Citizenship Interview

[neel_321]

Hello all,
Today there was some update, not on the tracker but I got an email where I have been asked to attend for an in-person interview at Mississauga office.
Could anyone share their experience with the interview ? Little nervous! Thank you!

Good morning,

Not sure if you would read this as your project might have been closed by now but wondering if you could kindly share what you're asked during the interview.

I am in the same boat as yours, and hence, a little nervous.

Your help is appreciated. Many thanks.

 

[kingfaisal]

Hey folks,

Just received a letter from IRCC requiring me to appear in an interview on MS teams in January 2023. Only my bg and test are complete and because i took the test from outside Canada, i was asked to submit full scans of my passport and government issued id on November 17, 2022 which I submitted on November 23, 2022.

Now i am back in Canada and I already informed ircc about my return with boarding pass and travel itinerary serving as proof of my return.

What should i expect in this interview? Anyone else have gone through this situation? Kindly share your experience as i have no idea why is this required at this stage. Any feedback in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[neel_321]

Hey folks,

Just received a letter from IRCC requiring me to appear in an interview on MS teams in January 2023. Only my bg and test are complete and because i took the test from outside Canada, i was asked to submit full scans of my passport and government issued id on November 17, 2022 which I submitted on November 23, 2022.

Now i am back in Canada and I already informed ircc about my return with boarding pass and travel itinerary serving as proof of my return.

What should i expect in this interview? Anyone else have gone through this situation? Kindly share your experience as i have no idea why is this required at this stage. Any feedback in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I have recieved a notification on my tracker as well but no email so far. No idea what it would be for. My BG was completed in April 08, Test on June 28. This interview call was the first update since then.

 

[dpenabill]

What should i expect in this interview? Anyone else have gone through this situation? Kindly share your experience as i have no idea why is this required at this stage. Any feedback in this matter is greatly appreciated.

I have recieved a notification on my tracker as well but no email so far. No idea what it would be for. My BG was completed in April 08, Test on June 28. This interview call was the first update since then.

The somewhat recent suspension of Program Integrity (PI) interviews was clearly a temporary measure in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

PI interviews are part of the routine process. Prior to measures taken in response to Covid, ALL adult applicants were subject to a PI interview. PDI (Program Delivery Instructions) still list the interview as a mandatory step in processing all adult applications, and it is likely that IRCC is migrating toward resuming PI interviews for all applicants.

For the vast majority of qualified applicants these interviews are mostly a formality, largely perfunctory. To a significant extent they are focused on reviewing the applicant's documents, a verification check, and to some extent verification of identity, current status (no prohibitions for example), and technically screening the applicant's ability in an official language (which is not structured like a test, but is mostly screening how well the applicant understands questions and responds in the interview, which typically involves what seem like casual questions but which really are part of screening the applicant's language ability). For most applicants the interview is very short. Nothing probing let alone challenging.

That said, the range of questions potentially asked is huge. Applicants can be asked about a wide, wide range of matters, including questions about any aspect of the information in their application, but also questions about the applicant's life, current or past circumstances, including addresses and employment and such (not limited to the eligibility period), or about the applicant's family. This is NOT how it usually goes, but how it can go for many. Applicants with nothing to hide have almost zero cause for concern . . . the questions are not challenging or confrontational (with some exceptions for applicants whose physical presence is being questioned), so all the applicant needs to do is SIMPLY and HONESTLY answer what is asked.

Applicants who have been known or perceived to be abroad for extensive periods of time after applying appear to be more likely asked questions about current location and employment, questions related to verifying the applicant has returned to Canada, or questions about when the applicant will return to Canada.

But, again, for the vast majority of applicants, the PI interview is simple, fast, NOT a problem, not at all a problem.

 

[kingfaisal]

The somewhat recent suspension of Program Integrity (PI) interviews was clearly a temporary measure in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

PI interviews are part of the routine process. Prior to measures taken in response to Covid, ALL adult applicants were subject to a PI interview. PDI (Program Delivery Instructions) still list the interview as a mandatory step in processing all adult applications, and it is likely that IRCC is migrating toward resuming PI interviews for all applicants.

For the vast majority of qualified applicants these interviews are mostly a formality, largely perfunctory. To a significant extent they are focused on reviewing the applicant's documents, a verification check, and to some extent verification of identity, current status (no prohibitions for example), and technically screening the applicant's ability in an official language (which is not structured like a test, but is mostly screening how well the applicant understands questions and responds in the interview, which typically involves what seem like casual questions but which really are part of screening the applicant's language ability). For most applicants the interview is very short. Nothing probing let alone challenging.

That said, the range of questions potentially asked is huge. Applicants can be asked about a wide, wide range of matters, including questions about any aspect of the information in their application, but also questions about the applicant's life, current or past circumstances, including addresses and employment and such (not limited to the eligibility period), or about the applicant's family. This is NOT how it usually goes, but how it can go for many. Applicants with nothing to hide have almost zero cause for concern . . . the questions are not challenging or confrontational (with some exceptions for applicants whose physical presence is being questioned), so all the applicant needs to do is SIMPLY and HONESTLY answer what is asked.

Applicants who have been known or perceived to be abroad for extensive periods of time after applying appear to be more likely asked questions about current location and employment, questions related to verifying the applicant has returned to Canada, or questions about when the applicant will return to Canada.

But, again, for the vast majority of applicants, the PI interview is simple, fast, NOT a problem, not at all a problem.

Thank you so much for the detailed feedback. Really appreciate your time.

 

[neel_321]

The somewhat recent suspension of Program Integrity (PI) interviews was clearly a temporary measure in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

PI interviews are part of the routine process. Prior to measures taken in response to Covid, ALL adult applicants were subject to a PI interview. PDI (Program Delivery Instructions) still list the interview as a mandatory step in processing all adult applications, and it is likely that IRCC is migrating toward resuming PI interviews for all applicants.

For the vast majority of qualified applicants these interviews are mostly a formality, largely perfunctory. To a significant extent they are focused on reviewing the applicant's documents, a verification check, and to some extent verification of identity, current status (no prohibitions for example), and technically screening the applicant's ability in an official language (which is not structured like a test, but is mostly screening how well the applicant understands questions and responds in the interview, which typically involves what seem like casual questions but which really are part of screening the applicant's language ability). For most applicants the interview is very short. Nothing probing let alone challenging.

That said, the range of questions potentially asked is huge. Applicants can be asked about a wide, wide range of matters, including questions about any aspect of the information in their application, but also questions about the applicant's life, current or past circumstances, including addresses and employment and such (not limited to the eligibility period), or about the applicant's family. This is NOT how it usually goes, but how it can go for many. Applicants with nothing to hide have almost zero cause for concern . . . the questions are not challenging or confrontational (with some exceptions for applicants whose physical presence is being questioned), so all the applicant needs to do is SIMPLY and HONESTLY answer what is asked.

Applicants who have been known or perceived to be abroad for extensive periods of time after applying appear to be more likely asked questions about current location and employment, questions related to verifying the applicant has returned to Canada, or questions about when the applicant will return to Canada.

But, again, for the vast majority of applicants, the PI interview is simple, fast, NOT a problem, not at all a problem.

Thats such an elaborate

 

[neel_321]

Thank you very much. Really appreciated.

 

[SAM2000]

Presently there are a few persons that have received their oath right after the interview. The few cases were backlog applications. So the person can be lucky to have both at the same day.

Hi all, I was one of the lucky persons who recently asked for a face-to-face interview, and post the interview I was offered to do the oath the same day which I HAPPILY accepted and did the oath and got my citizenship certificate right away. I can see that it took less than an hour and half from the time I arrived at the interview location (Scarborough office) till I got my citizenship certificate. It was the same case for around 10 persons who were invited to interview in the same office morning time. This was like 3 weeks ago

 

[neel_321]

Hi all, I was one of the lucky persons who recently asked for a face-to-face interview, and post the interview I was offered to do the oath the same day which I HAPPILY accepted and did the oath and got my citizenship certificate right away. I can see that it took less than an hour and half from the time I arrived at the interview location (Scarborough office) till I got my citizenship certificate. It was the same case for around 10 persons who were invited to interview in the same office morning time. This was like 3 weeks ago

Thank you for letting us know. Are you able to kindly share what the interview was all about and when was it?
Congratulations by the way

 

[neel_321]

Hello,

Is there any couple that was called for an interview? Wanted to check if we need to do the video conference separately or together as our timings are the same and it's a family application.

Thank you.

 

[share_SK]

Thank you for letting us know. Are you able to kindly share what the interview was all about and when was it?
Congratulations by the way

This morning, I got an update on the portal to attend the interview, but no email with details yet. Do you remember if you the email for the interview invitation the same day as the notification on the portal?

 

[share_SK]

This morning, I got an update on the portal to attend the interview, but no email with details yet. Does any one remember if you got the email for the interview invitation the same day as the notification on the portal?

 

[neel_321]

This morning, I got an update on the portal to attend the interview, but no email with details yet. Do you remember if you the email for the interview invitation the same day as the notification on the portal?

Not the same day, the email came 5 days later.

 

[amhbala]

Hi, I am a MAY 2022 applicant and gave our test in July 2022. Now both our background and citizenship test status are in completed state in CIC tracker. Today we have got an interview request for my spouse and myself. Not sure why we have got picked for interview. We gave an citizenship test from outside Canada and also our PR card got expired and got new one in the two months ago. Not sure whether this is triggered for an interview. Can anybody got the similar request and also please tell us what we can expect in it.

 

[dpenabill]

Hi, I am a MAY 2022 applicant and gave our test in July 2022. Now both our background and citizenship test status are in completed state in CIC tracker. Today we have got an interview request for my spouse and myself. Not sure why we have got picked for interview. We gave an citizenship test from outside Canada and also our PR card got expired and got new one in the two months ago. Not sure whether this is triggered for an interview. Can anybody got the similar request and also please tell us what we can expect in it.

PI interview is standard or "routine" for all adult applicants. Fact that it has not been part of the process for some applicants the last three years is due to Covid. The applicable PDI still states that adult applicants will be interviewed, even though (again) this has been partially suspended in response to covid.

Applicants known or perceived to be abroad for extended periods of time after applying appear to be among those more likely to be interviewed during this transition phase, but noting, again, that IRCC appears on track to resume the interview process for all adult applicants.

Also see post above:

The somewhat recent suspension of Program Integrity (PI) interviews was clearly a temporary measure in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

PI interviews are part of the routine process. Prior to measures taken in response to Covid, ALL adult applicants were subject to a PI interview. PDI (Program Delivery Instructions) still list the interview as a mandatory step in processing all adult applications, and it is likely that IRCC is migrating toward resuming PI interviews for all applicants.

For the vast majority of qualified applicants these interviews are mostly a formality, largely perfunctory. To a significant extent they are focused on reviewing the applicant's documents, a verification check, and to some extent verification of identity, current status (no prohibitions for example), and technically screening the applicant's ability in an official language (which is not structured like a test, but is mostly screening how well the applicant understands questions and responds in the interview, which typically involves what seem like casual questions but which really are part of screening the applicant's language ability). For most applicants the interview is very short. Nothing probing let alone challenging.

That said, the range of questions potentially asked is huge. Applicants can be asked about a wide, wide range of matters, including questions about any aspect of the information in their application, but also questions about the applicant's life, current or past circumstances, including addresses and employment and such (not limited to the eligibility period), or about the applicant's family. This is NOT how it usually goes, but how it can go for many. Applicants with nothing to hide have almost zero cause for concern . . . the questions are not challenging or confrontational (with some exceptions for applicants whose physical presence is being questioned), so all the applicant needs to do is SIMPLY and HONESTLY answer what is asked.

Applicants who have been known or perceived to be abroad for extensive periods of time after applying appear to be more likely asked questions about current location and employment, questions related to verifying the applicant has returned to Canada, or questions about when the applicant will return to Canada.

But, again, for the vast majority of applicants, the PI interview is simple, fast, NOT a problem, not at all a problem.