GCMS Notes Comprehensive Guide: Understand, Interpret, Sample [2023]
In this article, we’ll answer all your GCMS notes questions, from how to understand and read GCMS notes to how to interpret GCMS notes and how to order GCMS Notes! We also added a sample GCMS notes so you can familiarize yourself and know what to expect from your IRCC (CIC previously) GCMS notes. Let’s get on with it.
What Exactly are GCMS Notes?
Who can apply for gcms notes, how do you apply for gcms notes, the application number , the uci number, when should you order gcms notes, when do you receive your gcms notes, #1. how to understand gcms notes – application section , #2. how to read gcms notes – client details section, #3. how to interpret gcms notes – party details section , #4. how to understand gcms notes – eligibility section , #5. how to understand gcms notes – ee eligibility section , #6. how to interpret gcms notes – admissibilities section, #7. how to understand gcms notes – finalize application section , #8. how to read gcms notes – correspondence section , #9. appeals and litigation section , #10. other reqs section , #11. event section , #12. payment section , #13. fees section , #14. esdc section , #15. how to interpret gcms notes – associations section , #16. how to interpret gcms notes’ history, #17. how to interpret gcms notes’ edocs, #18. notes section, pin for later, faqs on sample gcms notes and how to understand and interpret gcms notes, final thoughts.
So you’ve applied for Canada immigration, and now you have to wait (the difficult part) for the decision. Weeks can run into months and months into years before you get a decision. During this long wait, it can be frustrating not to know how your application is progressing or if there is an issue with it.
Maybe you received a refusal on your application after the long waiting period and what’s worse is you cannot say for sure what led to that decision by the IRCC visa officer.
Well, this is where your GCMS notes come in. Ordering GCMS notes is the one way you can get detailed information on your application and address any problem.
On the other hand, GCMS notes can be complex to decipher. This brings us to three common questions we often get asked: How to understand GCMS notes? How to read GCMS notes? How to interpret GCMS notes? Is there a sample GCMS notes? This comprehensive guide will answer these questions and show you what sample GCMS notes look like in the corresponding section to ease your learning process.
Read on!
The first step in knowing how to understand GCMS notes is knowing what GCMS is.
GCMS stands for Global Case Management System. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) use this system to process citizenship and immigration applications .
It contains detailed information of each applicant’s file, documents received by the IRCC, correspondence to and from IRCC, comprehensive notes made by the officers reviewing the file, and other vital information.
GCMS notes are the go-to for applicants looking for an accurate and all-inclusive outlook of their IRCC file. With your GCMS notes, you can get an explicit knowledge of your Canada visa/immigration application and turn this knowledge into practical steps to increase your immigration/visa approval chances.
The notes a visa officer makes when processing applicant files depend on the individual application’s issues, type of visa applied, and the visa office in charge of the application.
For instance, skilled worker applications will be appropriately checked to ensure that they possess the education and experience they need for their chosen profession. This process can involve checking educational transcripts and confirming employment references.
The official list of codes that the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) uses when processing GCMS files is The Codes List. The immigration officer enters these codes in the GCMS system in the English language (or French for Quebec immigrants).
Some of the codes used in the GCMS file may be difficult to interpret. Not to worry, we’ll cover it in this article.
If you answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, then you should order your GCMS notes :
- Was your Canada immigration application (visitor/tourist visa, study permit, express entry, etc) rejected and you want to be sure of what went wrong before you reapply?
- Perhaps you just want to confirm the documents or information submitted for your visa application or your visa status?
- Has IRCC invited you for an interview or requested more papers, and you want to know why?
- Maybe your visa/immigration application is delayed?
If you fall into any of the categories above, then you need your GCMS notes. Good thing you are on the right track!
Immigration applications can be:
- Temporary residence applications: Work Permit, Study Permit, Tourist or Visitor Visa , etc.
- Permanent residence applications : Atlantic Immigration Pilot, Family Sponsorship, Express Entry, Start-up visa, etc.
Basically, if you’ve ever applied to IRCC in the past, then IRCC indeed has a GCMS file on you that you can ask for.
You have to be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident (PR) or an individual or company in Canada to apply for GCMS notes. If you are not, you have to go through a Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen representative, such as CanadaWiz. We will help you apply for an Access to Information Act GCMS notes request. This is done online in 3 simple steps .
The Access to Information Act is a federal law that allows individuals to access their information from the federal government. Your GCMS notes will be issued under this Act.
LEARN MORE -> How to Order GCMS Notes from IRCC (formerly CIC) – 3 Simple Steps !
What do you need to apply for gcms notes.
To apply for GCMS notes, you need these two numbers:
- Your application number – You must provide this when applying for your GCMS notes.
- Your UCI (Unique Client Identifier) number – Not mandatory, but you need it for more accurate processing of your request.
Now let’s explain how you can find these two numbers:
As soon as you apply with IRCC, your application number will be created. You could have multiple application numbers if you filed several immigration applications. Your application number begins with one letter and then some digits. They are categorized this way:
- If they begin with E or B or F or EP (e.g., E01234566, B01234566, F01234566, EP01234566), they are permanent residence applications.
- If they begin with S (e.g., S01234566), they are study permit applications.
- If they begin with W (e.g., W01234566), they are work permit applications.
- If they begin with V (e.g., V01234566), they are visitor visa applications .
You can only get your UCI number after the processing of your application has commenced. Unlike the application number, you only get one UCI number even if you file more than one application.
The UCI number is either an eight-digit number separated by one hyphen (1234-5678) or a ten-digit number separated by two hyphens (12-3456-7890).
The difference between the application number and the UCI number is that the application number is application-specific, while the UCI number is client-specific.
For instance , you can get your application number for express entry application immediately you enter into the applicants’ pool. You can find it easily on IRCC’s correspondence and your online IRCC profile.
On the other hand, for the UCI number, you will get it in your online profile around 30 days after your Express Entry application’s processing has commenced.
You can order GCMS notes any time you want, for any reason whatsoever. You actually do not need any reason to order your GCMS notes. If you are as curious as myself, you may simply just want to have a look at your file.
You can also order your GCMS notes after applying for permanent residence or after processing a temporary residence visa (TRV), and IRCC has reached a positive or negative decision. If IRCC’s decision is unfavourable, your GCMS notes will explain in details why the immigration officer refused your application.
For permanent residence applications ( PR) such as Express Entry, a good time to order your GCMS notes is after the R10 completeness checks stage. R10 means Regulation 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
It is the phase where IRCC checks and confirms that all your information and documentation are complete when processing your application.
Usually, this stage gets completed within 30 days of your application to IRCC. The best time to order your GCMS notes for PR applications would be around the second to third month after your application.
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) respond to an Access to Information Act request within 30 days. However, IRCC may extend this period for limited and specific reasons, which are listed in Section 9 of the Access to Information Act and Section 15 of the Privacy Act. For example, if:
- the request is for many records, or
- the request requires them to search through many documents, and meeting the initial time limit would interfere with the government institution’s operations.
- Consultations are needed to ensure compliance with the request and thus it wouldn’t be realistic for the request to be completd within the original time limit.
IRCC will notify you if the time extension exceeds 30 days. You should generally get your GCMS notes within 30 to 40 days, but it may take up to another 30 to 60 days in some situations. There is no way to hasten the processing time, not even by hiring a lawyer or consultant.
Now that you know the basics, let’s move on to how to understand GCMS notes and show you how to interpret GCMS notes when you get them.
How to Understand, Read, and Interpret GCMS Notes
Do-it-yourself (d.i.y), are you wanting to read and understand your gcms notes but not sure where to start read on we have made everything simple so you can easily do it yourself., done-for-you (d.f.y), want an expert to help interpret your gcms notes.
When you get your GCMS notes in the form of a PDF file, begin reading it from the last page. The most recent comments from Canada immigration officers are usually located at the end of the GCMS notes document.
Therefore, you’ll be able to see the latest update on your file first. After reading the comment, you can then proceed in reverse order by reading the notes from the bottom to the top.
For instance, if you’ve been invited for an interview with an immigration officer, you’d see it in the recent comment. When you scroll up, you may find a reason for the invitation.
Another example is in the case of visa applications refusal ; you can always find the reasons for the refusal at the bottom of the document. Studying these reasons would assist you in preparing for a re-submission or an appeal.
GCMS notes are full of abbreviations, acronyms, and specific terminologies, and many of them are not obvious. For instance, it is typically clear that PA represents principal applicant, but most people wouldn’t know COR means country of residence. This is one of the aspects that makes how to understand GCMS notes a little tricky, but you can get past them.
To help you know how to interpret your GCMS notes, we’ll cover what the GCMS notes contain page by page and interpret them.
GCMS notes can cover more than 200 pages, depending on how complex or long the application processing was. The notes can be divided into 17 sections. You can’t know how to understand GCMS notes without a detailed interpretation of each of these sections.
Let’s get into them!
APPLICATION: This section covers the summary of the application
Created Date: The date IRCC received the application.
Created by: Immigration officer’s code name, for instance MC23456.
Updated Date: The date or time the application was last updated.
Updated by: Immigration officer’s code name, for instance MC23456.
Primary Office: This is the office that will issue your PPR (passport request). It’s the local embassy if you’re applying outside Canada.
Secondary Office: This is the office that will evaluate your application .
App#: Immigration application file number. It begins with a letter and then 9 numbers.
App Status: Application status, either closed or open.
App Status Reason: The reason for the above status, either In-Progress, Approved, or Refused.
Received Date: Date when the primary office received the application.
Received Via: On-line or Mail (How the Primary Office got the application).
Lock-In Date: Date when IRCC opened the application.
Category: Immigration category’s code (SW1-FED for Federal Skilled Worker, FC1 for Family Class, TRV for Temporary Residence Visa, etc).
Sub-Category: This space is usually left blank
Group Name: This space is usually left blank
Group#: This space is usually left blank
Special Program(s): This space is usually left blank
Correspond Lang: Correspondence language, either English or another language.
Interview Lang: English or other language. It could be left blank if no interview is needed.
Cost Recovery: Deferred, Complete, etc.
RPRF: (Right of Permanent Residence Fee) Complete, Not Applicable, Outstanding, Deferred, etc.
Overpayment: Yes or No
Loan Warrant#: Usually left blank
Restricted Notes: Yes or No
Prospective App Delete Date: Date application was withdrawn, if applicable.
Preferred Correspondence Channel: Mail or Online
Name: Principal applicant’s name
DOB: Principal applicant’s date of birth (yyyy/mm/dd)
# of Client: Number of applicants (includes dependents and principal applicant).
# of Potential Visas: Number of visas that will be issued (depends on the number of clients).
Province of Destination: The landing destination declared in the application
City of Destination: As stated in the application.
CSQ File#: CSQ i.e. Certificat de Sélection du Québec file number (if applicable).
Associated App:
Travel Doc Expiry: The date travel document will stop being valid (yyyy/mm/dd)
# of Entries: Number of times a temporary visa holder is allowed to enter the country within the given time frame.
Stay/Program – From date:
Stay/Program – To date:
Travel Itinerary:
FAMILY CLASS SPONSORSHIP
SPR Correspond Lang: The correspondence language with Sponsor. Could be English, or another language
If eligible:
Misrepresentation:
Family Size:
SA’s Met for:
Processing Priority:
Financial Support:
Access Via:
Referral #:
HRSDC File#:
Available Funds (CAD): funds you stated in your application
Net Worth (CAD):
Facilitator:
Ministerial Instruction Criteria:
Ministerial Instruction:
PNC INFORMATION
PNC#: Your Provincial Nomination Letter Number, if relevant
Issuance Date: Date provincial nomination letter was issued, if relevant
Valid To: Date provincial nomination letter expires, if relevant
Stream: Your nominated provincial stream, if relevant
Other Stream Description:
ASSESSMENTS
Eligibility: This is the application summary. Could be Not Started, Calculation In Progress, Calculate, Review Required, Met, or Passed.
Security: Not Started, Passed, or just left blank.
HIRV: Not Started, Passed, In Progress, or just left blank .
Criminality: Not Started, In Progress, Passed, or Cancelled
Org Crime: Not Started, In Progress, Passed or left blank
Medical: Passed, Failed, Complete, Cancelled, or Not Started
Misrepresentation: Started, Not Started, Complete
Info Sharing: Complete or Not Started
Other Reqs:
Final: The general assessment decision, whether Refused, Approved, or left blank
Location: Immigration office
APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code name
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code name
Usually, there are three other sub-sections where you can find important information about, SPECIAL PROGRAM, and MINISTERIAL INSTRUCTIONS, GROUP NAME, SECONDARY OFFICE(S), LOAN WARRANT#, if relevant. However, they are usually blank.
CLIENT DETAILS : This section has each applicant’s details.
CLIENT DETAILS: 1 – For sponsored person or Principal Applicant
Created Date: Date IRCC received the application |
Create By: Immigration officer’s code name, for instance, BA23456
Updated Date: Date when the file was updated
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code, for instance BA23456
Client/Party: Principal Applicant (PA)
UCI/Party ID: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number or Party ID
Relationship: Relationship to Principal Applicant such as Spouse, Common-law partner, Parent, Child, etc.
Other Relationship Desc:
Acc: Accompanying common-law partner or spouse, whether Yes, No, or N/A
Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored Person’s name
Gender: Male or Female
DOB: Principal Applicant’s date of birth
Dep Type Other Desc:
Effective Date: Date IRCC opened the application
Expiry Date:
Disassoc Reason:
Other Disassoc Desc:
Counterfoil Required: Yes or No
Security: In Progress, Not Started, Passed or left blank
HIRV: In Progress, Not Started, Passed or left blank
Criminality: In Progress, Not Started, Passed
Medical: Not Started, Failed, or Passed
Misrepresentation:
Min Relief – Security:
Min Relief – HIRV:
Min Relief – Org Crime:
Citizenship: Principal Applicant’s country of citizenship
CoR:Principal: Applicant’s country of origin
Place of Birth (City/Town): Principal Applicant’s birth city
Country of Birth: Principal Applicant’s birth country
Marital Status: Married, Conjugal, Common law, Single/Never married
Country of Refuge:
Sponsor Length (months):
Searched By: Immigration officer’s code
Searched Date:
Travel Doc #: Principal Applicant’s passport number
Travel Doc Expiry Date: Principal Applicant’s passport expiry date
Travel Doc Country of Issue: Country where Principal Applicant’s passport was issued
Official Language: English or another language
Can Communicate English: Yes/No
Can Communicate French: Yes/No
Official Language Proficiency Test: Yes/No
# of Years of Education: Number of years of postsecondary education
Level of Education:
NOC: National Occupational Classification(NOC) code
Occupation: Principal applicant’s occupation
Telephone #:
IRCC #: Your biometrics number
Assessment: Required, Complete
Other Description:
Info: Received
REFUGEE DETERMINATION
Determination Decision:
Determined by:
Determination Date:
Reference #:
IRB Office:
CSQ INFORMATION- For applicants with Québec Selection certificate (Certificat de Sélection du Québec)
Individual Ref#:
Issuance Date:
Type: Address Type (Mailing)
Street Address:
Street Address2:
Province/State:
Postal Code:
N.B: CLIENT DETAILS: 2 is for sponsors and dependents. It has the exact sub-sections as CLIENT DETAILS 1. The number of CLIENT DETAILS subsections depends on the number of sponsors or dependents.
PARTY DETAILS – This section contains details of your representative or immigration consultant if any.
Created Date:
Created By:
Updated Date:
Updated By:
Client/Party:
UCI/Party ID:
Relationship:
Effective Date:
Disassoc Reason:
Other Disassoc Descrip:
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Province/Territory:
Membership #:
Apt/Unit #:
Street Address 2:
ELIGIBILITY – This section has details on the eligibility assessment status
ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT: 1 (For Express Entry applicants, this part will be blank)
Created Date: Date the file was created
Created By: Immigration officer’s code, (e.g BA23456)
Update Date: Date the file was updated
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code, (e.g BA23456)
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Family Name: Principal Applicant’s surname
Given Name: Principal Applicant/Sponsored person’s given name.
Type: Selection, Eligibility, etc.
Status: In Progress, Not Started, Passed
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code (e.g., BA23456)
Status Date: The date of the status update
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code, (e.g., BA23456)
Due Date: Bring forward date (the date the immigration officer will look at the file again)
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code (e.g., BA23456)
Assigned Date: The date the immigration officer was assigned the file
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code (e.g., BA23456)
Activity #:
Total Points:
This section usually has these six sub-sections, i.e., WORK EXPERIENCE, PNC DETAILS (i.e., provincial nomination), PROVINCIAL ENDORSEMENT LETTER, LANGUAGE(S), EDUCATION, and JOB OFFER. However, for express entry candidates, they are usually left blank. The only exception is PNC DETAILS for applicants who are Provincial Nominees.
EE ELIGIBILITY – This section is only applicable to Express Entry applicants
Language(s)
Languages: 1
UCI: The Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Relationship: Common-law Partner or Spouse (if it’s language results of a common-law partner or spouse). It’s left blank if it’s the language results of Principal Applicant.
Test Type: Type of test taken (IELTS, TCF, TEF, CELPIP)
Test Version:
Test Result Date: Date of the test results
Test Date: Test date
Test Official Language: First or Second Official Language
Speaking: Speaking ability score
Listening: Listening ability score
Reading: Reading ability score
Writing: Writing ability score
Certificate #: Certificate number of test results
Test PIN:
Status: Received or Obsolete
Source: e-app
Status Updated by: Usually “EAIEAPP.” System update (not manual update by an immigration officer
Status Updated Date: Date of Status update
Languages: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Language(s): Follows the same format as 1 above but contains other language test results or updates.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Employment History: 1
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Relationship: Common-law Partner or Spouse if it’s the work experience of a common-law partner or spouse. It’s left blank if it’s work experience of Principal Applicant
Primary Occupation NOC: National Classification Occupation (NOC) code
From: Date work experience began
To: Date work experience ended if it’s not current
Ongoing: N (no), or Y (yes)
Country: Country you got work experience
NOC: NOC code (National Occupation Classification)
Employer: Employer’s name
Job Title: The job title
Status Updated by: Usually EAIEAPP. System update (not manual update by an immigration officer)
Status Update Date: Date of status update
Province/Territory: Canadian province or territory if the work experience was in Canada
City/Town: City or town work experience was gained
Hours per Week: Number of hours spent working per week
Working Legally: Yes, or No. It’s left blank if work experience is outside Canada
Work Permit Category: Work permit type if work experience is inside Canada
Self Employed: No, or Yes
Studying Full Time at Same Time: No, or Yes
Primary Occupation NOC: NOC i.e., National Occupation Classification code
Employment History: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Employment History: Follows the same format as 1 above but contains other work experience or updates.
Education: 1
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Relationship: Spouse or “Common-law Partner if it’s spouse or common-law partner’s education. It’ll be blank if it’s Principal Applicant’s education.
From: Date of commencement of studies
To: Date of conclusion of studies
Country: Country of study
Canadian Level of Education: Level of education. It’s left blank if studies weren’t in Canada
School: School’s name
Result: Not completed, Diploma, Certificate, or Degree
Canadian Credential: Yes or No
Full Time/Part Time: Either Full-Time or Part-Time
Status: Received or Obsolete
Source: e-app
ECA Level of Education: Bachelor’s or 3yr post-sec, Masters or 1st prof degree, or Doctorate etc.
Status Updated By: Usually EAIEAPP. System update (not manual update by an immigration officer)
Status Updated Date: Date of status update
Ongoing: N (no), or Y (yes)
Completed Years of Study: Years of study
Field of Study: Arts/Humanities/Social Science, Business/Mgmt/Marketing, etc.
Foreign Level of Education: Bachelor’s or 3yr post-sec, Masters or 1st prof degree, Doctorate etc.
City/Town: City or town of study
Province/State: Canadian province or territory of studies, if applicable
ECA #: ECA i.e. Education Credential Assessment number
ECA Issuing Organization: Organization issuing the ECA i.e. World Education Services, etc.
ECA Issue Date: The date the Education Credential Assessment (ECA) was issued.
DLI Name: Name of Designated Learning Institution (DLI) if studies was in Canada. If not, space will be blank
ESL or FSL Study: “Yes” if English is the Second Language i.e. ESL, or if French is the Second Language i.e. FSL. “No,” if neither.
Recognized Institution: Yes or No
Studying Under Award: Yes or No
Education: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Education: Follows the same format as 1 above but contains other education credentials or updates.
EE ELIGIBILITY Section also contains these four other sub-sections:
- OTHER CANDIDATE INFO: Details about family members in Canada.
- PNC DETAILS: Information about provincial nomination.
- RESEARCH: Answers provided to voluntary research questions asked while creating the Express Entry profile.
ADMISSIBILITIES – This section goes into security, criminality, biometrics and medical checks .
Security – Your background check. It involves several agencies like the INTERPOL, CSIS etc.
Security: 1
Created Date: The date the file was created
Created By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Update Date: The date the file was updated
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code, e.g., BA12345
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Family Name: Family name/Surname of Principal Applicant, Spouse, etc.
Given Name: Name of Principal Applicant/Sponsored Person, Spouse, et c.
Type: Security
Status: In Progress, Not Started, or Passed
Validity Date: blank space
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code, e.g., BA12345
Status Updated Date: The date of status update
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code, e.g., BA12345
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Due Date: Bring forward date (date the immigration officer will look at the file again)
Activity #:
Security: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Security: It follows the same format as 1 above but it’s for the other family members added in the application.
Criminality – Checks for criminal records done with the PPC(Police Clearance Certificates)
Criminality: 1
Created Date: The date the file was created
Created By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Update Date: The date the file was updated
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code e.g., BA23456
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Family Name: Surname/Family name of Principal Applicant, Spouse, etc.
Given Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored person’s given name
Type: Criminality
Validity Date: 2 years post Created Date
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code e.g., BA23456
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA23456
Due Date: Bring forward date (the date an immigration officer will look at the file again)
Criminality: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Criminality: The same trend as in 1 above, but it’s for other family members in the application.
Results gotten from the medical exam
Created Date: The date the file was created
Created By: Immigration officer’s code e.g., BA23456
Update Date: Date of file update
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Family Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored person’s Surname
Given Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored person’s given name
Type: Medical
Validity Date: 1 year post medical exam date
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code, e.g., BA12345
Status Updated Date: The date of status update
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code, e.g., BA12345
Due Date: Bring forward date (the date an immigration officer will look at the file again)
IME #: IME i.e., Immigration Medical Exam number
UMI: UMI i.e., Upfront Medical Identification number
Assessed For: All
IME Status: Assessed
IME Status Reason: Granted
RMO: Regional Medical Office (It’s usually left blank)
M Profile: Medical code assigned after your medical exam was assessed
Description: Description of medical code description
S Profile: Surveillance code assigned after your medical exam was assessed
Description: Description of surveillance code
MOF Rationale Exists: Yes or No (MOF = Medical Observations & Furtherance )
MOF Review: This is left blank if the above answer is No
Valid Until: 1 year after date of medical exam
IMM Type: This is the application EDE i.e. Excessive Demand Exempt. It’s either “ EDE” or “Non-EDE.”
UMI Type: Worker etc.
Expected Date of Delivery: Expected delivery date if Principal Applicant or Spouse is pregnant. [Read more about delivering in Canada here].
Medical: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Medical: Follows the same trend as 1 above but for other family members in the application.
Info Sharing – Request made to a country that is part of bilateral agreements to give any relevant information on the applicant
Info Sharing: 1
Created By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Update Date: Date of file update |
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Family Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored person’s Surname
Given Name: Principal Applicant or Sponsored person’s given name
Client/Party: Principal Applicant (PA) or Dependent (DEP)
Relationship: Spouse or Common-law Partner if it’s info-sharing of a spouse or common-law partner. If it’s info-sharing of Principal Applicant, it’ll be left blank.
Type: Biometric – FCC or Biographic
Partner: AUS, GBR, USA, NZL
Status: No Record Trace (NRT), Exempt – Member – Partner CIT, Complete, or Complete – Not Reviewed
Validity Date:
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA23456
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Correction Ref #: Usually left blank
Correction Date: Usually left blank
Urgent: yes (Y) or no (N)
Info Sharing: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Info Sharing: Follows the same trend as 1 above but for other family members of the family in the application and other types of info sharing.
The ADMISSIBILITIES also contain these 4 subsections: HIRV ( Human and International Rights Violation), ORGANIZED CRIME, MISREPRESENTATION, MINISTERIAL RELIEF. They are usually left blank, but if applicable, they can contain information.
FINALIZE APPLICATION
Document Issuance
This sub-section will contain with any document sent after the applicant’s approval. If the application is still being processed, it will be left blank.
Refusal Grounds
This sub-section will contain any information and reasoning concerning your application’s refusal. If your application is still being processed, it will be left blank.
CORRESPONDENCE
This sub-section contains comprehensive information on any request, document, or communication, coming from IRCC to the applicant.
OUTGOING: 1
Create Office: The local embassy
Request to Issue: Letter
Document Type: Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR)
Status: Sent
Assigned To: Immigration officer’s code
Assigned By: Immigration officer’s code
All Rec’d: Yes or No
Via Details:
Name: Name of Principal applicant or Sponsored person
Status Updated by: Immigration officer’s code
Status Updated Date:
Sent By: Immigration officer’s code
Printed By:
Printed Date:
ITEM(S) REQUESTED
ITEM(S) REQUESTED: 0
ATTACHMENTS
ATTACHMENTS: 0
This sub-section contains comprehensive information on any request, document, or communication, that IRCC receives from the applicant.
INCOMING: 1
Item: Travel Documents/Passport
Item For: PA i.e. Primary applicant
Status: Started or Not started
Received By:
Received Date:
Replied By:
Replied Date:
Status Updated By: Immigration officer’s code
APPEALS AND LITIGATION
Immigration Appeal Division (IAD)
This sub-section only contains information on any immigration appeal application.
This sub-section will only contain details of any litigation the applicant brings forward against IRCC.
OTHERS REQS
Humanitarian & Compassionate (H&C)
This sub-section contains information on any H&C application.
This sub-section only contains information on any inadmissibility grounds under Financial grounds (A39), and Non-compliance with the Act or the Regulations (A41).
Most times, this section is left blank.
Details of payments made for the fees in the following section below will be in this sub-section. If the fees were paid online, it’ll be left blank.
This section will contain information or details of the fees paid to IRCC such as FPC for Processing Fee, Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), Biometrics, Visitor, etc.
This section will contain information concerning the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It is issued by ESDC i.e. Employment and Social Development Canada.
ASSOCIATIONS – This section contains details or information on verifications done by third parties.
Organization and Entities: 1
Created Date: The date the file was created
Created By: Immigration officer’s code of e.g MC23456
Update Date: Date of file update
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code of e.g MC23456
Amount Invested (CAD): Left blank if it’s not to verify business funds
Org/Entity ID: IRCC internal ID code for the entity/organization undergoing a verification
Name: CIO – EE – 11.2 Decision ( eligibility), Triage criteria – (admissibility), CEC COMPLETE FILES, etc.
Type: The organization
Sub Type: Other
Other Sub Type Descrip: CIO – EE – 11.2 ( eligibility), Triage criteria – (admissibility), CEC COMPLETE FILES, etc.
Contact Family Name: This will be blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Contact Given Name(s): This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Reason: | “Other” |
Other Reason Description: 11.2 ( eligibility), Triage criteria – (admissibility), CEC COMPLETE FILES, etc.
Effective Date: Typically around the date R10 checks are carried out
Expiry Date: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Disassociation Reason: Left blank
Other Disassociation Description: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Registration #: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Place of Registry: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Status: Active
Third Party ID#: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Place of Registry: This will be left blank to avoid revealing the organization being verified
Organization and Entities: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Organization and Entities: It follows the same trend as above but it’s for other verified organization and entities.
There are usually two more sub-sections in the ASSOCIATIONS section: APPLICATIONS AND CASES, and PAPER FILE. They are usually left blank, but they can contain relevant information when applicable:
HISTORY – It contains every status update the application underwent
Application Status
Application Status: 1
Created Date: usually left blank
Created By: usually left blank
Updated Date: usually left blank
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code
App / Case Status: Open, Close
App Status Reason: Open, Invitation Sent, Application Received, Invitation Pending, etc.
Other Reason Description: usually left blank
Leave Decision: usually left blank
Leave Decision Date: usually left blank
Decision: usually left blank
Decision Date: usually left blank
Office: Centralized Intake Office, GCMS-System, etc
Accepted Date: Date the application was accepted and received
Application Status: 2
Same data as Application Status: Follows this same pattern above but it contains updates.
Application
Application: 1
Created Date: usually left blank
Created By: usually left blank
Updated Date: Immigration officer’s code
Updated By: usually left blank |
Field Name: Medical, Eligibility, Security, Criminality, Primary Office, “Secondary Office, etc.
New Value: In Progress, Not Started, Complete, Passed, etc.
Old Value: In Progress, Not Started, Complete, Passed, etc.
Office: GCMS-System, Immigration office
Application : 2
It follows same format as Application 1 above but for other application types, with updates on each.
Created Date: usually left blank
Created By: usually left blank
Updated Date: Immigration officer’s code
Updated By: Immigration office
Fee Id: ID code of fee
Name: Applicant or dependent’s full name
Field Name: Status of fee
New Value: Paid or Exempt
Old Value: Outstanding, or blank space
Same data as Fees1 above: It follows the same format, but for other fee IDs, and updates on each.
Activity: 1
Created By: usually left blank
Updated Date: usually left blank |
Updated By: usually left blank
UCI: Unique Client Identifier (UCI) number
Name: Principal Applicant or Dependent’s full name
Sub-Activity / Activity Type: Medical, Candidate Assessment, Biometrics, Eligibility, Criminality, Security, Medical, etc.
Field Name: Status
New Value: | “Not Started”, “In Progress”, “Passed”, “Complete”, etc. |
Old Value: | “Not Started”, “In Progress”, “Passed”, “Complete”, etc. |
Activity: 2
Same data as Activity 1 above, but it’s for other family members included in the application, other types of activities, and updates on each of them.
EDOCS – This section will cover a list of the details of all documents sent to IRCC and received from the applicant or created by IRCC.
Document #: The document number
eDoc #: The document number if it’s uploaded online
Attachment Name: Document name
Document Type: Admissibility, Form, Relationship, Incoming Correspondence
Document Sub Type: Passport/Travel Doc, IMM5786, Marriage Certificate / Licence, Medical, National ID, Police Certificate, etc.
Country of Issue: if it’s applicable
Issue Date: if it’s applicable
Expiry Date: if it’s applicable
Uploaded Date: The date the document was uploaded
Uploaded By: Typically, a system
Uploaded Office: If it’s not applicant
Uploaded Source:
Edocs: 2 (etc.)
It contains the same data as Edocs1 above but for other documents.
NOTES – This section contains notes written by immigration officers, arranged chronologically from the most recent
Created Date: The date the note was created
Update Date: Date the note was picked up
Updated By: Immigration officer’s code e.g. BA12345
Restricted: Either Yes or No
Label: EE Eligibility, General, Client Enquiry, Adm/Criminality etc.
Office: Centralized Intake Office, GCMS-System, Montreal Call Centre, etc.
Text: Notes by immigration officer
Notes: 2 (etc.)
Same data as Notes 1 above but it’s for other family members in the application, other activities types, and updates on each.
So much handy information! You should Pin this article for later.
GCMS notes affords you the chance to see what the IRCC officer who reviewed your application wrote on your file. Once you know how to understand and interpret GCMS notes, you’ll get an in-depth view of your file and be properly informed. Then you can follow up this knowledge with proactive steps.
To know how to understand and interpret GCMS notes; when you get your GCMS notes, begin reading it from the last page. Most times, the latest comments from immigration officers are at the end of the GCMS document. So, when you start from the last page, you’ll see the latest update on your file first.
An acknowledgment of receipt i.e., R10 passed letter, will be issued to an applicant or representative after they’ve passed the R10 completeness check for their permanent residence application.
Your best option is to file a request to IRCC for your GCMS notes . Another option is to use IRCC’s e-Client Application Status online tool which you’ll find on IRCC’s website, but this only provides limited information. If you are currently living in Canada, you could call IRCC at 1-888-242-2100.
If the standard processing time to receive your GCMS notes has passed, the requester can send an email to [email protected] to request for your GCMS notes status. The tracking number you received after you have successfully submitted your GCMS notes request to IRCC must be included in the email. Keep in mind that IRCC will not respond to your enquiry if the request is within the normal processing timeline of 30-40 days.
ATIP = Access to Information and Privacy. It is an Online Request service, and it’s an easy, fast, convenient way to submit your request. Using this service, you can make requests online for information to participating government institutions instead of printing, scanning, mailing or having to email a paper form.
As explained earlier, the only accurate way you can track your Canada visa and/or immigration application; and even take corrective steps is through requesting your GCMS notes from IRCC . But it’s one thing to request your GCMS notes and another to be able to interpret the content of your GCMS notes .
We hope this comprehensive GCMS notes guide and the sample GCMS notes provided have answered all your questions on “How to interpret GCMS notes?” and “How to understand GCMS notes?”. Have this guide by your side while going through your GCMS notes for more clarity.
What if you still need further help after reading your GCMS notes? We are glad to step in and give you expert help to solve your GCMS notes interpretation challenge. Get Started ->
Charee Oisamoje is the founder of CanadaWiz. She leads the editorial team, which is comprised of subject matter experts that aim to create well-researched, highly detailed content related to studying, working, immigrating, and settling/living in Canada as a newcomer.
Charee's personal experiences as a Canadian immigrant and her professional competencies make her uniquely qualified on the subject matter.
Learn More >> About Page
🏆 Best Offers This Month
📌 get $3,000 free transfer and earn $75 referral bonus.
✔️ Get up to $3,000 CAD * Fee-Free transfer (or the equivalent of £2,000 in other currencies). ✔️ Earn $75 CAD** for every 3 friends you refer; they'll get a fee-free transfer of up to $800 CAD. ✔️ Multi-Currency Debit Card: Spend abroad without hidden fees. ✔️ Best and real exchange rates and lower fees than old-school banks and other money transfer services. *Your secret code will be automatically applied. **USD accounts earn $115 USD for every 3 friends you refer; they'll get a fee-free transfer of up to $600 USD).
📌 Low-Cost International Money Transfer with $30 Cash Bonus
✔️ Get a $30 welcome bonus for transferring $100* or more. ✔️ Get a 20 GBP welcome bonus for transferring 75 GBP* or more. ✔️ Fast: 95% of transfers are received by the recipient in minutes. ✔️ Better exchange rates and lower fees than most traditional banks and money transfer services. *This can be achieved over multiple transfers.
More Trending Posts
How to Write an Invitation Letter for Canada Visa Correctly (Sample Included)
Canada Visitor Visa: 4 Simple Steps on How to Apply in Nigeria
Total Cost of Express Entry Canada Visa in Nigerian Naira (₦) 2023
Leave a comment cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
GET THE INSIDE SCOOP
Join other subscribers and receive exclusive tools, tips, and resources directly from CanadaWiz!
Subscribe Now
Get the latest Canada Immigration tips & hacks in your inbox.
GCMS Notes Application Tracker
© 2024 | gcms-notes.ca
Please note that gcms-notes.ca is an independent practice.
- Forums New posts Search Forums
- Members Registered members Current visitors Recent Activity
- Free Assessment
GCMS Notes - explanation
- Thread starter vancity_gt
- Start date Jul 6, 2023
Hero Member
My second ATIP notes just arrived and the only difference I see is ICES request from Vancouver office on June 16. What does that mean for me? Does anyone know?
novoiceplus
Star member.
Babybae said: My second ATIP notes just arrived and the only difference I see is ICES request from Vancouver office on June 16. What does that mean for me? Does anyone know? Click to expand...
novoiceplus said: Have you used your grad or some other degree as proof of English? Coz ICES request is for International Credential Evaluation Service Which they use in PR applications for assessment this is the first time i am hearing in citizenship application. Click to expand...
Champion Member
Can someone please help me decipher this better from my notes? Mine Says the following: PAPER FILE Office: Hamilton IRCC #: CXXXX (my application number) Location: Grant Review Ready PM03 Application Assignment Due Date: Assigned By: Assigned To: However when I go to each of the LPP segments, its assigned to RC-8090 (which is the Sydney Office code). Triage is empty. 1 - Are my next steps done at RC-8090 or Hamilton? 2 - Does the application assignment section being empty mean anything? 3 - Grand Review Ready PM03 means it will be delayed since it needs additional secondary officer review? 4 - Due Date for LPP has been set for January 2024. You can see my signature, it is stuck for 6 months after my Test. Everything else sees normal.
In my experience due dates mean absolutely nothing. I also had Grant Review Ready PM03. As far as I know, PM03 is more senior than PM01, so your application may collect dust longer, until it gets to one of them for the review. For me filing mandamus helped IRCC to find motivation to get a PM03 to review it within a couple months, no idea what would have happened if I just waited. The assignment section may mean that either it is not assigned, or that the employee who redacted the notes randomly decided that you don't need this information. I had an agent assigned since February with a due date in April, but there was zero movement on my application until I filed mandamus in June. So, maybe not having anything in the assignment section means that assignment is not done yet, however, having something in it doesn't mean that the application will be processed any time soon. I only reached that stage after 19 month of processing though, so I think you timeline is not so bad yet. I don't think I've ever been assigned to RC-8090 after the test, so no idea about that one.
Hey all, I just need help/ ideas or advise. Applied paper-based File received (Sydney - CPC): Nov 04, 2022 AOR: Dec 19, 2022 Fingerprint: May 12, 2023 Test Completed: July 9, 2023 File seem to have been stuck at RC-8090. LPP sections says Not Started. Nothing much on ATIP notes.
bas12 said: In my experience due dates mean absolutely nothing. I also had Grant Review Ready PM03. As far as I know, PM03 is more senior than PM01, so your application may collect dust longer, until it gets to one of them for the review. For me filing mandamus helped IRCC to find motivation to get a PM03 to review it within a couple months, no idea what would have happened if I just waited. The assignment section may mean that either it is not assigned, or that the employee who redacted the notes randomly decided that you don't need this information. I had an agent assigned since February with a due date in April, but there was zero movement on my application until I filed mandamus in June. So, maybe not having anything in the assignment section means that assignment is not done yet, however, having something in it doesn't mean that the application will be processed any time soon. I only reached that stage after 19 month of processing though, so I think you timeline is not so bad yet. I don't think I've ever been assigned to RC-8090 after the test, so no idea about that one. Click to expand...
Strangertide
Does anyone knows the meaning of below GCSM notes - PAPER FILE Office: Scarborough Citizenship Operations #: Cxxxxxxxxxxx Location: Grant Ceremony DF APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT Due Date: Assigned By: Assigned To: What does Grant Ceremony DF meaning? Assignment is blank!! All green, oath in progress (oath cancelled on Aug due to administrative error). Got the notes today
GcmsNotes.com
Canada Visa Status Service
GCMS Notes Application Tracker
GCMS Notes Client Portal
Hassle-free tracking.
Only an email or tracking number is needed, no personal information required. Monitor order status and delivery timeline effortlessly.
Seamless File Access
No account creation required. Instantly access files by clicking a secure email link. Improved security with no passwords to compromise.
Personalized Support
No complicated support tickets to raise. Direct email communication for any assistance needed. Keeping things simple and user-friendly.
Track Your Order Effortlessly
Stay connected with your order.
Our secure client portal keeps you informed every step of the way, providing visibility into the status of your order.
- Check if your payment has been processed
- Monitor the progress of your order as it’s being fulfilled
- Get accurate estimates on when your order will be delivered
- Access your completed file as soon as it’s ready
Order in 3 Easy Steps
Get started with your order.
New to our service? Follow these simple steps to place your order with ease.
- Complete our secure online order form
- Choose a convenient payment method
- Provide the necessary consent form and ID
Track Your Order
Legal response timeline explained.
Listen to the GCMS Audio Overview
This timeline outlines the process for handling requests, from receipt to completion. It details the standard 30-day response period, potential adjustments for holidays and weekends, and factors that may expedite or extend the process. Understanding this timeline could save you time and manage your expectations!
Order Received
The order is received during regular business hours, Eastern Time.
Processing Begins
If the order is received outside of operating hours, on weekends, or on holidays, the processing will begin the following business day.
30 Calendar Days
The legal response time is 30 calendar days. However, a more narrowly tailored request with proper consent & ID can potentially expedite the processing.
Due Date Adjustment
If the 30-day deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, the due date becomes the next business day.
Extensions beyond 30 days may apply for requests involving large record volumes or requiring third-party consultations.
Expedited Processing
The government institution may be able to process your request more quickly if your request is more specific and includes consent & ID from all individuals.
COMMENTS
My application assignment due date on GCMS notes is tommorow Does anyone know what does it mean? I have not received any thing yet. Still waiting.... Eligibility and criminality are passed Medical passed Security (blank) A. APPNOV2014NY VIP Member. Nov 21, 2014 3,005 1,099. Jul 17, 2017
Hello, according to my notes, my application assignment due date is tomorrow and I am wondering if I should expect to hear from them tomorrow or expect to... Client Portal +1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445
Get all your GCMS Notes questions answered in this comprehensive guide..How to understand and interpret GCMS notes, Read a sample GCMS note.. ... APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT. Assigned To: Immigration officer's code name. Assigned By: Immigration officer's code name. Due Date: Usually, there are three other sub-sections where you can find ...
Of course nothing happened on that date, till today. APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT Assigned To RC-9515 Assigned By DA01121 Due Date 2015/12/13 The last movement I had was BG going to in progress on 11/25. The notes were generated on 11/23 by the way (I soooo wish they were generated on 11/26 to see the new note they put the same day of BG starting)
Hi all, I got my GCMS notes today which showed me that I passed all criteria under CEC and it says APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT: DUE DATE is 23-Mar-2012 on my appl Received GCMS, due date passed, haven't received anything
I had ordered GCMS notes and in the notes it says application assignment due date. Anyone has any idea what does it mean. I had appeared for online test and the same was updates on 2nd March and LPP...
I just got my gcms notes and it says my due date for my application is 2023/18/11. I haven't gotten my LPP to turn green yet nor my oath taking. ... Gcms notes . I just got my gcms notes and it says my due date for my application is 2023/18/11. I haven't gotten my LPP to turn green yet nor my oath taking. Can you guys enlighten me about the ...
Please login to the gcms-notes.ca dashboard at dashboard.gcms-notes.ca to download your notes or get a full view of your application.
Application Assignment Due Date: Assigned By: Assigned To: However when I go to each of the LPP segments, its assigned to RC-8090 (which is the Sydney Office code). ... What is mandamus.. I heard gcms notes earlier.. S. Strangertide Newbie. Nov 17, 2023 4 2. Nov 17, 2023 #23 Does anyone knows the meaning of below GCSM notes -
Due Date Adjustment. If the 30-day deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, the due date becomes the next business day. 5. ... GCMS Notes Application Tracker. GCMS Notes Client Portal. Hassle-Free Tracking. Only an email or tracking number is needed, no personal information required. Monitor order status and delivery timeline effortlessly.