ARCHIVED – Operational Bulletin 435 - June 11, 2012

Additional Changes to the North American Processing Network

This Operational Bulletin has expired.

Summary

The purpose of this Operational Bulletin (OB) is to provide information regarding further changes to the North American processing network. As of June 18, 2012, the visa office of the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., will no longer receive Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applications from the general public; applications for a Travel Document (Permanent Resident Abroad) (PRTD) or applications for Verification of Entry. It will become a specialized office which will receive stand-alone Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), Rehabilitation and Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) applications for residents of the United States (U.S.) living East of the Mississippi River, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, St. Pierre et Miquelon, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and TRV applications from embassies, the United States government and international intergovernmental organizations only. The visa office in Los Angeles will receive TRP, Rehabilitation and ARC applications for residents of the U.S. living West of the Mississippi River.

Background

This is further to the restructuring of the North American processing network announcements of May 29, 2012, outlined in OB 425 and OB 427.

Instructions

TRV/Study Permit/Work Permit/Returning Resident (PRTD)/Verification of Entry

Applications currently in process in Washington, D.C. will continue to be processed and finalized at that office.

As of June 18, 2012, any TRV, PRTD or Verification of Entry application submitted in person at the visa office in Washington, D.C. will be returned to the applicant. Applications submitted by mail to this visa office which are postmarked after June 18, 2012, will be returned to sender. As of June 18, 2012, these applications must be submitted to the visa offices in either: New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, or Seattle.

New TRP/Rehabilitation/ARC Applications

As of June 18, 2012, new applications for a TRP, Rehabilitation or ARC made by an applicant who is not also applying for a TRV, study permit, work permit or Permanent Resident application should be submitted as follows:

For example, if you are a citizen of the U.S. who does not need a study or work permit and who has a conviction for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), you must apply for a TRP at either the visa office in Washington, D.C. or the visa office in Los Angeles, depending on your place of residence in the U.S.

As of June 18, 2012, New York will no longer accept TRP, Rehabilitation or ARC applications submitted in person; the application will be returned to the applicant. Applications sent by mail, postmarked after June 18, 2012, and received at the visa offices in New York, Detroit, or Seattle will be returned to the applicant.

If an inadmissibility issue is identified by the visa office in New York, Detroit, or Seattle in the course of processing a TRV, study permit, work permit or Permanent Resident application, the office will continue to process the application and the TRP, Rehabilitation and ARC as necessary.

TRP/Rehabilitation/ARC Applications in-Process

TRP, Rehabilitation and ARC applications currently in-process at U.S. visa offices will be finalized in those offices.

TRP, Rehabilitation and ARC applications that were not made in conjunction with another application (i.e. TRV, study or work permit) and which were in-process in Buffalo are being transferred to the visa office in Washington, D.C.

Applicants who have received a request from the visa office in Buffalo to submit further documentation in support of these categories of applications and have not already done so are to submit the documents directly to the visa office in Washington, D.C. As per OB 427, there is no longer any mail delivery to Buffalo.

Applicants who had already sent in the requested supporting documentation to the visa office in Buffalo do not need to re-submit the documents, as they will be transferred with the file to Washington, D.C.

Overview of the U.S. Network

The following is an overview of the re-structured U.S. visa office network effective June 18, 2012. Applications should be directed to visa offices as follows:

External Client Enquiries

During the transition period, all efforts will be made to minimize processing delays. We ask that applicants and their representatives avoid contacting the visa office during this time. Applicants will be contacted by the visa office as soon as processing of their application is complete.

Enquiries may be directed to the appropriate visa office, or, if you are in Canada, to the CIC Call Centre.

Web Sites

• New York
• Los Angeles
• Washington, D.C.
• Detroit
• Seattle

Expiry of Directives

These directives will remain in force until further notice. Further instructions will be communicated as required.