Virtual Oath Ceremony

[visa_4all]

Hello all,

@rajkamalmohanram
Is there any thread for the Virtual Oath Ceremony process.

I have some questions, regarding the ceremony.

1. What is the EDT (Canada) time zone. Is it Eastern Daylight Time ?
2. Can my spouse attend the ceremony together with me, or should it be separate? Does the spouse need to login on a different machine and do the process?
3. The signing of the Oath of Citizenship form — Will the officer ask us to sign the form during the ceremony. And how should we send this form? I mean, after signing it electronically, should it be submitted online or do we have to email it separately? If sending it by email, Does this need to be done at the ceremony or will they check that it is received or what is the process?
4. I read that it would take 2-4 weeks to get the certificate. Can I ask the officer to expediate sending me the certificate? Is there any option to select express delivery of the certificate by paying for express shipping?


Thank you

 

[mgnlky]

1. What is the EDT (Canada) time zone. Is it Eastern Daylight Time ? Yes
2. Can my spouse attend the ceremony together with me, or should it be separate? Does the spouse need to login on a different machine and do the process? You can log in on the same machine assuming you both have a 'seat number' (or invite) for the same oath ceremony.
3. The signing of the Oath of Citizenship form — Will the officer ask us to sign the form during the ceremony. And how should we send this form? I mean, after signing it electronically, should it be submitted online or do we have to email it separately? If sending it by email, Does this need to be done at the ceremony or will they check that it is received or what is the process? They will tell you have to do this- you can either print/sign/scan the form, or you can digitally sign it after the ceremony. You have to send it in soon after the ceremony, but not before (aka, you cannot sign the form before you swear the oath). They also will not process your certificate until this form is received.
4. I read that it would take 2-4 weeks to get the certificate. Can I ask the officer to expediate sending me the certificate? Is there any option to select express delivery of the certificate by paying for express shipping? You can ask when you send the form in. You'll need a solid rationale as to why you need urgent processing and include flight plans, etc.. Note: Mine was "urgent" and it still took 3 weeks to process and 4 to receive.

 

[UnleashedFX]

So it takes up to 1 month to issue the certificate and up to another month until you can collect your passport after they receive the certificate? Wow that unfortunately seems very slow..

 

[harirajmohan]

In today's ceremony, officer from alberta was asking on local id(apart form PR card i showed and she was not wanting current passport).
Luckily i had local health card which i renewed before moving out of Canada hence could show.

How did anyone manage this kind of situation where one has only valid PR card, valid passport and expired state driver license?
My wife doesnt have valid local id hence now confusion on how to handle this problem during her oath on 10th.
Not sure why these federal guys asking on local id and that too asking if its still valid. They cannot do their residency verification on oath day.

 

[visa_4all]

In today's ceremony, officer from alberta was asking on local id(apart form PR card i showed and she was not wanting current passport).
Luckily i had local health card which i renewed before moving out of Canada hence could show.

How did anyone manage this kind of situation where one has only valid PR card, valid passport and expired state driver license?
My wife doesnt have valid local id hence now confusion on how to handle this problem during her oath on 10th.
Not sure why these federal guys asking on local id and that too asking if its still valid. They cannot do their residency verification on oath day.

Isn't it mandatory for the applicant to be present in Canada for the oath.

Does your wife have a health card or any provential or ID like a photo card?

Thanks

 

[harirajmohan]

Is is not mandatory for the applicant to be present in Canada for the oath.

Does your wife have health card or any provential or ID like photo card.

Thanks

All applicants including children whoever receiving citizenship should be present. I didnt ask my son to be with me but officer was asking to be present while verifying the id.
My wife has both ID expired that are with photo(DL and healthcard).

 

[visa_4all]

All applicants including children whoever receiving citizenship should be present. I didnt ask my son to be with me but officer was asking to be present while verifying the id.
My wife has both ID expired that are with photo(DL and healthcard).

Sorry, no idea

 

[visa_4all]

Why don't you renew the ID. Even if it is expired card. It is valid as a photo ID, accompanied with the document that you get from the issuing authority when you renew it (I guess).

 

[visa_4all]

How many minutes before the mentioned time can we login to Zoom for the Oath on the Oath day. Can we login a day before the ceremony to check for any technical issues.

Thanks

 

[harirajmohan]

Why don't you renew the ID. Even if it is expired card. It is valid as a photo ID, accompanied with the document that you get from the issuing authority when you renew it (I guess).

We couldnt renew since we moved out.
Yes we will give it a try with expired local ID as we dont have other choice. Lets see what they say on oath day.

How many minutes before the mentioned time can we login to Zoom for the Oath on the Oath day. Can we login a day before the ceremony to check for any technical issues.

Dont login more than few mins before as they dont open the call at least after sometime of starting time. I waited for almost half an hour after official start time before i was let in the room.
So be on time 2-5 mins before the scheduled time is more than enough(being early wont be necessary).

Also we need to wait till they allow us and should not think that oath is not there. Just wait and follow their instructions. Should be fine.

 

[mgnlky]

So it takes up to 1 month to issue the certificate and up to another month until you can collect your passport after they receive the certificate? Wow that unfortunately seems very slow..

Realistically it takes longer than a month after you get the certificate to apply and receive your passport unless you request Urgent/Express processing and have a valid reason for it.

 

[mgnlky]

In today's ceremony, officer from alberta was asking on local id(apart form PR card i showed and she was not wanting current passport).
Luckily i had local health card which i renewed before moving out of Canada hence could show.

How did anyone manage this kind of situation where one has only valid PR card, valid passport and expired state driver license?
My wife doesnt have valid local id hence now confusion on how to handle this problem during her oath on 10th.
Not sure why these federal guys asking on local id and that too asking if its still valid. They cannot do their residency verification on oath day.

You're not sure why they are validating identity for something as serious as legally taking an oath?? Literally no one does anything of this magnitude without verifying ID. I work for a local govt and we won't even issue a business licence without seeing valid proper ID.

 

[harirajmohan]

You're not sure why they are validating identity for something as serious as legally taking an oath?? Literally no one does anything of this magnitude without verifying ID. I work for a local govt and we won't even issue a business licence without seeing valid proper ID.

Validating identity is not a problem. I didnt mention anything about validating the ID.
Asking only for local ID as secondary ID even though its not mandatory is the one i am talking about. List is clear that it can be foreign issued id but the officer was asking on local id.
No one is expecting to give them citizenship without verifying ID. Obtaining govt services and the citizenship privilege should be given only after verifying ID.

If i am visiting the local govt to issue me anything related to local govt then yes i expect a person to be verifying the local Id to make sure that person resides currently and established in local govt area but my issue is nothing to do with local govt and not specified legally to expect local secondary id when i provided foreign govt issued passport.

My issue is: Oath date is not to verify residency. All things should be verifying before DM and it seems that local officers are still not following the rules.

I am not surprised since they still keep on asking on residency questionnaire with documents instead of simply verifying the travel log from cbsa.

 

[waiting~]

All applicants including children whoever receiving citizenship should be present. I didnt ask my son to be with me but officer was asking to be present while verifying the id.
My wife has both ID expired that are with photo(DL and healthcard).

How old is your boy? Because I heard that the child under 14 years old need not participate the ceremony.

 

[harirajmohan]

How old is your boy? Because I heard that the child under 14 years old need not participate the ceremony.

13.
I know as i thought the same hence i was telling my wife that he doesnt need to be there and asking them not to be there. I was even planning to drop them at my friend's place. My wife was telling that we will be near by and wont go far and if they asked then we can come in.
Like my wife said, the officer was started asking where my son is since he is also taking oath. The officer said that my son needs to be here online while verifying ID. So i called my wife to bring my son and after ID verification they left.

So thinking that it may be the norm or some officers expect them to be online till ID verified.
Either case its fine as cic is anyway asking all of us to be inside while oath hence not a problem.

So if someone is taking oath for/along with the children then make sure the children is near by, just in case.