For the many thousands of people who have submitted a Canadian immigration application the agonising wait for news can last months, or in many cases years. As time passes the doubt begins to creep in. Applicants begin to wonder:
- Did I make a mistake on the application form?
- Do I really have enough points to meet CIC’s (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) requirements?
- When will a visa officer next review my file?
To make matters worse, the regional visa office where the application is being processed will usually not allow or respond to questions from applicants eager for news.
However, what many people don’t realise is that they can gain valuable information about the status of their application without bothering the visa office that is handling their case. CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada) runs a computer system known as CAIPS. CAIPS stands for 'Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System' and is used to manage immigration applications being processed outside of Canada. Every time a change is made to a visa application the details are recorded in the CAIPS system. For a small fee individuals can obtain a computer printout from the CAIPS system which may indicate the status of their file.
There are many scenarios where obtaining your CAIPS notes can be beneficial, so the big question is WHEN and WHY should I request my CAIPS notes?
- If you have been asked to attend an interview, requesting your CAIPS notes can help you to prepare. They may indicate why the interview has been requested.
- If you feel that you have not heard anything for an unusual amount of time, requesting your CAIPS notes can help you to check that your application is still on track.
- If you have submitted additions or changes to your application, e.g. adding an additional dependant to the application after the birth of a child, requesting your CAIPS Notes may enable you to check that your addition/change has been received and the details added to your file.
- If you are just curious as to how your application is progressing, requesting your CAIPS notes may give you an idea of when an immigration officer will next review your file.
Perhaps the best part about ordering your CAIPS notes is that it will not delay your application in any way. These requests are handled by a government office in Ottawa, Canada and are independent of the visa office handling your case.
So what are you waiting for! To request your CAIPS notes or to find out more visit CAIPS Direct online at:
http://www.CAIPSDirect.com
