Mistake made in Citizenship application ( need to advice on how to correct).

[Savak]

Ok guys. My mother forgot to answer the question "Did you receive assitance in completing this form?". But she answered everything else on the application and even included N/A on the sections that don't apply to her. I am assuming the worst i.e. the application will be considered in complete. The worst part is that the cut off is June 10th, 2015

Can anyone advise on how can we fix this exactly as no one from the CIC is picking up? She is prepared to write a fresh cover letter, re fill and re submit another application, does she have to repay $630 again? We can resend all the supporting documents again and that is not an issue.

Will appreciate urgent advice on this on how to fix this.

 

[Savak]

An absolute nightmare day. My mother had a panic attack and a nervous break down when she just casually reviewed a blank citizenship application after she mailed it a week ago and all of a sudden she was like OMG i forgot to fill out "No" to the Q "Did you receive assistance in filing out this application".

She called me up at work in a state of panic that her application was going to be rejected now and she didn't know what to do. So after holding for what was like 50 min on the CIC hotline, finally i got an agent on the phone. Agent told me if this was true then there were high chances the application could be returned as incomplete.

When i asked her what steps we can take to remedy this problem. She said we would have to immediately resubmit the entire application along with the supporting documents. When i asked whether we would have to pay the $630 fee again, the agent was like nope because the application had only been received right now but hadn't been opened for processing which normally takes place a few months later so i could attach a copy of the previous fee payment along with an explanation cover letter as to what had happened and why all the supporting documents were being submitted again.

Anyways after i met my mom at home and had her do the entire application, documents all over again, we went to Walmart to take new photographs and then out of the blue she suddenly remembered that she did review her application one final time before giving it to UPS a week ago and she remembered looking at the application thoroughly in the end but she couldn't remember for sure whether she filled out that "Assistance Question" at that time or no. Maybe she did or maybe she didn't.

But we decided to be on the safe side, we had to resubmit all the documents again because if she didn't answer the Question in the previous application then it is imperative then we submit these updated documents to the CIC and get them there by June 10th, 2015. If she did answer the Question in the previous application which the CIC received on June 5th, 2015 then there shouldn't be a problem at all then because her previous application would be considered complete.

Anyways the worst part was ahead of us today, we went to a Purolator inside a Staples and it was a night mare experience. The CS guy or the guy behind the desk was so incompetent, he didn't know the system properly, was getting addresses wrong, first he was like your parcel will not reach the destination on June 10th, 2015. He was later like that branch of Purolator didn't offer Express 9 am, Express 12 am e.t.c. but after someone else finally entered the data it showed on the screen that our documents would reach the destination on June 10th, 2015 exactly.

The store was going to close in 20 minutes and i had to make a really fast decision. The purolator guys were telling me if i don't submit the package now then the item would definately not reach the destination before June 10th, 2015 and even right now there was no guarantee that the package would reach CIC on June 10th, 2015 due to unpredictable weather, or if the package got to the CIC office after office hours.

We took a gamble and just gave the package to Purolator to delivery by Purolator Express because we just couldn't afford to waste any more time. Now we can only hope for the best that it will be delivered on June 10th, 2015 and that someone would be in the office to receive it.

 

[raymasa]

An absolute nightmare day. My mother had a panic attack and a nervous break down when she just casually reviewed a blank citizenship application after she mailed it a week ago and all of a sudden she was like OMG i forgot to fill out "No" to the Q "Did you receive assistance in filing out this application".

She called me up at work in a state of panic that her application was going to be rejected now and she didn't know what to do. So after holding for what was like 50 min on the CIC hotline, finally i got an agent on the phone. Agent told me if this was true then there were high chances the application could be returned as incomplete.

When i asked her what steps we can take to remedy this problem. She said we would have to immediately resubmit the entire application along with the supporting documents. When i asked whether we would have to pay the $630 fee again, the agent was like nope because the application had only been received right now but hadn't been opened for processing which normally takes place a few months later so i could attach a copy of the previous fee payment along with an explanation cover letter as to what had happened and why all the supporting documents were being submitted again.

Anyways after i met my mom at home and had her do the entire application, documents all over again, we went to Walmart to take new photographs and then out of the blue she suddenly remembered that she did review her application one final time before giving it to UPS a week ago and she remembered looking at the application thoroughly in the end but she couldn't remember for sure whether she filled out that "Assistance Question" at that time or no. Maybe she did or maybe she didn't.

But we decided to be on the safe side, we had to resubmit all the documents again because if she didn't answer the Question in the previous application then it is imperative then we submit these updated documents to the CIC and get them there by June 10th, 2015. If she did answer the Question in the previous application which the CIC received on June 5th, 2015 then there shouldn't be a problem at all then because her previous application would be considered complete.

Anyways the worst part was ahead of us today, we went to a Purolator inside a Staples and it was a night mare experience. The CS guy or the guy behind the desk was so incompetent, he didn't know the system properly, was getting addresses wrong, first he was like your parcel will not reach the destination on June 10th, 2015. He was later like that branch of Purolator didn't offer Express 9 am, Express 12 am e.t.c. but after someone else finally entered the data it showed on the screen that our documents would reach the destination on June 10th, 2015 exactly.

The store was going to close in 20 minutes and i had to make a really fast decision. The purolator guys were telling me if i don't submit the package now then the item would definately not reach the destination before June 10th, 2015 and even right now there was no guarantee that the package would reach CIC on June 10th, 2015 due to unpredictable weather, or if the package got to the CIC office after office hours.

We took a gamble and just gave the package to Purolator to delivery by Purolator Express because we just couldn't afford to waste any more time. Now we can only hope for the best that it will be delivered on June 10th, 2015 and that someone would be in the office to receive it.

Thanks for the update, hope your application gets to CIC in time, fingers crossed.

Ray

 

[wilbur]

Ok guys. My mother forgot to answer the question "Did you receive assitance in completing this form?". But she answered everything else on the application and even included N/A on the sections that don't apply to her. I am assuming the worst i.e. the application will be considered in complete. The worst part is that the cut off is June 10th, 2015

Can anyone advise on how can we fix this exactly as no one from the CIC is picking up? She is prepared to write a fresh cover letter, re fill and re submit another application, does she have to repay $630 again? We can resend all the supporting documents again and that is not an issue.

Will appreciate urgent advice on this on how to fix this.

Moral of the story: Always check your application 100 times before sending it, even ask someone to review before sending... I hope you can get it fix.

 

[dpenabill]

There are probably hundreds of applications submitted within the last week which were rushed. We all make mistakes (I cringed when I later noticed a couple minor ones in my application, despite working through multiple drafts and numerous hard focused rechecks; had no effect though).

We especially make mistakes when we rush.

A large percentage of the rushed, late hour applications will also be borderline applications and shortfall applications.

Thus the last batch of applications received by CIC as of tomorrow will quite likely be a huge quagmire, a not-so-royal mess. This was inevitable.

But it is unlikely there will be more than a trickle of new applications arriving at CIC for months after tomorrow, so CIC will have time to deal with the mess.

In the meantime, sure, there are going to be scores of applicants carrying a load of anxiety.

Personally, I find the manner in which the government implemented this, with minimal advance notice of the precise cut off date to get an application submitted, is outrageous. Legal, sure. But I really expect better from my government.

 

[Savak]

Ok. So i just had a chance to look at the tracker. Unfortunately the package is showing an expected delivery date of June 11th, 2015 now. The govt short notice of the new laws has really caused Hysteria. Has caused so many problems.

 

[Savak]

Moral of the story: Always check your application 100 times before sending it, even ask someone to review before sending... I hope you can get it fix.

Actually in this case. My mother didn't fill out that Assistance question online which is why the draft that she has has that question unticked. But she remembers before submitting her application to the courier she made a final thorough check and might have ticked the answer to that question in pen but because she couldn't remember for sure, because the June 10th deadline was critical she just didn't want to take any chances and was willing to submit an explanation letter with a newly refilled application.

Unfortunately the tracking is showing the application will be delivered on the 11th now. In the worst case scenario, maybe she did forget to fill that question out and if our package arrives on June 11th. Then her application will be returned to her. But i am just wondering, what if she did fill that question out and had indeed sent in a complete application on June 8th, 2015 and what if CIC receives her explanation letter on June 11th, 2015 but if they look at the previous documents, application submitted on June 8th, 2015 they notice that everything has been correctly filled out and the application is complete? What will they do then?

Will they have a heart and be kind enough to continue processing the previously submitted documents?

It's this whole last minute rushed thing and this last minute notice by the govt which has driven people mad.

 

[suva]

Actually in this case. My mother didn't fill out that Assistance question online which is why the draft that she has has that question unticked. But she remembers before submitting her application to the courier she made a final thorough check and might have ticked the answer to that question in pen but because she couldn't remember for sure, because the June 10th deadline was critical she just didn't want to take any chances and was willing to submit an explanation letter with a newly refilled application.

Unfortunately the tracking is showing the application will be delivered on the 11th now. In the worst case scenario, maybe she did forget to fill that question out and if our package arrives on June 11th. Then her application will be returned to her. But i am just wondering, what if she did fill that question out and had indeed sent in a complete application on June 8th, 2015 and what if CIC receives her explanation letter on June 11th, 2015 but if they look at the previous documents, application submitted on June 8th, 2015 they notice that everything has been correctly filled out and the application is complete? What will they do then?

Will they have a heart and be kind enough to continue processing the previously submitted documents?

its not the end of the world. if its returned then she can submit next year. in that case she might get her citizenship by the end of 2016... not too bad.

It's this whole last minute rushed thing and this last minute notice by the govt which has driven people mad.

 

[Nainarvet]

Actually in this case. My mother didn't fill out that Assistance question online which is why the draft that she has has that question unticked. But she remembers before submitting her application to the courier she made a final thorough check and might have ticked the answer to that question in pen but because she couldn't remember for sure, because the June 10th deadline was critical she just didn't want to take any chances and was willing to submit an explanation letter with a newly refilled application.

Unfortunately the tracking is showing the application will be delivered on the 11th now. In the worst case scenario, maybe she did forget to fill that question out and if our package arrives on June 11th. Then her application will be returned to her. But i am just wondering, what if she did fill that question out and had indeed sent in a complete application on June 8th, 2015 and what if CIC receives her explanation letter on June 11th, 2015 but if they look at the previous documents, application submitted on June 8th, 2015 they notice that everything has been correctly filled out and the application is complete? What will they do then?

Will they have a heart and be kind enough to continue processing the previously submitted documents?

It's this whole last minute rushed thing and this last minute notice by the govt which has driven people mad.

If your mother's previous application is indeed complete, then there is no issue at all. She will be issued an AOR for the first one and will be processed as usual. If the second application reaches on the 10th, it will be kept on hold for you until you advise CIC about its fate. On the other hand, if it reaches on the 11th, I guess it will be returned to you. If the first application is complete, then there is no reason to worry at all!

 

[Savak]

Ok. So CIC returned my mother's application and supporting documents which they received on June 11th, 2015 saying the application was incomplete.

However they haven't returned the initial application and supporting documents which she submitted and they received on June 8th, 2015 as of yet. If it takes them around 10-12 days to inform people that their applications are incomplete, then if the application she sent on June 8th, 2015 was incomplete they would have sent it back by now right?

Am just confused what to make of this.

The only reason why sent another application was because she couldn't remember whether she filled out the question did you use a representative? She remembers going through everything, giving everything one last look when she was at the Courier's office. She might have answered that question then or she might not have.

 

[Savak]

Ok guys. Both me and mom received AOR's via email today. So can we now safely say that they saw her application and found no errors and therefore it will go into further processing?

 

[MiriamT]

Ok guys. Both me and mom received AOR's via email today. So can we now safely say that they saw her application and found no errors and therefore it will go into further processing?

It is safe to say that it'll go into further processing. There may or may not be errors, if the officer issued an AOR instead of returning the application then it means that there's no fundamental errors in the application at least. If they need any extra documentation, they'll ask for it.

My application sure had errors, but I was issued an AOR nonetheless. When I called CIC I was told that it was up to the officer whether to accept the application, or to return it; in case of application with fundamental issues in it, it'd get returned, but in cases where it isn't as serious then the officer might accept it.

Congrats on the AOR.

 

[samreentariq]

Ok guys. Both me and mom received AOR's via email today. So can we now safely say that they saw her application and found no errors and therefore it will go into further processing?

The officer who checks the initial application has a specific checklist, if all the criteria on that list are met you get the AoR. For now you can breathe easy your file will move on, when it goes to In Process that is where everything is checked more thoroughly and they will reach out to you if they require something more.