January 2023 - Citizenship Applications

[harpa]

Hi, are there any family paper applications, where one of the applicant struck at background check & other completed all requirements except oath?

 

[GFLiam]

Whoop De Do the updated processing time is 7 months, and some of use are still sitting here....

 

[waqasnawaz]

I will perhaps go with the Writ of Mandamus if things remain the same after a couple of months. It seems to be the only workable solution with the kind of delays we are facing, but the cost of getting it done through a good law office is significant.

 

[GFLiam]

I will perhaps go with the Writ of Mandamus if things remain the same after a couple of months. It seems to be the only workable solution with the kind of delays we are facing, but the cost of getting it done through a good law office is significant.

The writ of mandamus path had came up a few times in my mind in the past couple of weeks. The only thing is I don't understand why do we need to spend an extra couple thousand of dollars when we did nothing wrong in the process. This makes no sense to me.

 

[waqasnawaz]

The writ of mandamus path had came up a few times in my mind in the past couple of weeks. The only thing is I don't understand why do we need to spend an extra couple thousand of dollars when we did nothing wrong in the process. This makes no sense to me.

I completely agree with you, but on the other hand, if eventually this is the only feasible solution, why wait any further. There are applicants from 2022 July who waited all these years and now they have decided to go with mandamus. No matter how unfair, but if this is the route we will eventually have to take, why not sooner than later.

 

[battylife]

The writ of mandamus path had came up a few times in my mind in the past couple of weeks. The only thing is I don't understand why do we need to spend an extra couple thousand of dollars when we did nothing wrong in the process. This makes no sense to me.

One alternative is waiting for years at the mercy of CSIS/CBSA. Another alternative is complaining to the media, but this could backfire - my mandamus lawyer said on a podcast that one of my countrymen did everything short of paying for mandamus - complaining to the directors of CSIS/CBSA, asking dozens of times for intervention from MPs, Sean Fraser and Trudeau himself. This person eventually told CBC about his plight, and soon after, TV crews were interviewing his neighbours, asking "What do you think about the spy living down the street?"

Some on this forum once said this, but I'll say it again - climbing out of the security pit is a lonely path, and Canadian society has very little sympathy for people caught in screening. At least with mandamus, you have the benefit of privacy.

A third option is to repeat the first step of a mandamus process (filing the IR-1) over and over again, without ever progressing onto the next stage, and hoping that IRCC will be bluffed into settling with you out of court. You can file it by yourself for $50 at the Federal Court, without the help of a lawyer. Needless to say this practice is in the legal and moral grey area. However, thousands of applicants have tried the same trick since 2022, and IRCC seems to have caught on. Nowadays, you can't expect IRCC to settle with you without stepping into the expensive stages of the mandamus process.

 

[GFLiam]

One alternative is waiting for years at the mercy of CSIS/CBSA. Another alternative is complaining to the media, but this could backfire - my mandamus lawyer said on a podcast that one of my countrymen did everything short of paying for mandamus - complaining to the directors of CSIS/CBSA, asking dozens of times for intervention from MPs, Sean Fraser and Trudeau himself. This person eventually told CBC about his plight, and soon after, TV crews were interviewing his neighbours, asking "What do you think about the spy living down the street?"

Some on this forum once said this, but I'll say it again - climbing out of the security pit is a lonely path, and Canadian society has very little sympathy for people caught in screening. At least with mandamus, you have the benefit of privacy.

A third option is to repeat the first step of a mandamus process (filing the IR-1) over and over again, without ever progressing onto the next stage, and hoping that IRCC will be bluffed into settling with you out of court. You can file it by yourself for $50 at the Federal Court, without the help of a lawyer. Needless to say this practice is in the legal and moral grey area. However, thousands of applicants have tried the same trick since 2022, and IRCC seems to have caught on. Nowadays, you can't expect IRCC to settle with you without stepping into the expensive stages of the mandamus process.

I've got passed CBSA and CSIS, so it's really with IRCC at this point

 

[waqasnawaz]

I've got passed CBSA and CSIS, so it's really with IRCC at this point

Same here, my background check and security clearance are done - only LPP is left. An IRCC rep I spoke over the phone a couple of weeks back was baffled to learn that our family's background check and security clearance was done back in October, and since then there hasn't been any progress at all. If it was security or background check, I would be able to understand, but what bothers me the most is the nature of this delay. Its only a matter of opening our file and verifying some information to which IRCC already have access. Its cruel!

 

[Locco1979]

My LPP and test are done, only waiting for background check to clear off. I've been on SS since July 12th 2023, one year so far.

If one is being suspected of being a security risk of any kind, then why bother to allow him in the country in the first place ??
If he became a security risk while living in Canada then why don't deport him ? why do they allow him to stay ?

This is what happen when you mix a stone aged bureaucracy with an absolute lack of unaccountability : You got a big chunk of honest tax payers with absolutely no criminal record and with a stellar civic record in the past 5 - 6 years spent in the country, that are totally at the mercy of :

1 - Bureaucrats at CSIS/CSBA.
2 - These human sharks that we do call lawyers that would over-charge you to death should you consider any legal recourse.

My PR card has expired 4 months ago, I am not renewing it and for the sake of my own self esteem : I am seriously considering the decision to leave the country asap.

Why would you force your way and stay in a country that doesn't love you back ?

 

[GFLiam]

Speaking of strange things, my recent GCMS notes showed the response IRCC gave to my MP's office...
They basically said they are waiting for a stakeholder's response and if I don't hear back from IRCC by November 2024, the MP office can reach out again.
WHAT? WHAT stakeholder? Why would there be a stakeholder all of a sudden? Another thing is November? That would take my application to 24 months...I agree with Locco1979, there's no accountability with them, they just do whatever they want and nothing is going to happen to them.

 

[Rasha]

I was under the impression that people who have stayed for way over 3 years + have not traveled much outside Canada would not face much scrutiny during the citizenship process.
Is there any detail provided by the IRCC on what exactly CSIS/CSBA review, or does anyone know?

Not in our case ....applied in Nov 23, still waiting. been in Canada solidly since 2018. Our file is undergoing additional 'verifications'. It's quite frustrating.

 

[Rasha]

My LPP and test are done, only waiting for background check to clear off. I've been on SS since July 12th 2023, one year so far.

If one is being suspected of being a security risk of any kind, then why bother to allow him in the country in the first place ??
If he became a security risk while living in Canada then why don't deport him ? why do they allow him to stay ?

This is what happen when you mix a stone aged bureaucracy with an absolute lack of unaccountability : You got a big chunk of honest tax payers with absolutely no criminal record and with a stellar civic record in the past 5 - 6 years spent in the country, that are totally at the mercy of :

1 - Bureaucrats at CSIS/CSBA.
2 - These human sharks that we do call lawyers that would over-charge you to death should you consider any legal recourse.

My PR card has expired 4 months ago, I am not renewing it and for the sake of my own self esteem : I am seriously considering the decision to leave the country asap.

Why would you force your way and stay in a country that doesn't love you back ?

I feel you Locco! It's utterly frustrating - and the process is not at ALL transparent. We are awaiting 'additional verifications' of what???

 

[Locco1979]

@Rasha the process is definitely broken but we shouldn't expect any understanding or empathy from no one. Culturally speaking there's a general consensus among the Canadian society to trust the system & the government's policies even if that makes no sense. Therefore, every contest or push back one can make against the system will be always perceived as un-civic, un-Canadian and utterly suspicious.

We can draw a good parallel with the military recruitment process which has been broken for so long, totally unchallenged.

As a result : They realized that no one is joining anymore & the numbers of new recruits are unequivocally falling behind ! They have finally removed the citizenship requirement and shortened the SS process considerably but it was too late, people are not joining anymore like they were 20 years ago.

Meanwhile you can trace back some horror stories over the internet, mainly military forums, like a highly motivated French national who has tried to join the Canadian army right after his naturalization, only to have his recruitment process dragged for over 4 years, he finally ended up choosing another career path...

I came to this country through the entry express program, so I have already been subjected to SS before being allowed in. I have applied for the citizenship after 4 years not 3 years like most did. Yet, I have been subjected to another useless SS. Now, let's suppose you have been granted citizenship and you would like to join a government job or any private sector job with security clearances, guess what ? you would have to undergo another lengthy SS from scratch .

Redundancy & stone aged bureaucracy !!!!

 

[Locco1979]

Just to give more perspective :

I am not expecting the system to be 100% fair & efficient but I am utterly distressed by the blatant lack of measures of recourses to fight back and make things right for anyone in my situation.

 

[Ricky09]

Can anyone please confirm if this is what the background check covers?

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

Reference: https://www.canada.ca/en/security-i...immigration-and-citizenship-applications.html