No update from IRCC on citizenship oath ceremony. Next steps?

[issteven]

So many questions to ask from some of us outside Canada training temporarily. If we are fortunate to get an email for the invite instead of a call, do you think it's possible to fly in for the oath and fly out after, and ask the certificate be sent to an address abroad?

they won't mail certificates to abroad, that's for sure.

 

[Mike263]

they won't mail certificates to abroad, that's for sure.

Yes correct. As far as I know, IRCC does not mail PR card or citizenship certificate outside Canada.

 

[Mike263]

Hi,
I am not sure about that. I think in the first place they are sending invites to people who are in Canada, but you may ask IRCC helpline about that. I never got a call BTW, I only got eCas update and an email.

IRCC already mentioned on website as to how they'll contact the applicant:

If you gave us your email address in your application, we’ll contact you by email.

• To avoid missing our emails, check your junk or spam folder.
• Look for messages from email addresses ending in “@cic.gc.ca.”

If you didn’t provide an email address

• we’ll send the cancellation letter by mail or we’ll call you
• check your mailbox or voicemail messages often to see if you got it

 

[tosinosho1992]

Yes correct. As far as I know, IRCC does not mail PR card or citizenship certificate outside Canada.

Thanks for the insight. I do have a Canadian address and I don't mind flying in for the oath, but I need to leave immediately after the oath, and with the current virtual oath situation, I won't get the certificate until after two weeks. Do you think I can use mail forwarding for the certificate or ask a sibling living in my apartment to mail me the certificate? FYI: My country of citizenship allows dual citizenship, and I believe I can apply for a Canadian passport abroad.

 

[Mike263]

Thanks for the insight. I do have a Canadian address and I don't mind flying in for the oath, but I need to leave immediately after the oath, and with the current virtual oath situation, I won't get the certificate until after two weeks. Do you think I can use mail forwarding for the certificate or ask a sibling living in my apartment to mail me the certificate? FYI: My country of citizenship allows dual citizenship, and I believe I can apply for a Canadian passport abroad.

Did you inform IRCC via web contact form about your travel outside of Canada? Travel means for a certain time-period unlike 1-2 days etc.

 

[issteven]

Thanks for the insight. I do have a Canadian address and I don't mind flying in for the oath, but I need to leave immediately after the oath, and with the current virtual oath situation, I won't get the certificate until after two weeks. Do you think I can use mail forwarding for the certificate or ask a sibling living in my apartment to mail me the certificate? FYI: My country of citizenship allows dual citizenship, and I believe I can apply for a Canadian passport abroad.

mailing PR card or certificates to abroad are prohibited, although a lot of people did that without problem.

 

[tosinosho1992]

Did you inform IRCC via web contact form about your travel outside of Canada?

I did during the test/interview, and the interviewer said it's OK provided I have a Canadian address and I can fly in for the oath.

 

[Uangel]

Guys, Just a quick update. Had my virtual citizenship today through zoom.

Congrats! What was the timeline for your application ?
Are you a front-line worker or did you ask for urgent processing at any point?
Were you the only attendee taking oath?

P.S. Although this sounds promising, I would not rely on CIC that much. Half an hour per one person when there are thousands and thousands in the backlog of ceremonies. Where they used to serve dozens in an hour per location....

 

[Mike263]

I did during the test/interview, and the interviewer said it's OK provided I have a Canadian address and I can fly in for the oath.

I would suggest to ask IRCC via phone call or web contact form if they allow to do video oath while you're abroad. As we have covid-19 crisis, travel may not be safe, and they might exempt it because all in-person ceremonies are cancelled. Also, it does not make sense to travel to Canada for video oath ceremony.

Of course, certificate would be mailed out to your Canadian address they've on file. I guess, your relative, friend etc at that address may forward it to you abroad.

 

[Mike263]

I did during the test/interview, and the interviewer said it's OK provided I have a Canadian address and I can fly in for the oath.

Even if the officer told you "It's OK....." during the test/interview, but you're supposed to officially inform IRCC via web contact form about your travel details, purpose, departure, return etc. If you had not informed or missed or forgotten, you could do it right now.

 

[Mike263]

Congrats! What was the timeline for your application ?
Are you a front-line worker or did you ask for urgent processing at any point?
Were you the only attendee taking oath?

P.S. Although this sounds promising, I would not rely on CIC that much. Half an hour per one person when there are thousands and thousands in the backlog of ceremonies. Where they used to serve dozens in an hour per location....

I am also curious about how IRCC would manage 1 applicant per video oath ceremony taking 30 minutes approx. on Zoom (info provided by one forum member who recently taken a video oath).

Assuming 8-hours a day at one sitting, only 16 applicants per day taking video oath which is quite less as compared to in-person ceremonies comprising up to 70-90+ people per session, and usually 3 consecutive sessions a day. I guess, there must be a certain number of applicants online at a time taking a joint video oath (probably their Zoom settings are set as such; applicants cannot view each other).

 

[PMM]

Hi

mailing PR card or certificates to abroad are prohibited, although a lot of people did that without problem.

1. It is not prohibited, there is no law against it. CIC won't though.

 

[Anastasia_Y]

Thanks for the insight. I do have a Canadian address and I don't mind flying in for the oath, but I need to leave immediately after the oath, and with the current virtual oath situation, I won't get the certificate until after two weeks. Do you think I can use mail forwarding for the certificate or ask a sibling living in my apartment to mail me the certificate? FYI: My country of citizenship allows dual citizenship, and I believe I can apply for a Canadian passport abroad.

I have a similar problem - I am outside of Canada for the part of the year (my husband is in the US), and the officer told me the same that as long as i can fly back for the oath, it is fine. Although I still have an apartment back there, but I do not think 2 week quarantine restriction for people arriving from abroad will be lifted any time soon, so I do not know how you (or I) can fly back right away when you have to sit in self isolation for 2 weeks once you leave the airport. Let us know if you end up calling IRCC regarding to taking the oath outside of Canada for people temporarily stranded out of country.

 

[egyed]

This is great! But what is meant by "some"? Are they still giving it a try and based on the "some" sample they will decide? Or making it available for "urgent" cases. It is not clear at all.

 

[tosinosho1992]

I have a similar problem - I am outside of Canada for the part of the year (my husband is in the US), and the officer told me the same that as long as i can fly back for the oath, it is fine. Although I still have an apartment back there, but I do not think 2 week quarantine restriction for people arriving from abroad will be lifted any time soon, so I do not know how you (or I) can fly back right away when you have to sit in self isolation for 2 weeks once you leave the airport. Let us know if you end up calling IRCC regarding to taking the oath outside of Canada for people temporarily stranded out of country.

I tried calling IRCC but couldn't get through. I really hope we can take the oath remotely.