April 2021 - Citizenship applications

[cococly]

I checked my GCMS notes, and it appeared that my application is being processed by Montreal Office.

I passed the citizenship test in Nov 2021. The waiting game is excruciating.... AND my PR card is expiring in about 6 months...

If I send IRCC webform to ask them for the latest status of my application, do you think they would reply at all?

• Your application has exceeded normal processing times. We will not respond to your enquiry if the application is within normal processing times.

( IRCC auto-reply says they are handling refuges as priority)

Please kindly share your experiences with IRCC webform

 

[Melodrama]

Hey guys!

Everything changed to completed except for oath ceremony on January 27th, does anyone know how long until they send me a date? It also says decision made in ECAS.

Interesting, my status except for Oath Ceremony was changed on January 26th but ECAS is still in Progress for some reason. Looks like it varies between 5 days to 30 days to get the Oath invite based on some tracker data.

 

[Nocturno]

Need some suggestion. I am an April 2021 online applicant. I have passed my citizenship test in December 2021 from abroad. I am currently living in USA as my husband relocated to USA for his job. However, I have a temporary address in Canada that is different from my original address that I have used for my Application. I have notified the change of my address. I will be traveling back to Canada for few days in February 2022 to get our more belongings to USA. Also need to apply for PR card as it is expiring on August. I will then have to update my living address to USA address. Is it going to be any issue if I change my address to USA address at that time ? I do not want to be in a situation where IRCC may feel that I am misrepresenting. Recently, I got an email from IRCC asking about my plan on my return date to Canada. I have not replied yet. Technically, I can come anytime to Canada for finishing any remaining process (Interview or Oath). If anyone has gone through similar situation or has expert opinion please let me know. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Hey @mrc, it is not clear from what you wrote what is your question, but it sounds like IRCC is already aware that you are not in Canada (hence, they're asking when are you planning to come back).

Why would updating your living address be misrepresentation - did you already live in the US when you submitted your application? As long as you provided accurate information as to what your living arrangements were up to and including the point at which you've submitted the application, I'd say that you are good.

I am almost in the same boat as you (minus the PR renewal concern - my card isn't expiring anytime soon). I took the citizenship test from the US, notifying IRCC accordingly. I've also already notified them of my US address sometime after that, providing a friend's address in Canada as a mailing address. I haven't received any response to that request yet.

My understanding is that we will be provided with a set date to pledge the oath in Canada, and if we can't make arrangements to be physically present in the country for that (and notify IRCC accordingly), then we'd be asked when we will be back in the country so that a new date can be scheduled. If anyone knows otherwise, please let us know. I personally plan to just wait for the oath invitation and make arrangements to go back to the country for that.

 

[hrudnick]

Hey guys!

Everything changed to completed except for oath ceremony on January 27th, does anyone know how long until they send me a date? It also says decision made in ECAS.

In my case it took me one week.

 

[bacovcin]

I got DM (everything completed except oath ceremony in the new tracker) today, Jan 31. Or my wife and I did. There haven't been any updates on my kids' trackers since AOR. Given that we're a family app, I assume that we're all DM'd together.

 

[toxarika]

Finally My BG got completed today after 2.5 months. but prohibitions is still in progress.
Everything is completed now except prohibition, any idea Please?

 

[newcitiz911]

I'm waiting since August.

am a May applicant waiting since September for my test, my BGC were completed in September too, Which office is processing your application

 

[zoozi77]

Background check marked completed today.

 

[AGENTOO7]

am a May applicant waiting since September for my test, my BGC were completed in September too, Which office is processing your application

April applicant, BG cleared in Aug. Ottawa.

 

[newcitiz911]

April applicant, BG cleared in Aug. Ottawa.

its not clear how they process the applications, but when your BGC is cleared which is the longest process, test shall fall directly after but nothing is clear, we need to wait, once we reach 12 months of processing without any progress we can submit a web form and hopefully get a reply, request GCMS notes or contact your MP

 

[npcanada]

My wife is a April 2021 applicant and she has this status since Sep 2021.

BG Verification - Completed
Language Skill - In Progress
Physical Presence - In Progress
Prohibitions - In Progress
Citizenship Test - Not Started
Citizenship Ceremony - Not Started

Requested GCMS notes but no luck.

 

[newcitiz911]

My wife is a April 2021 applicant and she has this status since Sep 2021.

BG Verification - Completed
Language Skill - In Progress
Physical Presence - In Progress
Prohibitions - In Progress
Citizenship Test - Not Started
Citizenship Ceremony - Not Started

Requested GCMS notes but no luck.

what do you mean by no luck, you didn't receive the notes yet or there were nothing useful in it

 

[AGENTOO7]

its not clear how they process the applications, but when your BGC is cleared which is the longest process, test shall fall directly after but nothing is clear, we need to wait, once we reach 12 months of processing without any progress we can submit a web form and hopefully get a reply, request GCMS notes or contact your MP

There is nothing much to think about, they are not working on our applications. Has it been any other business they would have fired the employees. Straight as arrow observations:
1. IRCC has been understaffed and under resourced for a long time before pandemic.
2. They aren't adapted to working remotely like businesses, as they have a poor accountability , unlike other government bodies. E.g., Health Canada has a cost recovery program , if they dont meet the service standard, they need to pay back some percentage of fee to applicants. Their staff are trained to meet the service standard, as they monitor their metrics.
3. Political priorities: When elections were due last September, they suddenly needed new voters that possibly can favour them, so applications were processed faster. Now UN priority of resettling refugees from Afghanistan took over so resources were allocated to that project. Aside from that, permanent residents and students are of more importance to the federal government, as they bring in money and also pay taxes income and consumption once they are here. Citizenship applicants dont add any additional value, as they are already in the tax base.
4. Toronto and Montreal, have probably been allocated more resources so possibly a bit faster processing than others.

 

[Strongfaith42]

Thank you! Just updating to share I've written and passed the test. My fingerprints were also requested on Jan 26. Thanks again

Have you submitted your fingerprints already? and congratulations on passing the test.

 

[newcitiz911]

There is nothing much to think about, they are not working on our applications. Has it been any other business they would have fired the employees. Straight as arrow observations:
1. IRCC has been understaffed and under resourced for a long time before pandemic.
2. They haven't adopted to working remotely like businesses, as they have a poor accountability , unlike other government bodies. E.g., Health Canada has a cost recovery program , if they dont meet the service standard, they need to pay back some percentage of fee to applicants. Their staff are trained to meet the service standard, as they monitor their metrics.
3. Political priorities: When elections were due last September, they suddenly needed new voters that possibly can favour them, so applications were processed faster. Now UN priority of resettling refugees from Afghanistan took over so resources were allocated to that project. Aside from that, permanent residents and students are of more importance to the federal government, as they bring in money and also pay taxes income and consumption once they are here. Citizenship applicants dont add any additional value, as they are already in the tax base.
4. Toronto and Montreal, have probably been allocated more resources so possibly a bit faster processing than others.

Am located in Montreal and my application is not moving , i dont know what to say but probably what you are saying is right. i dont know what other option we have other than waiting....
From what i saw from some posts, Montreal office is processing applications outside of Quebec, am not sure if my application is even processed in Montreal, there are applications processed in a matter of 6 to 8 months while the one from 2019 and 2020 are still waiting to be processed.