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Citizenship Ceremony - reschedule

tmonde

Full Member
Jul 10, 2017
28
21
Hey,

have anyone recently went through citizenship oath ceremony and knows if its possible to get citizenship certificate sent within few days after?

I have my oath scheduled for April 13th and bought plane ticket to fly to Europe on May 7th. (purpose is to see my family)

Just wondering how risky it would be to do the oath and request express shipping of citizenship certificate and express passport after? or should I just play it safe and reschedule the oath?

Also if rescheduled how long until they set you up with new date and how is that date determined? ( don't wanna be out of country for next one lol )

any info is appreciated,

thanks
 

akbardxb

Champion Member
Nov 18, 2013
1,244
463
Mississauga
LANDED..........
28-03-2014
Hey,

have anyone recently went through citizenship oath ceremony and knows if its possible to get citizenship certificate sent within few days after?

I have my oath scheduled for April 13th and bought plane ticket to fly to Europe on May 7th. (purpose is to see my family)

Just wondering how risky it would be to do the oath and request express shipping of citizenship certificate and express passport after? or should I just play it safe and reschedule the oath?

Also if rescheduled how long until they set you up with new date and how is that date determined? ( don't wanna be out of country for next one lol )

any info is appreciated,

thanks
I would suggest don't reschedule you oath. Too many uncertainties at the moment. Why risk it if your trip is not something that can be moved around. Even a charge to reschedule a flight is probably a small price to pay. Since you have booked for May 7th, it doesn't look like an emergency and more like leisure so maybe prioritize Oath and get done with it.

At the ceremony you can request for expedited processing and then use that to apply for an urgent passport.

I got my certificate in one week, but there are others who have waited 4-6 weeks. Someone got their passport in 72 hours, while a new record for 3 hours has also been reported yesterday to get a Canadian passport!
 

tmonde

Full Member
Jul 10, 2017
28
21
I would suggest don't reschedule you oath. Too many uncertainties at the moment. Why risk it if your trip is not something that can be moved around. Even a charge to reschedule a flight is probably a small price to pay. Since you have booked for May 7th, it doesn't look like an emergency and more like leisure so maybe prioritize Oath and get done with it.

At the ceremony you can request for expedited processing and then use that to apply for an urgent passport.

I got my certificate in one week, but there are others who have waited 4-6 weeks. Someone got their passport in 72 hours, while a new record for 3 hours has also been reported yesterday to get a Canadian passport!
thanks on a reply.

What do you mean by "too many uncertainties atm"?

the thing is we booked that flight a while ago thinking my ceremony won't happen before end of May/June but I was wrong :D
It would actually cost me a lot of money to cancel 2 x plane tickets at this point as I don't have cancellation insurance and don't really have option to travel after as we are having a baby on the way end of summer.

I am willing to take a risk but would like to hear if you get 100% asked if you need your certificate rushed at the ceremony and if my reason would be enough to make that happen.
 

CaBeaver

Champion Member
Dec 15, 2018
2,941
1,369
Your issue here would be the certificate. For the passport you can get it one before your travel if you apply urgent processing. For most, the certificate is received in 2 weeks, but it may take longer. If you decide to reschedule, it may take 3-6 months to be rescheduled again.
 

GuyanaGirl

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Jul 4, 2016
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thanks on a reply.

What do you mean by "too many uncertainties atm"?

the thing is we booked that flight a while ago thinking my ceremony won't happen before end of May/June but I was wrong :D
It would actually cost me a lot of money to cancel 2 x plane tickets at this point as I don't have cancellation insurance and don't really have option to travel after as we are having a baby on the way end of summer.

I am willing to take a risk but would like to hear if you get 100% asked if you need your certificate rushed at the ceremony and if my reason would be enough to make that happen.
some people wait up to a year for a new oath date after they reschedule. There have been members of the forum who let the agent know during their ceremony check in that they have need to travel right after oath and some were lucky to get their certificates expedited to them .
 

akbardxb

Champion Member
Nov 18, 2013
1,244
463
Mississauga
LANDED..........
28-03-2014
thanks on a reply.

What do you mean by "too many uncertainties atm"?

the thing is we booked that flight a while ago thinking my ceremony won't happen before end of May/June but I was wrong :D
It would actually cost me a lot of money to cancel 2 x plane tickets at this point as I don't have cancellation insurance and don't really have option to travel after as we are having a baby on the way end of summer.

I am willing to take a risk but would like to hear if you get 100% asked if you need your certificate rushed at the ceremony and if my reason would be enough to make that happen.
There is no trend to prove that a postponed Oath gets moved by X no. of days / months, hence the suggestion to not postpone your Oath. Everyone's answers here will be based on their experience and interpretation of the given information by the OP. Your circumstances are best known to you.

I was asked if I had any immediate travel planned. My answer was no. Still I got it in one week. So it's a game of luck.

& Congratulations on the baby!
 
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tmonde

Full Member
Jul 10, 2017
28
21
There is no trend to prove that a postponed Oath gets moved by X no. of days / months, hence the suggestion to not postpone your Oath. Everyone's answers here will be based on their experience and interpretation of the given information by the OP. Your circumstances are best known to you.

I was asked if I had any immediate travel planned. My answer was no. Still I got it in one week. So it's a game of luck.

& Congratulations on the baby!
thanks for reply and congratulations :)

I am more leaning towards taking a risk path and politely ask them to send me the certificate by express if possible as I have 22 days before my flight.

But I am definitely confused with whole process of moving from PR to becoming a Citizen. From what I read they pretty much make you destroy your PR card and Void your confirmation of PR document. (only documents used to be able to enter Canada as PR status)

Wonder what would happen if as a holder of a EU passport (Croatian) that does not require visa to enter Canada/US would just fly there ( Croatia ) and try to come back without PR card saying I am in process of getting a Canadian citizenship and provide them proof of that?
 

yutaeren

Star Member
Apr 1, 2022
55
24
thanks for reply and congratulations :)

I am more leaning towards taking a risk path and politely ask them to send me the certificate by express if possible as I have 22 days before my flight.

But I am definitely confused with whole process of moving from PR to becoming a Citizen. From what I read they pretty much make you destroy your PR card and Void your confirmation of PR document. (only documents used to be able to enter Canada as PR status)

Wonder what would happen if as a holder of a EU passport (Croatian) that does not require visa to enter Canada/US would just fly there ( Croatia ) and try to come back without PR card saying I am in process of getting a Canadian citizenship and provide them proof of that?
I am on the exact same boat. A EU passport holder, scheduled for ceremony in April, going to travel start of May. Don't know whether risk it or reschedule.

You cannot, unfortunately, return to Canada without a Canadian passport as a citizen. That is: you cannot enter on the EU passport when Canadian. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html
 
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akbardxb

Champion Member
Nov 18, 2013
1,244
463
Mississauga
LANDED..........
28-03-2014
thanks for reply and congratulations :)

I am more leaning towards taking a risk path and politely ask them to send me the certificate by express if possible as I have 22 days before my flight.

But I am definitely confused with whole process of moving from PR to becoming a Citizen. From what I read they pretty much make you destroy your PR card and Void your confirmation of PR document. (only documents used to be able to enter Canada as PR status)

Wonder what would happen if as a holder of a EU passport (Croatian) that does not require visa to enter Canada/US would just fly there ( Croatia ) and try to come back without PR card saying I am in process of getting a Canadian citizenship and provide them proof of that?
You can fly out to your country of origin without a PR card but for sure you will not be allowed back without anything to prove that are either a Canadian or have permanent residency there. You will be asked to cut up your PR card in four pieces during your oath.

I wasn't asked for my COPR during the Oath so can't say much about that but once you are a landed immigrant, you cannot use your COPR to enter Canada again.

There is nothing confusing about the process of citizenship. Take the oath, become a citizen, get a certificate and apply for a passport.
 
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wicked31

Star Member
Feb 15, 2015
53
16
I received my certificate in just two days. I had requested for urgent processing due to travel. You can mention it in your oath ceremony to the IRCC clerk and send your flight itinerary with your oath form post ceremony.
As mentioned in previous posts, you can receive your passport in two days.
You should be fine to travel by May7
 
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tmonde

Full Member
Jul 10, 2017
28
21
You can fly out to your country of origin without a PR card but for sure you will not be allowed back without anything to prove that are either a Canadian or have permanent residency there. You will be asked to cut up your PR card in four pieces during your oath.

I wasn't asked for my COPR during the Oath so can't say much about that but once you are a landed immigrant, you cannot use your COPR to enter Canada again.

There is nothing confusing about the process of citizenship. Take the oath, become a citizen, get a certificate and apply for a passport.
If they gave me more than 2 weeks notice about upcoming ceremony I would have no issues.

By confusing I meant you can’t know for sure weather you will get your certificate within few days, a week or 7 weeks and you are pretty much stuck in Canada for time being.

Can’t be guaranteed express process of the same, looks like it all depends on the clerk during ceremony.

Can’t even know if rescheduled date will be in next few months or in 2023 and what if it again falls on a day you can’t make it.

Tried calling IRCC numerous times in past few days and seems impossible to actually speak a live person.
 

Melchett

Star Member
Nov 2, 2018
88
99
Vancouver
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LANDED..........
16-07-2018
I'm almost in the same situation, except I haven't received the oath invitation yet (all other steps have been completed). I'm supposed to fly to Croatia on May 2 and not return until late June. A delay of 3-6 months would be fine for me, but a whole year seems a bit too long to wait... What does worry me is the current processing time for a citizenship application: a whopping 27 months o_O
 
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innocentman

Star Member
Mar 25, 2015
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If they gave me more than 2 weeks notice about upcoming ceremony I would have no issues.

By confusing I meant you can’t know for sure weather you will get your certificate within few days, a week or 7 weeks and you are pretty much stuck in Canada for time being.

Can’t be guaranteed express process of the same, looks like it all depends on the clerk during ceremony.

Can’t even know if rescheduled date will be in next few months or in 2023 and what if it again falls on a day you can’t make it.

Tried calling IRCC numerous times in past few days and seems impossible to actually speak a live person.
Did you guys reschedule it? if so how long did it take for them to reply? Literally similar situation but leaving on on Sat and ceremony is in 10 days so will have to move it..wondering how soon they reschedule it
 

Melchett

Star Member
Nov 2, 2018
88
99
Vancouver
Category........
FSW
LANDED..........
16-07-2018
Did you guys reschedule it? if so how long did it take for them to reply? Literally similar situation but leaving on on Sat and ceremony is in 10 days so will have to move it..wondering how soon they reschedule it
A bit of a late reply, but maybe it helps someone else. I sent them an email, but I never received a response. However, I also joined into the first ceremony just to tell the officer that I'm travelling and couldn't attend the ceremony that day. She said it was a good idea that I did this because apparently some emails get lost (!). In any case, the process was super smooth for me, I told them I would be back on June 28, and the new date they gave me was July 6- only eight days after I came back.
 

tmonde

Full Member
Jul 10, 2017
28
21
A bit of a late reply, but maybe it helps someone else. I sent them an email, but I never received a response. However, I also joined into the first ceremony just to tell the officer that I'm travelling and couldn't attend the ceremony that day. She said it was a good idea that I did this because apparently some emails get lost (!). In any case, the process was super smooth for me, I told them I would be back on June 28, and the new date they gave me was July 6- only eight days after I came back.
thanks for sharing this.
Unfortunately my case was different. I did email them to advise on what to do prior to my ceremony.
Have also attended the ceremony and was told to make a decision and if not willing to do it will be sent another date.

6 weeks later I received this


“You were scheduled to take the Oath of Citizenship on April 13, 2022. We received the explanation you provided for being unable to attend this event. We reviewed your explanation and regret to inform you that it was deemed unreasonable because travel for personal reasons does not warrant postponement of the Oath of Citizenship.



Please note that a Final Notice to Appear will follow in due course.”

still didn’t hear back yet