PAL/RPAL Timelines

[TheCenturion]

It's been over 5 months since they recieved my application. It's been with the CFO for over 4 months. I called and they gave me the usual run around saying they have everything they need but they can't give me a time frame. I applied for my PAL and RPAL, maybe they are waiting for proof of range membership?

I read in the thread about contacting your MP to speed them up. What exactly should I say and ask for when contacting mine?

Can't join a range until you have a PAL, so that ain't it.

You'd call up your MP, hopefully conservative, and ask why a government bureaucrat has taken six months to read a form, type twelve things into a database, click the 'search criminal records' button, and then click the 'submit to government photo ID printing lab' button.

Have the RCMP contacted your references?

[Sprayed]

Can't join a range until you have a PAL, so that ain't it.

You'd call up your MP, hopefully conservative, and ask why a government bureaucrat has taken six months to read a form, type twelve things into a database, click the 'search criminal records' button, and then click the 'submit to government photo ID printing lab' button.

Have the RCMP contacted your references?

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes they contacted one of my references and I called in myself a couple months back to see if they needed to interview me, they said they didn't and that everything seems to be in order for the application and that it's with the CFO.

Unfortunately my MP just got voted in and is liberal

[CFRS]

Some very quick times. Apparently in Ontario, it can take up to 120 days due to the amount of fraudulent applications submitted from the province.

[Atzanik]

Completely new to this, had fully completed application for PAL/RPAL (no missing information), checked No to all personal questions on the application, in Ontario. I'm about as clean bean and boring as it gets. Very stable, never any issues with the law (not even speeding/parking tickets) or anything else for that matter. Good career, same wife for what seems like forever My timeline went something like this:

Feb 4/16 - Completed PAL/RPAL courses. The instructor sent/mailed off the test results the very next day.
Feb 17/16 - Received stamped test results from CFO
Feb 17/16 - Application sent via Canada Post priority to RCMP
Feb 22/16 - Received by RCMP
Mar 10/16 - Appeared online (Status check)
Mar 10/16 - Credit card was charged
Arp 7/16 - It's been 45 days and haven't heard anything. None of my references called, so I called in around 2:30pm, spent about 5 minutes on hold. Got an agent and was told everything was good, and if I wanted to speed things up, to have one of my references call in, and dial an extension. Lady was super nice and polite.
Apr 7/16 - One of my references called in, spent longer on hold in the queue than he did talking to the agent. They asked a few questions about me, and that was it. Reference sent me a text saying he called, so I checked status online, and it's completed and issued. Just waiting for it to show up in the mail now.

So for me, I didn't hear anything the entire time until I called in after waiting the 45 days. I suppose if I called after the 28 days it might have gone just as smooth. I'm wondering if it makes any differences that both my references checked that they were only available to be called in the evenings... not sure. When the lady told me to have a reference call in, she said they had to do it between 9AM and 5PM my time. They never called me, or my wife, and only wanted to speak to one reference. The reference they spoke to doesn't have a PAL, so that doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

No I can start window shopping while I wait for my card to show up! YAY!

[VooDoo]

Seems to be the theme lately. Get your references to call in after your application appears on the RCMP website and it'll go faster - was a reference for my son, exact same bullshit!

[SeirX]

I'm kinda jealous of you fellas who got a quick turn-around... when I took my course in December, they cashed my cheque 2nd week of January, and I didn't get a notice of paperwork until end of February, followed by another month and a half of waiting for it.
Of course..I went the idjit-route...used a reference who doesn't like firearms, and another who had just gotten out of the psych ward...guess which one is the one they called, lol.

[dacron]

I'm kinda jealous of you fellas who got a quick turn-around... when I took my course in December, they cashed my cheque 2nd week of January, and I didn't get a notice of paperwork until end of February, followed by another month and a half of waiting for it.
Of course..I went the idjit-route...used a reference who doesn't like firearms, and another who had just gotten out of the psych ward...guess which one is the one they called, lol.

If your references have been called and your licensed is not issued, your local CFO is reviewing it or it is on their backlog for review. It's hit or miss to call them, but if you live close to your local CFOs office it doesn't hurt to pop in and ask what is up. As long as you are respectful, courteous and calm I've never heard of someone not getting a positive result by visiting in person to inquire, but location might prevent that.

[SeirX]

I had no problems, @dacron , just in retrospect I figure I should have used different references.
I hear more stories of folks getting their licenses in a matter of weeks, instead of months, but December [granted, they cashed my cheque in January] to April seems like a long time in comparison.

Not complaining, just sharing part of my experience.

[RumbleRo]

Mine has just shown up on the system and payment has been taken from my account.

I'm in Alberta so should/could I get my reference to call the CFO now?

If so, what info. is best to have at hand?

[TheCenturion]

First you need to call the RCMP yourself and get the reference number for your references to, well, reference, when they call in to give a reference in reference to your reference number.

Keep this post for future reference.