April 2025 - Citizenship Applications

[path_to_canada]

Is there anyone who never got a fingerprint request but background shows as complete on the tracker (excluding the folks who got LPP update)

Guess what, background shows complete now.

The ONE DAY that I dont check my tracker and there is an update. Every single day been opening the tracker 20 times a day haha. All in all, BG complete, now time to wait for the next lot.

 

[mark12345680]

Type: Online application
Location: Vancouver
Physical Presence Days: ~1130
Application: Single
Application sent: 5-Apr-2025
AOR: 14-May-2025
Language skills: In progress
Physical presence: In progress
Prohibitions: In progress
Background Verification: In progress
Test invite: 2-June-2025
Test Taken: 5-June-2025
Citizenship Test: COMPLETE on 22-June-2025

Ghost update - 12-July-2025

BG cleared Aug 28, 2025. My frd (May applicant) also cleared his BG the same day.

 

[Queries007]

I did not check my tracker last week, And to my surprise, so much happened during this week... for my application only Background verification marked completed on Aug 28th , where as for my wife who attempted the test almost 1 month after me ...for her most of the status is marked completed on Aug 25th and Citizenship Ceremony is showing Not started ... Yayyyyy ... hoping to get update on my application soon too.....

 

[Queries007]

Received an update today (August 30), with Background verification marked complete as of August 28.

I had previously called IRCC August 5, The agent had confirmed then that criminality had passed, and security was in progress then.

my application has same update today (August 30), with Background verification marked complete as of August 28

 

[dykex]

Background Verification changed to Completed on August 28, 2025.

Hello everyone,

Kindly find my timeline below.

Type: Online Application.
Location: Kitchener, ON.
Application Type: Single.
Physical Presence Days: 1100.
Application Submitted: April 18, 2025.
Application Delivered: April 18, 2025.
AOR: May 21, 2025.
Tracker Activated: May 29, 2025.
Test in Progress on Tracker: June 17, 2025.
Test Invitation Email Received: June 23, 2025.
Test Window Dates: June 27, 2025, to July 26, 2025.
Test Done and Provisional Results Received: July 05, 2025.
Test changed to Completed on Tracker: July 14, 2025.

It would be appreciated if someone could add it to the spreadsheet, please. Thank you!

 

[The Robust]

March 21st :AOR

May 22: Test done

June 18th: Background completed


Since then no update

 

[path_to_canada]

So, if anyone knows definitively. What exactly is the difference between "background" and "prohibitions"? The tracker link takes to the exact same page.

 

[abff08f4813c]

So, if anyone knows definitively. What exactly is the difference between "background" and "prohibitions"? The tracker link takes to the exact same page.

From https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...ication-and-prohibitions.778708/post-10232237

Background Verification is mostly criminality check within Canada. This would include criminality name checks with police (RCMP) records to ensure you haven't been arrested or involved in proceedings of a crime. If your name is very common or name and date of birth match other known criminals, you will be asked to provide a Finger Print to rule out your criminality.

Prohibitions include the overall eligibility requirements that prevents you from becoming a citizen. This would include your tax filing records, security checks from CSIS to make sure you are not part of a misfit organisation or organised crime connection or terrorism connection or a threat to Canada, foreign PCC validation and equating any of the foreign offences to Canadian criminal code to see if you are still eligible.

 

[bassamkaaki]

Actually saw a horror story related to this recently, https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...icaiton-citizenship-application-delay.873842/ (wife is ready for oath but it's been over a year without one being scheduled, husband is stuck with background in progress, and the fact that the husband's background is in progress is likely why the wife isn't getting her oath yet)

Lol, thank you! Keeping my fingers crossed

If she had done hers separately she would have gotten her oath before. When someone on the same file is stuck, the other suffers too.

 

[AdmiralGG]

(Apologies for stealing the thread, but I am planning to submit my citizenship application in the next few days, so I would really appreciate anyone's kind help and suggestions!)

Hi everyone,

As I complete my online Canadian citizenship application, I would greatly appreciate your guidance. I have a few questions about how to enter my status history in the form correctly:

1. Study permit extensions – I had two study permit extensions after my initial study permit. The online application seems to only allow one extension. How should I properly record the second extension?
2. Maintained (implied) status – I applied for my PGWP a month before my study permit expired (February 2022). It was approved a few months later, which means I was on maintained status between my study permit expiry (March 2022) and my PGWP approval (July 2022). How should I record this period in the application? Should I add a separate status entry, or explain it in the supporting documents section?
3. Visitor status – I also held visitor records (visitor visa) with extensions during my stay in Canada (similar to my study permits & extensions). Do I need to include these in the application, or is it sufficient to only show my study permits and PGWP?

Thanks a lot!

 

[abff08f4813c]

(Apologies for stealing the thread, but I am planning to submit my citizenship application in the next few days, so I would really appreciate anyone's kind help and suggestions!)

Not sure if one exists yet but post in the Sept 2025 citizenship thread when you get a chance.

Study permit extensions – I had two study permit extensions after my initial study permit. The online application seems to only allow one extension. How should I properly record the second extension?

That's odd. I didn't have to deal with this myself but I'd think that it should understand that multiple extensions are possible.

I'll wait for others with direct experience to chime in, as I suspect there is a way to fill this out in the online application, perhaps there's some less-than-intuitive way to get to the right part of the app.

Assuming this really isn't possible, what I'd do is, if there are no breaks in status between the extensions, then I'd fill out the online app in such a way as if I got one extension that covered the entire time period from both extensions.

Then add a LOE (Letter of Explanation) as a supporting doc explaining that I had the two extensions, and the real time line is so and so, and btw here are the supporting docs on the first extension and the second extension. The important thing is to be honest to the human officer reviewing your file - IRCC's website and online portals have glitches all the time and they understand these things, but they also expect you to be upfront and honest about your history.

Maintained (implied) status – I applied for my PGWP a month before my study permit expired (February 2022). It was approved a few months later, which means I was on maintained status between my study permit expiry (March 2022) and my PGWP approval (July 2022). How should I record this period in the application? Should I add a separate status entry, or explain it in the supporting documents section?

Either way works. Personally I'd add a separate status entry + LOE to explain that it's maintained status, but as long as it's clear to the human officer who is reviewing, then you're good.

One caution, the recommendation is that if you have maintained status (formerly known as implied status, if searching this forum for past advice) - you want your buffer to be bigger than your maintained status days. If for some reason the IRCC officer decides that your maintained status days don't count (or more likely there's an error in one's calculation of one's own maintained status) you want enough buffer that you don't need to rely on the maintained status to meet the physical presence requirement (the 1095 days).

Visitor status – I also held visitor records (visitor visa) with extensions during my stay in Canada (similar to my study permits & extensions). Do I need to include these in the application, or is it sufficient to only show my study permits and PGWP?
Thanks a lot!

When did this take place? If it's all before your first study permit then that might be different than, say, you being a visitor for a short time when transitioning from study permit to PGWP.

If in doubt - include it, but also be sure that your buffer is big enough that you don't need to rely on these days to meet physical presence (similar to the advice about maintained status above).

 

[dunkinhortons]

How long does LPP take to complete after Background is done?

 

[AdmiralGG]

Not sure if one exists yet but post in the Sept 2025 citizenship thread when you get a chance.

Thank you so much for your kind suggestion - just figured that there's a September thread as well!

Then add a LOE (Letter of Explanation) as a supporting doc explaining that I had the two extensions, and the real time line is so and so, and btw here are the supporting docs on the first extension and the second extension. The important thing is to be honest to the human officer reviewing your file - IRCC's website and online portals have glitches all the time and they understand these things, but they also expect you to be upfront and honest about your history.

I love this LOE idea and the way you suggested listing the extensions - I think this is very intuitive!

Either way works. Personally I'd add a separate status entry + LOE to explain that it's maintained status, but as long as it's clear to the human officer who is reviewing, then you're good.

I would definitely add a LOE and explain my situation there. However, the drop-down box doesn't have the implied status as a list item (only 'study permit', 'work permit', and 'visitor visa' are listed). Should I list it under "temporary foreign worker" status, since I started working after submitting my PGWP application?

One caution, the recommendation is that if you have maintained status (formerly known as implied status, if searching this forum for past advice) - you want your buffer to be bigger than your maintained status days. If for some reason the IRCC officer decides that your maintained status days don't count (or more likely there's an error in one's calculation of one's own maintained status) you want enough buffer that you don't need to rely on the maintained status to meet the physical presence requirement (the 1095 days).

Oh, gosh - I didn't know they might not count the implied status towards the physical presence requirement. Thanks for the heads up!

When did this take place? If it's all before your first study permit then that might be different than, say, you being a visitor for a short time when transitioning from study permit to PGWP.

It took place at the same time, so when I first got my study permit, I had to submit my passport for a visa to travel to Canada. So, I had that as stamped in my passport and also renewed the visa twice (same time as study permit) to cover the study permit duration

 

[abff08f4813c]

I would definitely add a LOE and explain my situation there. However, the drop-down box doesn't have the implied status as a list item (only 'study permit', 'work permit', and 'visitor visa' are listed). Should I list it under "temporary foreign worker" status, since I started working after submitting my PGWP application?

I think that's fine. You're basically picking the closest status possible to your actual situation from the limited choices in the drop down, and you'll be explaining your real status anyways in the LOE. Shouldn't be an issue.

Hypothetically, if you weren't able to work (say you applied for PGWP after your study permit expired) then perhaps 'study permit' would have been the better choice - but I strongly suspect the choice doesn't really matter as long as the LOE is good.

We have a case from the third page of this thread where someone picked the wrong status by mistake, but sent an LOE, and so far everything looks on track for them.

(Now you might have a problem if you worked when you weren't eligible - see https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...l-approved-—-need-advice.871006/post-11059370 for an indepth discussion on eligibility to work on maintained status when transitioning from study permit to PGWP. But I'm assuming that you did your diligence and you were eligible to work during that period - in which case, all good.)

Oh, gosh - I didn't know they might not count the implied status towards the physical presence requirement. Thanks for the heads up!

Sure thing - this almost tripped me up, but this forum saved me. Now I feel obligated to return the favor whenever I can.

It took place at the same time, so when I first got my study permit, I had to submit my passport for a visa to travel to Canada. So, I had that as stamped in my passport and also renewed the visa twice (same time as study permit) to cover the study permit duration

In that case I think the visitor visa would at most be a supporting doc for the study permit, if you bother including it at all.

IRCC doesn't issue separate types of visas. Rather, everyone who doesn't have a visa-exempt passport needs to apply for a visa to enter Canada, and then your status is determined by the type of permit you hold once you enter Canada. If you don't hold any kind of permit (work permit or study permit) then you default to visitor status - but if you do hold one, then that takes precedence.

 

[AdmiralGG]

(Now you might have a problem if you worked when you weren't eligible - see https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...l-approved-—-need-advice.871006/post-11059370 for an indepth discussion on eligibility to work on maintained status when transitioning from study permit to PGWP. But I'm assuming that you did your diligence and you were eligible to work during that period - in which case, all good.)

Thank you so much! I think I should be fine, since my extended study permit was still valid till March 2022, and I applied for my PGWP in February 2022. But really appreciate your thoughtful response!

One last quick question- for the Travel documents or passports section, where they ask "* Have you ever held travel documents or passports during your 5-year eligibility period?" - should I include the PR card as a travel doc? or the passport should be sufficient?