Oh Dear~ Could be a Longer Wait! (if that's possible....)

Rumors and updates
May 15th, 2009
The provinces I’ve heard about that aren’t confirming appointments to some agencies are:* Guangdong* Jiangxi* Beijing* Shanxi* Guizhou* Liaoning* Shandong

Some agencies are confirming appointments in these provinces with no problems. So far, I can’t find a logical reason why some are allowed to set appointments and others are not.

Five agencies have now confirmed that the CCAA is holding paperwork (referrals and in some cases TA’s) due to the swine flu. Just as many agencies have been told by the CCAA that it is business as usual and the longer period between referrals has nothing to do with the flu. Personally, I believe the first and not the latter at this point.

Two agencies have been told paperwork will be held until June, when the CCAA will look at the situation again. One agency is saying nothing will be mailed until September. The other agencies do not give a date. I tend to think that the CCAA is probably watching the situation and will begin mailing things when they think it is safe to do so.

One agency is saying that the CCAA has stopped matching. I don’t really think that is the case, and I’m mostly basing that on what happened during SARS. During SARS the CCAA kept matching, they just didn’t mail anything. When the crisis was over they mailed them out as fast as the various consulates could keep up.

As for why the CCAA isn’t making an announcement, I can make a few guesses. The first being that if they formally announce it then the press will pick up on it. I’m guessing that the media could make a nice big sensational headline out of it, so they aren’t going to give it to them.