Delayed Iranian/Middle Eastern Citizenship Applications 12+ (Petition to Sign)

[Kambiz2002]

I am starting this thread to link any "possibility" of having a prolonged citizenship process similar to the one that happened to PR card applications for Iranian applicants. For those who do not know about what happened to Iranian PR applications, these are the links:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/hundreds-of-iranians-in-limbo-as-security-screenings-delay-immigration-applications-1.4609524

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-iranians-accuse-ottawa-of-discrimination-as-permanent-residency/

These delays were finally recognized by his Honorable Minister of Immigration and has been addressed:

https://www.iccongress.ca/statement_from_the_minister_of_immigration_iranian_applications


For now, we would like to know how many Iranians have been waiting for over 12 months period and what kind of help they have been receiving from local MPs and what they have heard from IRCC.

 

[Kambiz2002]

I start with my story:

Applied in Montreal Oct 2017
in process Jan 2018
passed the test 20/20 in March 2018
Got RQ lite in Apr 2018 (answered thoroughly) and got another RQ in July and responded again very thoroughly in Aug 2018.


Since then, no updates. The most I have directly heard from the contact center is that I am at the mercy of the officer

I understand IRCC is extremely busy and we have to wait. Yet, as a group which has been systematically under a higher level of scrutiny (as proof given above), I have my suspicions that IRCC is taking its time with Iranians citizenship applications to a degree which is much longer that other applications. I must add that being in Canada for a while, I have personally witnessed some applications from Iranians which have at times been treated like this (been prolonged but at the end it has all worked out at the cost of a very lengthy process). This is a speculation which I like to clear on this forum after hearing other stories as I believe we might need a movement by the Iranian Canadian Congress and a local MP in the same way that was done for the PR applications.

Thank you.

At this point, please just share your timeline on this thread.

 

[Han]

I am aware of what happened to some Iranian PR applications. Based on my experience, Iranian citizenship applications are being processed in the same manner as other applicants (of course it takes longer to do background check for Iranians and some other countries but it is not purely IRCC's fault, to be fair!).

I read on this forum that there are quite a few non-Iranian applicants who passed the 12-months period and still waiting ... My Iranian friend who applied in Oct. 2017 (same as you) is having her test today (January 11, 2019). I have two other friends who applied in the same time and one of them got it approved in July and the other one in November! They are all female Iranians who studied in the same university and applied in the same month!

My two cents: You have to have access to enough data to prove that there actually is discrimination happening against Iranians in citizenship process. Do not jump to conclusions by seeing just a few data points.

Best of luck.

 

[Kambiz2002]

I am aware of what happened to some Iranian PR applications. Based on my experience, Iranian citizenship applications are being processed in the same manner as other applicants (of course it takes longer to do background check for Iranians and some other countries but it is not purely IRCC's fault, to be fair!).

I read on this forum that there are quite a few non-Iranian applicants who passed the 12-months period and still waiting ... My Iranian friend who applied in Oct. 2017 (same as you) is having her test today (January 11, 2019). I have two other friends who applied in the same time and one of them got it approved in July and the other one in November! They are all female Iranians who studied in the same university and applied in the same month!

My two cents: You have to have access to enough data to prove that there actually is discrimination happening against Iranians in citizenship process. Do not jump to conclusions by seeing just a few data points.

Best of luck.

Thank you for your comments. Please note that I have not jumped to any conclusions. I have my doubts and I have clearly mentioned this above. I have said that I have "suspicions" that this might be happening and I personally think (that doesnt mean it is actually happening) that there "might" be extra scrutiny happening to Iranian male or female applicants. I think as a group since we already have a very documented proof towards our PR applicants we can "suspect" and be anxious if this is also happening towards our citizenship applications. Anyway, I am trying to hear from other applicants and maybe gather more data if they are willing to share.

 

[Kambiz2002]

There is currently a petition by Iranian Canadian Congress to gather data. Please sign the form, if you believe you have been waiting for too long:

https://www.iccongress.ca/delayed_pr_and_citizenship_applications

 

[dmn1363]

I am aware of what happened to some Iranian PR applications. Based on my experience, Iranian citizenship applications are being processed in the same manner as other applicants (of course it takes longer to do background check for Iranians and some other countries but it is not purely IRCC's fault, to be fair!).

I read on this forum that there are quite a few non-Iranian applicants who passed the 12-months period and still waiting ... My Iranian friend who applied in Oct. 2017 (same as you) is having her test today (January 11, 2019). I have two other friends who applied in the same time and one of them got it approved in July and the other one in November! They are all female Iranians who studied in the same university and applied in the same month!

My two cents: You have to have access to enough data to prove that there actually is discrimination happening against Iranians in citizenship process. Do not jump to conclusions by seeing just a few data points.

Best of luck.

IRCC do not publish any official data on how different nationalities being treated. Only data points come from the people in a forum like here who complained about the delay.
Also, IRCC minister denied any extensive delay in processing Iranian PR applications. After media attention to the case, he came clean and said this:

"These efforts have shown a marked improvement on the overall processing times for Iranian permanent resident applications. Notably, in 2015 the average wait time for Iranian permanent resident applications was 32.6 months longer than for citizens of all other countries. By July, the difference was down to 10.5 months."

Discrimination means someone is treated differently (in negative manner) with no reason (At least the way I think it is).

 

[Kambiz2002]

IRCC do not publish any official data on how different nationalities being treated. Only data points come from the people in a forum like here who complained about the delay.
Also, IRCC minister denied any extensive delay in processing Iranian PR applications. After media attention to the case, he came clean and said this:

"These efforts have shown a marked improvement on the overall processing times for Iranian permanent resident applications. Notably, in 2015 the average wait time for Iranian permanent resident applications was 32.6 months longer than for citizens of all other countries. By July, the difference was down to 10.5 months."

Discrimination means someone is treated differently (in negative manner) with no reason (At least the way I think it is).

I am not sure where you picked up discrimination, I didnt say so and the other person who was commenting to me also said there should be enough data. So, no one is accusing the government. We are just gathering data at this point. However, some of the articles I posted above are pretty much self depicting. It was enough for minister of the immigration to admit that Iranian applications took on average 32.6 months longer. I am not sure what you meant by saying minister "denied extensive delay". 32.6 months "longer" is a very long time just for security clearing.

 

[Kambiz2002]

My friend. Rules are established by the strongest and currently Trumps are the strongest. Until this changes, Trumps will continue receiving extensive blow jobs from theirs vassals until the final crumble and as such they keep resuming the image of powerful state and weaker gravity towards them. As you know Iran is on the other side of the chess board with no diplomatic mission of Canada in Tehran. Naturally, it takes longer to truthfully process your case. I will sign a petition while I understand fair points on both ends.

Thank you sir! I appreciate your honest comments You could be very much right. We have to wait and see but we will also take all the legal routes (MPs, ATIPs, Iranian Canadian Congress, and media) at our disposal to be treated fairly. Thank you again.

 

[dmn1363]

I am not sure where you picked up discrimination, I didnt say so and the other person who was commenting to me also said there should be enough data. So, no one is accusing the government. We are just gathering data at this point. However, some of the articles I posted above are pretty much self depicting. It was enough for minister of the immigration to admit that Iranian applications took on average 32.6 months longer. I am not sure what you meant by saying minister "denied extensive delay". 32.6 months "longer" is a very long time just for security clearing.

Kambiz2002,
I acknowledge your point. IRCC and the minister first denied that there was any delay in House of Common when Burnaby South MP Jenny Kwan asked about the case. Later, in a letter to ICC (Iranian Canadian Congress) he came clean and mentioned the 32 month processing.

 

[Tyriad]

I know of 4 Iranian friends who applied on Oct 2017, 3 of them got it pretty quick actually, took them around 6 7 months in total one of them is still waiting though.

But anyways if its security check it well beyond IRCC control and extremely classified, we will never know about security check details. Could be lack of communication between countries or I've also heard sometimes other governments like Iran is not replying security checks on time and I can understand they may not want to lose resources who they spend a lot of money growing to other countries. Its a competition after all, the hard workers here are improving economy and dollar value, and it kills currency value of competing countries.

 

[Kambiz2002]

I know of 4 Iranian friends who applied on Oct 2017, 3 of them got it pretty quick actually, took them around 6 7 months in total one of them is still waiting though.

But anyways if its security check it well beyond IRCC control and extremely classified, we will never know about security check details. Could be lack of communication between countries or I've also heard sometimes other governments like Iran is not replying security checks on time and I can understand they may not want to lose resources who they spend a lot of money growing to other countries. Its a competition after all, the hard workers here are improving economy and dollar value, and it kills currency value of competing countries.

Thank you for your comment. I have heard the security concern reasoning many times. It could be true. It could be not true. I dont know and honestly I do not care about that. At this point I just want to gather data on whether citizenship applicants from Iran are starting to face longer delays compared to other applicants. It may or may not be true. And my 2 cents on the security clearance from Iran is that the Canadian Government never publicly announced that they need to verify anything with the Government of Iran. If that's the case then it makes sense for some sort of prolonged processing. However, if two governments are not talking, I am not sure how passage of time helps with that. Again, the bottom line is more stress and prolonged waiting times for us. No one else cares, and it is only through online forum like this that we can at least say something

 

[H2E]

October 2017 Applicant- Test in April 2018-Since then in progress due to security.

 

[dmn1363]

I know of 4 Iranian friends who applied on Oct 2017, 3 of them got it pretty quick actually, took them around 6 7 months in total one of them is still waiting though.

But anyways if its security check it well beyond IRCC control and extremely classified, we will never know about security check details. Could be lack of communication between countries or I've also heard sometimes other governments like Iran is not replying security checks on time and I can understand they may not want to lose resources who they spend a lot of money growing to other countries. Its a competition after all, the hard workers here are improving economy and dollar value, and it kills currency value of competing countries.

Security screening is FBI check. Many people who applied for citizenship have been already living in Canada for 5 years and more. And it is classified because of public opinion. They don't want public know Canada has to get permission from big brother for national matters.

 

[Mehran1]

Application received: August 2017
Test passed: February 2018
Still in process

 

[Kambiz2002]

October 2017 Applicant- Test in April 2018-Since then in progress due to security.

Thanks. Which city?