Separate or group citizenship application?

[olutosss]

Hello people!

Background:
I will reach my physical presence requirement (plus some buffers) by beginning of February 2026 while my spouse’s is end of March, so about 2 months apart.

Question: Is it worth waiting the 2 months so that we can submit a family group application instead of individually? What is the general consensus? Do people generally prefer to do group applications or separate? I know it’s case specific but just looking for general consensus or common practice that would help me make my decision.

A related question, say I submit my individual application at the beginning of February, and my spouse submit theirs at the end of March, can we then convert/link the 2 applications and make it a group application (that is if there’d be any benefits of doing that)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Seym]

It's a personal decision really.
The applications are evaluated separately and based on their individual merits, the only practical difference is the joint test and ceremony invitation.

Do you value getting the citizenship and going to the same ceremony with your spouse? And, less important maybe, but still potentially significant, would you prefer to study for the test together and pass the citizenship exam in the same period? Go with a family application.
You don't care? Feel free to apply separately.

The only other element to make your decision, beside the personal preference: a family application is always as fast as the slowest of the individual applications. If, for some reason, one of you exceeds the average processing for some reason (physical presence issues, language proof checks, long security screenings), the other spouse will need to wait even if all steps have been completed. I've seen applicants ask IRCC to separate family applications so a spouse and potential children get their citizenship while the other has been waiting for a couple years already, and IRCC may or may not proceed with the separation.
Most applications are routine, and the above isn't meant to scare you, but ask yourself if you'd end up regretting not having separate applications from the get go if one of your 2 applications ends up being not routine.

As for the second question, don't know if it's doable to join separate applications, and I will let others answer here, but nothing stops you from asking after both AORs I suppose. But to be honest, if you want to apply together, why forfeit another month of physical presence and a significantly larger buffer for your own application, and then go with a request that IRCC may or may not entertain, and one they probably have to requirement to approve, when you can just go with the easy way and apply together. Just make it easy for yourself if you want a joint application.

 

[olutosss]

It's a personal decision really.
The applications are evaluated separately and based on their individual merits, the only practical difference is the joint test and ceremony invitation.

Do you value getting the citizenship and going to the same ceremony with your spouse? And, less important maybe, but still potentially significant, would you prefer to study for the test together and pass the citizenship exam in the same period? Go with a family application.
You don't care? Feel free to apply separately.

The only other element to make your decision, beside the personal preference: a family application is always as fast as the slowest of the individual applications. If, for some reason, one of you exceeds the average processing for some reason (physical presence issues, language proof checks, long security screenings), the other spouse will need to wait even if all steps have been completed. I've seen applicants ask IRCC to separate family applications so a spouse and potential children get their citizenship while the other has been waiting for a couple years already, and IRCC may or may not proceed with the separation.
Most applications are routine, and the above isn't meant to scare you, but ask yourself if you'd end up regretting not having separate applications from the get go if one of your 2 applications ends up being not routine.

As for the second question, don't know if it's doable to join separate applications, and I will let others answer here, but nothing stops you from asking after both AORs I suppose. But to be honest, if you want to apply together, why forfeit another month of physical presence and a significantly larger buffer for your own application, and then go with a request that IRCC may or may not entertain, and one they probably have to requirement to approve, when you can just go with the easy way and apply together. Just make it easy for yourself if you want a joint application.

Thanks for this response, really helpful.

I have another question, if I went ahead and submitted a separate application, how would I include our child? Shall I include our child in my application and then my spouse would also include the same child in their application? How would that work?
Thanks again

 

[Seym]

Only one parent needs to include the child with their application. The other parent can apply alone.

 

[m34]

Hello people!

Background:
I will reach my physical presence requirement (plus some buffers) by beginning of February 2026 while my spouse’s is end of March, so about 2 months apart.

Question: Is it worth waiting the 2 months so that we can submit a family group application instead of individually? What is the general consensus? Do people generally prefer to do group applications or separate? I know it’s case specific but just looking for general consensus or common practice that would help me make my decision.

A related question, say I submit my individual application at the beginning of February, and my spouse submit theirs at the end of March, can we then convert/link the 2 applications and make it a group application (that is if there’d be any benefits of doing that)?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

The main purpose of a group application is to attend the same oath ceremony. If that is absolutely important to you, then a group application makes sense; otherwise, it’s better to apply individually. In a group submission, one applicant whose file is processing more slowly will ultimately delay all the others.
PS: I wished I asked your question here before i submitted my group application