November 2021 - Citizenship applications

[ms-nobody]

Location: Calgary
Physical Presence Days: 1,259
Application for: Widowed mother
Application sent: Online - November 11, 2021
AOR: Feb 15, 2022
Citizenship Application Processing Office: Vancouver
Fingerprinting Notice: Aug 24, 2022

Hi Folks,

I am posting on behalf of my widowed mother's online citizenship application. Her timelines are above. Would appreciate if you could provide some tips/advice on her situation below.

Situation:
My mom is currently in India and she got an email on August 24, 2022, from IRCC to submit her finger prints at RCMP approved locations (such locations are in Canada only) within 30 days of the email, in order to further process her application.

In addition, there was standard threatening language in the letter stating that if the finger prints are not received within 30 days, IRCC may deem that she abandoned her citizenship application. The letter further stated that the finger prints have to be "digital". It seems the email came from the Vancouver office based on the email address it came from (also the letter has the physical address of the Vancouver office).

The email further stated if she believes she cant meet the deadline then it asked to call the IRCC call center and that not to reply back to the email requesting extension.

Anyways, my Mom did call the IRCC call center as stated in the email to request an extension to the deadline.

The IRCC call center agent said not communicating with IRCC that she cant make the deadline, could be deemed as "application abandonment" which my mother explained to the agent that its her full intent to meet the deadline, but due to extenuating circumstances, how can she request an extension.

To that the Agent just sent her this irrelevant (to our situation) IRCC press release that does not even give details about how to contact that specific Vancouver IRCC office (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supporting-information-applications-in-progress.html). You will note its a press release from 2021 and its primarily for Covid related extenuating circumstances.

We are trying our best to get her an air ticket to fly her back to Canada ASAP but given the global aviation situation (due to pandemic, another example Lufthansa pilot strike today) its becoming increasingly clear it might be hard to travel back to Canada before the deadline i.e. September 23, 2022.

We spoke to a few RCMP approved finger printing locations and they said we could have her take "paper finger prints" at a local police station in India and/or Canadian embassy, courier those paper finger prints to Canada and they could try and "digitalize" it. Seems to be an iffy process. Plus given the place mom is and her old age its not easy to travel to the Canadian embassy and/or local police station.

Need Advice on

1. How do we go about requesting an extension to the fingerprinting deadline, especially when the email says 'don't reply back to the email' to seek an extension?
2. The email has the physical address of the Vancouver office. Should we write them a letter requesting an extension and courier them that extension request?
3. Or should we use the Webform to get in touch with them? https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/web-form.asp
4. Or should we just reply back to that IRCC email address and request the extension?

Would truly appreciate your advice.

my advice is to use a webform ASAP, also call again to IRCC, you may find a more knowledgeable / helpful agent, and any call is documented so you have audit trails that you were following this promptly, RCMP has a long wait and advising to contact immigration office and ask for time extension as RCMP cannot process the request timely, also you cannot walk in to RCMP any longer for finger printing, you need to take appointment and that is not immediate.

 

[cp37]

my advice is to use a webform ASAP, also call again to IRCC, you may find a more knowledgeable / helpful agent, and any call is documented so you have audit trails that you were following this promptly, RCMP has a long wait and advising to contact immigration office and ask for time extension as RCMP cannot process the request timely, also you cannot walk in to RCMP any longer for finger printing, you need to take appointment and that is not immediate.

Thank you! Will do.

 

[Alok06]

My test status was updated to complete yesterday . The problem is i will be outside canada for whole month of Nov . Should i inform IRCC now ?. If they schedule oath while i am outside i will anyways have to ask them to reschedule . If the invite comes before Nov then should i accept . Will i be considered for urgent processing of passport ? considering lengthy delays for passports now ...
Any suggestions?

 

[wksj]

 

[MChief117]

Congratulations

 

[MChief117]

My test status was updated to complete yesterday . The problem is i will be outside canada for whole month of Nov . Should i inform IRCC now ?. If they schedule oath while i am outside i will anyways have to ask them to reschedule . If the invite comes before Nov then should i accept . Will i be considered for urgent processing of passport ? considering lengthy delays for passports now ...
Any suggestions?

I would say no point contacting them now.. If it comes in Nov/too close to Nov just postpone the ceremony..

 

[astrogal86]

Congrats. Waiting for this to happen for me. Had my oath ceremony a few days ago. So happy for you

 

[le_eddz]

Congrats. Waiting for this to happen for me. Had my oath ceremony a few days ago. So happy for you

So oath was the next step right after test completion? Was it online or in person?

 

[Alberto199611]

Partner and I we both passed the citizenship test on aug 29 around 10pm and today we received and email asking for resend ID because they cannot verify it , wr both send it today... do you guys know how long its gonna take for us to get the citizenship test to complete?
Aplication november 29, 2021
OaR february 10, 2022
BG aug 16, 2022
Test invitation aug 23 , 2022
Test taken aug 29, 2022
ID resend email september 2, 2022

 

[saou17]

congratulations, finally!

 

[saou17]

We have nothing but to wait right now... there's other applicants from October that didn't get any invitation yet

when you get the ghost update, chances are you will probably get the test invite soon. That was my case. 2 ghost updates then test invite.

 

[saou17]

People talk about test Interview date, is that something separate that comes in the email ? I don’t see anything related to test interview in the test invite email. Can someone please help

I believe it is an old name from the pre-covid era when the test was done in person, and all applicants had to go through an interview with the immigration officer to check their paperwork. They were given the DM on the spot if I am not mistaken. But for after Covid, when everything changed, the process is different. I don't think all applicants get an interview. So the test/interview you see there on the Excel sheet is only for the test actual date when you took it.

 

[astrogal86]

So oath was the next step right after test completion? Was it online or in person?

For me I had to wait 4 months after the test for my PP/Prohibitions/language to be completed once that happened it was two weeks I believe before my oath was set to in progress. I got the email invite 6 days before the oath ceremony which was virtual. Hope this answers your questions.

 

[le_eddz]

For me I had to wait 4 months after the test for my PP/Prohibitions/language to be completed once that happened it was two weeks I believe before my oath was set to in progress. I got the email invite 6 days before the oath ceremony which was virtual. Hope this answers your questions.

It does, thank you! I was asking cause I did not get a chance to bring my suit n tie with me from my home country when I came to Canada, so the oath ceremony being virtual helps lol. I should buy a suit soon anyway. I’m at that age where everyone I know is getting married.

 

[Guptavv]

I gave the test today and passed do the spouse also need to pass the test before any more movement ? Or from here application move independently?