October 2014 Citizenship Applications

[Absurd]

Hello everybody! Most of us have similar situations with timing of getting oath after the test. I waited for 2-4 MONTHS as an average waiting time for ceremony that was mentioned by Scarborough offices' officer right after test. Then I started to call to the CIC call-centre weekly during two months since the end of this period; I tried to understand what is the reason that our family has to wait for months. NO MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY HAD SPENT ANY SINGLE DAY OUTSIDE OF CANADA FOR 3 YEARS PREVIOUS TO APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP. WE HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME ADRESS AND HAD MET ALL OF CIC REQUIREMENTS! Well trained persons from call-center each time gave me the universal answer about "application processing times". All of them told thatTHERE IS NO TIMING 2-4 MONTHS, BUT WE WILL BE HAVING THE CEREMONY IN 6 MONTHS AFTER PASSING THE TEST (!)From time to time they mentioned that the number of applications was dramatically increased, and this fact can be kind of excuse for CIC offices. Then I started to research official statistic. And what do you think I realized from it? The number of applications for citizenship not only wasn't increased, but even decreased each year from 211,135 in 2009 to 129,993 in 2014. Surprise: cic.gc.ca/english/resources/statistics/data-release/2014-Q4/index.asp
According to another information number of applications really could be increased something like 53% during the 1st half-year of 2015 in comparison with the 1st half-year of 2014. But excuse me (!), waiting time for oath according to information from "Canadavisa" and some other websites, was increased approximately 8-13 times, depending on CIC office location.
So it is pure math: 1.53 is not equal to 13 or even 8.
And finally today, because 6 months already passed, I called to CIC call-centre and guess what? There is a note in our file according which we will be scheduled for the ceremony in the NEXT 2-4 MONTHS. What? Another 2-4 month? Why? And their answer is “THERE IS NO REASON. If you won't receive invitation in the NEXT 4 months, give us a call”. I replied that I was frustrated and I did not believe this anymore.
After simple analyzes, I found an understandable explanation...

 

[Absurd]

The explanations for such enormous waiting time could be simple.
1. As almost everybody knows there is a gap in 1 year between applications of two groups of applicants. In the first group there are people who had the right to apply for citizenship under the previous rules (3/5 years) before June 19, 2015 and in the another group there are people who had the right to apply for citizenship under the new rules (4/6 years) after June 19, 2015 (IN FACT AFTER June 19, 2016). And it would be understandable if CIC staff would have not so much to do during this period of time. In this situation, the threat of dismissal of part of CIC employee could be obvious. But nobody wants to do it because of upcoming federal elections. So there is some opportunity to provide the work for all of these people to keep busy. Guess how? It is not my opinion but some people believe that some of them could be interested in postponing of some cases with some possible sorts of reasons especially for family applicants (IT IS JUST SOMEBODY'S OPINION). And probably you will see how quickly decisions will be made closer to April 1st, 2016 and how short the timeline will be.
2. Traditionally newcomers and even first generation of Canadians are not so happy with conservative government. So, there issomebody else's opinion. The fewer newcomers become citizen on the eve of the Federal elections the better it is for current government.
So what it is? Double standards? Discrimination? I don't know. I'll just repeat that everything that is above is only somebody's opinion.
And also probably that people who have to wait for a long time could be simply victims of situation.

 

[ambient2]

I too, believe in the fact that current government doesn't want to see any new citizens for the election.
It's been 4 month since I'm waiting for my Oath, I thought after 19th everything will go faster, and another deadline I had in mind was 6th month. However from your experience I can see that's not the deadline for them at all.
scheiße!

 

[Eng_Mtl]

Hi _iMad_,

I am in the same situation, I received an invite to attend citizenship test on Oct 02, but due to I already was on vacation I asked them to reschedule. I am hoping they would do so before Christmas break.

Please keep me posted about your reschedule date.

got test letter yesterday , test is shedulled Sep. 9 but I have already planned my vacation on that time. Just sent the Ottawa local office a letter asking to move the test date with proof of reason (just a copy of plane reservation) as I was instructed by the CIC call agent.
I applied on the last week of October, things are really moving fast.
I hope that my second test notice won't take too long to arrive. I am afraid they will reschedule me in a four or more months :S
Has anyone experienced this before ? Plz share your experience !

I HIGHLY recommend you to let CIC know about your absences BEFORE you make any bookings. If they know you will not be available, they won't schedule your test/oath during that time !

 

[MCBoy]

*Rant warning*

I sent in my application early Oct 2014. In Process from Jan 2015 and file transferred to Kitchener office.

I moved to Toronto from Kitchener in March 2015 and updated the address - ouch! - this is where the delay started.

My wife applied in April and she finished her test a couple of weeks back. Tried calling the call center - heard the robotic message from a human - can't really blame them.

Applied for GCMS notes under ATIP - got it last week only to see all due dates set to "March 01, 2016" - happy to see the file is at least not lost and is transferred to Scarborough!

No options but to wait.

 

[_iMad_]

Hi _iMad_,

I am in the same situation, I received an invite to attend citizenship test on Oct 02, but due to I already was on vacation I asked them to reschedule. I am hoping they would do so before Christmas break.

Please keep me posted about your reschedule date.

No news so far. I think it'll take a while before they act !

 

[ambient2]

Anyone from October batch still awaits for their test or the Oath ?

 

[Skakeholder]

no news...

 

[_iMad_]

Hi _iMad_,

I am in the same situation, I received an invite to attend citizenship test on Oct 02, but due to I already was on vacation I asked them to reschedule. I am hoping they would do so before Christmas break.

Please keep me posted about your reschedule date.

I just received a FINAL NOTICE three days ago. The new test date is two weeks after the notice was sent. Good luck to you my friend, and wish me luck for the test.

Any good links to practice for the test? I am looking for links that have same questions as the real test. Thanks !

 

[Oct20]

Anyone from October batch still awaits for their test or the Oath ?

Hi Ambient2
I'm in the same situation like you
I guess they hold and delay a lot of files till after the election which is unethical
I hope everything will go through faster now
All the best for all of us

 

[Mainagui]

Hi Ambient2
I'm in the same situation like you
I guess they hold and delay a lot of files till after the election which is unethical
I hope everything will go through faster now
All the best for all of us

i'm still waiting for the oath too, just had my test last week.

 

[ambient2]

Hi Ambient2
I'm in the same situation like you
I guess they hold and delay a lot of files till after the election which is unethical
I hope everything will go through faster now
All the best for all of us

I thought so too, but if that's true, that should have been a huge scandal.
How could government dictated CIC to hold the applications without someone leaking this info to the press ? Needles to say, most of the governmental bodies were under the pressure from Tories to downsize.

 

[Eng_Mtl]

I just received a FINAL NOTICE three days ago. The new test date is two weeks after the notice was sent. Good luck to you my friend, and wish me luck for the test.

Any good links to practice for the test? I am looking for links that have same questions as the real test. Thanks !

I also received a final notice to appear for test in Montreal on 29th Oct, but I am not sure if Oath will be also same day. Anyone know recently got through same situation in Montreal.

Thanks

 

[canadavasi]

Anyone from the October applicants still waiting for a test? It has been a long wait and I am kind of losing hope here. Not sure how long I can continue opening my mailbox with anxiety or checking ecas? Based on my last ATIP, no action has been taken other than receiving my documents in response to RQ. Hoping some positive changes with the Liberal government!

 

[_iMad_]

Just wanted to update you guys, eCas changed today to Decision Made, oath letter already sent and I think should be in the mail today. Scheduled for Nov. 23.
I gotta say CIC has significanlty cut the long wait time, my journey exactly 13 month after I applied.
Thank you all for your input and comments, congrats to those who already had their citizenship and good luck for those who are still waiting...hang in there, you are not the only one !
cheers,