Processing and Non-Routine Cases

Each officer making a decision reviewing your file has a number of ongoing applications pending review which is why Processing and Non-Routine Cases times can be so extensive. What many people do not know is that there is priority given to applications that involve children.

Applications for permanent residence for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners and dependent children have the highest priority, along with children to be adopted. Other members of the family class come subsequently. These are operational, not regulatory priorities. This means that CIC chooses to process such applications with priority as it considers the best interest of the child.

The processing department has a goal to process 80% of sponsorship and permanent residence applications submitted on behalf of the high-priority group of spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners and dependent children within 12 months.

However, unforeseeable circumstances do arise and are dubbed “non-routine cases” that simply take longer due to the fact that more is involved with processing those application types. If your matter falls under such cases, you can expect an even longer processing time depending on the officer making a decision on your matter.

Examples of non-routine cases:

• Medical, security or criminal issues,
• Suspected relationship or dissolution of convenience,
• Misrepresentation of marital status at time of marriage,
• Previous deportation,
• Inability to support self and family members due to legal obligations or other reasons,
• Relationship of applicant to sponsor or applicant to other family members in doubt,
• Marital status of family member suspect,
• Sponsor under investigation for violation of the Act,
• Outstanding criminal charge against sponsor outstanding criminal charge against sponsor,
• The legal validity of foreign marriage in question,
• Custody of children of applicant,
• Residence status of sponsor in doubt,
• Delays created by applicant not following instructions,
• Communications not received by applicant,
• Applicant previously removed or excluded from Canada

These situations can be extremely frustrating as you attempt to provide CIC with the amount of time they require to process an application, but when does long become too long. Having legal representation in times like these can assist you as we will follow up on your matter, within reasonable time frames, and act fast to get the results you are looking for. We understand the constraints of officers making decisions however there is a reasonable amount of time to allow to pass before you can expect communication.

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For further information with respect to your Canadian immigration, we invite you to contact our experienced immigration representatives.