Some observations, in part reminders:
For those hoping to take the oath of citizenship while abroad, there is no sign that IRCC will be facilitating this. There is no sign that the law has changed, and the law requires that 5(1) applicants take the oath IN Canada.
The Minister can authorize taking the oath while abroad for particular individuals, pursuant to a specific exception in the Regulations.
But again for those hoping to take the oath of citizenship while abroad, they should be aware
this is a SPECIAL exception, and there is little indication that the threshold for getting such special processing will be lowered much. I cannot say what the specific process is for getting authorization to take the oath abroad once an application or petition to the Registrar is properly made, whether or not for example the Registrar or some other official has been delegated to make the decision rather than the Minister personally (someone with time should make the ATI application to find out more about this), but so far the reports about applicants authorized to take the oath abroad are at most RARE. Probably a little more often than the Minister authorizes a grant of citizenship to someone who does not actually meet the grant citizenship requirements, but that is the nature of this exception.
I suppose I am something of a
party pooper here, regarding this, but for those making decisions about remaining abroad, it generally helps to have realistic rather than fantastic expectations. Some here may, after making a proper application to the Registrar, get to take the oath abroad. Most should anticipate otherwise. By the way, if anyone can find instructions for how to make a proper application for taking the oath abroad, or IRCC based-source of information about what criteria is considered, that information would of course be helpful to anyone who is abroad and who is hoping to successfully make such an application. (My impression is that among the very small number who have been able to take the oath abroad, with perhaps isolated exceptions they have had lawyers making the application for them.)
But there is also the other side of the
living-abroad-after-applying situation, as illustrated here:
For
@RoseDB this is mostly past tense, given both the return to Canada and the submission of the requested documents.
But
the document/information request itself is a reminder that the jury is still out in regards to how IRCC is handling citizenship applicants known or perceived to be living abroad after applying for citizenship. It is clear that IRCC does NOT handle all such applicants the same. Some are clearly sailing through the process with no problems. But it still appears that SOME applicants abroad are running into non-routine processing of varying degrees, some not particularly problematic, some a lot more problematic.
Some here snark and snip, call such a request comical or such, and some seem to insist IRCC is overstepping its authority, but for those paying attention to what IRCC actually says, it is clear they are asking at least SOME applicants abroad to provide specific details about WHEN they went abroad. No advanced degrees in rocket science necessary to map the trajectory of this: verification of when the applicant was IN Canada, examining evidence regarding the applicant's location and respective dates, at the least looking to see if there should be any further inquiry into whether the applicant's reported physical presence in the application is accurate and complete. IRCC is obviously interested in this information to, at the least, to help discern whether RQ-related non-routine processing needs to be done.
In the past it was easier to identify which applicants were subject to RQ-related non-routine processing, since that almost always entailed the applicant getting a RQ-request for additional documents or information. More recently there have been signs that IRCC is referring some applicants to CBSA, and its NSSD division, to conduct an investigation into the applicant's physical presence, with no requests to the applicant while that investigation is pending. That's a black hole so far as the applicant is concerned, because even just the referral is typically confidential (investigatory methods and means information), so there is no notation in the version of GCMS the applicant has access to. All the applicant knows is that nothing is happening for longer than other applicants.
It is very difficult, almost impossible, to identify which applicants abroad will run into problems, versus those who sail through smoothly. All anyone who is conscientiously considering things can genuinely offer is that it appears there continues to be increased RISKS for non-routine processing and delays for applicants known or perceived to be abroad while their application is pending. Historically there were, for sure, significantly higher risks for applicants abroad after applying. For now, as noted, the jury is still out. Since the vast majority of applications have run into delays it is very difficult to correlate processing timeline information with certain groups of applicants, like here, those abroad after applying.
