IRCC is asking for a boarding pass
- Thread starter Xavier3000
- Start date
I'd write a clear email quoting this below link from IRCC FAQs and stating you are available to attend the ceremony in person at any time for the ceremony with two weeks notice (or whatever time you're comfortable with) because your current personal circumstances do not allow you to stay outside of your current location for extended periods etc.
https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=911&top=5
I'm assuming you did not miss any prior appointments with IRCC.
It's possible that's the reason they're insisting on you being available in Canada before they will schedule but it's all difficult to tell.
One way to meet in the middle is trying to get assurance they'll try to accommodate you in the next available ceremony after you return.
Obviously they're being responsive unlike some other local offices.
Without knowing the circumstances of your previous rescheduling it's difficult to comment further.
Good news is this appears to indicate no outstanding questions or concerns other than confirmation of your presence in Canada and availability to participate in an oath ceremony IN Canada.
In regards to what you now do, as I discussed in previous posts, this means you --
-- need to return to Canada, and advise IRCC when you have done that, or
-- make a request/demand that IRCC proceed with scheduling the oath
Fastest and most certain path would be to return to Canada and submit documentation showing your presence IN Canada:
Any objective documentation that shows return to and arrival in Canada, or actual presence in Canada, should suffice (your "proof" is not limited to their examples). That said, while this appears to indicate verification of presence in Canada will result in being scheduled for the oath, without any further processing of the application, the door for further inquiry or scrutiny always remains open right up to the day the oath is actually taken.
Remember, the last background clearance is not done until the oath is actually scheduled and may not be done until just before the oath itself (within day or three), so there is always some possibility that a scheduled oath is postponed or cancelled and there is further processing (this is true for all applicants, not just those who were abroad after applying, and of course it only happens to a tiny percentage -- of the 53 scheduled for the oath at my ceremony, only one was not allowed to proceed with the oath, and my impression is that in many if not most ceremonies everyone scheduled and appearing gets to proceed).
Also remember there is no guarantee how long it will take for you to be scheduled for the oath after your return. There should be no restriction on your capacity to travel abroad again pending scheduling or attendance at oath.
Personal request/demand that IRCC proceed with scheduling the oath:
As noted and previously discussed, you can specifically request IRCC to proceed with scheduling you for the oath. Frankly it appears your local office will not proceed with scheduling the oath absent proof of return to Canada.
Alternatively you can personally (without a lawyer) make a formal DEMAND that IRCC proceed to schedule you for the oath. Even if you are able to make a demand comparable to what a lawyer would send, here too, frankly, it appears likely the local office would not proceed with scheduling the oath absent proof of return to Canada.
Demand by lawyer that IRCC proceed with scheduling the oath:
A formal DEMAND made by a licensed Canadian lawyer would have better odds of getting the local office to proceed with scheduling the oath without first proving you are back in Canada. This would be the prerequisite demand necessary to follow through with an application for a Writ of Mandamus. There is no where near enough reporting to know this has a high probability of working (there is almost never any guarantee something like this will work because there is always the potential for other issues), but enough reporting to indicate some applicants have had positive results when their lawyer has made the pre-mandamus formal demand.
I previously described some of the hurdles or difficulties this route involves, including the difficulty of arranging this from abroad and the likely expense. Moreover, how long this would take is uncertain. Best case scenario is that the local office promptly comply with the demand, but it might not even respond for a significant amount of time, or even not respond at all. And the response could be to not proceed, or to in effect not proceed evidenced by not responding, in which event the question would be whether to proceed with making the application to the Federal Court for a Writ of Mandamus . . . in addition to the expense involved that could take a year or even much longer.
Does not change what I describe above but for others who are abroad after applying it is one more anecdotal report illustrating risks associated with being abroad while the citizenship application is pending.
I would like ask another question.
As my kids and me are away from Canada, what will happen if only me will fly back to do the oath.
Will my kids under 14 get the citizenship while not physically present in Canada?
As my kids and me are away from Canada, what will happen if only me will fly back to do the oath.
Will my kids under 14 get the citizenship while not physically present in Canada?
If your kids were included in the application, then they also have to be present for the oath.
It depends on the option you chose.
My wife is choosing for our minor kids to not be present at the oath.
A quick update...
The CIC officer agree to schedule my Oath Ceremony despite me being outside Canada.
He has given me a date 2 weeks ahead so I can book a flight and be in Canada.
I have done my Oath and I am just waiting for my Citizenship certificate as I suppose to recive it with in 2 days.
He was amazing and helpful.
He told me that I need to recive my Canadian citizenship certificate and apply for passport, not to fly out unless I have it.
Otherwise it will very hard to get it outside Canada.
I was thinking to fly out just after the oath.
The CIC officer agree to schedule my Oath Ceremony despite me being outside Canada.
He has given me a date 2 weeks ahead so I can book a flight and be in Canada.
I have done my Oath and I am just waiting for my Citizenship certificate as I suppose to recive it with in 2 days.
He was amazing and helpful.
He told me that I need to recive my Canadian citizenship certificate and apply for passport, not to fly out unless I have it.
Otherwise it will very hard to get it outside Canada.
I was thinking to fly out just after the oath.
Yes, it's very time consuming to get the Canadian citizenship certificate outside Canada.
Congratulations! As I'd mentioned before, vast majority of folks at IRCC are very reasonable.
There are people in this forum feeding constant negativity to people in situation similar to yours and creating completely unnecessary fears. Once you absorb those fears and start believing IRCC is acting in bad faith or hidden intentions, it will clearly show in all your communications with them.
Good for you for staying positive and getting it done.
I got a similar request of "submitting your proof of returning of Canada". I told them "due to covid I don't want to travel unless necessary". Later they sent me the oath invite.