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Family file approved together: study permit + spouse SOWP + visitor visa timeline (May–Sept)

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Timeline

Applied
May 7
Documents Submitted
May 7
Decision
September 1
Total Duration
~4 months

Documents Needed

  • Upfront medical exams

    The family did upfront medicals for all three applicants, avoiding a later medical request.

Step-by-Step

A member shared an approval for a linked family application — study permit (SP) for the principal applicant, spousal open work permit (SOWP) for the spouse, and visitor visa (VV) — with the full timeline. Useful data points from the thread:

  1. The timeline. File logged May 7. Medical updated on the file: VV May 25, SP May 30, SOWP September 1 (just before PPR). Passport request (PPR) came September 1 for all three applications together — roughly a 4-month end-to-end wait.

  2. All three applications were filed together and decided together. The family's SP, SOWP, and VV moved as one linked file, with the final decision landing on the same day.

  3. Upfront medicals for everyone. The member confirmed they did upfront medical exams for all three applicants rather than waiting for a medical request — one less round-trip with IRCC.

  4. Profile context. The principal applicant had ~6–7 years of teaching experience, two bachelor's degrees and a diploma in early childhood education, and was admitted to an MA in Leadership in Education at a university in BC — a case of strong career progression logic supporting a mature applicant's study permit.


Caveat: processing times are point-in-time; treat the 4-month figure as one family's experience, not a current estimate.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Do upfront medicals for every applicant on a linked family file — it removes a request cycle and members credit it with keeping the file moving.
  • Tip: SP + SOWP + visitor visa applications filed together are typically decided together — expect the slowest component to set the pace for all three.

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