Shorten PAL Approval Times

PAL & RPAL

Jan 03, 2017 Signed Up For PAL Course

Feb 17, 2017 PAL Course
Feb 18, 2017 Pal Exam Passed

Mar 06, 2017 CFSC Results Verified

Mar 21, 2017 Restricted PAL Course
Mar 22, 2017 Restricted PAL Exam Passed

Apr 03, 2017 References Signed Application

Apr 20, 2017 CRFSC Results Verified

Apr 20, 2017 Application Sent Registered Mail

Apr 28, 2017 Contacted Can Post re Delivery

May 05, 2017 Application Received by RCMP

Finally delivered to RCMP. I guess it will be another 3 week before it shows up on the website
 
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Sent in my pal application, they received my form on March 27, saw it online roughly about 10 business days, got one of my reference to call in and finally received my PAL on May 5 2017. woohoo shopping time :) , so roughly about 30 business days not too bad. :dancingbanana:
 
Finally get to post an update...
May 9 2017 Application appears online (finally, i'm so sick of logging in to that RCMP site...)
April 7 2017 Application Received (as per RCMP, sent without tracking)

Going to try and call in tomorrow and see if I can do my interview. Assuming I'll be getting one with an RPAL and a Yes answer to a screening question...

Teejrocks said:
I wanna play too!

New PAL/RPAL application mailed, no tracking from Edmonton April 4 2017...

Updates to come...
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I'm in Ontario and my application showed up on the tracking site last Friday. I called in yesterday to see if there was any missing information and the lady on the phone said everything looked good and that I could get one of my references to call in. Reference called in today and answered their questions.

I wasn't interviewed though. Should I call back in or is that normal that they don't interview the applicant themselves?
 
amkorp said:
I'm in Ontario and my application showed up on the tracking site last Friday. I called in yesterday to see if there was any missing information and the lady on the phone said everything looked good and that I could get one of my references to call in. Reference called in today and answered their questions.

I wasn't interviewed though. Should I call back in or is that normal that they don't interview the applicant themselves?
Click to expand...

Its not odd cfo might interview you may not also depends if rpal or pal.
 
alltieear said:
i was never interviewed. license got issued the same day my reference called. got my rpal about a week ago
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This is why I originally asked about interviewing the applicant.

When i called in to get the status of my application the lady on the phone said I could have one of my references call in for the interview. She also mentioned that after the interview is done the application would then be sent to the provincial CFO who would then have to approve it.

This process seems to take some time and even after the application gets to the CFO it could be months before it gets approved.

I've seen many people here (from Ontario) say that after their reference called into the Miramichi call centre and finished the interview, their application status changed to licence issued (this seems like it happened without any provincial CFO involvement). This doesn't seem to be the process for Ontario since the application then needs to be forwarded to the CFO.

So I guess my question is: What exactly is the actual process for Ontario applicants?
 
my timeline so far PAL - RPAL

Here's my experience so far - new applicant (had FAC 30 years ago)

completed courses Apr. 3
PAL - RPAL app sent to Miramichi - Apr. 4 (regular mail)
arrived at Miramichi - Apr. 10
credit card charged - May 10
showed up online - May 10
had one reference call in - May 10
called in May 11 to see if anything else required was told all good and the application was being sent to photo department which may take 3 - 4 days and then it will be sent to (Alberta) CFO for final approval. She said please be advised in can take anywhere from 30 - 90 days to be completed for the CFO to finalize this step. Advised if I don't receive an update by end of June to call back and request an update.

I sure hope it doesn't sit around with CFO and would be nice to understand why some people say they have their reference call in and the application is approved and issued the next day?!

Will update this once I finally get my license.

Note: had checked yes for job loss in the past 2 years - included a note saying that it was amicable and I'm happily looking for new employment. Wonder how much this is reviewed - considered. I just want to go shooting with some buddies and hunting in the fall, wish I had the license while I'm off.
 
razor310, welcome to Alberta CFO purgatory! Mine was sent to the CFO in March, still waiting. Some have had to wait over a year.

Also you asked why some have approval shortly after interviews, its because they do not live in Alberta, our CFO likes to delay as long as possible.

Good Luck.
 
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AB CFO is an issue?

Dire Straits said:
razor310, welcome to Alberta CFO purgatory! Mine was sent to the CFO in March, still waiting. Some have had to wait over a year.

Also you asked why some have approval shortly after interviews, its because they do not live in Alberta, our CFO likes to delay as long as possible.

Good Luck.
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I think I saw someone posting in this thread that they lived in AB and it was pretty quick. Any chance you answered yes to the questions they ask about depression or job loss?

I surely would be nice to know what their role / criteria is once it gets to them. You'd think retailers in AB would want their customers to have their applications approved in a reasonable timeframe so we can buy stuff ;)

Has anyone had any luck calling the CFO or going to their office (Edmonton - Jasper ave I think)?

Wish I had kept up with it when I was young, had an FAC, shotguns and handguns and sold them all when I had kids (same with my motorcycle). Kids are grown and I have my bike again, now I just wanna go target shooting with a friend and maybe go hunting in the fall. I appreciate the checks and courses you have to take and don't even mind paying another fee just to get a license but at least they could tell you what it takes to get er done.
 
Ok, I think I found out why some are right away (sort of)... in another thread I found this -

"Yes. In Ontario your instructor sends your results off to the CFO. The CFO reviews and stamps them, then mails them back to you, you send them along to the RCMP with your application. It's a round about way of doing things."

In AB we get our course paperwork same day as the class and it goes to the CFO only after application sent to rcmp (as opposed to CFO first in Ontario then out to rcmp).

A few threads looked like time between course and results back from CFO is 3 - 4 weeks...

I guess 45 days could be reasonably accurate in some cases.
 
Hi All,

I had asked a few questions regarding Ontario specific timelines and how long the wait would be with the CFO once the initial application processing was completed in Miramichi.

I'd like to provide my experience for others from Ontario to use as a baseline.


March 11/12, 2017 - Took the Unrestricted/Restricted weekend course in Toronto. The results were mailed by the course instructor to the CFO to get stamped and validated.
March 29, 2017 - Received the stamped results back from the Ontario CFO in the mail.
March 30, 2017 - Mailed out the test results, completed application form and photos using Canada Post Xpresspost.
April 4, 2017 - Tracking number showed as delivered to the Miramichi PO box.
May 5 , 2017 - The RCMP tracking site showed my application as received with a date stamp of April 6,2017
May 9, 2017 - Called into the CFP contact centre and asked about my application status and whether there was anything missing that I needed to provide. The lady on the phone confirmed all information was present and told me that one of my references could call in and gave me the application number.
May 10, 2017 - My reference called in with my application reference number and did the interview.
May 11, 2017 - Called back into the CFP contact centre and asked about anything more that I needed to do and was told that the application was forwarded to the Provincial CFO (Ontario) to be approved and issued.
May 11, 2017 - Started freaking out about wait times with the CFO and posted some questions on this site in regards to wait times in Ontario
May 15, 2017 - Logged onto the PAL application status site and the status shows as "Your application has been processed and your licence has been issued. If you have not received your licence within 2 weeks please contact the Canadian Firearms Program Toll Free number. (1-800 731-4000)"


So looks like the CFO in Ontario is pretty quick at approving the licence application. I didn't have any "Yes" boxes checked on my application, this may delay the timeframe a bit I would think.

All in all, from the day I dropped the application off with Canada Post to the time the completed status showed up online, it took exactly 46 days.

That's pretty damn close to their estimated 45 days for processing!

Please keep in mind this is particularly for Ontario, an application that had no "Yes" boxes checked off on the background questions and no conjugal partner listed on the application.
 
amkorp said:
Hi All,

I had asked a few questions regarding Ontario specific timelines and how long the wait would be with the CFO once the initial application processing was completed in Miramichi.

I'd like to provide my experience for others from Ontario to use as a baseline.


March 11/12, 2017 - Took the Unrestricted/Restricted weekend course in Toronto. The results were mailed by the course instructor to the CFO to get stamped and validated.
March 29, 2017 - Received the stamped results back from the Ontario CFO in the mail.
March 30, 2017 - Mailed out the test results, completed application form and photos using Canada Post Xpresspost.
April 4, 2017 - Tracking number showed as delivered to the Miramichi PO box.
May 5 , 2017 - The RCMP tracking site showed my application as received with a date stamp of April 6,2017
May 9, 2017 - Called into the CFP contact centre and asked about my application status and whether there was anything missing that I needed to provide. The lady on the phone confirmed all information was present and told me that one of my references could call in and gave me the application number.
May 10, 2017 - My reference called in with my application reference number and did the interview.
May 11, 2017 - Called back into the CFP contact centre and asked about anything more that I needed to do and was told that the application was forwarded to the Provincial CFO (Ontario) to be approved and issued.
May 11, 2017 - Started freaking out about wait times with the CFO and posted some questions on this site in regards to wait times in Ontario
May 15, 2017 - Logged onto the PAL application status site and the status shows as "Your application has been processed and your licence has been issued. If you have not received your licence within 2 weeks please contact the Canadian Firearms Program Toll Free number. (1-800 731-4000)"


So looks like the CFO in Ontario is pretty quick at approving the licence application. I didn't have any "Yes" boxes checked on my application, this may delay the timeframe a bit I would think.

All in all, from the day I dropped the application off with Canada Post to the time the completed status showed up online, it took exactly 46 days.

That's pretty damn close to their estimated 45 days for processing!

Please keep in mind this is particularly for Ontario, an application that had no "Yes" boxes checked off on the background questions and no conjugal partner listed on the application.
Click to expand...

In my experience, once the online status has been changed to "issued", the licence showed up in mail within 5 business days.
 
Battscrew said:
Crap.
I'm in Alberta mailed (regular) May 11. So I guess quite few weeks wait till I see anything online?
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From what I've read and in my experience, don't expect to see it online for at least the 28 days from the time it arrives.

For mine -
Courses completed Apr. 3rd
PAL - RPAL app sent to Miramichi - Apr. 4 (regular mail)
arrived at Miramichi - Apr. 10
credit card charged - May 10
showed up online - May 10

I had a reference call in on May 11th and status changed to "completed initial processing, is now in progress". I called a few days ago to see what happens next and they said it goes to the AB CFO and to call back if I don't see any change by the end of June. From what I've seen here it's a real crap shoot how long this part of the process will be in AB, some have said close to the 45 day mark they see their license approved online. Others are between 3 and 6 months and some are even more and I can't find a definitive reason for the discrepancy.

The best advise I've seen though is to have your reference call in as soon as it shows online, this will move it to the next step at least. After that, learn meditation or some other calming patience chant.
 
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