Shorten PAL Approval Times

Renewal sent and received Nov 8 2021, called countless times and same old story of "it's all correct and confirmed, if you don't get it in the mail next week call back".... I should just have them on speed dial...
 
Yup, just wish I read this before I applied. Took 11 months for mine to arrive even with my monthly checkup calls (plus I had to send another photo because you apparently need dedicated photo paper)....
 
Contributing for information

course taken Nov 2021 for PAL/RPAL,
Papers/application sent in and arrived in January 2022, Charged in March 2022
waited a long time and called several times (once a month starting from Feb 2022) for updates and to see if anything was missing, no issues and continued to wait.
got approved late April, license arrived just now (May 2022) Ontario.
 
PAL/RPAL in ON

Application Received by CFP: Feb 10/ 2021
Course Completed: March 20 2021
Course results received and sent in May 03 2021
CC Charged: May 31st 2021
Application Completed Initial processing: June 10th 2021

Approved: May 25 2022......

Almost 12 months from date charged haha. :/ That was a huge PITA to get.
 
PAL/RPAL in AB

Course completed: January 20th
Sent papers in the next day, received following week
Application completed initial processing: Feb 3rd
Approved: May 19th, received license on the 24th of May just after Vic day
Wow, that was fast. I skimmed this thread loads and my heart sank after seeing 6 months+ times, but I got it real fast. About four month wait.
 
PAL/RPAL in ON

Application Received by CFP: Feb 10/ 2021
Course Completed: March 20 2021
Course results received and sent in May 03 2021
CC Charged: May 31st 2021
Application Completed Initial processing: June 10th 2021

Approved: May 25 2022......

Almost 12 months from date charged haha. :/ That was a huge PITA to get.

Congrats man, when did you receive your card?
 
Just received my PAL in the mail; took only 5xmths from flash-application "registered" mail, to bang. This included the time it took, for the course report from CFO to get mailed back. If I were to have excluded the course report, "stamped" by CFO, in an effort to advance my application...willing to bet the good people @Miramishi would have stalled even further. Include everything and anything the application asks...down to the picture template. Re-read the application 2-3 times in case you missed something.

None of my 2x references were called. Not that I'm complaining, as a military dude am used to government agencies. At one point (4xmth mark), e-mailed the Ministry of Public Safety; call it "reaching out" *LoL. This is now post-covid, so am hopeful the employees are somewhat back to physical offices vs. work from home scenarios. Being old-school, like it when a 2.0 office space supervisor sounds off like Sgt-Major on occasion...pep-talks and all *LoL. The RCMP web services site, to track progress is somewhat helpful as a utility tool, but certainly dinosaur at best. Best advice, call them....you will probably lose it on the initial menu prompts....but, eventually (1hr.), you'll talk with a pleasant staff member, whom is recording every word uttered between parties *LoL. I'm surprised there isn't some sort of music interlude...makes waiting a bit more relaxed vs. the latest gun law announcements. The web status will change from "error"...to "your application has been processed", or hopefully something more tangible than the "error" message. Calling-in the first time, established one important piece of mind, "did you receive my application"? Registered mail gets you an imprint picture of the person whom signed as having received @Miramishi. Calling in the 2nd time, established that yes we acknowledge the application has been accepted, licence sent in the mail...expect a 2-3 week period for it to arrive? The hidden meaning is, that once the application is accepted, it doesn't necessarily leave Miramichi bldg that day *LoL. They can tell you when it was mailed though....so, it really doesn't take 2-3 weeks (CanPost might get upset with those timelines, or?)

My next challenge will be the RPAL; no rush though...that's what winter is for, trudging through snow banks to a freezing classroom...waiting for the heat to kick-in *LoL. We've come a long way, since being a teenager, attending a hunters safety course...all in one package; buying a firearm at SIR, or CanTire and/or peddling home with it. In conclusion, once it does arrive in your mailbox...it'll be anti-climatic; trust me.
 
For all new PAL Applicants from Alberta, here's my timeline

Mailed: 2022 April 11
Delivered: 2022 April 15
CC Charged: 2022 July 16
BACK dated ON 2022 April 19
Called CFO ON: 2022 July 26, system not saving info correctly twice.
Called CFO ON : 2022 July 28 photos in queue to be scanned, before sending to
CFO Alberta, with expected month long backlog.

Will update.

Update 2022 July 28:
Called Alberta CFO to see if they have my file yet, find out that it is still in photo upload queue and they have no idea when it will be uploaded before
being sent to Alberta CFO.
 
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wrong credit card number on PAL application

I sent my very first PAL/RPAL application in Ontario a couple of weeks ago and now realized that my credit card number on the application is no longer valid. What would be the best way to contact RCMP/PAL Office to update my credit card info?
 
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Simple, Call them.

But always keep an eye on your finances and that includes credit cards

I send my very first PAL/RPAL application in Ontario a couple of weeks ago and now realized that my credit card number on the application is no longer valid. What would be the best way to contact RCMP/PAL Office to update my credit card info?
 
Waiting for my RPAL here in Ontario. wish I would have found this place sooner. been 10 months now no hand gun for me I guess.

submitted Feb ??
received Feb 18
May 10 charged $83.23
June-July errors sent back forms and corrected bill
Sept 13 charged $0.17
 
actual business hours for 800-731-4000 ??

I sent my very first PAL/RPAL application in Ontario a couple of weeks ago and now realized that my credit card number on the application is no longer valid. What would be the best way to contact RCMP/PAL Office to update my credit card info?
Simple, Call them.

I called them at 800-731-4000, a few times from 1pm to 4pm EST. It says: "The office is closed, call back during normal business hours from 9am to 5pm"
 
I called them at 800-731-4000, a few times from 1pm to 4pm EST. It says: "The office is closed, call back during normal business hours from 9am to 5pm"

You need to call early, someone said around 7:30am and get in line for 9am open.

Has your application status appeared on IWS? If the status shows up, you can call and update your CC info and they can charge it over the phone (ask me how I know).

If you don’t call, you will get a letter a few months later telling you payment is not completed.
 
Has your application status appeared on IWS?
IWS.png
 
Minimum 28 days before your application mail is opened. Check daily. As soon as application status shows up on IWS call CFP and pay.
 
So I'm curious, on the PAL application in 2014 it had a section for charges, mental health, etc and they only wanted you to note it if it was within 5 years but now that has changed and there is no longer a 5 year limit. I was wondering, if a guy was "arrested" under the mental health act for depression episode and then let go a couple hours later after being deemed safe to go home, is that something they will see when processing an application several years (5+) after that event?
 
You need to call early, someone said around 7:30am and get in line for 9am open.

Has your application status appeared on IWS? If the status shows up, you can call and update your CC info and they can charge it over the phone (ask me how I know).

If you don’t call, you will get a letter a few months later telling you payment is not completed.

730 am and all you get is a message saying offices are closed please call back between hours of such and such. There is no call line up to sit in before opening hours. I called today to try and verify that my application was delivered to them as tracking states that it was delivered on Wednesday. She told me that they are opening applications from Novemeber and are behind by about 4 weeks. She told me to watch for my credit card to be charged and then to call back a week after that if I want to check on things. Then a week to scan photo and then it gets sent to have a "background check" and some are instantly approved but if flags show up then it gets investigated further and that is where you will get a delay. I'm in alberta and tried calling at 10am Manitoba time and offices still said closed. I called back at 9am my time (opening hours for their office) and I got through within 5 minutes and was able to talk to an actual person.
 
Actually it's mandatory 28 days before it's approved. When they are caught up they can open it and begin processing immediately and issue it on the 28th day. However right now they are only opening Nov applications as I just phoned in today to check on mine.
 
a friend of mine's PAL application that he received from the firearms course had the old pricing, and as a result, he paid the wrong amount. it's been over a year now and he still didn't receive his PAL. Makes no sense how after sending in the correct amount should take so long, since all of us who applied at the same time got our PAL's about 6 months after sending in the application.
 
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