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Proof of Citizenship Tracking thread?

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
98
20
USA
Thank you *very* much for such a detailed and informative response. From my understanding in reading the checklist and how it pertains to the application I submitted, there would be no reason for Program Support...I was born in Canada in 1974 and moved to the US in 2004, she was born in the US in 2006, grandparents were Naturalized Canadians in 1969, no grandparent in foreign government employment, required certified documents sent, nothing *I* can think of that would make her application non-routine....I know there was a HUGE influx of applications this past year---guess it's just generic backlog these days.
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Then it's highly unlikely your daughter's application will be sent to program support. (Never say never, but that's the checklist they use, and if you meet the criteria without hitting "Refer to program support" then there's no reason why it should.

I think my stress is more out of "there's no way to find out any information" just because I live in the US. If I were living in Canada, there'd be more resources available to find out real-time information since I could just call the call centre....it's more stressful when there is no option to get information at all (like those who can get info over the phone), especially since I cannot even call IRCC at all, now, it seems.
Hawk39 caught a lucky break in both getting to an agent and having said agent tell him he went to program support. CIC/IRCC basically say don't call or write unless you exceed the published processing time (currently 5 months for proof of citizenship). If you go for more than five months, they say call if you're in Canada or write a letter to CPC-Sydney if you're in the US (or go to the embassy if you're in neither Canada or the United States).

I get the anxiety, I had it too even though there was nothing I could do about it. Even now I'm ordering my great-great grandfather's birth certificate from Italy (so I can get jus sanguinis Italian citizenship) and... well, bureaucracy in Italy certainly is a thing. I have no word at all. I'm basically told it usually takes 5-8 weeks and I won't hear anything until if/when an envelope with it arrives in the mail :p

On an aside, wonder what IS the reason behind that? Just that they want to cut down on calls received daily, or....? It kinda blows my mind that there's no phone support given to people on the basis that they are in another country, not really complaining in a sense, just never understood why calls from other countries aren't welcomed by IRCC at all considering people in other countries are paying the same fees with whatever application type they are submitting. Ah, just venting as an "outsider" now! ;)
The whole purpose of the phone line is to isolate applicants from the people actually doing the case work, and I guess they feel that if you're not in Canada, that you shouldn't be calling. It kind of makes sense outside of the US & Canada because most people have the embassy as a contact point, but in the case of the US these applications don't go through an embassy and the phone line should be allowed.

I also think it's an inconsistency, because you had to apply from a Canadian embassy/consulate in the past (on September 2nd, 2013 they changed the rules and applications for proof of Citizenship made from the US were sent to CPC-Sydney instead).
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
I get the anxiety, I had it too even though there was nothing I could do about it. Even now I'm ordering my great-great grandfather's birth certificate from Italy (so I can get jus sanguinis Italian citizenship) and... well, bureaucracy in Italy certainly is a thing. I have no word at all. I'm basically told it usually takes 5-8 weeks and I won't hear anything until if/when an envelope with it arrives in the mail :p
Good luck with getting the certificate sooner rather than later! I have heard from a friend of mine that dealing with the Italian government/bureaucracy is like trying to walk on water sometimes LOL

I also think it's an inconsistency, because you had to apply from a Canadian embassy/consulate in the past (on September 2nd, 2013 they changed the rules and applications for proof of Citizenship made from the US were sent to CPC-Sydney instead).
I know what you mean....I would have LOVED to have dealt with an embassy/consulate only due to the fact that original documents would have been returned to me instead of sent away.
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
685
278
Just called to see if the "backdoor" still worked. After Global Affairs Canada transferred me to IRCC, I picked 4 for citizen services, 2 to replace or obtain a citizenship certificate, then 0 to talk to an agent. Supposedly if there are a lot of people waiting in the queue, it would tell you to go to the website for more information, suggest to call back later, then hang up on you; which it did to me this time. So probably the best time to call would be early morning, maybe 8 or 9 am EST since the area code is for Ottawa.
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
Just called to see if the "backdoor" still worked. After Global Affairs Canada transferred me to IRCC, I picked 4 for citizen services, 2 to replace or obtain a citizenship certificate, then 0 to talk to an agent. Supposedly if there are a lot of people waiting in the queue, it would tell you to go to the website for more information, suggest to call back later, then hang up on you; which it did to me this time. So probably the best time to call would be early morning, maybe 8 or 9 am EST since the area code is for Ottawa.
Interesting....I called the IRCC Ottawa number direct and I picked 5 as my first option as it listed that prompt for Proof of Citizenship applicants...I'm not replacing or applying for citizenship. Which phone number did you use?
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
685
278
Interesting....I called the IRCC Ottawa number direct and I picked 5 as my first option as it listed that prompt for Proof of Citizenship applicants...I'm not replacing or applying for citizenship. Which phone number did you use?
I called Global Affairs Canada, (613) 944-4000, 1 for English then 1 for citizenship, from which I get transferred to IRCC. Technically, unless my application gets rejected, I already consider myself a Canadian-American citizen and am applying to obtain a citizenship certificate, hence my choices during the prompt menus.
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
I called Global Affairs Canada, (613) 944-4000, 1 for English then 1 for citizenship, from which I get transferred to IRCC. Technically, unless my application gets rejected, I already consider myself a Canadian-American citizen and am applying to obtain a citizenship certificate, hence my choices during the prompt menus.
Awesome---I'll try pressing option 4, then 2, this morning and see if I can get through to a live person. Thank you!
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
O
M
G

I *just* checked ECAS and is said "Decision Made" and clicked on it and it states the certificate has been mailed out :D

Now, mind you, I'll be on pins and needles until it's actually in my hands----but really really happy right now! Funny enough it didn't post the processing date at all....all of the info reads as below, hopefully this timeline will help someone else:

  1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on October 3, 2017.
  2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on November 3, 2017.
  3. We sent your citizenship certificate on January 9, 2018 to: (ADDRESS). If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.
 

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
98
20
USA
O
M
G

I *just* checked ECAS and is said "Decision Made" and clicked on it and it states the certificate has been mailed out :D

Now, mind you, I'll be on pins and needles until it's actually in my hands----but really really happy right now! Funny enough it didn't post the processing date at all....all of the info reads as below, hopefully this timeline will help someone else:

  1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on October 3, 2017.
  2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on November 3, 2017.
  3. We sent your citizenship certificate on January 9, 2018 to: (ADDRESS). If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.
Congrats. You'll probably see it in about a week. My certificate was mailed on August 30th and I had it in hand on September 9th (10 days total / 7 business days). The delivery standard for Canada Post regular mail sent to the United States is 4-6 business days, but that isn't guaranteed.

Also, if I remember correctly, you sent your original birth certificate in with your daughter's application... you should work on getting a new one from Ontario. You'd be surprised how the need sneaks up on you when you haven't needed to pull the thing out for years and all of the sudden you need it...
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
Congrats. You'll probably see it in about a week. My certificate was mailed on August 30th and I had it in hand on September 9th (10 days total / 7 business days). The delivery standard for Canada Post regular mail sent to the United States is 4-6 business days, but that isn't guaranteed.

Also, if I remember correctly, you sent your original birth certificate in with your daughter's application... you should work on getting a new one from Ontario. You'd be surprised how the need sneaks up on you when you haven't needed to pull the thing out for years and all of the sudden you need it...
Yes, I did...well it was an old certified extract ordered in the very early 80s, but the only copy I had other than the plastic birth cards---will work on getting a new one from Ontario shortly.
 

erica14

Star Member
Oct 23, 2017
55
10
O
M
G

I *just* checked ECAS and is said "Decision Made" and clicked on it and it states the certificate has been mailed out :D

Now, mind you, I'll be on pins and needles until it's actually in my hands----but really really happy right now! Funny enough it didn't post the processing date at all....all of the info reads as below, hopefully this timeline will help someone else:

  1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on October 3, 2017.
  2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on November 3, 2017.
  3. We sent your citizenship certificate on January 9, 2018 to: (ADDRESS). If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.
congrats! maybe i just really need to wait.
 

Going through

Star Member
Jul 30, 2017
69
7
Updating----

Received the certificate yesterday in the mail---and, to my absolute delight----also got back the certified birth certificates (hers and mine) that I sent :D