Urgent Citizenship Processing - Do I Qualify?

[Zelda7689]

Hello!

I am hoping someone could give me clarity on urgent processing for citizenship.

So, both my parents are Canadian citizens, and we all live in the US. Recently I have been thinking about graduate school, and I found amazing programs in Canada. I would love apply and attend (if accepted), but international tuition costs an arm, and a leg, and a kidney!

Now, I am eligible to apply for citizenship through my parents, but current processing time is a year. Do I qualify for urgent processing under
needing Canadian citizenship to go to a Canadian school, college or university? Even if I have not been accepted to a program yet. Or is my best bet to apply for urgent processing due to needing citizenship to apply for a job?

 

[Seym]

That year is the processing time for the grant of citizenship.
If both your parents are canadians, odds are you're already canadian yourself and would need to request a proof of citizenship instead (a citizenship certificate), and IRCC website says it takes 5 months.

Regarding the odds stated above : Was any of your parents born in Canada ? Or is a canadian citizen by naturalization ?
If the answer if yes to any of these 2 questions, well, 5 months is fast enough I suppose

That being said, in the case you have no claim to the canadian citizenship but via naturalization (if you are a canadian PR and a minor, as you would need to spend 3 years in Canada if 18+...), I honestly feel that "it costs way more money" is not a good enough reason for an urgent processing, as you don't need actually need the canadian citizenship to attend a canadian university, just like thousands of foreign students do every year...

 

[Zelda7689]

Thanks

That year is the processing time for the grant of citizenship.
If both your parents are canadians, odds are you're already canadian yourself and would need to request a proof of citizenship instead (a citizenship certificate), and IRCC website says it takes 5 months.

Regarding the odds stated above : Was any of your parents born in Canada ? Or is a canadian citizen by naturalization ?
If the answer if yes to any of these 2 questions, well, 5 months is fast enough I suppose

That being said, in the case you have no claim to the canadian citizenship but via naturalization (if you are a canadian PR and a minor, as you would need to spend 3 years in Canada if 18+...), I honestly feel that "it costs way more money" is not a good enough reason for an urgent processing, as you don't need actually need the canadian citizenship to attend a canadian university, just like thousands of foreign students do every year...

Thanks for your reply! I will definitely will be looking into proof of citizenship instead.

I dont hold a Canadian PR. My parents moved to the US before I was born. I dont think using high tuition as a reason for urgent processing wont fly either, but out of curiosity, what qualifies for urgent processing under needing Canadian citizenship to go to a Canadian school, college or university?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Thanks


Thanks for your reply! I will definitely will be looking into proof of citizenship instead.

I dont hold a Canadian PR. My parents moved to the US before I was born. I dont think using high tuition as a reason for urgent processing wont fly either, but out of curiosity, what qualifies for urgent processing under needing Canadian citizenship to go to a Canadian school, college or university?

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply/urgently.html

 

[cheng9999]

Hello!

I am hoping someone could give me clarity on urgent processing for citizenship.

So, both my parents are Canadian citizens, and we all live in the US. Recently I have been thinking about graduate school, and I found amazing programs in Canada. I would love apply and attend (if accepted), but international tuition costs an arm, and a leg, and a kidney!

Now, I am eligible to apply for citizenship through my parents, but current processing time is a year. Do I qualify for urgent processing under
needing Canadian citizenship to go to a Canadian school, college or university? Even if I have not been accepted to a program yet. Or is my best bet to apply for urgent processing due to needing citizenship to apply for a job?

Others have stated what you need to get your proof of citizenship. According to CRA, if you fit all the criteria, then you are Canadian...getting the proof is a technicality from CRA's point of view. For many other organizations/institutions, you need actual proof in the form of a document.

Another thing you can do is check with admissions. Explain your situation/status, and how you can enroll. If you cannot enroll as a Canadian because of the lack of documentation, you can find out whether you may apply/enroll as a foreign student, but once you have proof that you are actually a Canadian citizen and qualify for the lower level of fees, whether you can get a refund on the excess already paid...the rationale is that you should not be charged higher fees to begin with as you are Canadian already (vs someone who got citizenship via naturalization), but only lack the proof at the time...they point is, your situation is that you are Canadian already, just lack the proof.

 

[Zelda7689]

Others have stated what you need to get your proof of citizenship. According to CRA, if you fit all the criteria, then you are Canadian...getting the proof is a technicality from CRA's point of view. For many other organizations/institutions, you need actual proof in the form of a document.

Another thing you can do is check with admissions. Explain your situation/status, and how you can enroll. If you cannot enroll as a Canadian because of the lack of documentation, you can find out whether you may apply/enroll as a foreign student, but once you have proof that you are actually a Canadian citizen and qualify for the lower level of fees, whether you can get a refund on the excess already paid...the rationale is that you should not be charged higher fees to begin with as you are Canadian already (vs someone who got citizenship via naturalization), but only lack the proof at the time...they point is, your situation is that you are Canadian already, just lack the proof.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[itsmyid]

Others have stated what you need to get your proof of citizenship. According to CRA, if you fit all the criteria, then you are Canadian...getting the proof is a technicality from CRA's point of view. For many other organizations/institutions, you need actual proof in the form of a document.

Another thing you can do is check with admissions. Explain your situation/status, and how you can enroll. If you cannot enroll as a Canadian because of the lack of documentation, you can find out whether you may apply/enroll as a foreign student, but once you have proof that you are actually a Canadian citizen and qualify for the lower level of fees, whether you can get a refund on the excess already paid...the rationale is that you should not be charged higher fees to begin with as you are Canadian already (vs someone who got citizenship via naturalization), but only lack the proof at the time...they point is, your situation is that you are Canadian already, just lack the proof.

Isn’t CRA for tax only?

 

[Joshua1]

You likely are a Canadian citizen if you…

• were born in Canada
• became a citizen because of changes to the Citizenship Act
• applied for and received your Canadian citizenship (became a naturalized citizen)
• received Canadian citizenship as a minor when a parent or legal guardian naturalized you by applying for your citizenship
• were born outside Canada and at least one of your parents was:
  • born in Canada
  • naturalized in Canada before your birth

Based on what you wrote, you are a Canadian. There's no need to contact CRA (tax agency). However, your case is not qualified for urgent processing.

The following links will assist you...

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply/urgently.html)

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility/already-citizen.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/eligibility.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0001-application-citizenship-certificate-adults-minors-proof-citizenship-section-3.html#step1

 

[Zelda7689]

You likely are a Canadian citizen if you…

• were born in Canada
• became a citizen because of changes to the Citizenship Act
• applied for and received your Canadian citizenship (became a naturalized citizen)
• received Canadian citizenship as a minor when a parent or legal guardian naturalized you by applying for your citizenship
• were born outside Canada and at least one of your parents was:
  • born in Canada
  • naturalized in Canada before your birth

Based on what you wrote, you are a Canadian. There's no need to contact CRA (tax agency). However, your case is not qualified for urgent processing.

The following links will assist you...

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply/urgently.html)

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/eligibility/already-citizen.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/eligibility.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0001-application-citizenship-certificate-adults-minors-proof-citizenship-section-3.html#step1

Thank you!

 

[cheng9999]

Isn’t CRA for tax only?

Sorry...I meant CIC

 

[dpenabill]

For the OP, what @Joshua1 highlighted in RED is a very important element: the status of one or the other parent at the time the OP was born. It appears clear that the parents were Canadian citizens at the time of the OP's birth but that has not been explicitly stated (hence the question arising about PR status).

Thus it comes down to what @Seym posted: if the OP's mother was born in Canada or became a naturalized Canadian citizen PRIOR to the OP's birth, the OP is a Canadian citizen.

OR, if the OP's father was born in Canada or became a naturalized Canadian citizen PRIOR to the OP's birth, the OP is a Canadian citizen.

BTW: If the answer to both these questions is NO, while there may be some other scenario in which the OP is a citizen, is most likely that the OP is not a citizen and of course would have NO urgent or expedited path to citizenship available but would have to pursue obtaining PR status first.

Sorry...I meant CIC

I am guessing you actually meant "IRCC."