app packet?
 
I had sent my FBI cleared fingerprints from the US with my application. I was asked to do them again in my IA along with getting a “certificate of good conduct or no record” from Bahrain as that is where I lived before coming to the US.
 
tusharvk said:
the exact same question from me also. in addition, what about fbi fingerprint sheet? don't all these PCC from India and fbi clearance go together with app packet?
Click to expand...

I advice you to send FBI fingerprint and PCC together with the application.
 
Thank You Everyone!!!

Hello and thank you everyone who has helped me in the process of obtaining Canadian Permanent Residency.

I just thought I would share my interview experience and timeline once again.

Timeline:
Application: Jan 9, 2004
AOR: Feb 7, 2004
IA: Sep 14, 2004 - Interview required, file fwd to Detroit. Med forms sent.
Interview Notice: June 20, 2005
Medicals: Jul 8, 2005
Interview: Sept 20, 2005
Visa Issued: Sept 20, 2005
Visa Expires: Jul 8, 2006

Interview Exp:
My interview was scheduled at 10am. I was at the consulate at 9am, submitted my passport and all the documents they had requested (if you want to know the details of the list, let me know and I will type it out). I believe it is a standard list sent to everyone.

Was called in at 10:20am, a few basic questions from the application form itself. Then the consular asked me to explain my job functions at all my previous jobs (don't have a current job). Upon completion of my description, she asked if I would be able to pay the Right of Landing Fee today itself, so she can issue my visa today, I said that was fine. The interview itself lasted for about 10 minutes or less. Made the payment and returned back at the consulate at 2pm to collect my passport and other accompanying docs. Now I am ready to land in Canada.

Anyone has any suggestions or key notes I should consider prior to landing? I am considering landing around thanksgiving break or early December. Will be back to post landing experience in a few months.

Thank you everyone once again for all your contributions.
FAA
 
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