A last post...
Landed yesterday in Etobicoke! I paid the fees there with a credit card. Paying in advance does not speed things up! The interview is very straightforward. Checked if all the information was correct (it wasn't, my last name was spelled wrong..), reassured that I did not commit any crimes and was never deported. Also that I do not have any dependent children in Canada or other countries.
They also asked briefly if I am working now and if my husband is employed.
Then Service Ontario changed my SIN to a permanent number! Done!!!
All in all, we spent 4 hours in the office, they seemed to have some trouble in the morning and also scheduled 6 interviews for the exact same time.. But what are 4 hours compared to over a year
Thank you everyone in this forum. It was a great help for me to stay sane during that difficult time! Knowing that I was not alone in that situation is worth a lot. Not to mention all the useful information here..
Good luck for everyone who is still waiting and struggling. It will happen, patience is the key...
See you in the citizenship forum soon
Timeline:
App received: July 25, 2011
Process start: Sep 12, 2011
AIP: June 13, 2011
DM: Aug 23, 2011
Landing Interview: Sep 12, 2012