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February 2018 - Citizenship Applicant

danny_scars

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2017
515
252
BC
Anybody here knows about name change? I have applied for citizenship in February and will be getting married in August.

Should I change my name before or after the process?
I would like to not "mess with it" and just change my name after everything is processed but I read that I would have to apply and pay for a new passport - I am not just adding his name to mine but instead moving my last name to middle name and using his last name and I understand a legal name change needs to be done.

With that new piece of information I wonder if I should change my name before my passport is issued... Thoughts? :)
 

mar_garz

Member
Feb 26, 2018
15
1
Anybody here knows about name change? I have applied for citizenship in February and will be getting married in August.

Should I change my name before or after the process?
I would like to not "mess with it" and just change my name after everything is processed but I read that I would have to apply and pay for a new passport - I am not just adding his name to mine but instead moving my last name to middle name and using his last name and I understand a legal name change needs to be done.

With that new piece of information I wonder if I should change my name before my passport is issued... Thoughts? :)
You have to use the name you used on your recent immigration document, e.g PR card. There is a portion on your application form (CIT-0002) about any name change. You need to submit any documents that would support your name change. A marriage certificate is needed to a change on family name only.

You have to wait until you get married, otherwise you dont have any proof to a change of your last name.
 

M.T2018

Newbie
Dec 21, 2017
7
1
Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and not really familiar with so many stuff. I've applied my citizenship application early of March ( almost 20 days ago). I don't know what does AOR means but I didn't received it yet. Also how long it would takes to the website shows "in process"

Thank you in advance. Hope everyone good luck
 

Rae62

Star Member
Jun 7, 2016
64
12
Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and not really familiar with so many stuff. I've applied my citizenship application early of March ( almost 20 days ago). I don't know what does AOR means but I didn't received it yet. Also how long it would takes to the website shows "in process"

Thank you in advance. Hope everyone good luck
ask at this forum: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/march-2018-citizenship-applicants.545325/page-18#post-6820501
It is March applicants.
 
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btbt

Hero Member
Feb 26, 2018
541
210
Anybody here knows about name change? I have applied for citizenship in February and will be getting married in August.

Should I change my name before or after the process?
I would like to not "mess with it" and just change my name after everything is processed but I read that I would have to apply and pay for a new passport - I am not just adding his name to mine but instead moving my last name to middle name and using his last name and I understand a legal name change needs to be done.

With that new piece of information I wonder if I should change my name before my passport is issued... Thoughts? :)
If you are going to do a legal change of name you would need to get a citizenship certificate issued in the new name before you can apply for a passport.

(If you only wish to take the new surname then no new citizenship certificate is needed to get a passport with that name; the marriage certificate and one piece of ID with that name would suffice.)

Note that if you live in Quebec a name change may not be possible at all; Quebec does not permit people to take their spouse's name (and has restrictions on name changes in general).

Some provinces have cheaper name change processes available soon after marriage. That may or may not be a consideration.

I don't know about processing times elsewhere, but in Ontario it takes 4-6 weeks after the name change to receive the name change certificate (which would be on top of the time it takes to receive the official marriage certificate, which you need to apply for the name change), in which case it's likely going to be at least September and maybe October before you have the necessary documentation.

That's 7 to 8 months after your citizenship application started, so there's a good chance you will have been invited to a citizenship ceremony by then. Which would mean you'd need to request a new citizenship certificate ($75 and 5 months wait), after which you could apply for a passport in your new name, sometime in February/March.

(If you are planning on applying for a passport in your current name immediately after the citizenship ceremony: if that's after your wedding make sure you still have ID with your maiden name on it when you apply. If you have changed all your identity documents you may not be able to get the passport.)

Of course, if you've not been invited to a ceremony at that time you can just submit the name change stuff to IRCC, and you'd get your initial citizenship certificate in the right name. If they invite you sometime close to that time you could contact IRCC and see if they'd be willing to reschedule you for some time after you've provided the name change documentation... (if they say yes you've saved yourself a possible 5 months of waiting).

I'm not sure if you could change your name now (you'd not get the discount, certainly), before your marriage, but if that is an option it would let you send the name change certificate to IRCC, so your initial citizenship certificate would be issued in the new name.

But, if you do that: would you need to change your home country passport so it matches your new name? You'll need to keep your current passport available for review at your citizenship test and interview (so whether or not that's even an option depends on your embassy's process).

You also need to take ID (driver's licence, health card,...) to the test and interview. Depending on your province's process for name changes you could be without the expected documents for your test and interview (though you'd have documentation issued by your province to explain why you don't have the documents, so that should not be much of an issue).

As to the question asking if you should wait or not... I don't have an answer, really, as there's no perfect solution.
 
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danny_scars

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2017
515
252
BC
If you are going to do a legal change of name you would need to get a citizenship certificate issued in the new name before you can apply for a passport.

(If you only wish to take the new surname then no new citizenship certificate is needed to get a passport with that name; the marriage certificate and one piece of ID with that name would suffice.)

Note that if you live in Quebec a name change may not be possible at all; Quebec does not permit people to take their spouse's name (and has restrictions on name changes in general).

Some provinces have cheaper name change processes available soon after marriage. That may or may not be a consideration.

I don't know about processing times elsewhere, but in Ontario it takes 4-6 weeks after the name change to receive the name change certificate (which would be on top of the time it takes to receive the official marriage certificate, which you need to apply for the name change), in which case it's likely going to be at least September and maybe October before you have the necessary documentation.

That's 7 to 8 months after your citizenship application started, so there's a good chance you will have been invited to a citizenship ceremony by then. Which would mean you'd need to request a new citizenship certificate ($75 and 5 months wait), after which you could apply for a passport in your new name, sometime in February/March.

(If you are planning on applying for a passport in your current name immediately after the citizenship ceremony: if that's after your wedding make sure you still have ID with your maiden name on it when you apply. If you have changed all your identity documents you may not be able to get the passport.)

Of course, if you've not been invited to a ceremony at that time you can just submit the name change stuff to IRCC, and you'd get your initial citizenship certificate in the right name. If they invite you sometime close to that time you could contact IRCC and see if they'd be willing to reschedule you for some time after you've provided the name change documentation... (if they say yes you've saved yourself a possible 5 months of waiting).

I'm not sure if you could change your name now (you'd not get the discount, certainly), before your marriage, but if that is an option it would let you send the name change certificate to IRCC, so your initial citizenship certificate would be issued in the new name.

But, if you do that: would you need to change your home country passport so it matches your new name? You'll need to keep your current passport available for review at your citizenship test and interview (so whether or not that's even an option depends on your embassy's process).

You also need to take ID (driver's licence, health card,...) to the test and interview. Depending on your province's process for name changes you could be without the expected documents for your test and interview (though you'd have documentation issued by your province to explain why you don't have the documents, so that should not be much of an issue).

As to the question asking if you should wait or not... I don't have an answer, really, as there's no perfect solution.
Thanks btbt! Yeah, I was just scared that changing my name in the midst of this process would hurt/delay things in any way but now that I am thinking about it again I shouldn't change my name at all befroe Septmeber as I have flight tickets booked (Jul and Sep) on my maiden name.. I guess I have to now hope I don't get invited until after September, LOL. Oh, I am in BC btw.

Now, reading your answer it sounds like I don't need to get a passport right after the ceremony, did I get that right?
Because if that is the case, I could just wait the 5 months (or whatever it is in BC) for my name change and apply for a passport then... right? I will be travelling for our honeymoon in September but I will be using my current passport as tickets were purchased with my maiden name and I don't see myself travelling anytime soon after that. So I guess I would just need to spend the $75 for the new citizenship certificate - instead of the $160 for a new passport plus the $75 for the certificate... hopefully!

Thanks!! :)
 
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btbt

Hero Member
Feb 26, 2018
541
210
Thanks btbt! Yeah, I was just scared that changing my name in the midst of this process would hurt/delay things in any way but now that I am thinking about it again I shouldn't change my name at all befroe Septmeber as I have flight tickets booked (Jul and Sep) on my maiden name.. I guess I have to now hope I don't get invited until after September, LOL. Oh, I am in BC btw.

Now, reading your answer it sounds like I don't need to get a passport right after the ceremony, did I get that right?
Because if that is the case, I could just wait the 5 months (or whatever it is in BC) for my name change and apply for a passport then... right? I will be travelling for our honeymoon in September but I will be using my current passport as tickets were purchased with my maiden name and I don't see myself travelling anytime soon after that. So I guess I would just need to spend the $75 for the new citizenship certificate - instead of the $160 for a new passport plus the $75 for the certificate... hopefully!

And yeah, changing the name now will be another pain the #%* since I have to flight tickets booked (Jul and Sep) on my maiden name.. I guess I have to now hope I don't get invited until after September, LOL

Thanks!! :)
At the ceremony you are getting a citizenship certificate. You can use that (after waiting for 2 business days) to apply for a passport, but you don't need to get a passport, except if you'll be travelling.

It is now mandatory for Canadian citizens to use a Canadian passport when travelling (by air) to Canada; the only exception is for dual US/Canadian citizens (see here).

If your citizenship ceremony is before September that would mean you'd need to get a Canadian passport to be able to travel back. If you're not flying to Canada, but instead crossing the border by car (or ship), you can use your citizenship certificate, according to CBSA. If your flight was, say, to/from Seattle or so you could skip getting the passport until after your trip, but if your return flight is to Canada that won't be an option.

It does sounds like waiting to do the name change until after you're back is best.

You're going to be one of the few on this forum who's hoping not to get invited soon :). You could ask when you have your test and interview if it's possible to not schedule your citizenship ceremony until after your September trip. I don't know if they're likely to accommodate that request, but it seems worth asking. In that case taking a letter to your interview that explains your situation (so they have something to put in your file; add documentation about the wedding and the trips) could be worthwhile.
 

StuCan1

Star Member
Sep 17, 2013
65
11
Hello,

I received my AOR for citizenship on the 20th March. Please update the spreadsheet.

Thanks,
StuCan1
 

dsan_01

Star Member
Sep 17, 2013
113
5
Please add my details to excel sheet.

Location : Montreal
App Type : Family
Physical Presence : 1200
App Sent : 14Feb2018
App Delivered : 16 Feb 2018
AOR : 14March2018

Thanks in advance.
 

danny_scars

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2017
515
252
BC
You're going to be one of the few on this forum who's hoping not to get invited soon :).
Hahahaha I know! First world problems I guess..
Hmm.. having to apply for a passport before my honeymoon now seems to be a issue because it takes like a month to get it right? I sure hope they can accommodate it for a later ceremony now because even if I don't change my name I need a passport to travel, period!

Thank you for bringing those to my attention, I might just change the flight to leave from Seattle - we are going to Mexico so definitely flying, I just wish we could leave from YVR... but again, first world problems!

Thanks btbt! Happy Easter everyone!