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Obtaining Certificate of Citizenship (by descent)

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
670
261
I sent my application for the certificate on September 5. It is now September 26 and I have heard nothing from Sydney. My failure was neglecting to send it return receipt requested and now I am afraid it is somewhere in the ether. Both parents born in Canada. I was born in the US before 1977.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might contact someone in Sydney to see if they even received my application? I am grateful for any help. Thanks in advance.
Without any confirmation service from the post office or courier, you'll just have to wait until they send you an Acknowledgment of Receipt with your Unique Client Identification number, which usually takes a month from the day that your application was delivered to the Sydney processing center. If you provided an e-mail address on your application, then your AOR with your UCI will be e-mailed to you (check your spam filter if you have it enabled); otherwise, you'll get your AOR in the mail (add a few days for transit time). You can not contact the processing center directly, but alphazip posted a telephone number in an earlier post that you can use to call and connect to immigration services, but without that UCI, they won't be able to really help you out with specific requests.
 
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nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
I sent my application for the certificate on September 5. It is now September 26 and I have heard nothing from Sydney. My failure was neglecting to send it return receipt requested and now I am afraid it is somewhere in the ether. Both parents born in Canada. I was born in the US before 1977.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might contact someone in Sydney to see if they even received my application? I am grateful for any help. Thanks in advance.
My application was received by CPC (tracking number, delivered by Canada Post) on 7th July and they didn't open it until 26th July, or 19 days (13 business days). But there's no hard and fast rule that they will open your application within a set number of days.

Did you not ship it trackable at all? You can send something via USPS or Canada Post with a tracking number without getting return receipt service.

If you specified an email address on your application, the AOR should come from the email address
Client-update-mise-a-jour@cic.gc.ca with the subject
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: Information about PR######## (where # is a series of numbers, the application number they will assign you).

If you have ever interacted with CIC/IRCC before and included in your application package your Unique Client Identifier (UCI), then you can try to track it on the online status tool.
 
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pjc1000

Newbie
Sep 27, 2017
7
0
When I mailed my application for the certificate I was told by the PO that the US Dept. of Homeland Security was sometimes holding up mail leaving the US for a foreign country, including Canada. He told me that the PO was having a hard time answering questions from people wondering where their mail had gone and that the USPO saw this as an unnecessary bureaucratic policy. He said that if my packet had been a bit larger he was certain they would hold it up. This may account for the delay in acknowledging receipt of my application. Just passing the info on.
 

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
When I mailed my application for the certificate I was told by the PO that the US Dept. of Homeland Security was sometimes holding up mail leaving the US for a foreign country, including Canada. He told me that the PO was having a hard time answering questions from people wondering where their mail had gone and that the USPO saw this as an unnecessary bureaucratic policy. He said that if my packet had been a bit larger he was certain they would hold it up. This may account for the delay in acknowledging receipt of my application. Just passing the info on.
With the reliability (or lack thereof) of both the USPS and Canada Post, I would try to minimize delays. I mailed my package trackable in Scarborough ON, which is not that far from Sydney NS. If I had mailed it from the US, I would have mailed it Priority Mail International or Priority Mail Express International with tracking. Both give it a leg up on most other mail classes (especially first class mail) on clearance priority.

If you apply for a passport from the US, or in Canada for delivery to the US, they charge $100 CAD extra. When they send it though, they send it via a Canada Post/Fedex combined service (FedEx from Canada to the US) where delivery is guaranteed the next morning before 10:30AM. Not even the Passport Office portion of CIC/IRCC trusts regular mail...

The actual Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001E) arrives via regular standard Canada Post/USPS mail, although I was not held up on receiving it (postage was $2.75 CAD paid by CIC/IRCC on a large envelope).
 

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
Well, here we go again. One brother got moving on his proof of citizenship application after I got my passport.

Mailed from Vancouver via Registered mail: 29th September
Delivered to Sydney, NS: Pending.
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
670
261
I just called the IRCC and was told that my application was sent to Program Support the same day processing started, and that I should ignore the 5-month processing timeframe:eek:. They were supposed to have sent me an e-mail explaining the delay too. Oh well, at least I know hasn't been lost in the system, and I just have to patiently wait.
 

robinspree

Full Member
Aug 1, 2017
20
0
Today i recieved my "AOR" yay! so it was about 8 weeks for me to recieve AOR! Im so excited! this is really going to change my life because i wanna really move to Canada and go to university there:)

Mailed application to Embassy in Europe: 9 August
AOR recieved: 3 October
 

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
Today i recieved my "AOR" yay! so it was about 8 weeks for me to recieve AOR! Im so excited! this is really going to change my life because i wanna really move to Canada and go to university there:)

Mailed application to Embassy in Europe: 9 August
AOR recieved: 3 October
Contact the embassy again if you haven't already and ask for urgent processing with proof of travel due to the eTA/Canadian citizens requiring a passport requirement. If your case went to program support for any reason (which is not visible on the online tool) you could be looking at 6+ months without urgent processing.
 

am04

Full Member
Sep 26, 2017
22
5
United States
Contact the embassy again if you haven't already and ask for urgent processing with proof of travel due to the eTA/Canadian citizens requiring a passport requirement. If your case went to program support for any reason (which is not visible on the online tool) you could be looking at 6+ months without urgent processing.
Just curious, what is program support?
Thanks!
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
670
261
Just curious, what is program support?
Thanks!
If the initial officer reviewing your application feels that you might not have met all of the guidelines but could still be eligible, then he/she sends it to Program Support for a more in-depth review. Think of it as when you call your cable company because your internet is down, and after the rep asks you if you checked if your router is on and all of the cables are connected, then they transfer you to level 2 support.

My application got sent to Program Support, and this is the e-mail they sent me:

"NOTICE OF DELAY: APPLICATION FOR PROOF OF CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP

The purpose of this letter is to advise you that a preliminary review of your application(s) for a citizenship certificate that you submitted to this office is now complete. However, your file has been referred to the Program Support Unit for a final review and decision. While every effort will be made to finalize your application as soon as possible, this means that it will not be processed within the current application processing times posted on
www.canada.ca/citizenship-help

You will be informed of the final decision or will be contacted if additional information or documentation is required to finalize your application.

If you require urgent processing, please refer to our website at to find out if you meet the conditions for urgent processing and how to inform us.

Thank you for your patience."
 

am04

Full Member
Sep 26, 2017
22
5
United States
Hello Everyone,

Today I received an automated messages from CIC which contains UCI and application number. However, there is is no attachment. I tried to check the online status by providing UCI/ application number but the information is not available.

Does anyone have an idea how long it takes for the case status to appear online?


Here is the email :

This is an automated message. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this message.

Dear Sir/Madam:

Please find information concerning your application for citizenship in the attached document.

Sincerely,

Citizenship Official
 
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nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
Hello Everyone,

Today I received an automated messages from CIC which contains UCI and application number. However, there is is no attachment. I tried to check the online status by providing UCI/ application number but the information is not available.
Should appear within 24 hours of receipt. The email seems to be sent instantaneously on the update, whereas the application status tool is based off of some scheduled automated batch job.
 
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sameera888

Full Member
Oct 30, 2017
34
2
Hello every one here .
I have few question about citizenship certificate or proof of citizenship for my kids born in usa to a one Canadian parent .
in the check list of application they asked for
1 certified copy of Child Birth certificate
2 child social number 3 copy of usa passport 4 certified copy of parents Marriage certificate
Proof of parents Canadian citizenship certified copy of Canadian passport
fee of 75 Cnd Dollars and signed Application along with check list
Is there amy thing I am missing ????

Question 1 . Certified copy means a New York state Notary public write this is a true copy of original document stamp singed and dated it that's all Cic need .???

Question 2.they did not ask for other parent information to send with application . for example Non Canadian mothers copy of passport or Green card or social mothers birth certificate ?? should I send mothers green card and passport copy OR NO NEED IT BECAUSE ITS NOT REQUIRED IN CHECK LIST ??

Question 3. do I have to first sponsor mother for PR than apply for kids citizenship OR I don't have to sponsor her to get kids citizenship ??
PLEASE HELP ME ABOUT QUESTION 2
THANKS
 

alphazip

Champion Member
May 23, 2013
1,310
136
Job Offer........
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Hello every one here .
I have few question about citizenship certificate or proof of citizenship for my kids born in usa to a one Canadian parent .
in the check list of application they asked for
1 certified copy of Child Birth certificate
2 child social number 3 copy of usa passport 4 certified copy of parents Marriage certificate
Proof of parents Canadian citizenship certified copy of Canadian passport
fee of 75 Cnd Dollars and signed Application along with check list
Is there amy thing I am missing ????

Question 1 . Certified copy means a New York state Notary public write this is a true copy of original document stamp singed and dated it that's all Cic need .???

Question 2.they did not ask for other parent information to send with application . for example Non Canadian mothers copy of passport or Green card or social mothers birth certificate ?? should I send mothers green card and passport copy OR NO NEED IT BECAUSE ITS NOT REQUIRED IN CHECK LIST ??

Question 3. do I have to first sponsor mother for PR than apply for kids citizenship OR I don't have to sponsor her to get kids citizenship ??
PLEASE HELP ME ABOUT QUESTION 2
THANKS
Answered in your other thread.
 

nyguy2

Star Member
Nov 10, 2016
89
16
USA
Things definitely seem to have slowed down at Sydney after the eligibility to apply for Citizenship rules changed (I know proof of citizenship is different, but I wouldn't doubt the increase in applications/mail impacted other citizenship related services).

For brother #1 (brother #2 has not applied):
CIT 0001E (proof of Citizenship applicaiton) mailed from Vancouver via Registered mail: 29th September
Received at CPC-Sydney: 2nd October
Acknowledgement of Receipt: 31st October (20 business days / 30 days).