Long Delay of 30 months in Citizenship application

[INdian123]

Personally I would try at least the MP route and give it a few months first.

I can't comment on the risks of withdrawing and re-applying, really. At minimum expect it would take the usual time PLUS some time to check whatever it was the first time around. If it really was just physical presence check, that could be quick - but if it's not, you start over and may still be stuck.

Dear Friend,
I had tried to follow up on my application through the local MP office, and their IRCC ministerial channel have provided an update to the MP office about my application.
Updates received from IRCC Ministerial office ( as informed by MP office)

• IRCC noted that the application is in progress, as of December, 2024
• All assessments passed, except Residential which is in process.
• Nothing pending, nothing requested.
• With the pending verifications, this application is considered non-routine. Average timelines do not apply here.
• Verifications are required to be completed to progress further.
• Best for the applicant to wait for further instructions from the responsible office.

As the above update is from the IRCC ministerial/intermediary office, I can request MP office to contact even the actual "IRCC responsible office" , i had requested them earlier but it looks like that wasn't possible for them. How long can the "non routine" duration extend to. With already 30 months already passed, How many more months/ years is normal in non routine is something I am unable to know from anywhere on internet ... can you please advise if you know how long non routine applications can take ( how many years i mean usually) and what else can be done.

The responsible office is IRCC Mississauga.




Thank you

 

[INdian123]

Google the writ of mandamus. There's a high chance the 1st step of the process is the last in case of a never-ending physical presence validation for someone with a very large buffer.

Dear Friend,
I had tried to follow up on my application through the local MP office, and their IRCC ministerial channel have provided an update to the MP office about my application.
Updates received from IRCC Ministerial office ( as informed by MP office)

• IRCC noted that the application is in progress, as of December, 2024
• All assessments passed, except Residential which is in process.
• Nothing pending, nothing requested.
• With the pending verifications, this application is considered non-routine. Average timelines do not apply here.
• Verifications are required to be completed to progress further.
• Best for the applicant to wait for further instructions from the responsible office.

As the above update is from the IRCC ministerial/intermediary office, I can request MP office to contact even the actual "IRCC responsible office" , i had requested them earlier but it looks like that wasn't possible for them. How long can the "non routine" duration extend to. With already 30 months already passed, How many more months/ years is normal in non routine is something I am unable to know from anywhere on internet ... can you please advise if you know how long non routine applications can take ( how many years i mean usually) and what else can be done.

The responsible office is IRCC Mississauga.



Thank you

 

[scylla]

Dear Friend,
I had tried to follow up on my application through the local MP office, and their IRCC ministerial channel have provided an update to the MP office about my application.
Updates received from IRCC Ministerial office ( as informed by MP office)

• IRCC noted that the application is in progress, as of December, 2024
• All assessments passed, except Residential which is in process.
• Nothing pending, nothing requested.
• With the pending verifications, this application is considered non-routine. Average timelines do not apply here.
• Verifications are required to be completed to progress further.
• Best for the applicant to wait for further instructions from the responsible office.

As the above update is from the IRCC ministerial/intermediary office, I can request MP office to contact even the actual "IRCC responsible office" , i had requested them earlier but it looks like that wasn't possible for them. How long can the "non routine" duration extend to. With already 30 months already passed, How many more months/ years is normal in non routine is something I am unable to know from anywhere on internet ... can you please advise if you know how long non routine applications can take ( how many years i mean usually) and what else can be done.

The responsible office is IRCC Mississauga.



Thank you

There is no standard processing time for non routine applications. So one one will be able to give you a duration and this is why you haven't been able to find anything online.

Have you considered hiring a lawyer to do mandamus and try to force IRCC to make a decision

 

[armoured]

I had tried to follow up on my application through the local MP office, and their IRCC ministerial channel have provided an update to the MP office about my application.
Updates received from IRCC Ministerial office ( as informed by MP office)

• IRCC noted that the application is in progress, as of December, 2024
• All assessments passed, except Residential which is in process.
• Nothing pending, nothing requested.
• With the pending verifications, this application is considered non-routine. Average timelines do not apply here.
• Verifications are required to be completed to progress further.
• Best for the applicant to wait for further instructions from the responsible office.

As the above update is from the IRCC ministerial/intermediary office, I can request MP office to contact even the actual "IRCC responsible office" , i had requested them earlier but it looks like that wasn't possible for them. How long can the "non routine" duration extend to. With already 30 months already passed, How many more months/ years is normal in non routine is something I am unable to know from anywhere on internet ... can you please advise if you know how long non routine applications can take ( how many years i mean usually) and what else can be done.

-Neither I nor anyone else can actually tell you how long non-routine applications can take. (Or if they did it would be some meaningless figure like 'from 1 to 10 years.')
-Have you still not received the GCMS? There is this 'workload distribution' thing, which is rather odd. Ask the MP's office to check on this. Or is that 'workforce distribution' note what was in the GCMS?
-If you received the GCMS notes, were there any notes or pages missing that fall into security exemptions? Notes that security was finished? In short, ANY note that anything was missing apart from the physical presence verification?
-I would not hesitate to go back to the MP's office and ask for them to inquire again. There are NO circumstances (that I can think of) where a file should go >12 months with no action on checking physical presence, if that is indeed the only thing missing. I wouldn't also hesitate to write the Minister direclty and complain - if there are no security issues, not touching a file to check physical presence is dereliction of duty, period.

Now a note: I don't have all the info and I'm reading between the lines. I might have missed things in the timeline, etc.

But my conclusion - much like @scylla above - this is one of the clearest cases that I've seen* (if all is accurate, which I don't know) to see a lawyer about starting the mandamus process, specifically the demand letter.

*The tricky part in mandamus is whether the delay involved is already long enough to be considered 'too long'. That's a judgment call, and lawyers with experience would have an opinion.

 

[armoured]

*The tricky part in mandamus is whether the delay involved is already long enough to be considered 'too long'. That's a judgment call, and lawyers with experience would have an opinion.

Small point, if you have the gcms notes, you should take them with you to lawyer, highlight the parts you think might be significant. An experienced lawyer will look at other parts and have their own idea of what may be significant.

Again, if it's stuck in security, lawyer will know that's the hardest nut to crack.

What country are you from?

 

[INdian123]

-Neither I nor anyone else can actually tell you how long non-routine applications can take. (Or if they did it would be some meaningless figure like 'from 1 to 10 years.')
-Have you still not received the GCMS? There is this 'workload distribution' thing, which is rather odd. Ask the MP's office to check on this. Or is that 'workforce distribution' note what was in the GCMS?
-If you received the GCMS notes, were there any notes or pages missing that fall into security exemptions? Notes that security was finished? In short, ANY note that anything was missing apart from the physical presence verification?
-I would not hesitate to go back to the MP's office and ask for them to inquire again. There are NO circumstances (that I can think of) where a file should go >12 months with no action on checking physical presence, if that is indeed the only thing missing. I wouldn't also hesitate to write the Minister direclty and complain - if there are no security issues, not touching a file to check physical presence is dereliction of duty, period.

Now a note: I don't have all the info and I'm reading between the lines. I might have missed things in the timeline, etc.

But my conclusion - much like @scylla above - this is one of the clearest cases that I've seen* (if all is accurate, which I don't know) to see a lawyer about starting the mandamus process, specifically the demand letter.

*The tricky part in mandamus is whether the delay involved is already long enough to be considered 'too long'. That's a judgment call, and lawyers with experience would have an opinion.

Thanks for your response, appreciate it much.
I have received the GCMS earlier and have reviewed it many times to see if anything other than residence is pending. Here is

In assesment summary section of GCMS notes, here is what I can see:

App status : Open
App status Reason : TFR workload re-distribution

Knowledge - Passed
Language - Passed
Residence - In progress
Intent to reside :
Adoption:
Armed Forces:
Prohibition : Passed
Security:
Criminality: Passed
hearing:
Waiver:
Final:
Misrepresentation:
Oath: Not Started
..
..
later in the GCMS notes, each of the above section is elaborated. THose that have blank status above including " Security" ,"Hearing", Misrepresentation or Adoption etc. do not have any details provided, later in the document, each section is appearing with a blank page even For instance "Adoption" type of assessment is not applicable to me, and so is its "detail" section/page blank. So is the case with even the Security, Armed forces, misrepresentation, hearing etc. their details are all blank. Whereas, the assessments that are not marked blank ( Residence, Criminality, language, Knowledge), all of these have " Created Date" which I think means that they were conducted/ carried out. Security assessment details, therefore by the virtue of being all blank in the GCMS notes ( not just above in its status, but also details later in the notes) should not be applicable to me. Were security applicable to me, a created date should have been stamped in the details section as I can best interpret.

And TFR workload re-distribution is mentioned in the GCMS notes.

I have already consulted the lawyer, but it looks like the writ of mandamus will cost me several thousand dollars, so its not an option for me as I cannot afford so much.

To sum up, my best interpretation based on the updates received from MP and GCMS notes, only residence is remaining and security is not.

As per your advise, I am thinking now of writing to the ministerial section directly, for contacting/ reminding IRCC responsible office, for ensuring human errors are not preventing the stagnancy of the application, given 30 month long duration already and inactivity in the last 14 months.

 

[INdian123]

Small point, if you have the gcms notes, you should take them with you to lawyer, highlight the parts you think might be significant. An experienced lawyer will look at other parts and have their own idea of what may be significant.

Again, if it's stuck in security, lawyer will know that's the hardest nut to crack.

What country are you from?

Thanks for your response, appreciate it much.
I have received the GCMS earlier and have reviewed it many times to see if anything other than residence is pending. Here is

In assesment summary section of GCMS notes, here is what I can see:

App status : Open
App status Reason : TFR workload re-distribution

Knowledge - Passed
Language - Passed
Residence - In progress
Intent to reside :
Adoption:
Armed Forces:
Prohibition : Passed
Security:
Criminality: Passed
hearing:
Waiver:
Final:
Misrepresentation:
Oath: Not Started
..
..
later in the GCMS notes, each of the above section is elaborated. THose that have blank status above including " Security" ,"Hearing", Misrepresentation or Adoption etc. do not have any details provided, later in the document, each section is appearing with a blank page even For instance "Adoption" type of assessment is not applicable to me, and so is its "detail" section/page blank. So is the case with even the Security, Armed forces, misrepresentation, hearing etc. their details are all blank. Whereas, the assessments that are not marked blank ( Residence, Criminality, language, Knowledge), all of these have " Created Date" which I think means that they were conducted/ carried out. Security assessment details, therefore by the virtue of being all blank in the GCMS notes ( not just above in its status, but also details later in the notes) should not be applicable to me. Were security applicable to me, a created date should have been stamped in the details section as I can best interpret.

And TFR workload re-distribution is mentioned in the GCMS notes.

I have already consulted the lawyer, but it looks like the writ of mandamus will cost me several thousand dollars, so its not an option for me as I cannot afford so much.

To sum up, my best interpretation based on the updates received from MP and GCMS notes, only residence is remaining and security is not.

As per your advise, I am thinking now of writing to the ministerial section directly, for contacting/ reminding IRCC responsible office, for ensuring human errors are not preventing the stagnancy of the application, given 30 month long duration already and inactivity in the last 14 months.

I am from India originally.

 

[armoured]

I have already consulted the lawyer, but it looks like the writ of mandamus will cost me several thousand dollars, so its not an option for me as I cannot afford so much.

I would ask around as I believe some lawyers may do the first stage (demand letter) first for a more modest sum (but still perhaps a thousand? -guessing), and only charge more if the next steps are taken (i.e. you can pause it there if it gets no results). Shop around.

To sum up, my best interpretation based on the updates received from MP and GCMS notes, only residence is remaining and security is not.

Okay, I have no more info, you seem to have looked into it thoroughly.

As per your advise, I am thinking now of writing to the ministerial section directly, for contacting/ reminding IRCC responsible office, for ensuring human errors are not preventing the stagnancy of the application, given 30 month long duration already and inactivity in the last 14 months.

Write to the minister directly. Given possible elections soon, i do not know if this is good timing, but it is what it is.

I am from India originally.

I was only asking here as there are some countries for which security always seems to be an issue. I don't think I'd put India in that group.

 

[INdian123]

I would ask around as I believe some lawyers may do the first stage (demand letter) first for a more modest sum (but still perhaps a thousand? -guessing), and only charge more if the next steps are taken (i.e. you can pause it there if it gets no results). Shop around.



Okay, I have no more info, you seem to have looked into it thoroughly.



Write to the minister directly. Given possible elections soon, i do not know if this is good timing, but it is what it is.



I was only asking here as there are some countries for which security always seems to be an issue. I don't think I'd put India in that group.

Thank you appreciate your feedback.