When BG is completed within a week or two after AOR, the average processing of those files is quicker than for those whose BG happens later. Quicker, as in less than ~5 months. Beyond 6 months, it is still within IRCC processing time. There is no set order or pattern, but that's what I've seen so far.
November 2025 - Citizenship Applications
- Thread starter bmohanty
- Start date
Hey everyone, looking for some insight into the current IRCC timeline/portal lag. I’m a Dec '25 applicant and received my AOR on March 18.
Current Situation:
• Tracker: Created my account and it shows Background Completed as of today (March 24).
• Main GCKey Account: Still shows the generic "This is not an acknowledgement of your AOR" message. It’s been a week since AOR!
• Email: No official "Background Complete" email received yet.
Two main questions:
1. Is it normal for the main application portal to be this far behind the Tracker? It feels weird that one side says I’m moving along while the other hasn't even acknowledged the AOR.
2. I see people talking about updates 2-3 days before they even hit the Tracker. How are people seeing these "ghost updates" or "hidden" status changes?
Current Situation:
• Tracker: Created my account and it shows Background Completed as of today (March 24).
• Main GCKey Account: Still shows the generic "This is not an acknowledgement of your AOR" message. It’s been a week since AOR!
• Email: No official "Background Complete" email received yet.
Two main questions:
1. Is it normal for the main application portal to be this far behind the Tracker? It feels weird that one side says I’m moving along while the other hasn't even acknowledged the AOR.
2. I see people talking about updates 2-3 days before they even hit the Tracker. How are people seeing these "ghost updates" or "hidden" status changes?
During my test and when asked to take a photo of my PR card, I only got the option to take the photo of the front, but I had read somewhere that we'd also add a photo of the signature. I don't have a signature on mine. How did everyone else do it, and has anyone from "COD team 2" recently (1-3 weeks ago) get their test marked as completed?
Also, do people usually get their applications linked to GC Key? Like the question above asked, how do you see ghost updates?
If you have the application linked, how did you do this? Thanks.
Also, do people usually get their applications linked to GC Key? Like the question above asked, how do you see ghost updates?
If you have the application linked, how did you do this? Thanks.
Hi! You can ignore the application portal — it basically never updates. The tracker is the only thing that reflects real progress now.
About ghost updates: it depends on the office. Some offices (like Scarborough) rarely trigger them. When people say “2–3 days before it shows on the tracker,” it usually means:
- Day 1: IRCC officer works on your file
- Day 2: The update syncs internally (GCMS)
- Day 3 (early morning, usually 4–8 AM EST): The tracker refreshes and shows it
a. Timeline date — when the officer actually completed the step (e.g., May 1)
b. “Last updated” date [on right upper corner] — when the tracker received the update (e.g., May 3)
As for the “Background Complete” email — IRCC doesn’t consistently send those anymore, so not receiving one is normal. So not sure what that email is.
Hope this helps!
don't worry about the signature. PR card doesn't have one. I used PR as ID and I am now scheduled for oath
ghost update means IRCC agent worked on your file. You'll not know what.
For rest, please check the answer I posted in response to aku1992 query.
Hope this helps!
can someone please help me here?
Since I am getting close to 30 days timeline of appearing on the test, its worrying me.
Thanks for the info. Not sure if this was answered, but are we able to link our citizenship application to the GCkey portal?don't worry about the signature. PR card doesn't have one. I used PR as ID and I am now scheduled for oath
ghost update means IRCC agent worked on your file. You'll not know what.
For rest, please check the answer I posted in response to aku1992 query.
Hope this helps!
I was able to link my PR application to it back in the day, but wondering if same can be done for citizenship.
After your citizenship test and (if you remember), you get the option to email yourself a copy of your provisional score, and you also get an email with a subject like "Citizenship test completed" with date and time, and that is your temporary score, and IRCC will review your test etc.. This is good enough to know that you're all okay. Just wait, and keep checking the tracker every few days.
So IMO, nothing to worry about. We are November applicants and are well within processing time, you may call IRCC if you're still worried; You are, after all, a PR holder and it's not like TRV situation to worry about
, but feel free to call them if you need to calm yourself.I am not worried about timeline, I am more worried about missing the 30 days timeline for giving the test. If I need to do it again, I would like to give it and get it done with.After your citizenship test and (if you remember), you get the option to email yourself a copy of your provisional score, and you also get an email with a subject like "Citizenship test completed" with date and time, and that is your temporary score, and IRCC will review your test etc.. This is good enough to know that you're all okay. Just wait, and keep checking the tracker every few days.
So IMO, nothing to worry about. We are November applicants and are well within processing time, you may call IRCC if you're still worried; You are, after all, a PR holder and it's not like TRV situation to worry about
Also, I am partially worried because I have travel plans in september and my passport is expiring in june.
oh sorry, I missed that part. No, we cannot. 5(1) Citizenship grant applications can only be tracked using citizenship tracker: https://tracker-suivi.apps.cic.gc.ca/
Assuming you have received email like "Citizenship test completed" (after giving the test) i think you should be are fine. You may call IRCC to affirm the same.
And your passport expiring in JUNE (2026) duh what!? dude, didn't you check processing time back when you applied in Nov 2025? If I remember, it was like 10 months. You should have had your passport renewed before applying just to avoid any issues. Anyways, all you can do now is hope you get oath ceremony sooner than before having to re-new passport if any other specific reasons.
No, I didn't receive such email. At the end of the test, they did say that you can print your test results which I did, so I have that saved as pdf.
Its a research conference so its fine if I miss it. I just want to avoid applying for permit with my home country passport, so I would rather go with canadian passport if I can. I am done with applying for visas.
you won’t receive any additional email. You email the test result to yourself after completing the test OR just save it as pdf (as you did). If you’ve already finished the test, there’s no reason to worry just because the tracker is taking time to update. The 30‑day window applies only to attempting the test — IRCC never states that the status will change to “Completed” within those 30 days.
Thank you all for trying to address my concerns. I will put it to rest, let's see what happens.
Keep us on posted on how things go. I sat for the test on 13th, and some people (who took the test same day/before) already had theirs updated, but mine isn't yet. BG is completed and LPP is in progress. Not sure what the delay is about, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.
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