Hi everyone, my application was delivered on October 26, 2017 however, on not hearing from CIC, I called them on December 29. The agent on the phone said that she could not trace my application anywhere in the system and at first took my Canada Post tracking number and payment receipt and said she would send a message to the citizenship dept. However, she called back after 5 minutes saying that this procedure no longer exists and they've been directed to tell people that they should resubmit their application as at this point my application would be considered lost. She said I can use the same payment receipt as it's still valid and not been used. Currently applications received on November 8, 2017 are in process and she said that means your application is most likely lost either at their end or if they sent it back to me, then by Canada Post. If you call CIC, the automated system tells you which dates are currently in process. I am resubmitting my application tomorrow.
WAIT! Best to give it another four or six weeks before taking any action. Or longer.
The likelihood the application is lost is REMOTE. The likelihood it is sitting in some queue waiting for a processing agent to take action on it is much, much higher.
In the meantime, something in the range of 40,000 applications were submitted in October. This is more than during a full eight months following the last major change to citizenship requirements.
Scores of October applicants are still reporting NO AOR yet.
Forum participants are reporting totally inconsistent advice from call centre representatives. BUT this is not even the kind of information call centre agents can reasonably or reliably provide: they are not even in processing or administrative circles let alone management. At best they have online FAQ scripts they use to answer questions, FAQ like questions. Once an application is in process, they can access the GCMS for the application and report certain details for an individual applicant. BUT that is limited information and they cannot do even this unless and until AOR and a GCMS file number is known.
It is readily apparent that IRCC is currently overwhelmed with questions which do NOT need to be asked and which are not really within the scope of the call centre agent's duties.
Overall, it was obvious that there would be a huge rush in October. So those who chose to make an application among the tens of thousands rushing it will need to be patient.
Give it some time.