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Deferring oath ceremony - experiences?

Canireian

Full Member
Jan 3, 2019
33
0
Hi - posted this elsewhere but figure it may warrant its own thread!

I have a question (I was over in the September 2018 applicants thread before today!) - has anyone deferred their oath ceremony and, if so, how long before you heard back from them about it?

I received an invitation to oath ceremony last Friday (only took the test on Wednesday, 13th November!) but I cannot attend on that date (4th December) so I emailed the address given in the email. In the email I included the reason I cannot attend (will not be in Canada) , some suggested dates that would work for me and also a note that I can, of course, attend most dates and understand that they cannot necessarily accommodate individual preferences/requests for dates.

To that email, I got an auto-reply saying to send a letter to the Mississauga centre with reason for not being able to attend so I have done that including the same information as in my email. I expect that letter will get to them this week (posted on Saturday 16th Nov in downtown Toronto) and am wondering when I am likely to hear from them with a new oath date. Any thoughts or experience welcome!

Also, might be worth noting that at the interview bit after my test, I did ask the woman about deferring and what could be done and she said it was fine to contact them with any dates you knew you would be out of the country so that you don't get a test scheduled when you already know you cannot attend.

Thanks!
 

k300k3

Hero Member
Mar 6, 2019
282
55
Didn’t you inform the dates of your unavailability to IRCC as soon as you knew you would be out of Canada ?

For me, my case was in process and I sent my travel dates to IRCC and a week later, I got the decision made. So, I contacted the IRCC via phone and also web form by requesting an earlier oath ceremony before my travel date. But so far, no reply or invite yet.

I think that in your case, they might push it back to a couple months at least if not a few months. That’s what the agent from call Center told me that once you move the date, it might be pushed back to 4 or 5 months.

If I were you, I’d post-phone the trip. You know the exact oath date, and you’re still in Canada. You can change your travel plans. In my case, I don’t even know when the oath will be coming.
 

Canireian

Full Member
Jan 3, 2019
33
0
Thanks for your reply!

The IRCC know I am out of Canada as my current mailing address is not in Canada - long story but I had to apply for citizenship while not in the country although I do, obviously, reach all the criteria for citizenship.

I did not have time to let them know the dates I would be available for oath specifically as they were so quick to invite me to ceremony. I spoke to the lady after the test and she said to let them know about when I would be in Canada but I did not expect them to be so quick! I am not still in Canada - I had to leave they day after I received the invite - I actually travelled back to Canada specifically for the test!

Pushing back by 4/5 months is no issue for me, actually makes it easier so that is good news. Would just love to hear sooner rather than later so I can make my plans but that's always the way in this process, we just have to wait!

I might submit a webform also, though as at least then I have a record of the correspondence which I don't have from the letter I sent to them. :)