amdca
Signature
Type: Online application - Citizenship grant
Processing Office : Scarborough
Physical Presence Days: 1109 (1198 - 89 outside Canada)
Application: Single. Multiple travel history (4 travels abroad)
Application Submitted: May 30, 2023
AOR (Application filed): Jun 28, 2023
Fingerprints required: Jul 18, 2023
Citizenship test in progress: Jul 20, 2023
Scheduled for citizenship test: Jul 28, 2023 (window between July 28, 2023 and August 17, 2023)
Fingerprints taken: Aug 8, 2023
Citizenship done (passed 19/20): August 10, 2023
Citizenship test completed: Aug 11, 2023
Fingerprint results: Received: Aug 17, 2023
Background verification completed: Aug 18, 2023
Ghost update: Oct 27, 2023
LPP completed: Nov 6, 2023
Citizenship oath in progress: Nov 7, 2023
Scheduled for Citizenship oath (on tracker): Dec 5, 2023
Notice to appear to the ceremony (email invitation received): Nov 24, 2023 (virtual ceremony in Dec 5, 2023)
Today is Dec 5th, 2023. I did the oath. The ceremony was completed around 12:05pm. I signed & sent the affirmation email at 12:17pm (I informed the agent before cutting my PR that I have a flight next week, she told me either to reschedule the oath or to continue and cut the PR at my own risk -as there will be no guarantee to get the e-certificate before 5 business days-, I decided to continue and I cut the PR. She advised me to send the signed affirmation document ASAP after the ceremony ends (and she said before 3pm). She told me that she would place a note in my file.
After the oath (at 12:24pm) I received email about instructions on how to download my e-certificate. The problem is that there was no invitation code in it (not sure if they will be sending another one with an invitation code tomorrow).
Luckily, I was able to register to the IRCC portal without an invitation code (using this link: https://ircc.canada.ca/visit-visiter/en/get-account-ircc-portal). So I tried to check the portal for the e-certificate at 1:06 pm, and surprisingly my e-certificate was there and I downloaded it successfully at 1:08pm (yes, I was able to download it in 1 hour after the oath).
That moment I said "the sooner the better", so I went to the nearest printing service point to print the e-certificate, then I ran to the passport office (Upper James, Hamilton) which was around 1 hour away (I had "partially" completed the passport application + photographs before the ceremony, except for the guarantor signature which was signed by him with the photo signature after the oath, and the signatures & dates which i filled and signed after the oath). Since I was in a hurry, I filled the rest of the information in the passport office (the e-certificate info).
In Hamilton passport office, the lady at the front desk told me that the waiting time would be around 1hr and a half (it was shown as well in the website, waiting time was 1hr 30 mins https://ircc.canada.ca/english/passport/map/map.asp?po=1). I took the number at 2:23pm, they called my number at 3:41pm (which was a bit less than 1hr and a half).
I asked for the urgent passport (by the end of the next business day) but the agent told me since my flight is after Friday, then I would be charged with the express service instead, and the passport would be issued on Friday which is 3 days later (I showed them a printed proof of travel, they looked at it). They assured me that they do print the passports in their office, so no need to worry! Finally, I paid and got the receipt for passport pick up (the passport receipt was printed at 3:39pm). Will be going next Friday to pick up my passport!
Keep in mind:
* Make sure (if instructed so) to write the name of the agent/officer in the subject box before sending the signed affirmation document (the instruction email didn't mention that, but the agent asked to do so during the ceremony).
** Make sure the affirmation document PDF file is less than 1MB (if more, you can compress it using online websites; I used https://www.adobe.com/ca/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html), I'm not sure if the information will be saved by third parties or not!
*** That was my personal experience which may be different than yours, so please unless your situation is urgent and you are really in a hurry, do not rush!
**** I checked my tracker now (Dec 5th, 2023), so far my application hasn't been closed (Citizenship ceremony still in progress). So probably the system takes some time to be updated on the tracker.
Good luck for everyone and I appreciate every single applicant who took time to help or to share their timeline and story!
Processing Office : Scarborough
Physical Presence Days: 1109 (1198 - 89 outside Canada)
Application: Single. Multiple travel history (4 travels abroad)
Application Submitted: May 30, 2023
AOR (Application filed): Jun 28, 2023
Fingerprints required: Jul 18, 2023
Citizenship test in progress: Jul 20, 2023
Scheduled for citizenship test: Jul 28, 2023 (window between July 28, 2023 and August 17, 2023)
Fingerprints taken: Aug 8, 2023
Citizenship done (passed 19/20): August 10, 2023
Citizenship test completed: Aug 11, 2023
Fingerprint results: Received: Aug 17, 2023
Background verification completed: Aug 18, 2023
Ghost update: Oct 27, 2023
LPP completed: Nov 6, 2023
Citizenship oath in progress: Nov 7, 2023
Scheduled for Citizenship oath (on tracker): Dec 5, 2023
Notice to appear to the ceremony (email invitation received): Nov 24, 2023 (virtual ceremony in Dec 5, 2023)
Today is Dec 5th, 2023. I did the oath. The ceremony was completed around 12:05pm. I signed & sent the affirmation email at 12:17pm (I informed the agent before cutting my PR that I have a flight next week, she told me either to reschedule the oath or to continue and cut the PR at my own risk -as there will be no guarantee to get the e-certificate before 5 business days-, I decided to continue and I cut the PR. She advised me to send the signed affirmation document ASAP after the ceremony ends (and she said before 3pm). She told me that she would place a note in my file.
After the oath (at 12:24pm) I received email about instructions on how to download my e-certificate. The problem is that there was no invitation code in it (not sure if they will be sending another one with an invitation code tomorrow).
Luckily, I was able to register to the IRCC portal without an invitation code (using this link: https://ircc.canada.ca/visit-visiter/en/get-account-ircc-portal). So I tried to check the portal for the e-certificate at 1:06 pm, and surprisingly my e-certificate was there and I downloaded it successfully at 1:08pm (yes, I was able to download it in 1 hour after the oath).
That moment I said "the sooner the better", so I went to the nearest printing service point to print the e-certificate, then I ran to the passport office (Upper James, Hamilton) which was around 1 hour away (I had "partially" completed the passport application + photographs before the ceremony, except for the guarantor signature which was signed by him with the photo signature after the oath, and the signatures & dates which i filled and signed after the oath). Since I was in a hurry, I filled the rest of the information in the passport office (the e-certificate info).
In Hamilton passport office, the lady at the front desk told me that the waiting time would be around 1hr and a half (it was shown as well in the website, waiting time was 1hr 30 mins https://ircc.canada.ca/english/passport/map/map.asp?po=1). I took the number at 2:23pm, they called my number at 3:41pm (which was a bit less than 1hr and a half).
I asked for the urgent passport (by the end of the next business day) but the agent told me since my flight is after Friday, then I would be charged with the express service instead, and the passport would be issued on Friday which is 3 days later (I showed them a printed proof of travel, they looked at it). They assured me that they do print the passports in their office, so no need to worry! Finally, I paid and got the receipt for passport pick up (the passport receipt was printed at 3:39pm). Will be going next Friday to pick up my passport!
Keep in mind:
* Make sure (if instructed so) to write the name of the agent/officer in the subject box before sending the signed affirmation document (the instruction email didn't mention that, but the agent asked to do so during the ceremony).
** Make sure the affirmation document PDF file is less than 1MB (if more, you can compress it using online websites; I used https://www.adobe.com/ca/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html), I'm not sure if the information will be saved by third parties or not!
*** That was my personal experience which may be different than yours, so please unless your situation is urgent and you are really in a hurry, do not rush!
**** I checked my tracker now (Dec 5th, 2023), so far my application hasn't been closed (Citizenship ceremony still in progress). So probably the system takes some time to be updated on the tracker.
Good luck for everyone and I appreciate every single applicant who took time to help or to share their timeline and story!