March 2025 - Citizenship Applications

[minicamp]

Well folks, it took 11 years total (counting PR and everything else), but it's finally all done. Had the citizenship ceremony earlier this week and got the e-certificate the next day. I'm now officially a Canadian citizen.

Wish all of you the best of luck and see ya around!

 

[JohnnyDamien]

So… processing time is now 13 months. Cool!

 

[m34]

So… processing time is now 13 months. Cool!

Yes i noticed that yesterday and its a big jump from the previous 9 or 10 months. I wonder if this will have any effect on our open applications :s

 

[Aish####a]

There was a ghost update September 16 I call ircc today and the agent said they can't tell me what the update was, is that normal? My BG is Completed since August 28th LLP In progress Prohibitions In progress oath not started.

 

[Jya1]

Finally an update after 3 months
LPP updated to Complete on tacker today (Sep 16). Waiting for Oath invite now!

Hi All, here is my timeline:

• Application: Family (2 Adults)
• Application sent: March 18, 2025
• AOR: April 10, 2025
• Tracker created: April 12, 2025
• Background verification: Completed on May 12, 2025
• Test invitation received: May 20, 2025
• Test taken: May 23, 2025
• Test marked completed: May 31, 2025
• Language/Physical Presence/Prohibitions: Completed on Sep 12, 2025 (Updated in tracker on Sep 16, 2025)- no ghost updates in between
• Citizenship Ceremony: InProgress on Sep 18, 2025 - Tracker updated on Sep 20, 2025 (Ceremony on Oct 14th)
• Received Oath email: Oct 1, 2025

 

[Dream-mer]

There was a ghost update September 16 I call ircc today and the agent said they can't tell me what the update was, is that normal? My BG is Completed since August 28th LLP In progress Prohibitions In progress oath not started.

Hi. Similar to me! Received a ghost update on Sep 16 and nothing after that.

Background check completed : June 4
LPP: In progress since May

Anybody knows what's going on?

 

[armoured]

There was a ghost update September 16 I call ircc today and the agent said they can't tell me what the update was, is that normal? My BG is Completed since August 28th LLP In progress Prohibitions In progress oath not started.

Hi. Similar to me! Received a ghost update on Sep 16 and nothing after that.

Background check completed : June 4
LPP: In progress since May

Anybody knows what's going on?

Ghost updates seem to mean that someone at IRCC 'touched' the file - updated something minor, checked it, possibly re-assigned it, etc.

While it doesn't show anything concrete, it seems to mean - at least some of the time - that there is some movement and it might move on to the next step. At any rate, it is rarely bad news, but also doesn't specifically indicate when the next step will happen - so just be patient.

It does occur that a number of files get ghost updates at the same time/same day. We could speculate what that means, like an officer clearing files that had passed LPP, or someone more senior signing them off for the pass to oath scheduling, or oath scheduling office doing something - all of which are plausible - but just speculation and still doesn't give you concrete info about when the next step happens.

 

[saiprasannasp]

got an update today for Oath Ceremony Scheduled on Oct 15th. No email yet

Received Oath Email for In Person Ceremony, today.

 

[Vish5244]

Application filed on 7th March 2025 (got file # that day)
Done test on first week of April and it's updated on 25 April.
Last update on 25 the April and all other than citizenship test says IN PROGRESS, and Ceremony not started.

Anyone on same boat?

 

[Dream-mer]

Application filed on 7th March 2025 (got file # that day)
Done test on first week of April and it's updated on 25 April.
Last update on 25 the April and all other than citizenship test says IN PROGRESS, and Ceremony not started.

Anyone on same boat?

Your's might be in Security Screening. Usually, when the background verification is not completed till along time, they are conducting a comprehensive security screening process. Have you called in to check?

 

[Nixon99]

Updated on Sep 20 - the oath is scheduled on Oct 16.Oa

Updated on Sep 20 - the oath is scheduled on Oct 16.

Oath email received yesterday. Zoom. Children also got their invitations to take the oath.

 

[mint-l]

Application filed on 7th March 2025 (got file # that day)
Done test on first week of April and it's updated on 25 April.
Last update on 25 the April and all other than citizenship test says IN PROGRESS, and Ceremony not started.

Anyone on same boat?

Me too.I only have the test marked complete and the rest is in prigress.

 

[Lexzi]

Update...

Tracker updated today - Sep 6th (Surprised as it's a Saturday but thankful!)

Language Complete: 4-Sep-2025
Physical Presence Complete: 4-Sep-2025
Prohibition Complete: 4-Sep-2025

Citizenship Ceremony: Not Started

Update...

Tracker updated today - Oct 4th
Oath Ceremony scheduled: Oct 30th.

We thank God!

 

[WnPrs]

Hi everyone,
I have a question about the certificate. For those who attended the in-person ceremony, was the paper certificate handed out during the event?

If I selected the e-certificate option, will I still get a paper one? Also, how long before or after the ceremony did you receive the email with the download instructions for the e-certificate?
Thanks!

 

[m34]

I just spoke with an IRCC agent who confirmed that the current processing time is 13 months (which I was already aware of) and stated that this timeframe applies to all applications, including those already in progress. I expressed my concern, noting that this logic doesn’t make sense—if the processing time keeps increasing, then every application remains "within processing time" indefinitely, leaving applicants with no recourse. Despite this, the agent insisted that's how it works.

So, if the processing time increases to 15 months in two months' time, as someone who applied in March, I’d have to wait until June 2026 before I could even submit a web form or follow up. It’s extremely frustrating, especially considering that the estimated processing time when I applied was only 8 or 9 months.