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Outside Canada - Oath of Citizenship

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,435
3,183
So, there is certainly a mixed experience with respect to taking the oath from outside of Canada.
Your report is appreciated . . . however, notwithstanding isolated anecdotal reports otherwise (some lacking credibility), generally adults must still be IN Canada to take the Oath of Citizenship.

IRCC recently updated its PDIs related to taking the oath. For example, as updated not quite three weeks ago (September 15), the IRCC information about a "Video oath ceremony (virtual citizenship ceremony)" states:

You need to be in Canada to take the Oath of Citizenship. If you get your invitation while you’re outside Canada, reply to the invitation email to explain your situation in detail.

In your email
  • put “Outside Canada – Oath of Citizenship” in the subject line
  • In the body of your message, include
    • your full name
    • your application number
    • a detailed explanation of your situation
We’ll contact you with your next steps after we receive your email.
See https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/citizenship-ceremony/video.html

So far, previous indications this might change, to allow taking the oath while outside Canada, have not gone beyond that, mere indications it is POSSIBLE this might change.

(Note: special authorization to take the oath outside Canada has been allowed some, but only a few, a very small number; otherwise, also note that there are other types of grant citizenship for which the oath can be taken outside Canada . . . the latter has nothing to do with general adult citizenship applications.)
 
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hannah2023

Newbie
Oct 21, 2023
3
0
Yes true I did my test outside of Canada as well. For the ceremony just do the same, reply to the oath invitation that you are out of the country and you would like to proceed with the oath from outside, they will reply back saying its ok same as the test. just make sure you notify them to be in the safe side. but yes you can do it from outside 2 of my friends just did it. Update us of what will happen with you please


Hello, I also hope to complete the oath abroad. I am currently working in my home country and I don’t know if this reason is allowed. I would like to know whether IRCC needs special reasons to approve applicants to swear oath abroad, such as medical certificates such as surgery.
 

hannah2023

Newbie
Oct 21, 2023
3
0
Hi, I want to inform you all that it is possible to take an oath from outside Canada. I just took it from outside and everything went smoothly and got the e-certificate as well..

Good luck

Hello, I also hope to complete the oath abroad. I am currently working in my home country and I don’t know if this reason is allowed. I would like to know whether IRCC needs special reasons to approve applicants to swear oath abroad, such as medical certificates such as surgery.
 

lecos

Full Member
Mar 20, 2017
21
3
Hello, I also hope to complete the oath abroad. I am currently working in my home country and I don’t know if this reason is allowed. I would like to know whether IRCC needs special reasons to approve applicants to swear oath abroad, such as medical certificates such as surgery.

They will ask you to send a request to the Citizenship Registrar. I was told it takes 1 or 2 months for an answer. During that time your application gets put on hold.
 

anksyahoo

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
487
214
Does the Citizenship Registrar require a special envoy reason to approve the application? Waiting for 1-2 months is acceptable because I am working in my home country and cannot return to Canada within half a year and the current air tickets are very expensive. If it is just for the oath, It's really not cost-effective.
Just Oath? Did you not move to this country and applied for Citizenship for this day? and now you are saying you dont care.

I am amazed how people say it's just Oath easily. Sorry no offence and everyone to their own.
 
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hannah2023

Newbie
Oct 21, 2023
3
0
Just Oath? Did you not move to this country and applied for Citizenship for this day? and now you are saying you dont care.

I am amazed how people say it's just Oath easily. Sorry no offence and everyone to their own.
I value the citizenship oath greatly, but that doesn't mean I am happy about having to pay an extra $5,000 and take two weeks off for it.
 

anksyahoo

Hero Member
May 4, 2020
487
214
I value the citizenship oath greatly, but that doesn't mean I am happy about having to pay an extra $5,000 and take two weeks off for it.
then you should tell them to postpone the ceremony. You dont have valid reason for taking Oath outside.

And if they decide to re schedule next time, you dont have an option to say NO since that is final notice to appear and if you dont make it, you lose your application and have to re start.

Make your own choices on what is more important to you since its your life.
 

Adabalos

Newbie
Aug 7, 2020
5
1
They don't allow everyone and anyone to take oath outside Canada. It's done in extreme cases, the details of which are not clear.
Hopefully IRCC will publish the criteria clearly.
How about daughter taking oath in different city where she study. She is included in my application. Can she just take the oath there (joined the online as well) or she needs to be with the family as we apply as family. Ty
 

scylla

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Jun 8, 2010
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Hey, did you get any reply from them?
Almost no one is being approved. Best advice is to assume it won't happen and that you will need to return to Canada to take the oath.
 

Ouluman

Hero Member
Feb 29, 2016
213
12
I am in the same boat as you.
I got DM on Sept 3, with oath not started yet. It may take 2-4 months, looking at other's timeline.

From what I have seen in this forum.
- You can get notified at anytime for the oath, so you may have 2weeks to even 1 day to plan for your trip.

- You can reschedule it if you provide "explain your situation in detail" as per this. As I have not seen anyone getting oath from outside, I assume them saying "We’ll contact you with your next steps after we receive your email." means they will only reschedule once you prove by sending them flight tickets & passport stamps that you are back in Canada.

- Also as per this detailed post, its not in the power of IRCC to allow oath from outside Canada.

- As per this thread, they said they generally do not hold a file longer than 6 months.

- I am not sure, how much time they may take for 2nd oath invite, given the backlog, once we are back. Could be 2 weeks or several months.


So its a very unclear situation.
do they really just reschedule after they have received the proof that shows you r inside Canada? why r there cases where people have rescheduled their ceremony 2 times ?
 

Seym

Champion Member
Nov 6, 2017
1,718
841
do they really just reschedule after they have received the proof that shows you r inside Canada? why r there cases where people have rescheduled their ceremony 2 times ?
Missing the ceremony twice, unless there's a damn good reason (healthcare stuff, life and death...), means the application is abandonned.
They will reschedule you once you're back (and them asking for a proof you're back is just to ensure you don't abandon your application), but there's no real timeline for it. It may take a couple weeks, or many many months...
 
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Ouluman

Hero Member
Feb 29, 2016
213
12
Missing the ceremony twice, unless there's a damn good reason (healthcare stuff, life and death...), means the application is abandonned.
They will reschedule you once you're back (and them asking for a proof you're back is just to ensure you don't abandon your application), but there's no real timeline for it. It may take a couple weeks, or many many months...
I have already sent the email for rescheduling ,but they didn't answer , I mean I CAN still make it , if I flew back tommorrow ,I am just afraid My in person cerenomy has already been cancled.