Basically: you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you don't have to actually show credentials.
Applicants are required to submit proof of language ability. It is a required document on the checklist, so not including it will result in a returned app.
While the subsequent exchanges have, to some extent, clarified things, TO BE CLEAR, the observation offered by
@canuck_in_uk was accurate, to the point, and
IMPORTANT. Even the applicant with a wall full of degrees and diplomas issued by U.S. accredited educational institutions MUST nonetheless specifically include, in the application for citizenship, PROOF of language ability.
That is, it is NOT true, no where NEAR correct, to tell someone that "
you don't have to actually show credentials" for ability in one of Canada's official languages if you attended school in the U.S.
Yes,
credentials in the form of properly authenticated school records will suffice. But such credentials, such proof, MUST be submitted with the application . . . . unless, like some of us, the applicant is rather old, or these days just somewhat old (55 or older).
That is what is required just to meet the threshold for making a complete application. Failing to submit proper credentials proving ability in an official language will result in the application being returned, and thus NOT put into process (unless and until the application is resubmitted with proper documentation proving language ability).
BUT that alone is NOT SUFFICIENT to meet the applicant's burden of proof as to the language requirement.
Somewhat ironically you nail the key proof-of-language test in the rest of the post in the same sentence you dismiss it:
"There is no actual language interview, the officer gauges your knowledge of English (or French) while they interview you . . . "
Not sure what you mean by "
there is no actual language interview," but whatever that means, to be clear,
there will be an interview in either French or English. No interpreters allowed. And in that interview, as you observe "
the officer gauges your knowledge of English (or French) while they interview you . . . "
And, just to be clear, that is indeed a test of the applicant's ability in an official language. And the interviewer (who is sometimes an officer but more often a processing agent) must be satisfied the applicant has demonstrated the requisite ability in the language to meet the requirements for a grant of citizenship. A suitcase full of documents attesting to the applicant's ability in an official language will NOT help at this stage. No matter how long the applicant lived in the U.S., no matter how many schools the applicant attended in the U.S.
Thus . . . all adult applicants (unless 55 or older, and with certain other exceptions), including those from the U.S., must:
-- submit credentials proving language ability with the application, and
-- sufficiently demonstrate actual ability in an official language in the test and interview
Basically: you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you don't have to actually show credentials. The officer will see that you're from the US, the officer will speak to you at the citizenship test/interview and will clearly see that you're 100% fluent in English, and there will be no questions. When you engage with the officer they will see that you're clearly fluent and nothing further will be said about it. There is no actual language interview, the officer gauges your knowledge of English (or French) while they interview you, and being from a native English speaking country gives you an ultimate advantage.
I am a US applicant and natively speak English, and this is what happened to me. I brought a copy of my IELTS test I had laying around from a decade ago, but it was of no use. I didn't even need it, it wasn't even mentioned.
An officer will only show concern on this if you show up to the citizenship test/interview and have difficulty with communication, and even then it doesn't cancel citizenship, it just delays it basically. But as we've mentioned, this is not going to happen to you. You have a natural advantage.
Of all items, this is the LEAST to worry with.
