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Anyone Requested ATIP from CSIS?

Civil engg

Star Member
Sep 20, 2010
64
7
I don't remember, just something normal, I probably mentioned citizenship application and/or job applications
Hi, I am thinking of requesting ATIP from CSIS as well because during my interview officer said that it is the only thing left that they are waiting and After receiving that will send oath invite.
Any advice from your side would be appreciated
 

Civil engg

Star Member
Sep 20, 2010
64
7
Hi,

I'm an october applicant waiting for test invite. I am wondering if there is anybody here who requested ATIP from CSIS? When we see a delay in processing of an application, it is usually because of the background check.
Hi, any update on your notes ?
 

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,252
3,018
Hi, I am thinking of requesting ATIP from CSIS as well because during my interview officer said that it is the only thing left that they are waiting and After receiving that will send oath invite.
Any advice from your side would be appreciated

Today I did my test/interview and was told by the officer that no concerns with my application but waiting for CSIS security check and they got my RCMP checks done. Officer said that it adds about a month or so in the over all process time of the application. As soon. As they receive it they will call me for oath.
Any one in this forum know what is the average time after the interview for oath if CSIS security is still pending?
Odds are very high there is NOTHING to WORRY ABOUT. The odds are very high there is NO NEED to make any further ATIP applications. NO NEED to do anything other than WAIT and WATCH for notice from IRCC. Odds are very good you can RELAX.

That is, UNLESS you already know there is some reason to worry. In which event you already know what that is and you do not need to make any ATIP application to learn about it . . . and, after all, an ATIP application is NOT at all likely to provide any information you can use or is even much if at all informative.

Also note that obtaining any real information from CSIS is very, very unlikely. An ATIP request directed at CSIS is even more useless than the typically useless ATIP application to IRCC.

Also note that interviewers and call centre agents often make rather casual comments referring to outstanding "background" checks which are commonly (sure, not always, but usually) a way of simply telling applicants they need to WAIT, and little or nothing more, and the reason why the applicant needs to wait really is NOT about waiting for a security or criminality background check to be completed (even though technically their statement is truthful, that there is a background check outstanding in the file, but often the clearance has already been submitted just not recorded as such, a lot like how applications are in fact received in CPC-Sydney but as far as IRCC is concerned the application is NOT yet received, not until AOR, which can be several weeks or even months after the application is actually there).



LONGER EXPLANATION:

Unless you are aware there is an actual reason for Canadian authorities to be concerned about you, to apprehend you pose some kind of security risk or that you have some security or criminality issues in your background, it appears you may be overthinking things, perhaps way, way overthinking things.

Recognizing that you have reported making ATIP requests before, I am curious whether you made any actual decisions and took some specific action based on the information you received. After all, the overwhelmingly vast majority of ATIP records reported in this forum offer NOTHING of any real use. Sure, more than a few forum participants insist they benefited from obtaining a copy of their records, but very, very few of these credibly report obtaining any information which was in fact used in making a decision or taking any action . . . meaning that having obtained these records made NO DIFFERENCE in what actually happens.

The vast majority of reported ATIP requests here are an exercise in self-deception, fooling oneself into believing they are taking some kind of control over how it goes, or otherwise reassuring oneself.

This is NOT to dismiss the situations in which it is prudent to make ATIP requests. There are some circumstances in which it is indeed a good idea to make the ATIP application (but most of these, not all but most, are situations in which the ATIP request should be a very carefully composed CUSTOMIZED application, which demands doing a lot of homework first) And most of my posts in the forum are about the more complicated and tricky issues, about situations in which applications can and do take complex side trips into more involved and sometimes hazardous non-routine processing, and for a small percentage of those whose case has gone that way, it may indeed be prudent to make the ATIP application to the appropriate agency or minister.

A caveat: most "non-routine" processing is nonetheless fairly ordinary, "routine" in a practical, general sense even though it is something in addition to the formal "routine," and thus in IRCC terms "non-routine."

In contrast, there are full-blown RQ cases, suspected-fraud cases, cases involving complicated prohibition, criminality, or security issues, among other situations in which there are more serious non-routine elements, such as referrals for potential cessation of status. Very, very FEW applicants get entangled in these things. Those at risk for more serious non-routine processing almost always know what it is about without having to get any information from Canadian authorities. There are always some exceptions, but for the overwhelmingly vast majority, if there is a reason to be concerned, the applicant already knows about it. Thus, for the vast majority, for those who honestly know of no reason why there might be a more serious non-routine element lurking in their case, there is indeed NO REASON TO WORRY, no reason to overthink things, NO REASON to pursue ATIP applications.

I understand some people need to feel more in control, to be confident they are doing what can be done to get their application through the process. But generally ATIP applications are of little or, more commonly, NO use.

ATIP applications to CSIS especially so. Indeed, very few would know how to even begin composing an application which would generate any real information. Generic applications are especially worthless.
 

Civil engg

Star Member
Sep 20, 2010
64
7
Odds are very high there is NOTHING to WORRY ABOUT. The odds are very high there is NO NEED to make any further ATIP applications. NO NEED to do anything other than WAIT and WATCH for notice from IRCC. Odds are very good you can RELAX.

That is, UNLESS you already know there is some reason to worry. In which event you already know what that is and you do not need to make any ATIP application to learn about it . . . and, after all, an ATIP application is NOT at all likely to provide any information you can use or is even much if at all informative.

Also note that obtaining any real information from CSIS is very, very unlikely. An ATIP request directed at CSIS is even more useless than the typically useless ATIP application to IRCC.

Also note that interviewers and call centre agents often make rather casual comments referring to outstanding "background" checks which are commonly (sure, not always, but usually) a way of simply telling applicants they need to WAIT, and little or nothing more, and the reason why the applicant needs to wait really is NOT about waiting for a security or criminality background check to be completed (even though technically their statement is truthful, that there is a background check outstanding in the file, but often the clearance has already been submitted just not recorded as such, a lot like how applications are in fact received in CPC-Sydney but as far as IRCC is concerned the application is NOT yet received, not until AOR, which can be several weeks or even months after the application is actually there).



LONGER EXPLANATION:

Unless you are aware there is an actual reason for Canadian authorities to be concerned about you, to apprehend you pose some kind of security risk or that you have some security or criminality issues in your background, it appears you may be overthinking things, perhaps way, way overthinking things.

Recognizing that you have reported making ATIP requests before, I am curious whether you made any actual decisions and took some specific action based on the information you received. After all, the overwhelmingly vast majority of ATIP records reported in this forum offer NOTHING of any real use. Sure, more than a few forum participants insist they benefited from obtaining a copy of their records, but very, very few of these credibly report obtaining any information which was in fact used in making a decision or taking any action . . . meaning that having obtained these records made NO DIFFERENCE in what actually happens.

The vast majority of reported ATIP requests here are an exercise in self-deception, fooling oneself into believing they are taking some kind of control over how it goes, or otherwise reassuring oneself.

This is NOT to dismiss the situations in which it is prudent to make ATIP requests. There are some circumstances in which it is indeed a good idea to make the ATIP application (but most of these, not all but most, are situations in which the ATIP request should be a very carefully composed CUSTOMIZED application, which demands doing a lot of homework first) And most of my posts in the forum are about the more complicated and tricky issues, about situations in which applications can and do take complex side trips into more involved and sometimes hazardous non-routine processing, and for a small percentage of those whose case has gone that way, it may indeed be prudent to make the ATIP application to the appropriate agency or minister.

A caveat: most "non-routine" processing is nonetheless fairly ordinary, "routine" in a practical, general sense even though it is something in addition to the formal "routine," and thus in IRCC terms "non-routine."

In contrast, there are full-blown RQ cases, suspected-fraud cases, cases involving complicated prohibition, criminality, or security issues, among other situations in which there are more serious non-routine elements, such as referrals for potential cessation of status. Very, very FEW applicants get entangled in these things. Those at risk for more serious non-routine processing almost always know what it is about without having to get any information from Canadian authorities. There are always some exceptions, but for the overwhelmingly vast majority, if there is a reason to be concerned, the applicant already knows about it. Thus, for the vast majority, for those who honestly know of no reason why there might be a more serious non-routine element lurking in their case, there is indeed NO REASON TO WORRY, no reason to overthink things, NO REASON to pursue ATIP applications.

I understand some people need to feel more in control, to be confident they are doing what can be done to get their application through the process. But generally ATIP applications are of little or, more commonly, NO use.

ATIP applications to CSIS especially so. Indeed, very few would know how to even begin composing an application which would generate any real information. Generic applications are especially worthless.
Thank you and really appreciate your time in composing detailed response. After reading it through I realized that you are absolutely right that it’s overthinking and nothing to worry about. I read in other threads that ATIP made IRCC to move their application because it was supposedly pending at a desk etc.
Therefore I thought may be, if it is pending at someone’s desk thisATiP request might make them realize to process the check and don’t delay it further. Just a thought.
 

Oct17

Member
Jun 6, 2019
18
2
@dpenabill :

Hello

I have applied for citizenship in October 2017 and done with the test in March 2018, I haven’t heard anything back from CIC since then.
I have MP office following up with my file and the recent information I received recently is that , the security is in progress and under review.
I have also ordered GCMS recently and it does mention a note from the agent that “the status has to be manually changed to under review because of a glitch.”
It’s been under review since March 2019.

Would really appreciate if you can provide some information as to what exactly it means and how long does a file stays under review ? Does his also mean that the security is done and hence it’s under review ? and so on and so forth ?

Thanks
 

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,252
3,018
@dpenabill :

Hello

I have applied for citizenship in October 2017 and done with the test in March 2018, I haven’t heard anything back from CIC since then.
I have MP office following up with my file and the recent information I received recently is that , the security is in progress and under review.
I have also ordered GCMS recently and it does mention a note from the agent that “the status has to be manually changed to under review because of a glitch.”
It’s been under review since March 2019.

Would really appreciate if you can provide some information as to what exactly it means and how long does a file stays under review ? Does his also mean that the security is done and hence it’s under review ? and so on and so forth ?

Thanks
I am NOT an expert. I am NOT qualified to offer personal advice. Circumstances like this illustrate how far short I fall.

Which is to say I do not know. No idea actually.

Yes, approaching two years overall means it is probably PAST time to be proactive.

Yes, more than a year gone by since the test, let alone sixteen, seventeen months, indicates either a problem or something awry.

All of which you likely know well. All of which anyone here can easily recognize.

Is it time to see a lawyer? Hard to say. You know the facts in your case. You know your history. You know the basic facts that determine how strong your case is . . . or what its weaknesses might be. You should know if there is any reason for there to be a problem with your case . . . including a security issue.

Unfortunately the generic GCMS report does not illuminate much.

BUT what YOU KNOW should tell the tale; recognizing that YOU personally know more than anyone else in the world about your case, what YOU KNOW largely dictates whether you should be more or less aggressive in pursuing action on your application.

This forum is fine for run-of-the-mill cases. If you do not have a run-of-the-mill case, that tends to be outside the scope of what anyone here can help.

Perhaps you still have a run-of-the-mill case, and something slipped off the rails for a bit and now or soon things will be back on track. A help centre phone call or webform query might help to push things along. Maybe your MP could make inquiries and the collateral impact of that could trigger further progress.

OR there is an issue. Again, if there is an issue, again recognizing that YOU personally know more than anyone else in the world about your case, you should have a fair idea if there is an issue AND what sort of issue there is, and some idea about what sort of problem that might cause.

You should have a fair idea about whether you need to see a lawyer soon or you can wait.

Sorry I cannot help more.
 

Oct17

Member
Jun 6, 2019
18
2
I am NOT an expert. I am NOT qualified to offer personal advice. Circumstances like this illustrate how far short I fall.

Which is to say I do not know. No idea actually.

Yes, approaching two years overall means it is probably PAST time to be proactive.

Yes, more than a year gone by since the test, let alone sixteen, seventeen months, indicates either a problem or something awry.

All of which you likely know well. All of which anyone here can easily recognize.

Is it time to see a lawyer? Hard to say. You know the facts in your case. You know your history. You know the basic facts that determine how strong your case is . . . or what its weaknesses might be. You should know if there is any reason for there to be a problem with your case . . . including a security issue.

Unfortunately the generic GCMS report does not illuminate much.

BUT what YOU KNOW should tell the tale; recognizing that YOU personally know more than anyone else in the world about your case, what YOU KNOW largely dictates whether you should be more or less aggressive in pursuing action on your application.

This forum is fine for run-of-the-mill cases. If you do not have a run-of-the-mill case, that tends to be outside the scope of what anyone here can help.

Perhaps you still have a run-of-the-mill case, and something slipped off the rails for a bit and now or soon things will be back on track. A help centre phone call or webform query might help to push things along. Maybe your MP could make inquiries and the collateral impact of that could trigger further progress.

OR there is an issue. Again, if there is an issue, again recognizing that YOU personally know more than anyone else in the world about your case, you should have a fair idea if there is an issue AND what sort of issue there is, and some idea about what sort of problem that might cause.

You should have a fair idea about whether you need to see a lawyer soon or you can wait.

Sorry I cannot help more.

Thanks for the reply.

But my basic question was, how long does a file stays under review ? And does this also means that the security clearance is done and hence it’s under review ?

Thanks again
 

Zmaqsood

Champion Member
Sep 10, 2014
1,776
351
123
Milton. ON
Thanks for the reply.

But my basic question was, how long does a file stays under review ? And does this also means that the security clearance is done and hence it’s under review ?

Thanks again
I think u missed the part. Under review is not a regular recurring thing to know how long it will last. They may be reviewing because there might be some concerns in ur background which they want to take a second look at and no one can tell you how long it will last. If u are aware of the issues that might be causing this delay in security checks i would suggest you to seek legal help because CSIS may take forever and until they clear u IRCC wont be able to move ur file
 

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,252
3,018
But my basic question was, how long does a file stays under review ? And does this also means that the security clearance is done and hence it’s under review ?
Not sure how you overlooked it, but my direct response was "I do not know." And, I added "No idea actually."

Which is to say I do not know. No idea actually.
There are no guidelines, let alone formal limits, on how long IRCC takes to review a citizenship application or any particular issue in the processing of a citizenship application. In the past we have seen applications pending for MANY YEARS. Some as long as eight or more years. This is very uncommon but illustrates there is no fixed timeline. There is no standard timeline. For non-routine applications, which obviously describes yours, we cannot even describe typical ranges. (For routine applications, for example, in the recent past the timeline tends to range from 6 to 12, or 14 months, with some exceptions as usual; but there is no reliable outside range for non-routine processing, the timeline tending to be at least somewhat longer than routine processing but how much longer is nearly impossible to forecast.)


Criminal & Security Clearances:

The copy of GCMS records provided in response to a generic ATIP request reveal rather little, and this is especially so in regards to the formal background clearances obtained from the RCMP and CSIS.

The status of these clearances tends to be obscured by default codes and in any event all of the clearances remain subject to further updates until the applicant takes the oath and is issued a certificate of citizenship. Most of the review done is NOT dependent on clearances from the RCMP or CSIS, recognizing there are circumstances in which certain types of review are dependent on the clearances. The review which results in a final determination is, of course, dependent on the clearances, but with only uncommon exceptions that final review is NOT held up waiting for the clearances . . . even though help centre call agents often say that further processing or review is waiting on the clearances (I have addressed this aspect repeatedly, in many topics, perhaps even in this topic in the past).


FURTHER OBSERVATIONS:

In my previous response I offered further observations because your timeline suggests something is off. Whether that is about an issue as to your qualification for citizenship, OR something slipped off the tracks in the local office processing your application (it happens), is NOT at all clear. Usually (albeit not always) the applicant knows whether there is a substantive qualifications issue (the applicant knows the relevant facts better than anyone else in the world). So you probably know far more about any potential qualifications issue than anyone here can say.
 

zivshek

Full Member
Sep 15, 2017
28
7
I just got mine, sent in a cd...
so, on the first page, it says status: completed, but the conclusion/recommendation part is empty. Also, I got a letter that came with it, saying the Service finds it necessary to extend the time limit of 30 days for ATIP request for some reason. So the notes I got is not complete, and it says a preliminary release package, anyone knows what's going on?