Shorten PAL Approval Times

Rolhammer said:
Update: application appeared online this morning @ Day 27. Status: "...currently being processed. You have been, or will be contacted for additional information." Called in, agent told me "they need legal confirmation of my middle name." Um, what? Really?

Asked if I could fax vs mail & was given their fax #. Faxed a copy of my Alberta Operator's Licence, quoting my application number in doing so. Was told to call back in a week to follow up. I'll give it a couple of days...
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Took them a week to update my file with faxed paperwork. Was sent on a Monday and next Monday was when they updated it. So a week is about right. Try in friday
 
Pal/Rpal Ontario

Application received: Aug 28 2015
Appeared Online: September 17 2015
Called CFO on October 27 to see if they could give me a timeline in how long it may take. The very kinda nice lady looked up my app and asked me a bunch of question about things that happened 20 years ago when I was 15 years old. She proceeded to say she has no other concerns and that she will approve me immediately.
Checked online status now says "your application has been processed and your license has been issued...."
Total 60 days
Woot woot....
Time to go shopping.. :)
Anyone have any recommendations on where to get a good AR-15?
 
My application status as of today:

Location: BC
Licence Type: PAL & RPAL
Course Completed: August 8-9, 2015, Test Results Provided Same Day
Application Sent: August 21, 2015 via Registered Mail (Busy With Work)
Application Received by CFC: August 26, 2015
Reference Received Call: October 24

I'm still on my honeymoon in Asia, will be back this weekend before Halloween. Any guess on when my card will arrive? Really hope to buy something for myself for early Christmas!
 
I edited my post on page 962 #9613

My application was received on Oct 1st and showed up online today "Oct 28th". Looks like they waited the exact 28 day holding period from when they received it.
Visa was also charged on Oct28th.
Had a reference call in on Oct 30th.
 
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After getting the run around (it's with the CFO) I was able to track down the officer my application was with. She looked into it and explained because I have a very common name my application was flagged due to pulling up other people's criminal records. So she very kindly checked right then to makes sure none of them were actually me (none were), and approved my license on the spot. She even apologized for the wait. Goes to show how far a bit of understanding will get you.

And as an FYI for anyone with a common name, track down the officer with you app and explain to them who you are. Or you will be flagged and this will cause a delay as it takes a long time for them to get to you.

Non-Ristricted PAL approved Ontario -October 28th - 58 days wait from rcmp recd date and 95 days from my course date.
Will post final update when it's rec'd in the mail.
 
2 x CFSC passed: Aug 23rd
Approved: Aug 26th
mailed to me: Aug 31st
Rec'd Results: Sep 1st
App Sent Priority: Sep 9th (without either having a 2nd reference!)
Both Apps signed Rec'd by RCMP: Sep 14
Husband’s app shows up online with incorrect rec'd date: Oct 7th
CC charged: Oct 7th
Mailed back for missing 2nd reference: Oct 8th
App rec’d and returned via Xpost: Oct 16th
Apps rec’d by RCMP: Oct 19th
Online “completed initial processing, is now in progress: Oct 29th Called in to hear that it has been sent to CFO. Called CFO who indicated a “Yes” in my personal information has sent it to another queue. Our two application #s were taken to investigate who our Area Firearms Officer is. I’m to call in on Monday after 8:30 am.
 
Did the course sometime in September.
Got the results back exactly 1 week later stamped.
Mailed out on the 18th.
RCMP received it on September 23.
CC Charged and appeared online on Oct 21st.
Approved and issued on Oct 29th.

So a little over 1 month between them receiving it and approved. However I should mention this is PAL only. Looking at other applications this seems pretty fast to me and I was surprised.

Edit: This is ON btw
 
Rolhammer said:
Update: application appeared online this morning @ Day 27. Status: "...currently being processed. You have been, or will be contacted for additional information." Called in, agent told me "they need legal confirmation of my middle name." Um, what? Really?

Asked if I could fax vs mail & was given their fax #. Faxed a copy of my Alberta Operator's Licence, quoting my application number in doing so. Was told to call back in a week to follow up. I'll give it a couple of days...
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Update: application went to 'completed initial processing' this morning. Called in & they asked to have one of my references to call in. :)
 
Thanks Calalta for this awesome thread. I came across it before I took my test and bookmarked it for future reference.

I'm in Alberta.

Passed PAL and RPAL exams on Sep 19
Got paperwork sorted and sent Expedited on Sep 24
Recieved Sep 28
Called after 2 weeks and was told to keep waiting
CC was charged October 24th
October 26th showed Initial Processing Done.
I called and had one reference call Oct 26 (even for RPAL they only needed 1 reference interview and no interview from me)
Called Oct 28 and they said they just had to scan in my photo
Oct 29 Application processed and license issued.

I'm more than happy with that. 31 days from receiving papers to license issued! They were extremely nice and helpful on the phone and they told me to have a reference call in to speed things up!
 
Guys I just came back from honeymoon, and my landlord gave me my card, said it arrived a few days ago. It was issued on October 24th, same day my reference was called :) Thank you for all the kind support, love all of you, hope to see you guys on the range in the near future :D
 
ALoney said:
2 x CFSC passed: Aug 23rd
Approved: Aug 26th
mailed to me: Aug 31st
Rec'd Results: Sep 1st
App Sent Priority: Sep 9th (without either having a 2nd reference!)
Both Apps signed Rec'd by RCMP: Sep 14
Husband’s app shows up online with incorrect rec'd date: Oct 7th
CC charged: Oct 7th
Mailed back for missing 2nd reference: Oct 8th
App rec’d and returned via Xpost: Oct 16th
Apps rec’d by RCMP: Oct 19th
Online “completed initial processing, is now in progress: Oct 29th Called in to hear that it has been sent to CFO. Called CFO who indicated a “Yes” in my personal information has sent it to another queue. Our two application #s were taken to investigate who our Area Firearms Officer is. I’m to call in on Monday after 8:30 am.
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So I called today and spoke with my area firearms official in Sudbury, she's approved both our applications with no reference interviews. Unfortunately due to the input error on my husbands received date, his will not print for at least 2 days due to the 28 day wait period, mine, however, will print any day now :) Yay.

This thread has been instrumental in my speedy application process. THANK YOU.
 
Another Albertan here.

Took CFSC and CRFSC courses Sep 26
Sent everything in Sep 28 Priority Post
Recieved by CFC Sep 30
'Being processed. More info needed' Oct 27 (Day 28), sent info in
Credit card charged Oct 27
'Initial processing completed' Oct 29 (Day 30)
Called in Oct 29, no interview & only 1 reference required to call in
Called Nov 2, went approved & license issued (Day 34)

So, 34 days from receipt to issue - overall not too bad. Many, many thanks to Calalta for starting this thread!

I have to say, from reading here and my own experience it's very important you stay in close touch with your application & the timing of junctures so you can call in and follow up to ensure you stay on track. Two occasions during this, I'd have gotten held up. Once during 'processing' because there was a need (inexplicably) to verify my middle name. Odd b/c my name is not common at all. I was instructed to mail the information in, but asked if it would OK to fax to speed things along. The second time was today, where my call 'just to see if anything else was required' triggered the representative to notice something hadn't been set right and if I hadn't called it my application would've sat in this state for some time. In fact, I suspect that it might actually have been ready to go last week (Oct 30, Day 31) but held off calling in. Kind of wish I had, in retrospect.

Take home message: read Calalta's OP, know the timing points for your own application process and be persistent in staying in touch with it. Call in at the appropriate junctures and be polite when calling in.
 
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Quebec province here

Application sent: September 15
Received September 23
Credit card charged: October 21
Application online: October 21
Update
License Issued: November 3 ... Time to go shopping for my first SKS
 
Quebec province here too
Received paperwork Sept 21st
Online Oct 19th saying I was missing something
Credit card charged the 19th
Faxes in info Oct 23rd
Status changed to initial process complete the 28th
Waiting to be called.

My cousin was called last Friday night at 8:20pm. I was with him and as soon as they hung up with him they called me as I was his reference. I asked about my file and said she would call me today. Hopefully.
 
Vitulla said:
Quebec province here too
Received paperwork Sept 21st
Online Oct 19th saying I was missing something
Credit card charged the 19th
Faxes in info Oct 23rd
Status changed to initial process complete the 28th
Waiting to be called.

My cousin was called last Friday night at 8:20pm. I was with him and as soon as they hung up with him they called me as I was his reference. I asked about my file and said she would call me today. Hopefully.
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She called me tonight at 7 pm after calling both my references. Asked me about a dozen questions yes or no answers. After that she told me she was satisfied and was issuing my license. She gave me my PAL number over the phone.

Not bad 44 days and wasted a 9 days because I was missing a form. Hopefully it arrives in the mail ASAP. How many days are people waiting to get them in the mail?
 
Ontario

Restricted Pal
Course completed on September 9th.
Received test results on September 28th.
Application sent "Xpresspost" on September 28th and tracking shows delivered today, Oct 1st.
Application is now online "Oct 28" and shows that it was recieved on Oct 1st.
Visa charged on Oct 28th.
Had a reference call in on Oct 30th.
Licence issued on Nov 4th.
Card in hand on Nov 16th.
 
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Vitulla said:
She called me tonight at 7 pm after calling both my references. Asked me about a dozen questions yes or no answers. After that she told me she was satisfied and was issuing my license. She gave me my PAL number over the phone.

Not bad 44 days and wasted a 9 days because I was missing a form. Hopefully it arrives in the mail ASAP. How many days are people waiting to get them in the mail?
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I am 15 hours away form Miramichi and it took 6 business days (stradling Thanksgiving) for my application needing more information to return to my mail box. You live possibly 9 hours away so that could mean roughly 4 business days? Now, the question is how back logged is their printer? I was sent to printer on Monday after I called CFO. We'll see!
 
It is frustrating to watch my husband's application status remain "Your application has completed initial processing. It is now in progress. Please check the status again at a later date." even though today is the 29th day of processing (according to his received date error that they would not look into). The CFO has already told me it's approved. Is it not automated enough to know the time has come for it to go to print? Grr.
 
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