Obtaining Certificate of Citizenship (by descent)

[GoshoJosh06]

Hello all -

Just posting my progress (and more importantly current timeline) for obtaining my first certificate of citizenship.

Background:
I'm 28 and was born and raised in Texas, USA. My father was born in Ontario and has resided in the US for most of his life. He has always kept a green card (never naturalized to the US). I only recently discovered that I am Canadian by descent!

I've gathered all of my documents and am posting my progress. Currently the website suggests that it is approximately a 5-month turn-around time.

I have mailed my documents as of yesterday, 5/8/2017 vía USPS International Express. They anticipate delivery Tuesday 5/16/2017.

I'll post progression of events for anyone wondering how long it may take.

Excited!

 

[GoshoJosh06]

As of today, the package has been received at the Sydney, Nova Scotia Case Processing Centre.

Now to wait...

 

[eggnoggy]

How exciting! I am gathering documents right now to send mine in. I'm in Australia though so I think international processing times are longer let us know what happens!

 

[GoshoJosh06]

Good luck eggnoggy! I am actually a little envious that you will be able to use your embassy. Sending a packet of information out without ever speaking to a human is a little unsettling. I wish I could have turned it into someone, even if that meant a longer wait.

We'll see, though!

 

[GoshoJosh06]

Today I received my acknowledgement of receipt/AOR via email. It contains an application number and states:

"We received your application for proof of Canadian citizenship. The application and documents will now be reviewed and we will contact you if additional information is required.

If your application is approved, a citizenship certificate will be sent to you."

Current timeline:
Mailed from USA: 8 May 2017
Delivered to Nova Scotia: 15 May 2017
Received AOR: 9 June 2017

 

[_MissyMary_]

I am in the exact same position as you! I discovered only recently that I'm Canadian by descent - my Mom was also born in Ontario. I just submitted my application and documents two weeks ago, and I've not heard anything yet. Thanks for sharing your timeline so far - it is so helpful to see how this process is working for others!

 

[GoshoJosh06]

Wow!! Much faster than 5 months. My online login/account just updated to show the following timeline:

1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on May 15, 2017.
2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on June 9, 2017.
3. We started processing your application on July 6, 2017.
4. We sent you a letter on July 6, 2017. Please consider delays in mail delivery before contacting us.
5. We sent you a citizenship certificate on July 6, 2017. Please consider delays in mail delivery before contacting us.

Numbers 3, 4, and 5 all appeared at the same time.

 

[hawk39]

Congratulations. Your case seems pretty straightforward in just verifying your father's birth certificate; no need to calculate and verify residency days.
I just received my AOR 2 days ago through e-mail, so hopefully my application will also be processed within a month (to verify my mother's naturalization certificate).

 

[andrewhl]

Congratulations!
Just sent my son's Certificate application to Sydney this Friday.
We are from Toronto. Our son was born in the States and my wife is a Naturalized Canadian Citizen.
Waiting for any news from CIC.
I hope it can be much faster than 5 months since we need this to get his OHIP healthcard and SIN

 

[alphazip]

Congratulations!
Just sent my son's Certificate application to Sydney this Friday.
We are from Toronto. Our son was born in the States and my wife is a Naturalized Canadian Citizen.
Waiting for any news from CIC.
I hope it can be much faster than 5 months since we need this to get his OHIP healthcard and SIN

If your son needs his proof of citizenship to get OHIP, you could have applied for urgent processing. In fact, you can still call the Call Centre and see if it can be rushed.

See: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/urgent-proof.asp

 

[andrewhl]

If your son needs his proof of citizenship to get OHIP, you could have applied for urgent processing. In fact, you can still call the Call Centre and see if it can be rushed.

See: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/urgent-proof.asp

Actually, I did apply Urgent processing
It's just I am not sure if the officer will actually agree to take my case as urgent ones.
Hope I can have some luck
Thanks anyway, you've been really helpful on this topic.

 

[GoshoJosh06]

Good luck everyone applying! I think you're right that mine was about as straightforward as can be. I was just worried it might have been returned for missing an "N/A" somewhere or something minor. I'm glad it went so quickly. I'm on a two week trip out of the country so I'm hoping the certificate will be waiting for me when I get back.

Will give a final update once it's in-hand.

 

[Dan in Wisconsin]

Okay, I've just had my application returned. I knew I'd forgotten to include the receipt for the fee, but there were two other errors. The photos weren't stamped and signed by the photographer, and I think I should have put an NA in my mother's information. But I'm not sure about that, so I'm asking if anyone can help with the answers.

Background: my mother was born a few blocks on the US side of the border to Canadian parents in 1920. She was never naturalized and they moved further south into the US when she was about five. My father was born in Halifax in 1921. It's his birth that counts, but if I understand the form questions, I still need to give my mother's info because her parents were Canadian.
They have highlighted the following questions:

How did this parent obtain Canadian citizenship?
On what date did this parent enter Canada to live?
Did this parent leave Canada for more than 1 year before 1977?

I don't know what the proper responses are. Should I have put NA? We talked about it and decided to leave it blank because she never entered Canada to live, and never tried to gain citizenship.

And of course, now I only have one more shot. They won't return the form if I fill it out wrong again so I have to get it right.

Can anyone point me towards someone who can tell me what the proper responses are?

 

[GoshoJosh06]

My application would be very similar to yours as only my father's mattered for my citizenship application - my mother was born in the US and stayed there her whole life. So for her section I answered as follows:

How did this parent obtain citizenship: N/A

Citizenship certificate No.: N/A

On what date did this parent first enter Canada? N/A

Did this parent leave Canada for more than 1 year before 1977? No

In the grid that follows I put N/A in all 9 fields.

Is or was this parent a citizen of a country other than Canada? Yes

In the following field I put: United States of America - citizenship obtained by birth (MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY XX-XX-XXXX) and remained in USA during lifetime.

The final three answers I marked No

It looks like my application was approved based on the online status check page, so I'm confident this is what they're looking for. Good luck!!!!

 

[alphazip]

Okay, I've just had my application returned. I knew I'd forgotten to include the receipt for the fee, but there were two other errors. The photos weren't stamped and signed by the photographer, and I think I should have put an NA in my mother's information. But I'm not sure about that, so I'm asking if anyone can help with the answers.

Background: my mother was born a few blocks on the US side of the border to Canadian parents in 1920. She was never naturalized and they moved further south into the US when she was about five. My father was born in Halifax in 1921. It's his birth that counts, but if I understand the form questions, I still need to give my mother's info because her parents were Canadian.
They have highlighted the following questions:

How did this parent obtain Canadian citizenship?
On what date did this parent enter Canada to live?
Did this parent leave Canada for more than 1 year before 1977?

I don't know what the proper responses are. Should I have put NA? We talked about it and decided to leave it blank because she never entered Canada to live, and never tried to gain citizenship.

And of course, now I only have one more shot. They won't return the form if I fill it out wrong again so I have to get it right.

Can anyone point me towards someone who can tell me what the proper responses are?

Actually, your case is a bit different from that of GoshoJosh06. While it's true that you only inherited Canadian citizenship from one parent...your father...both of your parents were (or would have been if still living in 2009) Canadian citizens.

I suggest that you answer the questions like this:

Other parent (your mother)
How did this parent obtain Canadian citizenship? Daughter of Canadian-born parents
Canadian certificate number? N/A
On what date did this parent enter Canada to live? Never lived in Canada
Did this parent leave Canada for more than 1 year before 1977? Yes
From (date of birth) to (date of death) USA
Is or was this parent a citizen of any other country? Yes, USA, xx/xx/1920, by birth
Parent employed in Canada by a foreign government? No
Parent employed by Canadian armed forces, etc.? No
If this parent was born in Canada....? N/A

8B
Father's parents:
1. N/A
2. N/A
No need to give paternal grandparents' names, etc.

Mother's parents:
3. Was grandparent a Canadian citizen? [Actually, at the time, they were British subjects born in Canada, but put...] Yes
4. Was grandparent in Crown service? No
Fill in maternal grandfather's name, etc.
How did your grandfather obtain Canadian citizenship? Born in Canada
Certificate number: N/A
Crown service? N/A
Your maternal grandmother's name, etc.
Answer questions the same as for maternal grandfather