What is Commencement email and Request for Further Information (RFI)?

Commencement Email

Case Officer (CO) has opened your file to commence processing.

• Processing can happen till case is finalised.
• Processing can stop at some point so that CO can deal with other possible cases that came up
• Processing can be stopped if CO needs certain credibility checks that requires outside confirmation ie: employment checks, police/character check, medical checks and/or any other checks as per CO's discretion

Note: Getting a commencement email does NOT mean you are getting your grant. The CO can very well ask for anything afterwards, or just make you wait for 6 months after the email and then request for things that have now expired. They don't purposely drag anyone, they have placed priority on other things and have to work as per departmental instructions.

S56 : Request for Further Information (RFI) by Visa Case Officer

This can include many things:

• request for extra documentation (employment, education etc.)
• expired medical and/or police checks
• Form 80, Form 1229, Police Certificate
• request for payment of spouse Functional English (VAC2 payment)
• a mistake from a CO asking for something that has been uploaded already
• a blank s56 with no request in it
• request for docs that have 1 month left for expiration like PCCs

Note: when a blank s56 or an s56 is sent where the request is for the same thing that you already uploaded, make sure to check this thoroughly and then if need be, re-submit the same.

Hundreds of new COs have joined the DHA processing team last year, they are human, sometime they will make mistakes too. Experienced COs usually understand an applicants case and know when to use their compassion and discretion, since, with visa processing there is a grey area between right and wrong and only an experienced CO can make this decision.