Citizenship Certificate Pickup/Urgent mail

[MrStatic]

Hello, I'm kind of in an awkward situation. I booked a flight for December 22nd 2022 before I passed my citizenship test.

Of course, I just received information that my oath ceremony is on November 29th 2022

This means I have roughly 3 weeks after my oath ceremony to get my certificate and apply for urgent passport and physically receive my passport so I can still travel because my PR card will no longer be valid after the oath ceremony.

The passport office said with proof of travel they can process my passport and have it ready for pick up in 3 days.

The issue is I need my citizenship certificate so that I can apply for the passport. I have heard that it takes 2-4 weeks for them to mail the certificate and receive it after your oath ceremony. Obviously I do not have 4 weeks to wait for the certificate.

I am wondering if there is a way to request to pick up certificate during/after my oath. Or have it mailed express or something like that.

If anyone has done something like this please let me know the following.

1. How did you request it? Was it during the oath? Did you call or speak with someone. Did you email someone?

2. How long it took you to get your certificate after virtual oath ceremony. (Even if you didn't request an urgent mail/pickup)

Thank you

 

[iceman55]

Hello, I'm kind of in an awkward situation. I booked a flight for December 22nd 2022 before I passed my citizenship test.

Of course, I just received information that my oath ceremony is on November 29th 2022

This means I have roughly 3 weeks after my oath ceremony to get my certificate and apply for urgent passport and physically receive my passport so I can still travel because my PR card will no longer be valid after the oath ceremony.

The passport office said with proof of travel they can process my passport and have it ready for pick up in 3 days.

The issue is I need my citizenship certificate so that I can apply for the passport. I have heard that it takes 2-4 weeks for them to mail the certificate and receive it after your oath ceremony. Obviously I do not have 4 weeks to wait for the certificate.

I am wondering if there is a way to request to pick up certificate during/after my oath. Or have it mailed express or something like that.

If anyone has done something like this please let me know the following.

1. How did you request it? Was it during the oath? Did you call or speak with someone. Did you email someone?

2. How long it took you to get your certificate after virtual oath ceremony. (Even if you didn't request an urgent mail/pickup)

Thank you

I think it varies by office. What's yours?

 

[MrStatic]

I think it varies by office. What's yours?

It would be the Hamilton, Ontario location

 

[iceman55]

It would be the Hamilton, Ontario location

This is an old post from March. Yours might vary.
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/january-2021-citizenship-applicants.716000/page-130#post-10023954

You might get better answers if you can post in Hamilton or GTA threads or using the search funciton on this site or by reaching out to folks who've taken oath at the Hamilton office.

 

[xt86]

What do you mean by getting the certificate “during” the ceremony ? If your ceremony is virtual (i.e. on zoom video conference meeting) then you can’t physically receive anything during the ceremony. The only options for urgent processing are to receive it later, either by pickup or express delivery. You can try asking for that either during the ceremony, or beforehand.

 

[firstax]

Did they indicate whether your oath is Virtual or in-person? IRCC has also begun to do a few e-certificates for some selected persons. You can call to ask or send a webform if your travel is urgent.

 

[canvisa001]

What do you mean by getting the certificate “during” the ceremony ? If your ceremony is virtual (i.e. on zoom video conference meeting) then you can’t physically receive anything during the ceremony. The only options for urgent processing are to receive it later, either by pickup or express delivery. You can try asking for that either during the ceremony, or beforehand.

Not entirely correct anymore because they recently started issuing electronic citizenship certificates for online oath applicants. not everyone is getting the option while they pilot it.

 

[MrStatic]

What do you mean by getting the certificate “during” the ceremony ? If your ceremony is virtual (i.e. on zoom video conference meeting) then you can’t physically receive anything during the ceremony. The only options for urgent processing are to receive it later, either by pickup or express delivery. You can try asking for that either during the ceremony, or beforehand.

My writing wasn't clear, I meant is there a way to REQUEST it (urgent processing) during/after oath. Not actually getting the certificate.

Also as others have mentioned they are testing out the e-certificates (which you get pretty much right after oath) but unfortunately I happen to not be one of the people included as far as I am aware.

 

[MrStatic]

Did they indicate whether your oath is Virtual or in-person? IRCC has also begun to do a few e-certificates for some selected persons. You can call to ask or send a webform if your travel is urgent.

I am not sure yet technically. I only know my ceremony is on the 29th because that's what it says when I log into IRCC. It says that the email regarding the details will be sent 2-3 weeks before the ceremony.

However, their website does say that in-person ceremonies are suspended until further notice so I am assuming it is going to be virtual. (Even though I'm praying it isn't)

As for the E-certificate I am not sure when the option for it would appear if I were to be one of the people selected but as of right now I haven't gotten anything so I assume I am not involved in the pilot project.

 

[firstax]

I am not sure yet technically. I only know my ceremony is on the 29th because that's what it says when I log into IRCC. It says that the email regarding the details will be sent 2-3 weeks before the ceremony.

However, their website does say that in-person ceremonies are suspended until further notice so I am assuming it is going to be virtual. (Even though I'm praying it isn't)

As for the E-certificate I am not sure when the option for it would appear if I were to be one of the people selected but as of right now I haven't gotten anything so I assume I am not involved in the pilot project.

There have been a few in-person ceremonies. I'll say wait till you get the oath email so you know what steps to take.

 

[steaky]

I am not sure yet technically. I only know my ceremony is on the 29th because that's what it says when I log into IRCC. It says that the email regarding the details will be sent 2-3 weeks before the ceremony.

However, their website does say that in-person ceremonies are suspended until further notice so I am assuming it is going to be virtual. (Even though I'm praying it isn't)

As for the E-certificate I am not sure when the option for it would appear if I were to be one of the people selected but as of right now I haven't gotten anything so I assume I am not involved in the pilot project.

You can also try to get the passport outside Canada.

 

[xt86]

My writing wasn't clear, I meant is there a way to REQUEST it (urgent processing) during/after oath. Not actually getting the certificate.

Also as others have mentioned they are testing out the e-certificates (which you get pretty much right after oath) but unfortunately I happen to not be one of the people included as far as I am aware.

The electronic citizenship certificate is just a pilot at this point, so only offered to a small fraction of people. And probably 99% of people wouldn’t even want that, since it might not be as dependable as a physical certificate.
So let’s talk about realistic options - if your oath is virtual, then in order to get the certificate sooner, you can request urgent processing. I requested that during the ceremony registration, when talking to the IRCC officer in the zoom call. I mentioned I needed to travel for business in a few weeks, and (luckily) she accepted that and let me pick up the certificate two days later.

 

[sugaredfects]

Hello, I'm kind of in an awkward situation. I booked a flight for December 22nd 2022 before I passed my citizenship test.

Of course, I just received information that my oath ceremony is on November 29th 2022

This means I have roughly 3 weeks after my oath ceremony to get my certificate and apply for urgent passport and physically receive my passport so I can still travel because my PR card will no longer be valid after the oath ceremony.

The passport office said with proof of travel they can process my passport and have it ready for pick up in 3 days.

The issue is I need my citizenship certificate so that I can apply for the passport. I have heard that it takes 2-4 weeks for them to mail the certificate and receive it after your oath ceremony. Obviously I do not have 4 weeks to wait for the certificate.

I am wondering if there is a way to request to pick up certificate during/after my oath. Or have it mailed express or something like that.

If anyone has done something like this please let me know the following.

1. How did you request it? Was it during the oath? Did you call or speak with someone. Did you email someone?

2. How long it took you to get your certificate after virtual oath ceremony. (Even if you didn't request an urgent mail/pickup)

Thank you

We did our virtual oath on 25th and got our certificate on the 28th-hand delivered by purolator, so it is possible. If the travel is for work, you need a letter from the employer and the ticket booking. the clerk will ask before the ceremony if you have an urgent trip and ask you to send these documents with your signed oath form after the ceremony. make sure to send SAME day. Side note, the only accepted reasons for expediting is death in family or serious illness, work or school.

 

[MrStatic]

There have been a few in-person ceremonies. I'll say wait till you get the oath email so you know what steps to take.

Really? Do you know which offices had in person ceremonies so far? If it were in person it would be a blessing.

 

[MrStatic]

You can also try to get the passport outside Canada.

You mean fly out on a non-Canadian passport and then request to passport outside of Canada? That sounds risky, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk having issues coming back into the country.