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Requesting citizenship certificate to be rushed?

supercake

Star Member
Aug 24, 2017
118
98
VANCOUVER
Hi all, does anyone have any experience with doing this recently?

My oath is this week, Jan 19th and of course when everything is finally going good in life I get some bad news. I just found out my mother is experiencing some health issues and I would like to be near her after her operation. I'm hoping to travel Feb 14th.

I am in Vancouver if that helps. I know I can get the actual passport sorted in 2-3 days but the certificate is the thing I am worried about.

If anyone can walk me through the process I would so appreciate your help.
 

chs

Hero Member
Sep 14, 2019
392
241
Quebec
Hi all, does anyone have any experience with doing this recently?

My oath is this week, Jan 19th and of course when everything is finally going good in life I get some bad news. I just found out my mother is experiencing some health issues and I would like to be near her after her operation. I'm hoping to travel Feb 14th.

I am in Vancouver if that helps. I know I can get the actual passport sorted in 2-3 days but the certificate is the thing I am worried about.

If anyone can walk me through the process I would so appreciate your help.
Call the 1-800 number and explain your situation - they might be able to expedite. You will likely need proof (such as a doctor's note or something), so be prepared to have that handy in case they ask you to send it to them.

Good luck.
 

supercake

Star Member
Aug 24, 2017
118
98
VANCOUVER
Call the 1-800 number and explain your situation - they might be able to expedite. You will likely need proof (such as a doctor's note or something), so be prepared to have that handy in case they ask you to send it to them.

Good luck.
Thank you for replying. Seems it is 50/50 chance. I can ask the clerk after my citizenship ceremony but they may ask for proof of flights etc - I do not have proof as it seems foolish to book any travel knowing I may not have my passport and they actually advised not to book anything because they cannot make any guarantees. So that leaves me thinking it is better not to book flights but ask the clerk anyway. Confusing. Hopefully the clerk will be understanding.
 

ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
Hi all, does anyone have any experience with doing this recently?

My oath is this week, Jan 19th and of course when everything is finally going good in life I get some bad news. I just found out my mother is experiencing some health issues and I would like to be near her after her operation. I'm hoping to travel Feb 14th.

I am in Vancouver if that helps. I know I can get the actual passport sorted in 2-3 days but the certificate is the thing I am worried about.

If anyone can walk me through the process I would so appreciate your help.
I'm sorry to hear about your Mum. I am in similar boat travel wise, albeit tighter timelines. Oath 24th Jan, flight Feb 9th.

I found another thread that you can ask for a rush Cert, with proof. Many flights are fully refundalbe - just a thought.

I've also made my request for a rush passport appt at Service Canada, waiting for a call back, but will be asking for early Feb and PRAYING my Citizen Certificate can be rushed and turns up prior to the passport appt.

Lets stay in comms on this!
 
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K0c4nbi3t

Hero Member
Sep 5, 2015
661
282
Thank you for replying. Seems it is 50/50 chance. I can ask the clerk after my citizenship ceremony but they may ask for proof of flights etc - I do not have proof as it seems foolish to book any travel knowing I may not have my passport and they actually advised not to book anything because they cannot make any guarantees. So that leaves me thinking it is better not to book flights but ask the clerk anyway. Confusing. Hopefully the clerk will be understanding.
I'm sorry to hear about your Mum. I am in similar boat travel wise, albeit tighter timelines. Oath 24th Jan, flight Feb 9th.

I found another thread that you can ask for a rush Cert, with proof. Many flights are fully refundalbe - just a thought.

I've also made my request for a rush passport appt at Service Canada, waiting for a call back, but will be asking for early Feb and PRAYING my Citizen Certificate can be rushed and turns up prior to the passport appt.

Lets stay in comms on this!
Why dont you reschedule your oath? it seems like impossible to request urgent process without proof. Tickets are not considered as they already said do not finalize travel plans still got passport. They will ask you once more time if you said above clerk may advise you so. Like I said citizenship you will get it just sooner or later. something is more important.
 

ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
Why dont you reschedule your oath? it seems like impossible to request urgent process without proof. Tickets are not considered as they already said do not finalize travel plans still got passport. They will ask you once more time if you said above clerk may advise you so. Like I said citizenship you will get it just sooner or later. something is more important.
My travel plans were made whilst I was (/am) PR- before my oath invite. The plan involves 16 other adults and their schedules, I will not re-arrange travel.
Tickets ARE considered proof - but they might not be proof enough, I think they will ask for reason for travelling (Celebration of Life, in my case)

I'd rather fly to US and drive over the land border if push came to shove, and I could not fly back into Canada
 

lingow

Full Member
Dec 30, 2020
38
49
I'd rather fly to US and drive over the land border if push came to shove, and I could not fly back into Canada
So, you are implying that entering Canada by land without a certificate and/or Canadian passport is either possible or at least easier than flying. I've been wondering about this myself, whether I could just drive across and try to come back to Canada with my US passport, before getting the certificate.
 

K0c4nbi3t

Hero Member
Sep 5, 2015
661
282
My travel plans were made whilst I was (/am) PR- before my oath invite. The plan involves 16 other adults and their schedules, I will not re-arrange travel. -> As I said reschedule oath not your plan. They will re-invite you later on.
Tickets ARE considered proof - but they might not be proof enough, I think they will ask for reason for travelling (Celebration of Life, in my case) if you apply for passport. Meanwhile you are not yet to receive your citizenship certificate.


I'd rather fly to US and drive over the land border if push came to shove, and I could not fly back into Canada
 

supercake

Star Member
Aug 24, 2017
118
98
VANCOUVER
Why dont you reschedule your oath? it seems like impossible to request urgent process without proof. Tickets are not considered as they already said do not finalize travel plans still got passport. They will ask you once more time if you said above clerk may advise you so. Like I said citizenship you will get it just sooner or later. something is more important.
IRCCs timeline is so all over the place I do not want to end up stuck later in the year, unable to renew my PR card because I already have DM. I have obligations to travel for my job. I've been waiting almost 2 years for this process. All they have to do is send the certification express mail so it arrives between Jan 20th and Feb 9th. That's 15 business days. It should be more than possible, they advise themselves that it is around 2 weeks however people report in this forum that they have been waiting 5 weeks and more! That is the bit I want to avoid. I do not want to be waiting 5 weeks. It takes 2 days to get a passport if you have the funds. I have the form 99% filled out and new photos taken today and signed. I just need the certificate to arrive when they advise it will.

I will continue to be patient. If I get told it isn't possible and my certificate doesn't arrive in time of course I will not leave the country. As I said, no flights have been booked because I don't want the trouble. My mother's health issue was unexpected, I just found out within the last 24 hours as did she. My oath is in 2 days. Life is really messing with me right now. I have been waiting so long for this. :(
 
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ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
So, you are implying that entering Canada by land without a certificate and/or Canadian passport is either possible or at least easier than flying. I've been wondering about this myself, whether I could just drive across and try to come back to Canada with my US passport, before getting the certificate.
I beleive it can be done, yes. I'm not confident it would be a very comfortable border interaction though - I've not tried personally and haven't found a thread (yet) with anyone else who has tried either

Returning by private vehicle
There are other documents you can use to enter the country.
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html
 

ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
IRCCs timeline is so all over the place I do not want to end up stuck later in the year, unable to renew my PR card because I already have DM. I have obligations to travel for my job. I've been waiting almost 2 years for this process. All they have to do is send the certification express mail so it arrives between Jan 20th and Feb 9th. That's 15 business days. It should be more than possible, they advise themselves that it is around 2 weeks however people report in this forum that they have been waiting 5 weeks and more! That is the bit I want to avoid. I do not want to be waiting 5 weeks. It takes 2 days to get a passport if you have the funds. I have the form 99% filled out and new photos taken today and signed. I just need the certificate to arrive when they advise it will.

I will continue to be patient. If I get told it isn't possible and my certificate doesn't arrive in time of course I will not leave the country. As I said, no flights have been booked because I don't want the trouble. My mother's health issue was unexpected, I just found out within the last 24 hours as did she. My oath is in 2 days. Life is really messing with me right now. I have been waiting so long for this. :(
Hoping for the best outcome for you! Fingers (and toes) crossed!
I hope your oath officiant rushes/expresses your Certificate for you
 

ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
Giving me something to think about - thank you. My next 10+ week no travel window isn't known though. I can't take a reschedule until May at the earliest (without faffing with other air non-US travel plans)

If US land travel is an option without CAD passport or PR card - that would open up more oath possibilities
 
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lingow

Full Member
Dec 30, 2020
38
49
Yes, there's some ambiguity whether you need one of the non-passport docs proving Canadian citizenship.

But on the other hand entering the country as a citizen is a charter right. I'd hope the worst that could happen is they'll take their sweet time verifying your information.

If you end up going via the US, please post here with your experiences!

P.S. I had to look up what "faffing" means.
 

ejg

Full Member
Jan 17, 2022
20
23
Yes, there's some ambiguity whether you need one of the non-passport docs proving Canadian citizenship.

But on the other hand entering the country as a citizen is a charter right. I'd hope the worst that could happen is they'll take their sweet time verifying your information.

If you end up going via the US, please post here with your experiences!

P.S. I had to look up what "faffing" means.
I will let you know for sure, we travel over the land border often - so the situation is likely to arise for me, sooner or later pending when I do the oath!
 
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