Taking Child to the Citizenship Test

[ASPCAN]

Re: Taking Child to the Citizenship Test - Ottawa

Great to know! Thanks a lot Mike15 for sharing your experience.

Any other experiences from anyone else too, would be great!

Mike15, in Ottawa, as people finish the test, are they allowed to leave? Say, if I finish the test early, can I leave? this seems to be different for different centers. Some centers seem to allow this, while other centers ask everybody to wait until all finish up.

 

[eileenf]

Waited for a couple of minutes when a staff member incidentally came out. We explained our situation to her, and she went inside the room briefly to clarify. She came out and said that we can actually bring our child (she said she has seen other families do this), and my spouse and I can take turns with the test. Each of us will get 30 minutes to finish the test. From what she said, it looks like there would be no need even to take a babysitter with us.

Hi Aspcan, Did you get the name of the staff member who told you this? If not, I absolutely recommend that you and your partner bring a babysitter/friend or leave your child at home with a friend. If you did get the CIC staff member's name, I still recommend that you bring a babysitter/friend or leave your child with a friend.

"Taking our chances" is a really bad strategy to take with the CIC. You can't rely on the CIC to be client and service-centered enough, to have the capacity or the responsiveness to understand and accommodate deviations from standard procedure. You should try to make it as easy as possible for them to approve your application because, once your file gets put in the CIC's "non-standard" procedure pile, the "reschedule" pile, the "no-show" pile, the "got in an argument with a CIC employee at the test" pile, it could add a year or longer to your citizenship process.

You might be checked in for your test by an overwhelmed CIC officer with a different understanding of the policy. They might not so accommodating and they might insist that you or your partner reschedule the test (though, much to my feminist chagrin, it seems it's usually the mother who delays her citizenship for the sake of the family). That supervisor and staff member who you spoke with might not be there that day. Or they might not intervene because they're busy as well and your lack of childcare might make their day harder for them. The fact that the staff member you spoke with had to consult with a superior illustrates that this is not a well known the policy. Also, there does not seem to be a written policy that you can point to that supports a right to take turns. Don't take chances on it. Your citizenship is worth the hassle of finding a friend or babysitter to come along or watch your daughter while you're at the test. (As a parent myself, I don't say "get a babysitter" flippantly. I know it's a hassle and it's anxiety-producing if your child isn't comfortable with other caretakers, but it is a good idea, and easier since your daughter's a little older now, to explore a few options, whether it's a halte-garderie, a university student babysitter or a friend who is also a parent who you can watch their child occasionally if they watch yours once in awhile.)

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Mike15]

Re: Taking Child to the Citizenship Test - Ottawa

Great to know! Thanks a lot Mike15 for sharing your experience.

Any other experiences from anyone else too, would be great!

Mike15, in Ottawa, as people finish the test, are they allowed to leave? Say, if I finish the test early, can I leave? this seems to be different for different centers. Some centers seem to allow this, while other centers ask everybody to wait until all finish up.

We were allowed to hand in our test and leave as soon as we were done. I finished in 5 minutes or less but literally read every question and answer over again to double check, by which time others had started to hand theirs in and leave.

However, before the test started they announced that if we waited a few minutes after the test, they would score our tests and let us know our results. If we left and tried to phone in for our results after, they wouldn't be able to give that information out. So 90% of us waited in the lobby area as they called us up one by one to tell us whether we passed or not. That whole process was over within the 30 minutes allowed for the exam. It took longer waiting for everyone to get signed in, seated, and read the instructions for the test, than it did for us to actually take the test and receive our scores.

Also, it's on a one-way street and parking sucks. The lot for the building itself was full. Add extra time if you have to park a few blocks down and walk.

 

[ASPCAN]

Thanks Mike15, for the quick reply! Great info.

Yeah, I did manage to visit the place a few days back, and found that parking is an issue. So, maybe we will take the bus.

One question: What exactly is the list of documents to bring? Of course, they ask you to bring all originals. So passports, PR Cards, Landing documents for sure. But anything else? Also, should we bring photocopies of all these documents too? Your reply about this aspect would be great!

Also, as per eileenf's long and informative reply, we will seriously try and take a friend with us now. Don't have any relatives here; would have been much easier if we had any

 

[Mike15]

Thanks Mike15, for the quick reply! Great info.

Yeah, I did manage to visit the place a few days back, and found that parking is an issue. So, maybe we will take the bus.

One question: What exactly is the list of documents to bring? Of course, they ask you to bring all originals. So passports, PR Cards, Landing documents for sure. But anything else? Also, should we bring photocopies of all these documents too? Your reply about this aspect would be great!

Also, as per eileenf's long and informative reply, we will seriously try and take a friend with us now. Don't have any relatives here; would have been much easier if we had any

No problem. I'm eagerly awaiting a citizenship ceremony invite, so this forum is on my mind.

I had photocopied my entire Citizenship Application, so I brought all that in a folder, along with my invitation letter, my original Confirmation of Permanent Residence (she checked this), my PR card (she checked this), my driver's license as a second photo ID (she checked this), and my passport (she checked for stamps to indicate time spent in/outside of Canada; most of my border crossings were to and from the US by car, so no stamps, which she asked me about to clarify). They didn't need to retain anything. There was another form that wasn't on the letter of invitation, but was listed on the sign in the lineup, but no one else in line had heard of it either. I forget now what it was called, but it didn't end up being necessary.

As long as you have your letter and anything listed on your letter as necessary, you should be good.

 

[ASPCAN]

No problem. I'm eagerly awaiting a citizenship ceremony invite, so this forum is on my mind.

I had photocopied my entire Citizenship Application, so I brought all that in a folder, along with my invitation letter, my original Confirmation of Permanent Residence (she checked this), my PR card (she checked this), my driver's license as a second photo ID (she checked this), and my passport (she checked for stamps to indicate time spent in/outside of Canada; most of my border crossings were to and from the US by car, so no stamps, which she asked me about to clarify). They didn't need to retain anything. There was another form that wasn't on the letter of invitation, but was listed on the sign in the lineup, but no one else in line had heard of it either. I forget now what it was called, but it didn't end up being necessary.

As long as you have your letter and anything listed on your letter as necessary, you should be good.

Thanks for the clarity! Helps a lot.

Congratulations on your success, and good luck for the final step!

 

[Yolka]

Anyone has a story to share from the Ottawa location about their experiences with taking children for the test?

I had my test on January 22nd and had my husband and my two children with me. My husband stayed on the first floor to look after the kids (exam was on the third floor and my husband is Canadian). My youngest was especially very noisy, he is also 2, not an easy age that's why they had to wait downstairs.

I have not seen any children during my exam. I suggest you take a friend with you, he/she will surely have no problem looking after your kid for 30 minutes. I do not advise postponing an exam, do not miss your chance.

 

[ASPCAN]

I had my test on January 22nd and had my husband and my two children with me. My husband stayed on the first floor to look after the kids (exam was on the third floor and my husband is Canadian). My youngest was especially very noisy, he is also 2, not an easy age that's why they had to wait downstairs.

I have not seen any children during my exam. I suggest you take a friend with you, he/she will surely have no problem looking after your kid for 30 minutes. I do not advise postponing an exam, do not miss your chance.

Thank you, Yolka. Very much appreciate your input. Did you find parking in the designated lot for the building? I hear that lot quickly becomes full. If so, is it easy to find alternative parking nearby?

 

[Yolka]

My test was at Scarborough. We were very lucky with parking but after we came out of the exam there was a huge line for parking. Better go early, as we did My exam was at 11.30 and we went there at 10.30. We did not explore other parking around as we got a spot quickly. Good luck!

 

[ASPCAN]

My test was at Scarborough. We were very lucky with parking but after we came out of the exam there was a huge line for parking. Better go early, as we did My exam was at 11.30 and we went there at 10.30. We did not explore other parking around as we got a spot quickly. Good luck!

Oh, OK. Ours is in Ottawa. So, the parking situation is quite different, I think.

Thanks for the wishes.

 

[Jes]

Hi,

Sorry for hijacking the thread .

I have a related question:

Do I have to take my son's passport along with the other documents to the test?
In the CIC page it is said to take all submitted documents.

My son's passport has some untranslated stamps (he and my wife went in vacation one time in the 3 years period and an other time after, thus, have about 8 untranslated stamps each, I've never left Canada). I'll translate the passports anyway, but was wondering should I bring all "his" documents (school records, birth certificate etc.) to the test? and who should have them (my wife or myself)?

thx