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Proof of Citizenship timeline

spousalCase416

Star Member
Feb 8, 2021
100
48
Hello Everyone,

I received an update regarding my toddler's proof of citizenship but confused.

Frontpage under Citizenship Application Status, it's mentioned as "Decision Made"

When I move to the next page, I see the below :


  1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on November 26, 2019.
  2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on February 15, 2020.
  3. We started processing your application on February 2, 2021.
So I am confused what the decision made means in my case??

If anyone has any idea or gone through the same scenario pls explain me.

TIA.
Hey a friend of mine has a similar timeline.

received - nov 25 2019
Aor - feb 13 2020
Processing - jan 21 2021
Sent - feb 10 2021

check your ecas to see if you have any updates
 
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v44teifyn

Newbie
Jan 8, 2021
7
8
I've been looking at this thread for a while, but nothing much to contribute until now.

Sent from London, ON December 17, 2019, after a legal name change.
  1. We received your application for a citizenship certificate (proof of Canadian citizenship) on December 19, 2019.
  2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s) on March 3, 2020.
  3. We started processing your application on January 6, 2021.
An update:

4. We sent your citizenship certificate on February 17, 2021 to: Address in London, ON. If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.

My application status is now Complete.
 

koeks525

Star Member
Dec 20, 2019
64
11
An update:

4. We sent your citizenship certificate on February 17, 2021 to: Address in London, ON. If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.

My application status is now Complete.
Wow and congratulations!!

I am wondering if that is the norm, for the application be "In Process" for a year or so?
 

v44teifyn

Newbie
Jan 8, 2021
7
8
Wow and congratulations!!

I am wondering if that is the norm, for the application be "In Process" for a year or so?
From what I've seen on the boards here, it seems that the longest wait is from step 2 AOR to step 3 start of processing. For me that was around 10 months, including the whole pandemic shutdown bit. My understanding was that before the pandemic slowed things down, step 2 --> step 3 was around 5 months. Mind, I don't know how much things are delayed if you've sent in your application after the first pandemic shutdown started. It seems quite a bit worse, since people who've sent in their applications in May still don't have an AOR..

Once it starts processing, if it's a straightforward application, it seems to be anywhere between 4-10 weeks for them to then send it out. I was exactly at 6 weeks between step 3 processing and step 4 sent.
 

myscanada

Star Member
Sep 7, 2018
125
39
I submitted after Name Change for My kid from inside Canada
App Delivered: June-04-2020
No AOR

I submitted after Name Change for Myself from inside Canada
App Delivered: Jul-08-2020
No AOR
 

tenacioustopanga

Star Member
Dec 9, 2017
71
21
Name change application delivered Feb 4, 2021, within Canada.
No AOR as expected, but recording it here so I can report on the timeline as it progresses.
 

v44teifyn

Newbie
Jan 8, 2021
7
8
An update:

4. We sent your citizenship certificate on February 17, 2021 to: Address in London, ON. If your certificate was sent to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate, you will be contacted when it arrives. Mailing times will vary by region and could take up to four months. If we have sent your certificate to the wrong address, please contact us.

My application status is now Complete.
The certificate arrived today. Final timeline:

1. Dec 19, 2019 Application arrived to the case processing centre
2. Mar 03, 2020 AOR
3. Jan 06, 2021 Processing
4. Feb 17, 2021 Certificate sent
5. Feb 24, 2021 Certificate arrived

Of note, the certificate was sent without tracking, using Canada Post oversized letter mail from Sydney, NS.

I did an Ontario legal name change and sent/received in London, ON.

I'm so relieved to finally have it in my hands. Good luck to everyone still waiting.
 

sdk19

Newbie
Jan 24, 2021
5
0
Hey a friend of mine has a similar timeline.

received - nov 25 2019
Aor - feb 13 2020
Processing - jan 21 2021
Sent - feb 10 2021

check your ecas to see if you have any updates

Thank you. Its still the same no change.. let's see if get any update in march
 

koeks525

Star Member
Dec 20, 2019
64
11
I am wondering if DNA tests are still being done for Proof of Canadian Citizenship applications (by descent)? I know laws were recently passed which extends the scope of who can claim citizenship by descent (biological or legal parent). There isn't anything suspicious with my case, other than the birth date of my parent on my birth certificate being different to the birth date on the citizenship card - the year component is the same, its the month and day that is different. The parent's name and place of birth are the same as on the certificate and Canadian passport.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/act-changes/rules-2020.html

I had sent my application November 2019, but my Canadian parent passed away on November 2020... so just hoping the DNA test isn't requested. The AOR came in December 2020, and the agent in web forms says the application is in process, but e-CAS says the application is in a "Application Received" state.
 
Last edited:

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
685
278
I am wondering if DNA tests are still being done for Proof of Canadian Citizenship applications (by descent)?
According to their website, yes, they still do request DNA tests:

Quality Assurance Program
Our quality assurance program randomly chooses applications for a special review. If chosen, we’ll ask you to attend an in-person interview where we will:
  • review and verify the original documentation you submitted,
  • verify that the information you provided on your application form is accurate, and
  • request additional supporting documentation, up to and including DNA to confirm parentage, if we’re not satisfied with the documentation on file.
There isn't anything suspicious with my case, other than the birth date of my parent on my birth certificate being different to the birth date on the citizenship card - the year component is the same, its the month and day that is different.
Unless you simply swapped the numerical month and day, or the difference is only by a day, that's the kind of document discrepancy that would most likely send your application to Program Support for further review and delay in processing.

I had sent my application November 2019, but my Canadian parent passed away on November 2020... so just hoping the DNA test isn't requested.
If they do ask you for a DNA test, you should reply with your parent's death certificate as proof that the test would not be possible. They would then probably ask you for more documentation to verify your parent's date of birth.
 
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koeks525

Star Member
Dec 20, 2019
64
11
According to their website, yes, they still do request DNA tests:

Quality Assurance Program
Our quality assurance program randomly chooses applications for a special review. If chosen, we’ll ask you to attend an in-person interview where we will:
  • review and verify the original documentation you submitted,
  • verify that the information you provided on your application form is accurate, and
  • request additional supporting documentation, up to and including DNA to confirm parentage, if we’re not satisfied with the documentation on file.

Unless you simply swapped the numerical month and day, or the difference is only by a day, that's the kind of document discrepancy that would most likely send your application to Program Support for further review and delay in processing.


If they do ask you for a DNA test, you should reply with your parent's death certificate as proof that the test would not be possible. They would then probably ask you for more documentation to verify your parent's date of birth.
Thank you for explaining. This helped a lot. I have kept my expectations open to the idea of my application being sent to PSU for additional review. I also thought in cases where the Canadian parent is deceased, the IRCC would request and accept DNA tests from the closest relative of the deceased parent (all relatives are deceased).