Temporary limited telephone service with respect to family residence permits
The Directorate strives to handle applications for residence permits as quickly as possible for the benefit of all applicants. The goal is to process applications within 90 days from the day all required documents have been submitted.
The team working on family reunification permits is now extremely busy. 200 applications for first permits and 190 for renewals now need to be processed. The earliest applications still to be processed were submitted in late December.
For the next two weeks, emphasis will be on processing those applications in order to shorten the waiting time for applicants. Unfortunately, this will affect personal communication with applicants for family permits during this period, April 16 to 26. Case workers will not take telephone calls and e-mail will not be answered daily.
The applications will be processed as quickly as possible and enquiries by telephone, e-mail or at the front desk will not shorten the processing time. If further documentation or information is needed, the applicant or his/her representative will be contacted by a case worker.
General questions will still be answered as usual during the switchboard telephone hours.
Information on which applications are currently being processed is updated regularly here.