November 2016 - Citizenship Applicants

[Godzilla9]

My Test Exp.

- Reached 10 mins in advance to the test site
- Lady called all of us (Approx 20) into a room
- She explained all the rules
- Completed test in 10 mins
- Office called for interview. She was very friendly. I got 19/20. she said - I passed.
- She checked my passport, landing paper, PR card, DL, health card etc.
- She also where do you work, how long you work, do you like it.
- She matched my entry and exits (approx 10 entries) as per my RQ
- One of entry I added in my RQ but there wasn't any entry in my passport. (4 days trip).
She said - she will run a query from CBSA and get it later. She also mentioned that this will not delay your processing. You will be called for ceremony as planned in 2 to 5 months. Not sure if one entry missing will delay in processing. I mentioned about CBSA record I have but she said to get her own.
- Overall it took 1 hour at office and was great experiences.

Thanks for sharing - very informative!

 

[.Steve]

My Test Exp.

- Reached 10 mins in advance to the test site
- Lady called all of us (Approx 20) into a room
- She explained all the rules
- Completed test in 10 mins
- Office called for interview. She was very friendly. I got 19/20. she said - I passed.
- She checked my passport, landing paper, PR card, DL, health card etc.
- She also where do you work, how long you work, do you like it.
- She matched my entry and exits (approx 10 entries) as per my RQ
- One of entry I added in my RQ but there wasn't any entry in my passport. (4 days trip).
She said - she will run a query from CBSA and get it later. She also mentioned that this will not delay your processing. You will be called for ceremony as planned in 2 to 5 months. Not sure if one entry missing will delay in processing. I mentioned about CBSA record I have but she said to get her own.
- Overall it took 1 hour at office and was great experiences.

Luck you !
If you were not told to provide any additional documents then you should be good
One stamp missing on my passport resulted in CIT0520
I have responded to the CIT and now awaiting the processing

 

[tim50]

Luck you !
If you were not told to provide any additional documents then you should be good
One stamp missing on my passport resulted in CIT0520
I have responded to the CIT and now awaiting the processing

Did officer asked you to fill CIT form ?or it was requester later ?
In your case stamp at passport were missing ?

 

[user3000]

My Test Exp.

- Reached 10 mins in advance to the test site
- Lady called all of us (Approx 20) into a room
- She explained all the rules
- Completed test in 10 mins
- Office called for interview. She was very friendly. I got 19/20. she said - I passed.
- She checked my passport, landing paper, PR card, DL, health card etc.
- She also where do you work, how long you work, do you like it.
- She matched my entry and exits (approx 10 entries) as per my RQ
- One of entry I added in my RQ but there wasn't any entry in my passport. (4 days trip).
She said - she will run a query from CBSA and get it later. She also mentioned that this will not delay your processing. You will be called for ceremony as planned in 2 to 5 months. Not sure if one entry missing will delay in processing. I mentioned about CBSA record I have but she said to get her own.
- Overall it took 1 hour at office and was great experiences.

I'm confused with the entry stamps. When we enter Canada no one puts the entry stamp on the passport, all we do is swipe the PR card at the port of entry, where are you getting this entry stamps ?

 

[tim50]

I'm confused with the entry stamps. When we enter Canada no one puts the entry stamp on the passport, all we do is swipe the PR card at the port of entry, where are you getting this entry stamps ?

Ideally, There should be always entry stamps and problem is missing any entries.

 

[shakeyy]

Ideally, There should be always entry stamps and problem is missing any entries.

well lately they dont stamp passports anymore.. I had a couple of missing stamps but the officer wasnt concerned. its recorded electronically if you swipe your pr card not declaring a trip is the issue..

 

[tim50]

well lately they dont stamp passports anymore.. I had a couple of missing stamps but the officer wasnt concerned. its recorded electronically if you swipe your pr card not declaring a trip is the issue..

in my case, I have declared trip in the form but somehow one entry (last road trip to US) was missing. Officer said - she will request and nothing to worry.

 

[user3000]

well lately they dont stamp passports anymore.. I had a couple of missing stamps but the officer wasnt concerned. its recorded electronically if you swipe your pr card not declaring a trip is the issue..

I had total of 7 entries to Canada since I became PR, I have only one stamp on the passport that they stamped when I landed as a PR.
All other times either they swiped the PR card at the border or I swiped the PR card at Port of entry.

Here is the list of my entries..

1. Landed as Permanent resident (Stamped on the Passport)
2. Entered via bus (US border ) ( Officer swiped the PR Card) No stamp
3. Entered via Air ( Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
4. Entered via Air (Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
5. Entered via Air ( Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
6. Entered via Air ( Swiped at the POE Terminal) No stamp
7. Entered via Air (Swiped at the POE Terminal) No stamp

I have ordered CBSA travel history and hopefully all these entries were recorded.

 

[.Steve]

Did officer asked you to fill CIT form ?or it was requester later ?
In your case stamp at passport were missing ?

Officer said to me all looks good except for the missing stamp
The test was on Tuesday and got the CIT0520 in mail on same Saturday

 

[.Steve]

Ideally, There should be always entry stamps and problem is missing any entries.

Paper i94 days the passport was not stamped if your i94 was still valid and when returning within 30 days
My case we had been over to Buffalo twice in same month during summer and second time there was no stamp

 

[.Steve]

I had total of 7 entries to Canada since I became PR, I have only one stamp on the passport that they stamped when I landed as a PR.
All other times either they swiped the PR card at the border or I swiped the PR card at Port of entry.

Here is the list of my entries..

1. Landed as Permanent resident (Stamped on the Passport)
2. Entered via bus (US border ) ( Officer swiped the PR Card) No stamp
3. Entered via Air ( Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
4. Entered via Air (Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
5. Entered via Air ( Officer swiped the PR Card ) No stamp
6. Entered via Air ( Swiped at the POE Terminal) No stamp
7. Entered via Air (Swiped at the POE Terminal) No stamp

I have ordered CBSA travel history and hopefully all these entries were recorded.

They have the Canada entry records
You can check if all US entry stamps are present
In your case you can check the entry stamp to US for this trip
2. Entered via bus (US border ) ( Officer swiped the PR Card) No stamp

 

[willzou]

I got my test invite letter finally this morning. My test will happen on 15th March

Actually, it was sent on 16th Feb, because of the long week end, I just received it on 22nd Feb.

And as I thought test invitation should change the ECAS status, so I did not click the "in process" after 17th Feb.

And yesterday I just booked a flight (in very disappoint mood) for vacation for 2 weeks, which will be in early April. So no conflict. GOOD.

 

[tmota]

Process completed for me, folks! ;D Canadian citizen as of yesterday!

The ceremony is quite simple, basically a speech, everybody takes the oath, they distribute the certificates, we sign that we took the certificate, we sing the hymn, then photos with the presiding official for those who want. In Montreal, as I suspect is with other large urban areas, there were a lot of new Canadians - 297 in the morning ceremony to be precise, as 3 people missed the call... So, before everything begins, they have to properly identify all these people, which took over an hour. The line for the photos after the ceremony was also long, most everybody wanted the memento. Together those two "non-ceremonial" parts take most of the time I spent in the place. Our presiding official was a nice retired journalist, recipient of the Order of Canada, who broke the solemness by cracking jokes now and then, in a light-mooded speech. Being in Montreal, everything was bilingual - maybe the ceremony is English-only in other provinces.

I've read in the forum about the importance of a buffer before applying, and several opinions on what is a good buffer. Well, my buffer was exactly two days - and only because I couldn't get the documents to the post office before. But I was 100% confident in my physical presence - I started filling my own version of the calculator with all my trips from the day I landed, for both my wife and myself. So I can say with confidence that a buffer is not as important as being sure of your physical presence and keeping record - don't trust passport stamps, as they are not always stamped. I had no trouble throughout the process and, as I received FP request, my process was non-routine. Yet, from mailing the documents to receiving the certificate everything took 101 days.

The feeling of seeing your name in the citizenship certificate is one of accomplishment, as I have been dreaming and working on my Canadian project for the last 20 years. I wish all you guys a process as swift and smooth as I had!

 

[.Steve]

Process completed for me, folks! ;D Canadian citizen as of yesterday!

The ceremony is quite simple, basically a speech, everybody takes the oath, they distribute the certificates, we sign that we took the certificate, we sing the hymn, then photos with the presiding official for those who want. In Montreal, as I suspect is with other large urban areas, there were a lot of new Canadians - 297 in the morning ceremony to be precise, as 3 people missed the call... So, before everything begins, they have to properly identify all these people, which took over an hour. The line for the photos after the ceremony was also long, most everybody wanted the memento. Together those two "non-ceremonial" parts take most of the time I spent in the place. Our presiding official was a nice retired journalist, recipient of the Order of Canada, who broke the solemness by cracking jokes now and then, in a light-mooded speech. Being in Montreal, everything was bilingual - maybe the ceremony is English-only in other provinces.

I've read in the forum about the importance of a buffer before applying, and several opinions on what is a good buffer. Well, my buffer was exactly two days - and only because I couldn't get the documents to the post office before. But I was 100% confident in my physical presence - I started filling my own version of the calculator with all my trips from the day I landed, for both my wife and myself. So I can say with confidence that a buffer is not as important as being sure of your physical presence and keeping record - don't trust passport stamps, as they are not always stamped. I had no trouble throughout the process and, as I received FP request, my process was non-routine. Yet, from mailing the documents to receiving the certificate everything took 101 days.

The feeling of seeing your name in the citizenship certificate is one of accomplishment, as I have been dreaming and working on my Canadian project for the last 20 years. I wish all you guys a process as swift and smooth as I had!

Congatulations tmota !
Thank you for all the information you shared

 

[user3000]

Paper i94 days the passport was not stamped if your i94 was still valid and when returning within 30 days
My case we had been over to Buffalo twice in same month during summer and second time there was no stamp

I have the same scenario, when I entered very first time to Canada (Landing ), I returned back to US in 4 days and there was no stamp on US side as my I 94 was valid and they let me go without stamping. Can you please advise how to deal with this situation.