Reschedule Citizenship Ceremony Vancouver

[new westminster]

Hi,
Anyone has recent experience with rescheduling a citizenship ceremony?

My wife had a citizenship ceremony scheduled for beginning of June, but she couldn't attend as she was and still is in Europe. We sent a letter, end of May, explaining the reasons why she can't attend. We have not heard anything back since then - month and a half now.

Call center wouldn't give me any information as I am not authorized, as per their records.

Anyone that has been in a similar situation, please share your experience.

Thanks,

 

[Leon]

From what I have heard, they will not allow you to schedule these things when it is convenient for you. They will simply reschedule by inviting her to another ceremony at a later date, could be anywhere between now and a year from now for all you know. You will also not know far ahead when it is. About the same as now, you may get a letter a couple of weeks before she is supposed to be there.

Canada immigration just somehow seems to believe that citizenship should be important enough to you that you will schedule around them and not vice versa.

 

[new westminster]

Yes, I don't expect CIC to reschedule when is convenient for us. I just hope they received our request and take it into consideration. I can't check my wife's status as their records don't show my name as an authorized person even though we sent a letter for this too. By the time my wife comes back from Europe, the 60 day period will have passed. I hope everything goes well though.

 

[new westminster]

Has not anyone had an experience with postponing the citizenship ceremony?

Leon, thanks for sharing your opinion!

 

[Leon]

I only recall a family posting that the wife had postponed it not once but twice. The first time she was called, it was not convenient as they were outside the country and the 2nd time she was called, same thing. After that, immigration sent her a letter inquiring if she was actually still interested in getting citizenship. I don't know how that went. However, IMO it is better not to postpone if you can avoid it but if you have to, so be it.

 

[markym]

Hi there! sorry for posting it here, but i really need help

my mother's middle name (maiden name) has a clerical error on my birth certificate, it is "mamOyac" but should be "mamUyac" which is spelled correctly on our marriage certificate. should i change first my birth certificate before my spouse can submit our application forms? or is it okay to submit even though MY MOTHER'S MIDDLE NAME (maiden name) appeared as "MAMOYAC" to my birth certificate and "MAMUYAC" on my marriage certificate. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU!

 

[axel_sil]

Hi,
Anyone has recent experience with rescheduling a citizenship ceremony?

My wife had a citizenship ceremony scheduled for beginning of June, but she couldn't attend as she was and still is in Europe. We sent a letter, end of May, explaining the reasons why she can't attend. We have not heard anything back since then - month and a half now.

Call center wouldn't give me any information as I am not authorized, as per their records.

Anyone that has been in a similar situation, please share your experience.

Thanks,

I was just sending a letter to the Vancouver office for rescheduling the citizenship ceremony

Of course, if you have a valid reason, they will be OK with postponing the ceremony. CIC officers are a bunch of great people in my experience and always helpful if they see that you are doing everything legally and follow all the rules.

I am currently in the states, accompanying my Canadian spouse and having lost my foreign passport, I was not able to appear at the ceremony (funny thing is, that unlike many other cases, I do have a perfectly valid PR card, but that on itself isn't enough to board any airline flight to Vancouver...)

Anyhow, the exact procedure is to send the letter to Vancouver office maximum 60 days after the ceremony, explaining and providing a good reason why you couldn't attend. Now, from your post I see that you've already sent it, which is good, but did you make sure they have received it? Did you have tracking number with your letter? If not, I suggest to send one more communication, explaining that you've already sent a letter and repeating the reason of the absence... and this time make sure you send it with tracking, to check later online if the letter has indeed arrived. Communication will not hurt you in this case, what could hurt is the absence of it.

Also, make sure they have your up-to-date address. Be aware that, if you change the address on the CIC web site, it takes some time to be in effect. Did they maybe send any letters to your old address that you might have missed?

 

[new westminster]

Yes, I also sent the same letter via registered mail. We also faxed a letter authorizing me to act on my wife's behalf, but as of last week, I was still not in there system as an authorized person and can't check her application status.....it's been more than month and a half now. Anyway, she is coming back in a few weeks and hope everything goes well.
We have not changed our address, so they have our up to date address.

Thanks for your comment, Axel_sil.