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What to do when the VFS passport stamping tracker is down and there's no update after PPR

Canada • Permanent Resident • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Timeline

Documents Submitted
2023-06-18

Step-by-Step

After receiving your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (PPR) and sending your passport for visa stamping, it's common to see silence for a few weeks even though IRCC's stated timeline is around 30 days — and a broken VFS Global tracker can add to the anxiety.

What group members reported:
  1. Turnaround has varied roughly 3-4 weeks in practice. One member submitted June 19 and got their passport back July 11 (about 3 weeks); another had a longer delay because their passport was flagged as damaged and had to be resubmitted with a new one.

  2. A broken tracker doesn't mean anything is wrong with your application. Since VFS's online tracker can show errors independent of your file's actual status, it's not a reliable signal — the resolution is simply to wait for VFS to contact you or for the passport to arrive, rather than escalating based on tracker errors alone.


Given the variability, it's safer to avoid booking your flight until the passport is physically back in hand, since delays of a few extra weeks beyond the stated 30-day estimate aren't unusual.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: Don't rely on the VFS Global online tracker if it's throwing errors — it doesn't necessarily reflect your application status.
  • Do: Wait until your passport is physically returned before booking your flight to Canada, since stamping can take longer than the stated 30 days.

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