PAL Wait Time

Peo4418 said:
Quebec resident. Clean record
23-02-08 Documents for PAL and RPAL sent by mail.
23-02-13 Revision of application
23-02-24 Credit card was billed
23-05-18 Called RCMP --they said application was a the final revision
23-06-05 Called RCMP --They told me the application had been sent to the province CFO and that all my documents were in order
23-07-11 sent email to bcafe@surete.qc.ca asking politely the status of my application.. no aswers yet.
23-07-17 No news, called RCMP .. Application still in final revision a the CFO. asked if there was someone who could give me more information and was given the email to contact CFO
Click to expand...

Great news, yesterday something blissfull ;-) was waiting in my mail box!!
i received my licence after about 23 weeks!! Which is a long time, but sooner thant some of you, still....

I called the Rcmp last week and wanted to understand why it took so long and why for some others it was much quicker. Stayed very polite, and even laughed with the operator which was very helpfull and even sent a request to the CFO, not really understanding himself why such delay. I guess persistence, courtesy and politeness paid off!
 
Hello friends,

I'm from Ontario and I applied for PAL only 3 weeks ago through snail mail.
I checked no boxes and I attached a Letter of Good Conduct from Germany, since I'm a newcomer.
Does anyone know how and when I can track my application? Do I need to call them?
 
Peo4418 said:
Great news, yesterday something blissfull ;-) was waiting in my mail box!!
i received my licence after about 23 weeks!! Which is a long time, but sooner thant some of you, still....

I called the Rcmp last week and wanted to understand why it took so long and why for some others it was much quicker. Stayed very polite, and even laughed with the operator which was very helpfull and even sent a request to the CFO, not really understanding himself why such delay. I guess persistence, courtesy and politeness paid off!
Click to expand...

What reason did they tell you as to why some are quicker than others? Thank you and congrats!
 
I have heard that the online applications are getting processed much faster than the mail in, like under 2 months vs the 6 plus months the mail in applications have been taking
 
My online application took about 6 weeks from submitting to receiving my card in the mail. I was quite grateful it was so quick. I had done the PAL/RPAL courses several years ago and thought that could cause delay here.
 
Took CFSC June 8
Paperwork submitted June 26
License approved and Issued July 24
In mailbox by Aug 01
Paper application, located in SK
 
In Ontario:

CFSC Completed: 2023/06/04
Course Results Received: 2023/06/23
Applied Online: 2023/06/23
References Approved: 2023/06/23
Card Received: 2023/08/04

42 Days from applying to card received. I didn't check the mail every day so it may have come a bit earlier. Worth noting my application status did not change on the RCMP website, it still just says application submitted.

Edit: I should add that I answered "No" to all questions
 
Last edited:
FORESTER12 said:
I unfortunately disclosed that I saw a psychiatrist one single time because I diddnt want to lie on any of it, and I’ve been waiting almost 5 months now. They received my application online March 13. I’ve been waiting since.
Click to expand...

Same here, and I said yes to depression. I applied on March 6. I just got an email from the Alberta Chief Firearms Office, after I emailed them on June 28:

--

As per our system, your eligibility checks have been completed, and your file is now in a que for an initial review to be done by a Firearms Agent. Each application takes a different amount of time depending on the individual circumstances.

Additionally, there is a backlog of applications that the ACFO is working to complete, and we thank you for your continued patience while we work through this process. Our ACFO team is diligently working to reduce the wait times, however, please note new applications can, if secondary or tertiary reviews are required, take up to 18 – 24 months, renewals 12 – 18 months, and transfers between 6 – 12 months for completion.

Recently, the Government of Alberta announced the expansion of the ACFO which will commence shortly. Additionally, staff will be hired to support the current team of dedicated individuals to better address the needs of the public.
 
Anyone got any ideas for how to speed up the PAL application process I applied July 13 2022 and it has been about 13 months since I applied and when I called the RCMP number they informed me my application was at the CFO's office and may take another 24 months to process from the time they received it. Anyone having to deal with the same thing for the application process or am I just an outlier.
 
MBGLK said:
Got my license a few days ago, here is my timeline for Alberta, with an online submission.

February 20th took PAL
February 20th went home and applied online
March 9th, status changed to initial review completed blah blah blah
May 1st, I started calling the RCMP weekly for an update and emailing my CFO weekly.
My file was sent to the Alberta CFO for review in March and sat there for weeks
May 26th, called RCMP, they transferred me to my provincial CFO who approved and processed it over the phone while I waited.

Total wait time 3 months and 6 days
Total emails 4
Total phone calls 4
Click to expand...

Hey, also Alberta here and created this account just to ask you: They also approved me on the phone when I called, how long after that did you get your PAL card in the mail? They approved me a couple weeks ago and I still don't have it and the status on the RCMP website still says "We have completed the initial review" just as it has for months.
 
garandthumbman said:
Hey, also Alberta here and created this account just to ask you: They also approved me on the phone when I called, how long after that did you get your PAL card in the mail? They approved me a couple weeks ago and I still don't have it and the status on the RCMP website still says "We have completed the initial review" just as it has for months.
Click to expand...

Alright so mine was approved today. Applied May 17th and went to "Initial Review" same day.

After two months I called the RCMP who said it was at ACFO. Emailed ACFO and got a response two weeks late that it was actually at the NB RCMP Support Team office.

Called RCMP last week. It was at the ACFO office for sure this time with no flags they could see.

I went to the Olds gun show on Saturday just to find the ACFO. They said they would take my application from "the big pile" and work on it this week.

So that to me suggests there may be no queue. Once it hits an office it goes in a pile and is just luck on when and who grabs it from processing.

Any lead times on getting the card? Just another two weeks...
 
The Gun Nut said:
Hello friends,

I'm from Ontario and I applied for PAL only 3 weeks ago through snail mail.
I checked no boxes and I attached a Letter of Good Conduct from Germany, since I'm a newcomer.
Does anyone know how and when I can track my application? Do I need to call them?
Click to expand...

A quick update:

May 10th: Took the course.

July 1st: Received the results.

July 17th: My mail application was received by RCMP.

Aug 1st: My credit card was charged. My application was trackable online for the first time.
My status was and still is: "We have completed the initial review of your firearms license application. If additional information is required, you will be contacted. Please check the status again at a later date."

Aug 15th: I emailed the CFO, and they replied on the same day:
Thank you for your email. Your application has been forwarded to us at the Chief Firearms Office for standard review. At this time, we are not able to provide a date of completion. Please expect a 6-month delay from the date received by the Canadian Firearm Program *2023/07/17* for initial review.
You can check the status of your application online here: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms/individual-web-services

I hope the wait time isn't actually 6 months!
 
The Gun Nut said:
A quick update:

May 10th: Took the course.

July 1st: Received the results.

July 17th: My mail application was received by RCMP.

Aug 1st: My credit card was charged. My application was trackable online for the first time.
My status was and still is: "We have completed the initial review of your firearms license application. If additional information is required, you will be contacted. Please check the status again at a later date."

Aug 15th: I emailed the CFO, and they replied on the same day:
Thank you for your email. Your application has been forwarded to us at the Chief Firearms Office for standard review. At this time, we are not able to provide a date of completion. Please expect a 6-month delay from the date received by the Canadian Firearm Program *2023/07/17* for initial review.
You can check the status of your application online here: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms/individual-web-services

I hope the wait time isn't actually 6 months!
Click to expand...

6 months is nothing nowadays, you see more and more people waiting up to 2 years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom