English Language Proof

[mubeen241615]

Hi

I'm eligible for Citizenship now because I'm living in Canada since 2008 .

How can i show the English language proof .

On my Engineering Degree , the medium of education was not mentioned . Do i need to get any certificate from the University (Gulbarga, India) or Do i need to write the IELTS exam

Please help me here

Thanks
Mubeen

 

[thecoolguysam]

Hi

I'm eligible for Citizenship now because I'm living in Canada since 2008 .

How can i show the English language proof .

On my Engineering Degree , the medium of education was not mentioned . Do i need to get any certificate from the University (Gulbarga, India) or Do i need to write the IELTS exam

Please help me here

Thanks
Mubeen

I got a letter from my university stating that the "medium of instruction" was in english. I attached its photocopy and degree's photocopy along with marksheets photocopy.

I would suggest you to get the letter from your university stating that the medium of instruction was in english.
If you can't get the letter, do either CELPIP G or CELPIP G - LS or IELTS General.

Read the language proof section under the following link:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/CIT0002ETOC.asp

 

[MiriamT]

Hi,

Just to be on the safe side here: I "successfully finished a secondary or post-secondary program in English or French" (2-year Diploma in Criminology) and am including both my official transcript (as well as other official transcripts to cover the education records portion) and a copy of my diploma.

Now, my question is: nowhere it mentions (that I have seen, at least) if there would be any length requirement for the program to qualify for the language proof / fulfill the language requirements. So I should be okay with a 2-year diploma and not a Bachelor's degree, right?

Thanks.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Hi,

Just to be on the safe side here: I "successfully finished a secondary or post-secondary program in English or French" (2-year Diploma in Criminology) and am including both my official transcript (as well as other official transcripts to cover the education records portion) and a copy of my diploma.

Now, my question is: nowhere it mentions (that I have seen, at least) if there would be any length requirement for the program to qualify for the language proof / fulfill the language requirements. So I should be okay with a 2-year diploma and not a Bachelor's degree, right?

Thanks.

Its totally upon CIC's discretion that whether they accept it or not. They might have an internal criteria to check if the language proof would be sufficient or not. Even call centre agents will tell you that the cic officer opening the application would be able to tell whether the attached language proof would be accepted or not.

Please check the following link (instruction guide) and read the language proof section:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/CIT0002ETOC.asp

As far as i know the length of program is not mentioned in the instruction guide and it says about diplomas are accepted however all you can do is submit your language proof and if it is accepted, you will get AOR else your application would be returned.

If you want, you can go for CELPIP G or CELPIP G LS or IELTS General Training. Details are mentioned on the above mentioned link.

By the way, where is this diploma done from(country)?

 

[MiriamT]

Please check the following link (instruction guide) and read the language proof section:

Had you read my question, you would have noticed that I have checked the instruction guide, which is why my question was specific as to what they would look into but may not having been cited in the guide (or perhaps I had just missed it).

By the way, where is this diploma done from(country)?

Canada.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Had you read my question, you would have noticed that I have checked the instruction guide, which is why my question was specific as to what they would look into but may not having been cited in the guide (or perhaps I had just missed it).

Canada.

I understand. Only the CIC officer opening your file can determine (using CIC's internal criteria) to ensure that the diploma submitted would be sufficient enough for language proof or not. Even call centre agents tell that the cic officer opening the application would be able to confirm once he/she opens your application package.

The instruction guide mentions the word "diploma" and does not mention anything about duration of the course.

Now the only option is that you submit the application and see if the application has been accepted and if yes, then well and good and if it is returned then you might have to do IELTS General or CELPIP G or CELPIP LS (not academic version)
If your application is returned then the new 4/6 rule might come into picture and you have to wait for a long time in order to apply for citizenship.
If you do IELTS General or CELPIP G or CELPIP LS (not academic version) right now and then submit the application, that way you will avoid returning of your application(unless the application is returned due to some other reason)

Please wait for someone in this forum to respond if someone has done the same diploma like you.

 

[MiriamT]

I understand. Only the CIC officer opening your file can determine (using CIC's internal criteria) to ensure that the diploma submitted would be sufficient enough for language proof or not. Even call centre agents tell that the cic officer opening the application would be able to confirm once he/she opens your application package.

The instruction guide mentions the word "diploma" and does not mention anything about duration of the course.

Now the only option is that you submit the application and see if the application has been accepted and if yes, then well and good and if it is returned then you might have to do IELTS General or CELPIP G or CELPIP LS (not academic version)

I'll try to find more information from CIC call centre. To me it looks like I'd be fine and meet the language requirements, but I'd rather know if I should take a language test or not, and have some peace of mind.

When I had my first application returned two years ago, everything was complete (in my mind; I had followed the instruction guide literally) but it still came back with a note that the biographical pages of my passport were missing. However, they had been included in the application. I didn't look into what would be the problem back then, which is too bad because I could be a citizen by now.

If your application is returned then the new 4/6 rule might come into picture and you have to wait for a long time in order to apply for citizenship.

I wouldn't be affected by the new rule. I have been living in Canada since 2008, and in the last 5 years* (I became a PR in November 2009) I have only left the country for 67 days. I'd still meet and exceed the residency requirement for citizenship.

*I'm renewing my PR Card, so the numbers are stuck in my mind.

If you do IELTS General or CELPIP G or CELPIP LS (not academic version) right now and then submit the application, that way you will avoid returning of your application(unless the application is returned due to some other reason)

I know that the academic version of IELTS is not accepted, which is too bad. I have taken the test a few times and have really good scores, but it's the academic version. I don't have the money for it right now, or else I'd take the general version in a heartbeat. Will look into the other tests.

Please wait for someone in this forum to respond if someone has done the same diploma like you.

Hopefully someone will be able to help.

Thanks.

 

[thecoolguysam]

@MiriamT

Feel free to contact the call centre however, they won't help much regarding language proof. There is no harm in trying.
I spoke to call centre before submitting my application and asked if my bachelors degree and masters degree will suffice the need of language proof and their answer was that the citizenship officer opening the file would only be able to determine whether it would be considered as a language proof or not.


So, you had submitted your citizenship application two years ago? If it was returned why didn't you resubmit it again?
Maybe the passports that you have held did not cover the 4 year period or you might have missed sending the renewal pages of the passport showing that the passport was renewed(or if you did send the renewal pages, the cic officer might not have looked at the passport renewal page properly and sent the application back. Same happened to one of the forum members. You should have wrote an explanation letter explaining about the renewal pages) or you might have not renewed the passport for some time since arriving in Canada and the copy of passports you have sent did not cover the whole 4 year period (in that situation you should have wrote a cover letter stating that the passport was not renewed from xxx to xxx date)?

 

[MiriamT]

So, you had submitted your citizenship application two years ago? If it was returned why didn't you resubmit it again?

Citizenship wasn't my priority at the time, when the relationship with my sponsor was falling apart after 6 years together, and his parents deciding to get involved, which both of us asked them not to.

Maybe the passports that you have held did not cover the 4 year period or you might have missed sending the renewal pages of the passport showing that the passport was renewed(or if you did send the renewal pages, the cic officer might not have looked at the passport renewal page properly and sent the application back. Same happened to one of the forum members. You should have wrote an explanation letter explaining about the renewal pages) or you might have not renewed the passport for some time since arriving in Canada and the copy of passports you have sent did not cover the whole 4 year period (in that situation you should have wrote a cover letter stating that the passport was not renewed from xxx to xxx date)?

No. My passport explicitly says that it is a renewal and a replacement of the passport before it, with the number of the old passport and all the info necessary. So now I'm sending colour photocopies of all the pages of both passports plus certified translations of stamps not in English or French, and as I did with my PR Card renewal I'll include a cover letter explaining that those are all the passports I have. I have only had two passports so far, one covering 2006-2011 and another one covering 2012-2017.

 

[MiriamT]

@ MiriamT

Feel free to contact the call centre however, they won't help much regarding language proof. There is no harm in trying.
I spoke to call centre before submitting my application and asked if my bachelors degree and masters degree will suffice the need of language proof and their answer was that the citizenship officer opening the file would only be able to determine whether it would be considered as a language proof or not.

I just decided to register for CEPILP-General LS, so the issue is (almost) solved.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Citizenship wasn't my priority at the time, when the relationship with my sponsor was falling apart after 6 years together, and his parents deciding to get involved, which both of us asked them not to.

No. My passport explicitly says that it is a renewal and a replacement of the passport before it, with the number of the old passport and all the info necessary. So now I'm sending colour photocopies of all the pages of both passports plus certified translations of stamps not in English or French, and as I did with my PR Card renewal I'll include a cover letter explaining that those are all the passports I have. I have only had two passports so far, one covering 2006-2011 and another one covering 2012-2017.

I understand. Good luck for the new application.
So, when your passport expires, then you get new passport or you get renewal stamp on same old passport?

Now as you said that you have two passports covering 2006 - 2011 and another one covering 2012 - 2017. If that was the scenario when you applied for citizenship application, you should have written a cover letter stating that from xxx date in 2011 to xxx date in 2012, the passport was not renewed. That might be the reason your application was returned.
You should do the same this time as well so that CIC is aware about it else your application might get returned asking for the passports held in past 4 years. Remember, cic wants to know all passports those cover the past 4 years.

 

[MiriamT]

I understand. Good luck for the new application.
So, when your passport expires, then you get new passport or you get renewal stamp on same old passport?

Thanks.

I'm not sure if this is standard for my nationality (as I said, I've only had two passports so far, I got my first one when I turned 19 and another one a couple of months after I turned 24; I left my birth country when I was 19 and haven't lived there in 8 years — so I don't have all that much experience to tell about procedures in other places, even in the country I was born), but in the Consulate that I renewed my passport they state in the biographical pages that that passport is a renewal and a replacement of [number of old passport] and include added information, such as which Consulate renewed it, the name and signature of the Consul, the sum paid (i.e. fees). If I had any legal issues pending (e.g. not having voted, which for us is compulsory and we can only get a temporary passport in order to travel to the country and solve things there, otherwise we're not allowed to renew it fully), it would have been mentioned as well. Since I vote in every elections from here, I clearly don't have that issue and therefore no note attached. Everything is outlined very clearly.

The old one gets stamped in all pages which don't have immigration stamps or visas with the word "Canceled" from one cover to another. My first passport expired at the end of November 2011, and I renewed at the end of January (and it was ready in the beginning of February) 2012. It wasn't much of a gap.

Now as you said that you have two passports covering 2006 - 2011 and another one covering 2012 - 2017. If that was the scenario when you applied for citizenship application, you should have written a cover letter stating that from xxx date in 2011 to xxx date in 2012, the passport was not renewed. That might be the reason your application was returned.
You should do the same this time as well so that CIC is aware about it else your application might get returned asking for the passports held in past 4 years. Remember, cic wants to know all passports those cover the past 4 years.

I'll definitely be more careful this time.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Thanks.

I'm not sure if this is standard for my nationality (as I said, I've only had two passports so far, I got my first one when I turned 19 and another one a couple of months after I turned 24; I left my birth country when I was 19 and haven't lived there in 8 years — so I don't have all that much experience to tell about procedures in other places, even in the country I was born), but in the Consulate that I renewed my passport they state in the biographical pages that that passport is a renewal and a replacement of [number of old passport] and include added information, such as which Consulate renewed it, the name and signature of the Consul, the sum paid (i.e. fees). If I had any legal issues pending (e.g. not having voted, which for us is compulsory and we can only get a temporary passport in order to travel to the country and solve things there, otherwise we're not allowed to renew it fully), it would have been mentioned as well. Since I vote in every elections from here, I clearly don't have that issue and therefore no note attached. Everything is outlined very clearly.

The old one gets stamped in all pages which don't have immigration stamps or visas with the word "Canceled" from one cover to another. My first passport expired at the end of November 2011, and I renewed at the end of January (and it was ready in the beginning of February) 2012. It wasn't much of a gap.

I'll definitely be more careful this time.

When you submit your application this time, please make sure to mention on the cover letter that the passport was not renewed from November 2011 to Jan/Feb 2012. If you don't do that CIC may return your application asking for the passport held for past 4 years (they will find a gap from Nov 2011 to Jan/Feb 2012 by looking at your existing passport's biographical pages). Better be safe.

 

[MiriamT]

When you submit your application this time, please make sure to mention on the cover letter that the passport was not renewed from November 2011 to Jan/Feb 2012. If you don't do that CIC may return your application asking for the passport held for past 4 years (they will find a gap from Nov 2011 to Jan/Feb 2012 by looking at your existing passport's biographical pages). Better be safe.

That's what I did in my cover letter (which was a summary of everything included in the application):

Photocopies (colour, clear and legible) of all passports that I have held, accompanied by certified translations of all stamps not in English or French ([nationality] passport [number] covering [date] through [date], and [nationality] passport [number] covering [date] through [date]). Between [full date of expiration of passport] and [full date of renewal of passport] I did not have a valid passport. I have never held any other passports;

I still have to adjust above dates.

Before anyone jumps in to 'kindly remind' me that the above is not necessary: this is my prerogative.

I also received the results of my CELPIP-General LS today.

 

[thecoolguysam]

That's what I did in my cover letter (which was a summary of everything included in the application):

I still have to adjust above dates.

Before anyone jumps in to 'kindly remind' me that the above is not necessary: this is my prerogative.

I also received the results of my CELPIP-General LS today.

Please ask the question in simple words because I am unable to understand it.