Thanks for replying. I received my ATIP which reflects criminality is passed and nothing about security clearance “blank page” ( which I assume security clearance is pending)
Test Completed But BACKGROUND CHECK in progress.
- Thread starter ROCK ON
- Start date
My application is paper base tho (4 family members- myself wife and 2 kids) - fingerprint requested for my wife and received back in May 2022 and her BG still in progress
rizwan150
Hero Member
- Jan 16, 2014
- 233
- Visa Office......
- London
- NOC Code......
- 2243
- App. Filed.......
- 10-04-2014
- Doc's Request.
- 24-06-2014
- Nomination.....
- 07-05-2014
- Med's Request
- 26-06-2014 (Self MR + RPRF for both) & 31-07-2014 (Spouse MR),
- Med's Done....
- 06-07-2014 (Self) & 18-08-2014 (Spouse)
- Passport Req..
- PPR-1 + PPR-2: 17-02-2015
- VISA ISSUED...
- 17-02-2015, Passport Received: 17-03-2015
- LANDED..........
- 26-05-2015
rizwan150
Hero Member
- Jan 16, 2014
- 233
- Visa Office......
- London
- NOC Code......
- 2243
- App. Filed.......
- 10-04-2014
- Doc's Request.
- 24-06-2014
- Nomination.....
- 07-05-2014
- Med's Request
- 26-06-2014 (Self MR + RPRF for both) & 31-07-2014 (Spouse MR),
- Med's Done....
- 06-07-2014 (Self) & 18-08-2014 (Spouse)
- Passport Req..
- PPR-1 + PPR-2: 17-02-2015
- VISA ISSUED...
- 17-02-2015, Passport Received: 17-03-2015
- LANDED..........
- 26-05-2015
No, it was just updated on Nov 25 first when background were found completed in app history on Nov 23, so with a 2 days delay.
And then next update on Nov 26, with language skills, physical presence and prohibitions getting completed on Nov 24.
No ghost updates in between.
Some Reminders:
The referral for RCMP and CSIS clearances is part of the initial processing done at CPC-Sydney. Unlike most other tasks in processing a citizenship application, these are done in parallel with other processing tasks. So the referral is made (typically in batches, not just for individual applicants) soon after the application is opened and the application completeness screening is done, sometime before or at the latest attendant AOR. Meanwhile, with some exceptions, the application itself continues on its way, including being referred to a local office, no waiting on the RCMP or CSIS clearance.
Thus, generally the formal background clearances conducted by RCMP (for criminality) and CSIS (security) do not cause issues or delays for the vast majority of qualified applicants. For most applicants these clearances are as routine as routine goes. Yes, they are hard and fast requirements in processing the citizenship application (to verify the applicant has no criminality or security prohibitions), and thus must be completed and still valid before a citizenship application can be approved and the oath scheduled, so they are relatively high profile elements in the process. For most applicants, however, they cause little or no delay, other than if and when an update in the clearance is needed before final approval and scheduling of the oath. But even then, this is typically a minimal delay. Updating clearances is generally a formality, almost perfunctory. Unlike other aspects of processing citizenship applications, where applications can go into lengthy and very slow moving queues waiting for a particular task to be done before the application goes to the next step, applications do not end up sitting on shelves waiting for updating these formal clearances (even if it sometimes appears otherwise).
WITH EXCEPTIONS. Sure, there are always some exceptions.
Some applicants, a small percentage, will encounter issues related to the clearances. If there are security concerns about an applicant, for example, sure, that applicant can encounter significant delays and, in cases involving more serious security concerns, the applicant might encounter very lengthy delays. Years even, and for some many years. Not many, not many at all, are affected this way.
I expect vehement protests to the contrary, but generally these applicants know who they are and to a large extent why, without any ATIP requests. Indeed, ATIP requests will generally generate very little if any useful information about this. Security concerns rising to the level they actually stall getting the CSIS clearance do not (again with exceptions) arise from thin air. They are connected to the individual's history. No one knows an individual's history better than they know it themselves. Protests to the contrary notwithstanding.
Similarly any who might have a criminality issue stalling the RCMP clearance. Usually even though not always. The vast majority of applicants know if and when they have been involved in a criminal matter. If not, there is no reason to apprehend there is a substantive issue stalling a RCMP clearance.
Some applicants will need to provide fingerprints, so that CSIS or the RCMP can verify the individual's identity and distinguish them from individuals for whom there are concerns. Thus, for example, as long as it is not the applicant who has some entanglement in criminal matters and the applicant timely provides fingerprints in response to a request for them, there is no problem and any resulting delays are minimal. Note, fingerprint requests can be made for various reasons, and IRCC typically does not inform the applicant why, so just getting a fingerprint request does not necessarily mean it is for RCMP's criminality background screening or for CSIS.
Absent some reason to apprehend there is a security concern, or a criminality issue, the vast majority of applicants need not worry about the status of their RCMP and CSIS clearances. Monitoring the application's progress in regards to these clearances will not offer much if any useful information. Whether GCMS shows these as "completed" or not does not illuminate much at all about where the application is at, almost nothing about what will happen next or when. It warrants noting that these clearances can be done and referred back to IRCC without a notation in the citizenship application file that they are completed. It appears that this notation is often waiting for a processing agent or citizenship officer to take the next step in processing the application, attendant which the official will see the clearance and make the completed notation in the file, rather than the other way around . . . and damn IRCC for willfully confusing applicants about this, for using the absence of a notation in the file showing the RCMP or CSIS clearance completed as an excuse for slow processing, suggesting that the next step in processing is waiting on a clearance . . . for most applicants (other than that small percentage for whom there are outstanding security or criminality concerns) the only stage of processing which will (generally) wait on the clearances is approval and scheduling the oath, and as noted, where this is about waiting on an update, that is as routine as routine goes and generally will not hold things up for long at all.
If something is holding an application up (again, other than that small percentage for whom there are outstanding security or criminality concerns), it is rarely the clearances (again, despite this being one of the call centre go-to excuses) but rather something else.
That something else could very well be background screening. Not for the formal criminality or security clearances, but for verification of the applicant's actual physical presence. And there will be nothing in the GCMS record that is shared with the client, and thus not seen by a call centre agent either, to indicate there is such non-routine background screening in progress. This is all well behind the secrecy curtain. So ATIP requests will not reveal this is happening. The applicant's MP will not be informed this is happening. At most, the version of GCMS records obtained from an ATIP request might reveal little more than physical presence is outstanding.
And otherwise, given the extent to which processing generally is so badly bogged down these days, and given the extent to which IRCC is still failing to adequately adapt to the difficulties imposed by the Covid pandemic, a lot of applications just plain get stuck. Way too many potential snags in the process to try enumerating them. F-word mess some will say, with justification.
The main things:
The referral for RCMP and CSIS clearances is part of the initial processing done at CPC-Sydney. Unlike most other tasks in processing a citizenship application, these are done in parallel with other processing tasks. So the referral is made (typically in batches, not just for individual applicants) soon after the application is opened and the application completeness screening is done, sometime before or at the latest attendant AOR. Meanwhile, with some exceptions, the application itself continues on its way, including being referred to a local office, no waiting on the RCMP or CSIS clearance.
Thus, generally the formal background clearances conducted by RCMP (for criminality) and CSIS (security) do not cause issues or delays for the vast majority of qualified applicants. For most applicants these clearances are as routine as routine goes. Yes, they are hard and fast requirements in processing the citizenship application (to verify the applicant has no criminality or security prohibitions), and thus must be completed and still valid before a citizenship application can be approved and the oath scheduled, so they are relatively high profile elements in the process. For most applicants, however, they cause little or no delay, other than if and when an update in the clearance is needed before final approval and scheduling of the oath. But even then, this is typically a minimal delay. Updating clearances is generally a formality, almost perfunctory. Unlike other aspects of processing citizenship applications, where applications can go into lengthy and very slow moving queues waiting for a particular task to be done before the application goes to the next step, applications do not end up sitting on shelves waiting for updating these formal clearances (even if it sometimes appears otherwise).
WITH EXCEPTIONS. Sure, there are always some exceptions.
Some applicants, a small percentage, will encounter issues related to the clearances. If there are security concerns about an applicant, for example, sure, that applicant can encounter significant delays and, in cases involving more serious security concerns, the applicant might encounter very lengthy delays. Years even, and for some many years. Not many, not many at all, are affected this way.
I expect vehement protests to the contrary, but generally these applicants know who they are and to a large extent why, without any ATIP requests. Indeed, ATIP requests will generally generate very little if any useful information about this. Security concerns rising to the level they actually stall getting the CSIS clearance do not (again with exceptions) arise from thin air. They are connected to the individual's history. No one knows an individual's history better than they know it themselves. Protests to the contrary notwithstanding.
Similarly any who might have a criminality issue stalling the RCMP clearance. Usually even though not always. The vast majority of applicants know if and when they have been involved in a criminal matter. If not, there is no reason to apprehend there is a substantive issue stalling a RCMP clearance.
Some applicants will need to provide fingerprints, so that CSIS or the RCMP can verify the individual's identity and distinguish them from individuals for whom there are concerns. Thus, for example, as long as it is not the applicant who has some entanglement in criminal matters and the applicant timely provides fingerprints in response to a request for them, there is no problem and any resulting delays are minimal. Note, fingerprint requests can be made for various reasons, and IRCC typically does not inform the applicant why, so just getting a fingerprint request does not necessarily mean it is for RCMP's criminality background screening or for CSIS.
Absent some reason to apprehend there is a security concern, or a criminality issue, the vast majority of applicants need not worry about the status of their RCMP and CSIS clearances. Monitoring the application's progress in regards to these clearances will not offer much if any useful information. Whether GCMS shows these as "completed" or not does not illuminate much at all about where the application is at, almost nothing about what will happen next or when. It warrants noting that these clearances can be done and referred back to IRCC without a notation in the citizenship application file that they are completed. It appears that this notation is often waiting for a processing agent or citizenship officer to take the next step in processing the application, attendant which the official will see the clearance and make the completed notation in the file, rather than the other way around . . . and damn IRCC for willfully confusing applicants about this, for using the absence of a notation in the file showing the RCMP or CSIS clearance completed as an excuse for slow processing, suggesting that the next step in processing is waiting on a clearance . . . for most applicants (other than that small percentage for whom there are outstanding security or criminality concerns) the only stage of processing which will (generally) wait on the clearances is approval and scheduling the oath, and as noted, where this is about waiting on an update, that is as routine as routine goes and generally will not hold things up for long at all.
If something is holding an application up (again, other than that small percentage for whom there are outstanding security or criminality concerns), it is rarely the clearances (again, despite this being one of the call centre go-to excuses) but rather something else.
That something else could very well be background screening. Not for the formal criminality or security clearances, but for verification of the applicant's actual physical presence. And there will be nothing in the GCMS record that is shared with the client, and thus not seen by a call centre agent either, to indicate there is such non-routine background screening in progress. This is all well behind the secrecy curtain. So ATIP requests will not reveal this is happening. The applicant's MP will not be informed this is happening. At most, the version of GCMS records obtained from an ATIP request might reveal little more than physical presence is outstanding.
And otherwise, given the extent to which processing generally is so badly bogged down these days, and given the extent to which IRCC is still failing to adequately adapt to the difficulties imposed by the Covid pandemic, a lot of applications just plain get stuck. Way too many potential snags in the process to try enumerating them. F-word mess some will say, with justification.
The main things:
-- if you know there is a security or criminality concern, or some circumstances that are fairly likely to be cause for concern, that is what it is, and what it is depends on your specific situation; and what it is, what it is in particular, will dictate what can be done to address the situation and whether there is some way to help move things along, which is usually specific to the individual (and it may be see-a-lawyer time)
-- if you have no reason to think there is a security or criminality concern (genuinely think that of course), odds are very good there is no concern and it is highly unlikely your application is held up waiting for a RCMP or CSIS clearance, even if the tracker or GCMS records indicate a clearance is outstanding; no need to monitor the progress of these clearances
@dpenabill I’m sorry but your information isn’t accurate and is out of date with current events.
whilst security and criminality checks are initiated at central office after eligibility (Aor) for Automated/generic screening, specific referalls to csis/CBSA etc can are are made during application processing. The referral process and when they occur are explained in documents such as the immigration control manual which outlines the process for pr and it is probable that citizenship follows a similar process.
Now, your assertion that few people are stuck in security screening is not backed up by any evidence. First, whilst the screening manual recommends that files are processed simultaneously in order to determine any prohibitions, for citizenship, those specificity referred for security screening will find their file effectively on hold, awaiting results (even if the file says in progress, local offices will confirm that it is on hold). This can easily be determined by ATIP request for security status from csis. If they confirm that security screening is still underway, and if the local office confirm that they won’t proceed until they have the result, (advanced) security/criminality screening is holding up the file.
second, there are very few recent statistics on csis screening referrals. Some data from 20 years ago suggested that a minuscule percentage of people (handful of cases out of hundreds of thousands) undergo lengthy screening and it is known from the feedback of people on this forum in the paat that those who have got interview requests usually themselves know why.
However this is pre-Covid and pre-backlog. There is currently a different trend. And there is modified processing/workflow (which I won't go into here). As has been established, Csis security screening due to IRCC referrals can most certainly hold up applications. In the past this may have been very rare and almost certainly involved those who would themselves know why they are being investigated, currently in the backlog scenario, a worrying number of people with no obvious security concerns have had their files pending security screening for 6-12 months (confirmed by csis and IRCC). The people on this thread are such victims of either inefficiency or in the worst case, some conspiracy to offload or delay backlog files for “security reasons”
Summary: screening referrals can effectively put a file on hold. Whilst in the past, 6-12 months of screening was extremely rare and involved those with known military/political/pariah govt links, and usually resulted in interview, it is currently much more common and is involving people with no such links. They never get an interview and eventually CSIS hands over to IRCC. There's one case on this thread of someone who was stuck in security screening, and applied for urgent processing and it was was cleared within days, proving that IRCC has the ability to ask CSIS to urgently process, and that the delays have nothing to do with security concerns persay, but rather relate to a backlog.
And in a small number of cases, security is passed but criminality is pending for 6-12 months without fp request, as confirmed by the atip requests, which is very unusual by your own admission.
your assertions in this instance are only half true and out of date. I don't know why you keep making them. If you were a real Lawyer, you'd be very bconcerned about this and be asking for screening case referral statistics through atip to make sense of the situation. Is IRCC referring more files than normal for comprehensive screening? Is CSIS holding onto more files for a long time than usual? And how many of those caught in lengthy screening delays had any interview or genuine security concerns?
whilst security and criminality checks are initiated at central office after eligibility (Aor) for Automated/generic screening, specific referalls to csis/CBSA etc can are are made during application processing. The referral process and when they occur are explained in documents such as the immigration control manual which outlines the process for pr and it is probable that citizenship follows a similar process.
Now, your assertion that few people are stuck in security screening is not backed up by any evidence. First, whilst the screening manual recommends that files are processed simultaneously in order to determine any prohibitions, for citizenship, those specificity referred for security screening will find their file effectively on hold, awaiting results (even if the file says in progress, local offices will confirm that it is on hold). This can easily be determined by ATIP request for security status from csis. If they confirm that security screening is still underway, and if the local office confirm that they won’t proceed until they have the result, (advanced) security/criminality screening is holding up the file.
second, there are very few recent statistics on csis screening referrals. Some data from 20 years ago suggested that a minuscule percentage of people (handful of cases out of hundreds of thousands) undergo lengthy screening and it is known from the feedback of people on this forum in the paat that those who have got interview requests usually themselves know why.
However this is pre-Covid and pre-backlog. There is currently a different trend. And there is modified processing/workflow (which I won't go into here). As has been established, Csis security screening due to IRCC referrals can most certainly hold up applications. In the past this may have been very rare and almost certainly involved those who would themselves know why they are being investigated, currently in the backlog scenario, a worrying number of people with no obvious security concerns have had their files pending security screening for 6-12 months (confirmed by csis and IRCC). The people on this thread are such victims of either inefficiency or in the worst case, some conspiracy to offload or delay backlog files for “security reasons”
Summary: screening referrals can effectively put a file on hold. Whilst in the past, 6-12 months of screening was extremely rare and involved those with known military/political/pariah govt links, and usually resulted in interview, it is currently much more common and is involving people with no such links. They never get an interview and eventually CSIS hands over to IRCC. There's one case on this thread of someone who was stuck in security screening, and applied for urgent processing and it was was cleared within days, proving that IRCC has the ability to ask CSIS to urgently process, and that the delays have nothing to do with security concerns persay, but rather relate to a backlog.
And in a small number of cases, security is passed but criminality is pending for 6-12 months without fp request, as confirmed by the atip requests, which is very unusual by your own admission.
your assertions in this instance are only half true and out of date. I don't know why you keep making them. If you were a real Lawyer, you'd be very bconcerned about this and be asking for screening case referral statistics through atip to make sense of the situation. Is IRCC referring more files than normal for comprehensive screening? Is CSIS holding onto more files for a long time than usual? And how many of those caught in lengthy screening delays had any interview or genuine security concerns?
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OMG guys !!!! my BGC completed today !!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks ... so yeah ... i almost lost hope and already getting ready to withdraw my application and re apply again to see if theres any difference ...
i just think everyone gonna have this moment just need to wait....
My situation is little different from you. My criminality screening is in progress and security screening is cleared. But yeah, fingers crossed.
Thanks for your kind words. Wishing you all the very best.
i think criminality is easier than security screening ..... just make sure they have your fngerprint received ... its easier check than security