What are ATIPS / GCMS visa notes?
- #APPLICATIONREFUSED
- #GETREFUSALREASONS
- #IRCCAPPLICATIONSTATUS
- #GCMSNOTES
- #ATIPS
If your application is refused or taking too long to process, you can request visa notes for your application. These include the visa officer’s notes on your application, including refusal reasons and other comments. Common reasons for requesting visa notes:
- PGWP/ Work Permit / Study Permit application refused.
- Visitor visa application refused.
- Canadian immigration application refused.
- You want to check the status of your visa for any reason.
- You want to reapply for a Canadian visa and want to know why the previous application was refused.
- You have a previous application completed by a representative and you want to make sure the right information/documents were submitted.
- Your visa application is delayed beyond the average processing time.
- You been invited for an interview by IRCC and want to understand why.
- IRCC has asked for additional documents to process your Canadian visa application and you want to know why.
Please note, the Government of Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy Offices currently have a reduced operational capacity due to COVID-19. As a result, the processing time for all ATIP requests may be greater than 4 weeks at this time.
SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST FOR VISA NOTES
Frequently Asked Questions
REQUEST CANADA VISA NOTES WITH AST INTERNATIONAL VISA AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES INC & ASSOCIATES
WHEN SHOULD YOU REQUEST YOUR CANADA VISA NOTES?
You can submit your request for Canada visa notes at any time. However, it is recommended that you do so if the following apply to you:
- Your visa application was refused.
- You want to check the status of your visa for any reason.
- You want to reapply for a Canadian visa and want to know why the previous application was refused.
- You have a previous application completed by a representative and you want to make sure the right information / documents were submitted.
- Your visa application is delayed beyond average processing time.
- You been invited for an interview by IRCC and want to understand why.
- IRCC has asked for additional documents to process your Canadian visa application and you want to know why.
WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION CAN I REQUEST ABOUT MY CANADA VISA APPLICATION?
You can request one of the following:
- Visa officer notes for your application including visa refusal reasons and any notes made by the visa officer in the assessment of your Canadian visa application, including the status of your visa application.
- Your complete application, all supporting documents that have been submitted for your application, and any communication to/from IRCC.
MY APPLICATION WAS REFUSED - WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If your application was refused, it is important for you to understand why the visa officer refused your application. Once you have requested the visa officer’s notes, you should go through them to find the reason for refusal and gather supporting documentation to correct your application. If you would like advice on what to do after you have had a visa refusal, you can book a consultation with an RCIC. Professional consultants know how to understand visa officer’s notes and suggest the best way to fix your application.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM GCMS NOTES?
GCMS notes is an old terminology for ATIP request. This was previously known as GCMS notes, FOSS notes, and CAIPS notes.
Under the new ATIP system, when we submit your request, we will be able to get all notes on your file or your complete file, as requested.
WHAT IS THE PROCESSING TIME FOR VISA NOTES?
IRCC responds within a legal response time of 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of an official request. However, this period may be extended for specific reasons such as:
- the request is for a large number of records or necessitates a search through a large number of records and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the government institution;
- consultations are necessary to comply with the request that cannot be completed within the original time limit; or
- additional time is necessary for translation purposes or for converting personal information into an alternative format.
To calculate processing time and deadline:
- If you submitted your request outside of regular business hours, Eastern Time, the processing of your request will begin the following business day.
- If the deadline falls on a weekend or on a holiday, the due date becomes the next business day.
Please note, IRCC is currently facing delays in processing ATIP requests due to COVID-19.