Citizenship certificate processing times after attending virtual ceremony - what's going on?

[jgarza321]

Hi all,

I'm so grateful to be part of this community and I hope someone could guide me on this situation. I'm a bit worried because I attended the Montreal virtual ceremony on February 7 2022 and I've been waiting since then to receive my citizenship certificate. I submitted the form that we are asked to sign on the same day and I noticed that my online application status changed to closed on February 11. I also notified the Immigration agent about my change of address during the Zoom call and by email when I submitted the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form. I've been in touch with my former landlord and he said he has not received any correspondence from IRCC. I tried calling IRCC several times but the call is always dropped by their system. I've tried calling at different times of the day in different days of the week and it's always the same result... all of their agents are busy... I also contacted IRCC through the web form and the citizenship ceremony email address but I have not received a response.

This is beyond frustrating. I don't understand why it takes so long to simply print and mail a document as important as the citizenship certificate. My father was diagnosed with cancer 1 week after the ceremony took place and now I really need to get the certificate in order to obtain a passport and travel to take care of him. Waiting for this certificate has been such a long process, I can't imagine how long it will take me to apply for a passport...

I'm seeing online that most people receive their certificates within two weeks. Is my timeline normal? Could there be something wrong? What would you suggest me to do if I'm unable to call IRCC and I haven't received a written response from them?

 

[CaBeaver]

What did you ask them in your email? I wouldn't mention anything except if they sent out the certificate, and if yes, when. Did you do that? Hopefully they'll let you know. It's hasn't been technically 6 weeks, but it's close to it. If they sent it out from Montreal and you are based in Montreal it should arrive in days. If you live in another province it may take longer. Someone received it after a month from its dispatch date.

 

[jgarza321]

Thanks! This is very helpful! I kept it simple: I said that I attended the virtual ceremony on Feb 7. Then I said that I submitted the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form on the same day with my new mailing address and I have not received the citizenship certificate yet. I didn't ask if they sent out the certificate... that's an excellent question. Hopefully, I'll still be able to hear back from them.

 

[vnexpress]

Dear Minister Fraser,



I write to express my concerns about the delay in dispatching citizenship certificates to applicants who have completed virtual citizenship oath ceremonies across the domestic offices in Canada.



The expected timeline stated in the oath instruction letter is 2-4 weeks after oath taking. However, there are more and more people having to wait anxiously for longer, especially from the Calgary region. Some even waited for months, having to contact MPs, being stressed out before they got the paper that they are entitled to receive right after becoming citizens.



Back then when citizenship ceremonies were hosted in-person at IRCC local offices, people would receive their certificates right after taking the oath. Within 24 hours, they were able to apply for a Canadian passport and have access to freedom of travel available to all Canadian citizens. Now after the ceremony has moved into virtual format, the wait time plus postal delay is much longer. New citizens are required to cut their PR cards at the event, yet until the physical certificate is in hand, they are not provided with any means to travel outside of Canada if an urgent travel warrants. This adds another layer of stress after an awfully long delay for citizenship processing due to COVID. On the legal side, I wonder if limiting the freedom of travel of citizens substantially due to your department’s administrative delay, is unconstitutional.



So here is my suggestion:



1. Please work with your local offices to make sure certificates are prepared in advance, and can be mailed out right after the Oath ceremonies without delay. There is no reason it has to be processed in 2-4 weeks when people have already become citizens. Some offices may be understaffed due to the pandemic restrictions but this is a task that cannot be avoided



2. Please explore options to digitize citizenship certificates, meaning to send the confirmation of citizenship by email and people should be able to apply for a passport with that confirmation or a digital proof of their citizenship. Passport Canada is a federal program managed by IRCC and I do not see why the two systems cannot communicate to each other. I do not understand why passport applications MUST come with the original citizenship certificate. There are ways for you to check and you certainly do not rely on a piece of paper to confirm one’s citizenship. So why bother with paper, which adds more stress for new citizens and workload for your staff?



I hope you can take some time to review my suggestion and see if changes can be made right away. As reported many times by the media (CBC, The Star, etc), the citizenship processing has been heavily impacted by the pandemic over the past two years - many have been suffering from the long wait already. The last step in this process should be the easiest part for your staff, and also an opportunity to make new citizens be assured their journey with IRCC is over in a smooth way.

 

[Hussam68]

Hi, I have taken the Oath on the 5th of April but my status us still showing that Oath Ceremony is in progress, should I be worried. i have sent the Oath form directly after the ceremony, will send a confirmation that the firm was received? Appreciate your Comments

 

[CaBeaver]

Hi, I have taken the Oath on the 5th of April but my status us still showing that Oath Ceremony is in progress, should I be worried. i have sent the Oath form directly after the ceremony, will send a confirmation that the firm was received? Appreciate your Comments

Normal. It may take a week to close the file.

 

[Hussam68]

Normal. It may take a week to close the file.

Thank you

 

[astasi]

Dear Minister Fraser,



I write to express my concerns about the delay in dispatching citizenship certificates to applicants who have completed virtual citizenship oath ceremonies across the domestic offices in Canada.



The expected timeline stated in the oath instruction letter is 2-4 weeks after oath taking. However, there are more and more people having to wait anxiously for longer, especially from the Calgary region. Some even waited for months, having to contact MPs, being stressed out before they got the paper that they are entitled to receive right after becoming citizens.



Back then when citizenship ceremonies were hosted in-person at IRCC local offices, people would receive their certificates right after taking the oath. Within 24 hours, they were able to apply for a Canadian passport and have access to freedom of travel available to all Canadian citizens. Now after the ceremony has moved into virtual format, the wait time plus postal delay is much longer. New citizens are required to cut their PR cards at the event, yet until the physical certificate is in hand, they are not provided with any means to travel outside of Canada if an urgent travel warrants. This adds another layer of stress after an awfully long delay for citizenship processing due to COVID. On the legal side, I wonder if limiting the freedom of travel of citizens substantially due to your department’s administrative delay, is unconstitutional.



So here is my suggestion:



1. Please work with your local offices to make sure certificates are prepared in advance, and can be mailed out right after the Oath ceremonies without delay. There is no reason it has to be processed in 2-4 weeks when people have already become citizens. Some offices may be understaffed due to the pandemic restrictions but this is a task that cannot be avoided



2. Please explore options to digitize citizenship certificates, meaning to send the confirmation of citizenship by email and people should be able to apply for a passport with that confirmation or a digital proof of their citizenship. Passport Canada is a federal program managed by IRCC and I do not see why the two systems cannot communicate to each other. I do not understand why passport applications MUST come with the original citizenship certificate. There are ways for you to check and you certainly do not rely on a piece of paper to confirm one’s citizenship. So why bother with paper, which adds more stress for new citizens and workload for your staff?



I hope you can take some time to review my suggestion and see if changes can be made right away. As reported many times by the media (CBC, The Star, etc), the citizenship processing has been heavily impacted by the pandemic over the past two years - many have been suffering from the long wait already. The last step in this process should be the easiest part for your staff, and also an opportunity to make new citizens be assured their journey with IRCC is over in a smooth way.

Did you receive a response from the Minister's office?

 

[jgarza321]

Hi all,

Thanks for your thoughtful advice. I thought of sharing the end of the story with you in case you know of somebody else who is going through a similar situation.

I ended up receiving my certificate at the end of March at the wrong home address! The document was mailed to my former address after I indicated in person during the ceremony and once again by email when I submitted the post-citizenship ceremony form that they ask you to sign and send immediately.

I was only able to recover my certificate because I spoke with my former landlord and he was kind enough to pay attention to the mailbox and notify me when he found the package. Before speaking with my former landlord, I contacted IRCC to inquire about the status of my citizenship certificate. Please note, I ONLY CONTACTED IRCC ONCE, BUT I HEARD BACK FROM THEM 3 TIMES! AT VERY RANDOM MOMENTS! The first time I was told that the certificate was sent to my new address as per my instructions, the second time I was told that my certificate is still being processed. And then the last time I was told that my citizenship application was still being processed! What a total mess! At this point, can we even trust the government?

It frustrates me how the Immigration system is distant, strict and rigid. YET, they are clearly unorganized and unprofessional. I wish they could adhere to the same high standards they expect us to meet... I'm now applying for my passport and it's the same messy story with Service Canada. I was supposed to receive my passport today but hey, no news and no way to reach out to them. My long weekend roadtrip to the US has been ruined by these passport delays...

 

[Hylton]

My oath of citizenship was on 28 March 2023, I still have not received my certificate, I am in BC. How do I resolve this?

 

[forw.jane]

My oath of citizenship was on 28 March 2023, I still have not received my certificate, I am in BC. How do I resolve this?

Are u expecting a paper one?

 

[Hylton]

Anything, I just want to get my passport

 

[forw.jane]

Anything, I just want to get my passport

It cannot be anything. It can either be paper or e-certificate. I think as you don't know what are you waiting for you would have already got the needed one and missed it.

 

[Hylton]

Thank you for that, I have never received an e-certificate nor by post, I have a secure postbox.
If one was issued, how do I get the certificate number?

 

[forw.jane]

Thank you for that, I have never received an e-certificate nor by post, I have a secure postbox.
If one was issued, how do I get the certificate number?

Call IRCC and check