Middle Eastern immigrants applying for citizenship....update here

[Leon]

You have my sympathy. I think this is also the longest wait I have heard of. My own application took 2.5 years and I don't even know why because everybody else was getting them in around 1 year in my area at that time. Frankly, I suspect they lost my application behind a desk and found it again during spring cleaning or something like that.

Have you considered trying to withdraw your application and applying again? Have you talked to a lawyer about this option? I suppose they may not accept a withdrawal at this point but if they have lost your file and wont admit it, that would be a way out for them. Have you ordered your GMCS notes to see what is going on with your case if anything? Have you taken your story to the media?

I suppose you could renew your passport if you want to travel. Do you still have a valid PR card? Did you get your PR card renewed at some point since the RQ?

 

[RAEDSARA]

HI LEON,

I JUST SENT A LETTER TO REQUEST A COPY OF MY FILE. ALSO YOU METIONED SOMETHING ABOUT MEDIA CAN YOU ADVISE MORE IN DETAILS THANKS

 

[Leon]

You could talk to a newspaper or a TV station and ask if they are interested in your story. However, I think you should wait until you get the copy of your file so you can read that first.

 

[Leon]

I have seen a few stories in the media about people who had trouble with immigration. Doesn't hurt to try.

 

[samaabraham]

No one will treat you differently because you are coming a certain place and ethnicity or religion. The immigration officers follow the rules and regulations they have. If you have nothing to worry about and giving the true and honest information, you are OK. Fingerprint always gives the application another 10 - 12 months in some cases. the minimum for a fingerprint to get finalized is 3 months. So, it is clear that fingerprint is the reason behind the delay, not the immigration. Fingerprints are given to people when they find another similar name with security or criminal problems in Canada while they were checking your name. BTW, i know some friends who came from England and they are original british people and got fingerprint request.

DO NOT WORRY, NO RUSH , PATIENCE

 

[CyberHawk]

Hi all,

I am from Syria. Applied to Canada from Europe, Austria/Vienna office.
Landed 22/9/2007.
Left Canada between December 2007-June 2008 to complete gathering my things and come back here.
Since June 2008 until today I was here except for 2 months of vacation abroad in 2010.
Applied for my citizenship from Montreal August 2 2011 after carefully calculating my residency requirements.
Received an acknowledgment letter, together with Discover Canada booklet about a month later.
Since then my status online is "Received". It's been about 15 months and they didn't even start processing my papers.
All my friends received their citizenship in around 11-12 months.

I've being studying in the university and working all this time. I live alone, no family.
So I'd think my case should be really simple, but then, hell who knows?

 

[samaabraham]

Hi
There are many elements that may cause the delay you suffer from. you should if a family member or you got any kinds of charges, your application will freeze until the is finished. If charges dropped, the process will resume, but if convicted, it will freeze until the period of conviction over. Another element of delay is that your file might get lost and you have to work hard and call cic again and again to get something. I think if you have any security issues back in your country, it will freeze your file for years for ever. A third element is the place of the citizenship test. Some people who had the test in a school, NO NAMES, their applications got delayed.
To support my answer take these two examples
a man took the test in 2008 and still waiting till today and no answer. He calls and they say it is in process. That guy knows that all the people had the test in the same day are still waiting for the result.
Another guy waited for 10 years , NO EXAGGERATION, to get the oath letter because of security issues.
I hope that all do not apply to your case, but check,
Finally, no one will be treated unfairly in immigration, there is always a reason for every thing and the system is not perfect.

 

[professional 1]

Fingerprint always gives the application another 10 - 12 months in some cases. the minimum for a fingerprint to get finalized is 3 months. So, it is clear that fingerprint is the reason behind the delay, not the immigration.

Just to clarify one point here:

RCMP finger print does not really take that much if it is done digitally not manually. If the name does not hit any records during the digital search, it takes exactly 3 days for the results to be sent to the requesting department which is CIC in this case.

I remember when I was asked for an RCMP fingerprint by the Buffalo visa office, I did the digital one same day of the request, contacted the RCMP department 5 days later and got their response via email that the results were already sent to the Buffalo visa office 2 days exactly after receiving the digital fingerprint online.

They even gave me the date they sent it.


If the fingerprints are done manually "the ink and paper way" it takes at least 4 months to be processed or even more.


Good luck everyone.

 

[tarro]

I am a middle eastern. I applied in June 31, 2011, received the booklet a month after, and that was it. My application is still showing as received.

 

[look4d]

Hi tarro, Did you travel after landing?

 

[yakur]

 

[Maisa]

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to update you guys that my husband and I got an RQ. Although we have lived here, paid taxes , worked and bought a house we got an RQ!

So frustrating!

Maisa

 

[look4d]

Hi Maisa,

I am sorry you got an RQ , well, is it before or after test? , Seems CIC are not happy if your passport has Gulf area stamps , even if it doesn't mean any thing, they just want to be sure.

I know how frustrating it is , but do we have any choice? , patience is the key.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Maisa]

Thanks look4d,

It is really frustrating. It was a pre test RQ.We applied in Feb. 2012 and got the RQ in Dec.
The amount of documents needed is crazy. I have never left Canada even for one day since I have landed and my husband has only gone for 2 short visits.

Thanks for wishing me luck as I need it.

Maisa

Hi Maisa,

I am sorry you got an RQ , well, is it before or after test? , Seems CIC are not happy if your passport has Gulf area stamps , even if it doesn't mean any thing, they just want to be sure.

I know how frustrating it is , but do we have any choice? , patience is the key.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[rajmalhotra7]

Thanks look4d,

It is really frustrating. It was a pre test RQ.We applied in Feb. 2012 and got the RQ in Dec.
The amount of documents needed is crazy. I have never left Canada even for one day since I have landed and my husband has only gone for 2 short visits.

Thanks for wishing me luck as I need it.

Maisa

Hi Maisa - Can you please post a list of documents they have asked for in RQ?