October 2019 - Citizenship Applicants

[natashagils]

Hey folks,
Can we have five of us to gather together and submit a petition to the House of Common to request a target date to have our application finalized? See all the info here https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Home/About and let me know. We will need 500 signatures if our e-petition gets approved and sponsored by a MP.

Count me in

 

[CaBeaver]

Applied Oct 2, 2019. Everything complete but the oath ceremony, which hasn't been scheduled yet. I've exhausted all my options: called my MP multiple times, messaged the media, CIC... nothing! My PR card expires this year and I don't know anymore what to do.

When was your DM?

 

[natashagils]

When was your DM?

No official DM made yet (at least it's not visible on the portal) but everything else marked as complete. Citizenship ceremony pending.
Here's my timeline:

1. Oct 2, 2019 : application received
2. Nov 7, 1019: Background verification complete
3. Jan 13, 2020: Citizenship test in progress
4. Jan 24, 2020: Scheduled for citizenship test (Feb 7)
5. Feb 7, 2020: Citizenship test complete
6. Feb 7, 2020: Prohibitions & language skills complete
7. Jan 6, 2022: Physical presence complete

No communication between Feb 7, 2020 to date

 

[CaBeaver]

No official DM made yet (at least it's not visible on the portal) but everything else marked as complete. Citizenship ceremony pending.
Here's my timeline:

1. Oct 2, 2019 : application received
2. Nov 7, 1019: Background verification complete
3. Jan 13, 2020: Citizenship test in progress
4. Jan 24, 2020: Scheduled for citizenship test (Feb 7)
5. Feb 7, 2020: Citizenship test complete
6. Feb 7, 2020: Prohibitions & language skills complete
7. Jan 6, 2022: Physical presence complete

No communication between Feb 7, 2020 to date

This is DM, if you go to ecas, you will find Decision Made on your citizenship application. On the new tracker the file remains in progress until after the oath, when it's closed. I suspect they will schedule you to the oath soon because your file has been in progress for a long time, but wow, 2 years for the physical presence to be completed?! WTF? You could have finished before the pandemic started

 

[natashagils]

This is DM, if you go to ecas, you will find Decision Made on your citizenship application. On the new tracker the file remains in progress until after the oath, when it's closed. I suspect they will schedule you to the oath soon because your file has been in progress for a long time, but wow, 2 years for the physical presence to be completed?! WTF? You could have finished before the pandemic started

Ah yes, I forgot about the ecas - decision made there. And ikr?!? I couldbe been done in Feb/March '20 but then covid, followed my whatever latest excuse they claim they were busy with (Afghanistan, Syria, etc etc)

 

[TD 2019]

Check you promotions email always because the ceremony invitation sometimes jump there.
I hope your journey finished ASAP.
Good luck.

 

[natashagils]

sent the below e-mail to the Minister of IRCC (sean.fraser@parl.gc.ca), and Cc: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca, erin.otoole@parl.gc.ca, JasrajSingh.Hallan@parl.gc.ca and local MP.

Although, it is just another e-mail, hopefully it grabs the curiosity and attention of any of the recipients. Fingers crossed
Sorry folks, I was very frustrated with these long wait when I wrote this and sent it. Just wanted to share it with y'all.

THE HONOURABLE SEAN FRASER
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND CITIZENSHIP CANADA
HOUSE OF COMMONS
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA K1A 0A6

Subject: Escalation of delays in processing Applications for Canadian Citizenship from 2019 by the IRCC Scarborough office


Dear H. Sean Fraser,

This e-mail is to address and escalate the massive backlog and huge delay in processing of Applications for Canadian Citizenship received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in 2019.

Thousands of of 2019 applicants are still waiting for IRCC Scarborough Office to star assessing and processing their applications for Canadian citizenship, and to hear a clear answer from your department on when these applications will be finalized. Browsing on the internet, we have founds several social media groups where applications submitted to IRCC in 2020 and 2021 are being processed and finalized in a faster way than the ones received by IRCC in 2019.

What is causing this delay? The COVID-19 outbreak should no longer be an excuse as this situation has become our new reality and normal for the past three calendar years. In the same way as the workforce in the private sector has evolved and adapted to this global pandemic, I assume that this government department has put in place similar tactics to keep processing applications of any kind during these challenging times. How much longer applicants need to wait to get a final decision on these applications? The wait has been over two years. Is IRCC not processing applications on a “First come, First served basis”? Please clarify.

Please keep in mind that applicants are taxpayers and contributors to the Canadian economy, too. Although, grant of Canadian citizenship is a privilege, taxpayers have the right of freedom of speech, and to make sure that their applications are processed with fairness, equality and in timely manner by government departments and agencies.

According to IRCC's last update for grant of citizenship posted on their website, IRCC offices across Canada are finalizing most applications received between September 15 and 21, 2019. If so, what is holding the remainder of the applications submitted to IRCC in early and mid 2019? Why is IRCC Scarborough office not processing any of these, yet? IRCC already charged for a service that as of today is still not being delivered to the taxpayers.

A detailed answer with a committed deadline would be greatly appreciated to provide peace of mind and to improve the mental health of the applicants.

Respectfully,
YOUR NAME HERE
YOUR ADDRESS HERE

Cc:
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada,
The Honourable Erin O'Toole, Leader of the Official Opposition,
Jasraj Singh Hallan, Member of Parliment and Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

I just sent the same email. Thank you for this!

 

[Triet]

No official DM made yet (at least it's not visible on the portal) but everything else marked as complete. Citizenship ceremony pending.
Here's my timeline:

1. Oct 2, 2019 : application received
2. Nov 7, 1019: Background verification complete
3. Jan 13, 2020: Citizenship test in progress
4. Jan 24, 2020: Scheduled for citizenship test (Feb 7)
5. Feb 7, 2020: Citizenship test complete
6. Feb 7, 2020: Prohibitions & language skills complete
7. Jan 6, 2022: Physical presence complete

No communication between Feb 7, 2020 to date

Oct 8, 2019
Application filed
Nov 8, 2019
Background verification activity status updated
Dec 14, 2020
Scheduled for citizenship test
May 26, 2021
Citizenship test activity status updated
Sep 27, 2021
Language skills activity status updated
Sep 27, 2021
Prohibitions activity status updated
Sep 27, 2021
Physical presence activity status updated

Decision made, but im so frustrated to see other 2020 and 2021 threads getting their oath while us 2019 keep waitting, this is how IRCC work

 

[Macarad]

No official DM made yet (at least it's not visible on the portal) but everything else marked as complete. Citizenship ceremony pending.
Here's my timeline:

1. Oct 2, 2019 : application received
2. Nov 7, 1019: Background verification complete
3. Jan 13, 2020: Citizenship test in progress
4. Jan 24, 2020: Scheduled for citizenship test (Feb 7)
5. Feb 7, 2020: Citizenship test complete
6. Feb 7, 2020: Prohibitions & language skills complete
7. Jan 6, 2022: Physical presence complete

No communication between Feb 7, 2020 to date

Woah... your application was moving super fast at the beginning!!
I think it is possible that your prohibitions check expired a few weeks ago and has to be updated. This could explain a potential delay in your oath ceremony. But I agree that it should not be very long for you now.

all the best

 

[CaBeaver]

Woah... your application was moving super fast at the beginning!!
I think it is possible that your prohibitions check expired a few weeks ago and has to be updated. This could explain a potential delay in your oath ceremony. But I agree that it should not be very long for you now.

all the best

The delay was on the physical presence. I wonder if they got RQ

 

[Macarad]

The delay was on the physical presence. I wonder if they got RQ

Stupid physical presence....

This is why many countries require "years of residence" with a given number of absences permitted each year when processing citizenship requests. That way you are not counting the individual days and having to justify individual stamps or demonstrate that you have never been to Hong Kong hehe.

 

[Cloud83]

UPDATE
Application Returned: December 9th, 2019
Resubmission: December 16th, 2019
App Delivered: December 19th, 2019
AOR: February 21, 2020
Processing: February 27, 2020



Mar 10, 2020 Fingerprints required
Jul 23, 2021 citizenship test invite
Aug 16, 2021 Citizenship test
Aug 24, 2021 Fingerprints required
Apr 5, 2022 Interview
(got a request for documents during the interview and then after receiving said documents got an email from the interviewer saying they were approving the application... Will further update with official DM, and other dates later)

 

[natashagils]

The delay was on the physical presence. I wonder if they got RQ

I think they just forgot about my file (and I'd send in a pretty bulky one with all sorts of proof that I was in the country 3+ years prior to my application). I was just doing my due diligence (or so I thought). But then covid happened and they put my file aside and then literally forgot all about it. Because in no normal circumstance would it have taken 2 years to validate my physical presence - esp when I provided them all documentation

 

[CaBeaver]

I think they just forgot about my file (and I'd send in a pretty bulky one with all sorts of proof that I was in the country 3+ years prior to my application). I was just doing my due diligence (or so I thought). But then covid happened and they put my file aside and then literally forgot all about it. Because in no normal circumstance would it have taken 2 years to validate my physical presence - esp when I provided them all documentation

It's possible. IRCC is known for their disorganization. Someone waited 2 years for the oath. They were scheduled the first time just before the pandemic (Jan 2020), and rescheduled it, and just recently was rescheduled by IRCC. The frustrating thing is that no one can touch IRCC and influence them. Just recently a news report was published on IRCC's conduct, and many MPs and immigration lawyers said it's difficult to get hold of IRCC affairs and conduct. The report was focusing on racism and how employees biases are contributing to the backlog by intentionally delaying applications.

 

[Rebotman]

Hello folks,
Today my application just got updated with today's date but I do not see any changes. Still waiting for oath ceremony invite/update.

What does this update mean without any changes on file. Kindly share your experience/guidance. Thank you!