Canada Visa

Folks -- Here is my timeline for receiving a tourist visa at the NY VAC

Resident of North Carolina

29th Dec -- Online Application Submission Confirmation
30th Dec -- Ghost Email from CIC
3rd Jan -- Passport Submission Request Update on CIC along with email update
4th Jan -- Passport mailed via UPS with return envelope
8th Jan -- Passport delivered
11th Jan -- VFS Global Email notification in the morning with tracking saying passport dispatched to IRCC
11th Jan -- Checked CIC website and status in Counterfoil approved with visa expiry date
12th Jan -- CIC update email

Waiting for other notifications from VFS about status but no update while checking UPS return tracking. Did not get any further notifications from VFS global

17th Jan -- UPS tracking activated confirming delivery on 18th
18th Jan -- Passport received.

Although it took around 3 weeks from the date I applied and process went well, I be lying if I said that I was not worried whether my passport got lost or stuck.
VFS can definitely do better with updates and tracking

Mine might very well be one of the last applications before the fingerprint rule got active from 2019.

Good luck to all! Hope no one faces a long wait for an update.

Hello Everyone, I am on a H1B visa in the US and recently applied for the canadian tourist visa (DEC 19 2018) and got the approved stamp. The process is simple though its confusing. After you fill the online application form and pay the visa fee (its 100 canadian dollars, approx 75 US dollars) you send your passport along with other forms to the 'Canadian Visa Application Centre - New York, 145West 45th street, 4th floor, Newyork NY 10036.
Here are the things to mail 1) Original Passport 2) on a blank paper write you full name, email ID, Phone number and address 3) The passport request letter you receive from IRCC (you need to check this in your message inbox in your account after you fill the online application , it took 9 days for me to receive this, take a print out of this) 4) A print out of VAC consent forms and your signature (available on their website) 5) Cashier's check or money order for $ 19.90 (for each individual applicant), if you apply for the whole family, you can total that and it can be one CC or MO (DON'T SEND PERSONAL CHECKS) 6) A return self addressed Courier envelope (UPS preferred).
The whole process took 20 days because of the holiday season. You can get it quicker at other times. Good Luck!!

27th Dec : Online application submission
03rd Jan : Passport Request Letter
07th Jan : Passport Received at New York VAC.
15th Jan

My experience with "Canada Visitor VISA" processing was hassle-free. I had sent my documents to LA VAC, and the overall process completed within 21 days - i.e. after online application submission it took about 8-9 days to get "Passport Submission Request" and after passport submission it took 11-12 days to receive the passports back.

I had chosen 2-days shipping with UPS and had sent passports on same day I received the request.

VAC was very prompt and have sent notifications on every step progress as well as online application updates were done timely.

1)Dec 20 2018 submitted online app on
2)Dec 28 2018 Received letter for passport submission on
3)Jan 2 2019 shipped passport by UPS next day air to CVAC -Los angeles: included passport, cashiers
    check, consent form, sheet with personal details and a prepaid UPS next Day air envelope
4)Jan 4 2019 VFS confirmed passport has been submitted go IRCC
5)Jan 7 2019 VFS update that passport is being processed at IRCC
6)Jan 9 2019 VFS update that passport has been processed and dispatched to the CVAC/VFS
7)Jan 10 2019 AM VFS update that passport is has been collected.
8)Jan 10 2019 PM UPS tracking is activated, shipment is on teh move.
9)Jan 11 2019 AM passport delivered to my address.

Entire process was pretty much hassle free. Overall expense fees + shipping for two applicants ~ US $350

1) Submitted online Application on Nov 19.
2) Received letters to submit passports on Nov 22.
3)VFS received passports on Nov 28.
4)No update for 2 weeks inspite of repeatedly calling them on CHAT and Phoneline. Only answer is to wait with patience.
5)Dec - 12, realised that i had to enclose the "TT VISA SERICES INC" fee of 19.60 USD for each passport and prepaid return labels as well.
6) Dec -17, VFS received the TT Services fee and return labels.
7)Again no update for the next 2 weeks inspite of repeated calls adn also no tracking ID generated.
8) Jan 4th - received an email from CIC that Counterfoil updated and status Valid. After that i recievd the passports in 3 days. Tracking ID was never generated.

The phone line and chat are totally useless. Just ensure you send everything in just one go. Tracking ID is not necessairily being generated these days. If you see a counterfoil update status and you already sent the return labels....you should get the passports back in in 3 or 4 days.

Here is my timeline

1. Got request for passport letter on 12/12/18.
2. Passport delivered to NY VAC office on 12/19/18.

No tracking number generated yet. Followed up with them over phone and email multiple times, still haven't got any updates regarding the tracking number nor the ETA. Only answer I get is to wait.

Thinking of going down to NY next week to figure out whats wrong. This is very pathetic and unprofessional handling of application by VFSglobal. They dont even have to courtesy to provide an update to our queries.
 

Here is my timeline

27 Dec: Got the application for work permit approved through my employer and as requested for passport.
29 Dec: Sent my passport through UPS along with the consent form, Money order and a contact info sheet and the return label
2 Jan: Package delivered at the NY CVAC.
4 Jan: Application dispatched to the IRCC Office
7 Jan: Application processed and decision envelope sent to CVAC
8 Jan: UPS picked up the passport from CVAC
9 Jan: Passport delivered!

Thanks everyone for the help! Especially @doctorj1 for responding to my post and answering my question promptly!

I submitted my passport to the new york vac via mail and it was delivered on 13 November. No tracking number or update was received. I went there yesterday only to find out that they misplaced the return envelop i attached to the passport. They also misplaced the money order i sent to them. I had to pay 41.50 dollars for a new UPS return envelope. The unprofessionalism at the new york vac is too much. I met alot of people with similar issuesI am just hoping it goes through for me this time to receive my visa

I am an Indian passport holder living in the USA who applied for TRV. I submitted my application on December 22nd 2018. Received an update on December 27th 2018 that my application was approved. I was out of the country for an emergency. Now I'm planning to submit my passport soon. Would I be required to submit biometrics or not, as my application was approved before December 31st 2018?