Requested to take the oath from outside of Canada and 6 months later, still waiting to be rescheduled. What can I do to finalize the process?

[bwrxejlb]

I was scheduled to take the oath with an in-person ceremony on 2023-08-15. I had family and job commitments which made it difficult for me to travel to Canada for the ceremony. Reading the information in this thread, I got the impression that it was possible to take the oath from outside of Canada and hence, I applied for a request to take the oath from outside of Canada.

Just like the thread mentioned, the first reply that I've received on 2023-08-11 was the following:

Hello,

As of recently, applicants requesting to take the Oath Outside Canada do not need special permission. You are approved to take the Oath Outside Canada. Please inform the check in clerk during your Ceremony where you are taking the Oath from and whether you would like an E-Certificate or Paper Certificate.

Regards,

Citizenship Team

Shortly after this, I received another reply, which stated:

Hello,

As you are scheduled for an In person Ceremony, you will be re-scheduled for a Virtual Ceremony at a later date. Apologies for the previous email.

Regards,

Citizenship Team

Since then, I've been waiting to be rescheduled for a video ceremony. I'm just being told that my my request to take the oath overseas is under review and that I will be contacted by IRCC in due course.

Finally, on 2023-12-29, I received the following e-mail:

Thank you for your enquiry about taking the oath of citizenship by video oath ceremony from outside of Canada.

These requests are being considered as exceptional cases, and in the event that your request is approved, it is important for you to know that:

• You will be asked to destroy your Permanent Resident Card during the ceremony.
• You have a choice of receiving either a paper citizenship certificate or an electronic citizenship certificate. Please note the following before making your decision:
  • Paper certificates: It may take up to 6 months for you to receive your paper certificate after the ceremony as your certificate will be sent to the Canadian Mission closest to you. (excludes clients in the USA).
  • Electronic certificates: E-certificates are available for download in the portal 2 to 5 business days after the ceremony and after you have emailed your signed Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship Form.
• Wait to receive your citizenship certificate, before applying for your Canadian passport. You will need either your paper certificate or a printed version of your e-certificate to apply for your passport.
• For Canadian citizens, including dual Canadian citizens, you must present an acceptable travel document that shows that you are a Canadian to enter Canada. This means you need a valid Canadian passport (or a Canadian travel document issued in urgent situations) to allow airline check-in staff and border officials to confirm that you are Canadian.
• Depending on the laws and regulations of your current country of citizenship or the country where you are presently living, there may be some complexities should you become a dual national abroad (i.e. access to Canadian consular services, travel requirements, etc.). Note that you may not have proof of Canadian citizenship for 6 months. Recommend that you confirm whether any complexities exist before considering to take the oath outside of Canada.

Should you still wish to pursue this request, please reply to this email acknowledging the points above and tell us

• your present circumstances
• reasons for your request to take the oath from outside of Canada.
• date you were last in Canada
• your choice of citizenship certificate

When possible, do not hesitate to provide supporting documentation, if you wish.

On the same day, I replied to them that I acknowledge the points above and provided the requested information.

I'm still waiting to be scheduled for a ceremony.

What can I do to speed up the process?

 

[scylla]

I was scheduled to take the oath with an in-person ceremony on 2023-08-15. I had family and job commitments which made it difficult for me to travel to Canada for the ceremony. Reading the information in this thread, I got the impression that it was possible to take the oath from outside of Canada and hence, I applied for a request to take the oath from outside of Canada.

Just like the thread mentioned, the first reply that I've received on 2023-08-11 was the following:


Shortly after this, I received another reply, which stated:


Since then, I've been waiting to be rescheduled for a video ceremony. I'm just being told that my my request to take the oath overseas is under review and that I will be contacted by IRCC in due course.

Finally, on 2023-12-29, I received the following e-mail:


On the same day, I replied to them that I acknowledge the points above and provided the requested information.

I'm still waiting to be scheduled for a ceremony.

What can I do to speed up the process?

So experiences on this forum is that IRCC is not approving oaths outside of Canada. There have been rumors of one or two approvals and maybe one substantiated. But you should assume it's not going to happen. Notify IRCC once you are physically back in Canada and let them know that you are available to take the oath from within Canada.

 

[bwrxejlb]

So experiences on this forum is that IRCC is not approving oaths outside of Canada. There have been rumors of one or two approvals and maybe one substantiated. But you should assume it's not going to happen. Notify IRCC once you are physically back in Canada and let them know that you are available to take the oath from within Canada.

I don't know when I will be back in Canada. I moved back to my country of origin to live with my family due to family related circumstances and I will likely continue living here unless the circumstances change. So, if it won't be possible to take the oath from outside Canada, I am willing take it from within Canada but I need to be given the date for the ceremony before I travel to Canada, since I'm currently not living in Canada.

Are there any examples like this? Or do I have to move back to Canada to get a new oath date if I'm not allowed to take the oath from outside Canada?

Also, how about the first reply that I've received from IRCC? The one that they tell me that applicants requesting to take the Oath Outside Canada do not need special permission? So from that reply, I understand that if I was initially scheduled for a video ceremony, instead of an in-person ceremony, I would already be a Canadian citizen by now, since it states that I was approved to take the oath from outside of Canada. This tells me that it should be possible for them to schedule me for an overseas ceremony.

 

[scylla]

I don't know when I will be back in Canada. I moved back to my country of origin to live with my family due to family related circumstances and I will likely continue living here unless the circumstances change. So, if it won't be possible to take the oath from outside Canada, I am willing take it from within Canada but I need to be given the date for the ceremony before I travel to Canada, since I'm currently not living in Canada.

Are there any examples like this? Or do I have to move back to Canada to get a new oath date if I'm not allowed to take the oath from outside Canada?

Also, how about the first reply that I've received from IRCC? The one that they tell me that applicants requesting to take the Oath Outside Canada do not need special permission? So from that reply, I understand that if I was initially scheduled for a video ceremony, instead of an in-person ceremony, I would already be a Canadian citizen by now, since it states that I was approved to take the oath from outside of Canada. This tells me that it should be possible for them to schedule me for an overseas ceremony.

Discussions on this topic are in the Citizenship section of the forum. You will need to look for the thread with the subject of taking the oath outside of Canada.

Lots of people have done or are doing video ceremonies but the video ceremony still requires you to be physically in Canada.

 

[bwrxejlb]

Discussions on this topic are in the Citizenship section of the forum. You will need to look for the thread with the subject of taking the oath outside of Canada.

Lots of people have done or are doing video ceremonies but the video ceremony still requires you to be physically in Canada.

This is the citizenship section if I'm not mistaken, right? I did but didn't find any information about people whose requests to take the oath from outside Canada have been rejected.

The most confusing thing is that they initially told me that I was approved to take it from outside Canada but now they are telling me that my request is under review, which is taking forever. It has already been 6 months and I don't know how much more it will take, this is the worst part.

 

[scylla]

This is the citizenship section if I'm not mistaken, right? I did but didn't find any information about people whose requests to take the oath from outside Canada have been rejected.

The most confusing thing is that they initially told me that I was approved to take it from outside Canada but now they are telling me that my request is under review, which is taking forever. It has already been 6 months and I don't know how much more it will take, this is the worst part.

Yes, that is the citizenship section. There are definitely discussions there on taking the oath outside of Canada but they may be several pages back now. Makes a lot more sense to post your questions to that section vs here.

 

[bwrxejlb]

Yes, that is the citizenship section. There are definitely discussions there on taking the oath outside of Canada but they may be several pages back now. Makes a lot more sense to post your questions to that section vs here.

Thank you. I will create a post there with my questions.

 

[awaisf430]

I am in the same predicament. They said you have to be in Canada, or submit a request from outside Canada, but it can take 2 months to approve. Mostly its rejected.

Were you able to get approved to take the oath from outside?

 

[bwrxejlb]

I am in the same predicament. They said you have to be in Canada, or submit a request from outside Canada, but it can take 2 months to approve. Mostly its rejected.

Were you able to get approved to take the oath from outside?

Nope. Last thing is I told them that I'm willing and able to take the oath from Canada (since I have no faith that they will allow me to take it from outside Canada anymore, it's been 6 months since I requested it initially) but they haven't replied so far.

I just regret it so much that I've ever requested an overseas oath and not just travelled to Canada to take the oath. Seeing people saying that they now allow it, plus the IRCC agent itself saying that they now allow it made me believe that it is a possibility but I didn't think it would be like this.

I'm going to send an email to my MP on Monday and if there are still no updates by the end of the month, I'm going to start consulting to an immigration lawyer to get professional help. I really need the IRCC to schedule me for an oath while I'm outside of Canada, since I don't have an address in Canada anymore. If this won't be possible, I will be in a very difficult situation.

 

[canuck78]

Nope. Last thing is I told them that I'm willing and able to take the oath from Canada (since I have no faith that they will allow me to take it from outside Canada anymore, it's been 6 months since I requested it initially) but they haven't replied so far.

I just regret it so much that I've ever requested an overseas oath and not just travelled to Canada to take the oath. Seeing people saying that they now allow it, plus the IRCC agent itself saying that they now allow it made me believe that it is a possibility but I didn't think it would be like this.

I'm going to send an email to my MP on Monday and if there are still no updates by the end of the month, I'm going to start consulting to an immigration lawyer to get professional help. I really need the IRCC to schedule me for an oath while I'm outside of Canada, since I don't have an address in Canada anymore. If this won't be possible, I will be in a very difficult situation.

The MP can’t schedule your citizenship oath so it is pointless to contact them or really a lawyer at this point. It looks like you have only recently indicated that you no longer want to be considered for oath ceremony from abroad so you likely have just recently joined a waitlist to be scheduled to upcoming oaths. The time waiting to be considered for oath from abroad doesn’t mean you skip to the front of the line. In general Canada isn’t going to make it extremely easy for people who have left Canada to come from abroad for the oath. They typically give at least a few weeks notice but not usually months in advance in order to book your flight.

 

[bwrxejlb]

The MP can’t schedule your citizenship oath so it is pointless to contact them or really a lawyer at this point. It looks like you have only recently indicated that you no longer want to be considered for oath ceremony from abroad so you likely have just recently joined a waitlist to be scheduled to upcoming oaths. The time waiting to be considered for oath from abroad doesn’t mean you skip to the front of the line. In general Canada isn’t going to make it extremely easy for people who have left Canada to come from abroad for the oath. They typically give at least a few weeks notice but not usually months in advance in order to book your flight.

Not even a few weeks. They say at least a week and that's exactly how much notice they gave me the last time. But it's enough.

 

[canuck78]

Not even a few weeks. They say at least a week and that's exactly how much notice they gave me the last time. But it's enough.

The system was not designed for applicants who have already moved abroad when applying for citizenship. The system was designed for applicants to be living in Canada while applying for citizenship. Nobody could have imagined the volume of applicants who are applying for citizenship while having already left Canada. Most Canadians would be shocked to discover that you do not have been living in Canada to get citizenship. All you can do is ask for potentially more notice but given that you can only reschedule once you will likely have to beat the bullet and be prepared to return to Canada without much notice because you only have two opportunity to refuse and ask for another oath date.

 

[Andy2109]

Just sharing my experience here. My wife was scheduled for oath on Jan 15. Unfortunately her father passed away on Jan 11 and she went to India. She tried appearing for the oath from India virtually and explained the situation to the Immigration official but she was denied. Adding to the misery, she lost her bag with Indian passport and Canadian PR Card so she was stuck in India with no documents to even come back to Canada. She wrote to CIC but got the standard response that bwrxejlb has pasted above. She explained the situation and shared her father's death certificate along with copy of police report stating that she lost her passport and Canadian PR card. No response from CIC. Thankfully she applied & got her Indian passport in 2 weeks within India and applied for her Canadian PR card online and also got it in 2 weeks with urgency request. There is lot of uncertainty around taking oath from outside Canada and the wait could be really very long and again no assurance of a positive response. So better plan travel and land in Canada to take oath.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Nope. Last thing is I told them that I'm willing and able to take the oath from Canada (since I have no faith that they will allow me to take it from outside Canada anymore, it's been 6 months since I requested it initially) but they haven't replied so far.

I just regret it so much that I've ever requested an overseas oath and not just travelled to Canada to take the oath. Seeing people saying that they now allow it, plus the IRCC agent itself saying that they now allow it made me believe that it is a possibility but I didn't think it would be like this.

I'm going to send an email to my MP on Monday and if there are still no updates by the end of the month, I'm going to start consulting to an immigration lawyer to get professional help. I really need the IRCC to schedule me for an oath while I'm outside of Canada, since I don't have an address in Canada anymore. If this won't be possible, I will be in a very difficult situation.

I’m positive the MP will get right on it

 

[foodie69]

If you cannot commit to Canada on your day of oath, you shouldn't get it at all. Simple.