MP said my application has become non-routine after CIT 0520......
Just by virtue of having received CIT 0520? I assumed my application was non-routine as well when I got the form.
The label "
non-routine" means very, very little. In itself is has ZERO effect on the processing of the application other than it means the "
routine" processing timelines no longer apply. But the routine processing timelines do not mean much either, other than they are very general, vague and unenforced guidelines, giving applicants some indistinct sense of how long most applications have been taking.
The label "
non-routine" only means the application has been subject to some procedure outside those done in the mainstream process. (See exception re PI interviews below.) Even a Fingerprint request makes the application non-routine.
What matters is the particular non-routine procedure. FP requests have minimal impact on processing timelines for most of those who get this (noting that for some, however, the FP request is about more than verifying identity and may have been triggered by concerns which could have a big impact on the timeline; if the FP request was triggered by security concerns, for example, that could mean rather lengthy delays). RQ-related non-routine processing, including the CIT 0520, will generally slow processing by at least a couple to four months, but the actual impact in the particular case will vary greatly, depending on the nature of concerns IRCC has and the scope of the RQ-related processing; so the impact can range from just a couple months longer timeline to many months, or even years (such as an application involving full-blown RQ and a presence-case that ends up going to a hearing with a Citizenship Judge).
In the meantime, unfortunately IRCC appears to largely employ the label to divert questions about why a case is taking so long, it for sure being one of their most common responses to perceived "
are we there yet?" inquiries (blaming Covid and all applications are encountering some delays is another of the
go-to-don't-bother-us-about-your-processing-time-delay responses).
Exception re PI interviews: Even though not all applicants are required to participate in a PI interview, being scheduled for an interview does not mean the application is labeled non-routine. The PI interview is part of the routine process; the regulations and operational guidelines call for all adult applicants to be interviewed; and prior to measures taken in response to Covid, all adult applicants were interviewed. It is not clear that IRCC will fully resume the interview for all applicants, but it is likely to continue to be part of routine processing even if applied selectively rather than to all. That said, for most of those affected, being scheduled for the interview will result in a longer processing time . . . so it might as well be labeled "
non-routine;" for most, unless the interview is followed by other non-routine procedures, being required to participate in an interview should have a minimal impact on the overall timeline, comparable perhaps to the FP request.