| CAIPS FileCheck |
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)What is CAIPS?Which CIC visa offices can you obtain CAIPS files for?How Long Does It Take to Obtain My CAIPS File?What Will I Receive If I Request My CAIPS File>Can I Obtain My File Without A File Number?How Much Does It Cost To Obtain My CAIPS File?Is There A Discount If I Request my CAIPS File A Second Time?I am an Immigration Consultant - Do I Get a Discount?Can I Obtain My CAIPS File Myself?Can CAIPS FileCheck Obtain Other Types of Immigration File?Who or What is CAIPS FileCheck?What is CAIPS?CAIPS is short for 'Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System'. It is the computer system used by Canadian visa offices to process overseas visa
applications. CAIPS FileCheck can help you get a printout of your CAIPS file, which will have valuable information on the current status and future processing
of your application for a Canadian Permanent Residents Visa. CAIPS files are also available for student and other visa applications.
If you need more information about Citizenship and Immigration Canada's CAIPS computer system, we recommend you visit our
About CAIPS page. Which CIC visa offices can you obtain CAIPS files for?We can access CAIPS files for all visa offices around the world, including New Delhi, London and Buffalo. All CAIPS requests are processed through a CIC
department in Ottawa, Canada, not through the local visa office, so processing times are dependent on workloads at that department and Canada Post delivery times! How Long Does it Take to Obtain My CAIPS File?
Processing times vary depending on the workload at the CIC office in Ottawa that deals with CAIPS requests. By law they have up to 30 working days to respond,
but in practice most files come back in 5 - 6 weeks. However, very occasionally they can take just over two weeks! What Will I Receive If I Request My CAIPS File Through CAIPS FileCheck?You will receive a computer printout of approximately 7 pages in length. The printout is a screen print from the CAIPS computer system. On the printout will
be all the relevant information from your file, such as notes that visa officers have made regarding your application, details of processing stages passed, points
calculations, and the likely next 'bring forward' date for your file. What appears in your own file will depend on your individual circumstances and the stage of
processing that your application has reached. Unfortunately, the CAIPS system shows very little detail about background checks as these are completed outside of
CIC. I Don't Have a File Number - Can I Still Obtain My CAIPS File?File requests are usually possible with just your full name, the name of the visa office dealing with your application, and your date of birth. If you do not have
a file number because the visa office did not provide it to you, then we can still obtain your CAIPS file. However, if you do not have a file number because the
visa office has not yet created your electronic file, we will not be able to obtain your file. We have obtained numerous files without file numbers, and are happy
to try to obtain your file without a file number, but we obviously cannot guarantee success under these circumstances.
If you would like us to help you obtain a copy of your CAIPS file without a file
number, please download the special IMM5475 'Consent to Disclosure' form that we will need from here: CAIPS without File
Number Consent Form and substitute it for the one in our standard CAIPS FileCheck Application Kit How Much Does it Cost To Obtain My CAIPS File?We believe our services are great value (think how much immigration consultants charge!). We have a range of services starting at just C$40 - or just C$30 for
existing clients. For a detailed explanation of our services and how much each costs please see our 'Costs' page or our
Application Kit. Is There A Discount If I Request My File A Second Time?Yes. If you request your file again the fee is C$30 as a 'thank you' for our existing clients. I am an Immigration Consultant - Do I Get a Discount?Yes, we offer a standard 25% discount for consultants making single requests, with additional discounts available for those making more than five requests at one
time. Please contact us via email at help@caips.ca for details. Can I Obtain My CAIPS Notes Myself? Under most circumstances, you will be unable to request your CAIPS file yourself. The Canadian law that allows access to immigration files restricts who has
access to this information - you must be a “Permanent Resident, Canadian Citizen or other person in Canada”. Needless to say, most potential immigrants do not
qualify to obtain the information directly because they are not yet in Canada! It is for this reason that we established our CAIPS FileCheck service - having
emigrated to Canada ourselves we have been through the process and know how frustrating it is, and now we live in Canada we can help others who want to know what is
happening with their applications but cannot access the information themselves! If you are in Canada, you can find out how to apply for your CAIPS notes yourself
through the CIC website. Can You Obtain Other Types of Files?Yes. We can obtain FOSS files for applications being dealt with in Canada, and CAIPS notes for study and work permit applications. We can also obtain full medical
files and copies of applicants' entire (hard copy) immigration files, although this process takes a little longer and we only recommend it in cases where there
seems to be a problem that needs resolution. Please visit our Other Immigration Files page for more details. Who or What is CAIPS FileCheck?CAIPS FileCheck was founded early in 2002 by two emigrants to Canada. We saw for ourselves how frustrating the process could be, and sought a way to help other
applicants to obtain information on the progress of their visa applications for a reasonable cost. Since that time, we have obtained
thousands of CAIPS files and have satisfied customers in all corners of the world (although the most satisfied are, of course, in Canada!). You can find details
of how to contact us on our Contact Details page if you would like more information. |
CAIPS FileCheck 2002-2009