The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers union is currently taking strike action and these union members responsible for processing visa applications have been walking out of offices in Canada and overseas.
Anyone applying for a visa will experience delays and should submit their application online as far in advance as possible. The CIC suggests online applications to move case processing into other offices with the capacity to handle them.
You can use this link to begin your online visa application:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/ctc-vac/cometocanada.asp
How can I check if my application has been received?
If you mailed your application to CIC, you may wish to use a courier service that requires a signature when delivered, gives you a delivery confirmation and/or allows you to track your package. Please note that there may be a delay between the date CIC physically receives your application and the date it is opened. CIC cannot confirm that your application package has been received until it has been opened in our offices.
If you applied at a Visa Application Centre, CIC cannot confirm that your application package has been received until it has been opened in our offices.
If you applied online, you will see a confirmation page after you submit your application. You will also receive an email asking you to check your MyCIC account. A confirmation message with a confirmation number will be in your MyCIC account. Keep your confirmation number for your records. Please note that it may take a few hours for you to receive an email from CIC after you’ve submitted your application.
Link to the CIC Help Center: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/index-featured-can.asp#tab1
The tables below indicate application processing times at Canadian visa offices outside Canada. The times are based on how long it took to process 80 percent of all cases between April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Processing times are subject to change.
Last quarterly update: April 24, 2013
| Visa Office | Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package) |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates | 6 |
| Accra – Ghana | 2 |
| Algiers – Algeria | - |
| Amman – Jordan | 3 |
| Ankara – Turkey | 6 |
| Beirut – Lebanon | 3 |
| Cairo – Egypt | 3 |
| Dakar – Senegal | 2 |
| Lagos – Nigeria | 4 |
| Nairobi – Kenya | 6 |
| Pretoria – South Africa | 4 |
| Rabat – Morocco | 2 |
| Riyadh – Saudi Arabia | 5 |
| Tel Aviv – Israel | 7 |
| Tunis – Tunisia | 2 |
| Visa Office | Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package) |
|---|---|
| Bangkok – Thailand | 3 |
| Beijing – China | 4 |
| Chandigarh – India | 3 |
| Colombo – Sri Lanka | 3 |
| Ho Chi Minh – Vietnam | 6 |
| Hong Kong – China | 4 |
| Islamabad – Pakistan | 9 |
| Jakarta – Indonesia | 2 |
| Manila – Philippines | 5 |
| New Delhi – India | 2 |
| Seoul – South Korea | 2 |
| Shanghai – China | 3 |
| Singapore – Singapore | 6 |
| Sydney – Australia | 2 |
| Visa Office | Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package) |
|---|---|
| Bucharest – Romania | 5 |
| Kyiv – Ukraine | 3 |
| London – United Kingdom | 2 |
| Moscow – Russia | 5 |
| Paris – France | 2 |
| 1 | |
| Rome – Italy | 2 |
| Vienna – Austria | 2 |
| Warsaw – Poland | 1 |
| Visa Office | Processing Times IN MONTHS (based on a complete application package) |
|---|---|
| Bogota – Colombia | 3 |
| Buenos Aires – Argentina | 2 |
| Caracas – Venezuela | 3 |
| Guatemala City – Guatemala | 2 |
| Havana – Cuba | 1 |
| Kingston – Jamaica | 2 |
| Lima – Peru | 3 |
| Los Angeles – United States | 2 |
| Mexico City – Mexico | 1 |
| New York – United States | 2 |
| Port-au-Prince – Haiti | 1 |
| Port of Spain – Trinidad and Tobago | 1 |
| Santiago – Chile | 1 |
| Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic | 2 |
| Sao Paulo – Brazil | 2 |
