Hi all, I am a Vancouver post test RQ (old rules, 1,095 days) applicant.
Applied April 29, 2014 with what I believed was 1,095 physical presence days, and took the test Oct 29, 2015. Unfortunately, also received the dreaded RQ (the FULL RQ) the same day during the interview, where the interviewing officer said she noted some discrepancies between my reported absences and the CBSA report. Went back disappointed (as this now meant my application was non-routine), and prepared my RQ response. After doing a detailed reconciliation with the CBSA report which I ordered after getting RQ'ed, I realized I was short of the 1,095 days by 24 days. I submitted my RQ response on Nov 3, 2014 - staying up late over the weekend to get my response put together. I accounted for the 24 days due to situations such as leaving Vancouver in the afternoon and coming back across the canadian border from the US past midnight (where I reported a day trip but CIC treats this as a full day absent), trips to get married, honeymoon, bachelor party, and a 9 day trip that I forgot about. To me, it was the biggest mistake of my life to be so anxious in applying too early and not checking, double and triple checking my reported absences before submitting my application. For a shortfall of 24 days, I was actually delayed by so much more than fellow applicants who applied around the same period. There were even applicants who applied in the Fall of 2014 who already became citizens. Yes, I know, very disheartening stuff.
Based on this forum, I was seriously contemplating withdrawing my application and resubmitting, as I have since accumulated enough physical presence days to fulfill both the old and new requirements. With the reported timeframes for recent applications (especially since they increased the processing fee), it would have seemed like a re-submission would have been faster than waiting in limbo. Months went by with me just thinking I should wait another month to see before withdrawing, and me checking ECAS only to be greeted with an "In process" status.
Today, ECAS showed "Decision made", but the detailed text did not show any updates when I clicked on the "decision made" link - it only showed the last time the test letter invite was sent. So I called the CIC call centre, and the agent mentioned that on Jul 23, 2015, my file was approved and put into the pool for oath ceremony scheduling. No date has been scheduled yet, but I am in the pool.
Not sure if I should be trusting what the call centre agent says, but I am keeping my fingers crossed and checking both ECAS and my mail.
Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel still for shortfall applicants! We'll see when/IF I actually get the Oath invite soon.
Applied April 29, 2014 with what I believed was 1,095 physical presence days, and took the test Oct 29, 2015. Unfortunately, also received the dreaded RQ (the FULL RQ) the same day during the interview, where the interviewing officer said she noted some discrepancies between my reported absences and the CBSA report. Went back disappointed (as this now meant my application was non-routine), and prepared my RQ response. After doing a detailed reconciliation with the CBSA report which I ordered after getting RQ'ed, I realized I was short of the 1,095 days by 24 days. I submitted my RQ response on Nov 3, 2014 - staying up late over the weekend to get my response put together. I accounted for the 24 days due to situations such as leaving Vancouver in the afternoon and coming back across the canadian border from the US past midnight (where I reported a day trip but CIC treats this as a full day absent), trips to get married, honeymoon, bachelor party, and a 9 day trip that I forgot about. To me, it was the biggest mistake of my life to be so anxious in applying too early and not checking, double and triple checking my reported absences before submitting my application. For a shortfall of 24 days, I was actually delayed by so much more than fellow applicants who applied around the same period. There were even applicants who applied in the Fall of 2014 who already became citizens. Yes, I know, very disheartening stuff.
Based on this forum, I was seriously contemplating withdrawing my application and resubmitting, as I have since accumulated enough physical presence days to fulfill both the old and new requirements. With the reported timeframes for recent applications (especially since they increased the processing fee), it would have seemed like a re-submission would have been faster than waiting in limbo. Months went by with me just thinking I should wait another month to see before withdrawing, and me checking ECAS only to be greeted with an "In process" status.
Today, ECAS showed "Decision made", but the detailed text did not show any updates when I clicked on the "decision made" link - it only showed the last time the test letter invite was sent. So I called the CIC call centre, and the agent mentioned that on Jul 23, 2015, my file was approved and put into the pool for oath ceremony scheduling. No date has been scheduled yet, but I am in the pool.
Not sure if I should be trusting what the call centre agent says, but I am keeping my fingers crossed and checking both ECAS and my mail.
Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel still for shortfall applicants! We'll see when/IF I actually get the Oath invite soon.
