Seniors please guide: Forgot to include Name change document!

[MM345]

I submitted my citizenship application in Sep 2020 and did not realize at that time that I had to submit name change documents. I changed my last name at time of my marriage while i was outside Canada and my PR (spousal sponsorship) was in my married name.

According to Appendix A of the application guide:

If you have legally changed your name outside Canada and are residing in Canada
Then you must provide a copy of the following documents:

• A foreign passport or other national authoritative documentation amended to reflect the new name;
• A foreign name change document that links your previous name to your new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with an official translation); and
• A document in the new name from Canadian provinces or territories (ex. driver's licence, health card, age of majority card, senior citizen’s identification card, or social service card)

In my case,

1) I have provided photocopies of 2 passports, one with my maiden name and my current passport with my married name. This was already a requirement of the doc checklist.
2) I have also provided a copy of my drivers license as part of personal ID document.
3) I did not check "Photocopies of Name Change Documents" in my document checklist.
4) I did not provide my marriage certificate.

Can I do anything at this point? Will my application be deemed incomplete and returned?

 

[BOYX]

You should submit a webform and receive further guidance from IRCC themselves.

 

[rafzy]

It will be tagged as incomplete and will be returned. The only thing you can do at this time is to resend a complete application package to IRCC and attach an LOE with it explaining reason to submit new application package.

 

[MM345]

It will be tagged as incomplete and will be returned. The only thing you can do at this time is to resend a complete application package to IRCC and attach an LOE with it explaining reason to submit new application package.

Thanks for your reply. You think its complete because I did not check the name change part on the doc checklist, or because I did not provide the marriage certificate?

I did mention my maiden name in the application form and also provided the other 2 proofs (passport and driving license)

Is it advisable to send the application package of the same person twice?

 

[BOYX]

Thanks for your reply. You think its complete because I did not check the name change part on the doc checklist, or because I did not provide the marriage certificate?

I did mention my maiden name in the application form and also provided the other 2 proofs (passport and driving license)

Is it advisable to send the application package of the same person twice?

It's incomplete because of both of those reasons. Do not send another application package without being requested to do so or you may just get further delays. You should contact IRCC through their webform as they will inform you on how to proceed.

 

[MM345]

It's incomplete because of both of those reasons. Do not send another application package without being requested to do so or you may just get further delays. You should contact IRCC through their webform as they will inform you on how to proceed.

Thanks

 

[hotshot45890]

I submitted my citizenship application in Sep 2020 and did not realize at that time that I had to submit name change documents. I changed my last name at time of my marriage while i was outside Canada and my PR (spousal sponsorship) was in my married name.

According to Appendix A of the application guide:

If you have legally changed your name outside Canada and are residing in Canada
Then you must provide a copy of the following documents:

• A foreign passport or other national authoritative documentation amended to reflect the new name;
• A foreign name change document that links your previous name to your new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with an official translation); and
• A document in the new name from Canadian provinces or territories (ex. driver's licence, health card, age of majority card, senior citizen’s identification card, or social service card)

In my case,

1) I have provided photocopies of 2 passports, one with my maiden name and my current passport with my married name. This was already a requirement of the doc checklist.
2) I have also provided a copy of my drivers license as part of personal ID document.
3) I did not check "Photocopies of Name Change Documents" in my document checklist.
4) I did not provide my marriage certificate.

Can I do anything at this point? Will my application be deemed incomplete and returned?

The citizenship application section 4b has the following question:

Have you changed your name or gender designation since becoming a PR? Yes or No

If you click on the question mark next to it it says if you have selected yes provide name change document. Looking at your post it seems your name was changed before you became a PR in which case the way I understand this is that you don't need to provide any name change documents. I believe the appendix refers to providing these if you have changed after becoming PR.

Question 5 just asks for all the names used. If you click on the help on the application for that it does not ask for any name change documents.

Appendix A details are provided in reference to Question 4b, name change since becoming PR. I would suggest depending on CIC instructions in this case (which atleast to me seem fairly clear) rather than getting opinions from others on what the question may or may not mean in the forum.

Also searched on the forum and found the below thread from 2015. Please refer to post #6 where the individual called CIC to confirm and they mentioned that if the PR has the latest name then no need to provide name change documents.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/name-change.298451/

Based on CIC instructions, if you have not changed your name since becoming PR I would think your application should not be returned. Am I 100% confident, likely no but I feel fairly confident reading CIC instructions that it should not be returned.

 

[Das67]

The citizenship application section 4b has the following question:

Have you changed your name or gender designation since becoming a PR? Yes or No

If you click on the question mark next to it it says if you have selected yes provide name change document. Looking at your post it seems your name was changed before you became a PR in which case the way I understand this is that you don't need to provide any name change documents. I believe the appendix refers to providing these if you have changed after becoming PR.

I exactly tought about this too when I applied as a family with my wife. Honestly your point makes sense, in my wife's case after we got married she used my name on her passport. Once in Canada she decided to use her name on all immigration papers. Basically she used her name on pr card, DL and healthcare card. When applying for citizenship I wasn't too sure about providing name change docs and called IRCC call center and explained my situation, they advised to send a marriage certificate even if she did not change name after pr. Their concerns were more about question 5 as my wife needed to put all names she used,including her marital name. In this case she needs to add a name change doc.

 

[MM345]

The citizenship application section 4b has the following question:

Have you changed your name or gender designation since becoming a PR? Yes or No

If you click on the question mark next to it it says if you have selected yes provide name change document. Looking at your post it seems your name was changed before you became a PR in which case the way I understand this is that you don't need to provide any name change documents. I believe the appendix refers to providing these if you have changed after becoming PR.

Question 5 just asks for all the names used. If you click on the help on the application for that it does not ask for any name change documents.

Appendix A details are provided in reference to Question 4b, name change since becoming PR. I would suggest depending on CIC instructions in this case (which atleast to me seem fairly clear) rather than getting opinions from others on what the question may or may not mean in the forum.

Also searched on the forum and found the below thread from 2015. Please refer to post #6 where the individual called CIC to confirm and they mentioned that if the PR has the latest name then no need to provide name change documents.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/name-change.298451/

Based on CIC instructions, if you have not changed your name since becoming PR I would think your application should not be returned. Am I 100% confident, likely no but I feel fairly confident reading CIC instructions that it should not be returned.

Thanks a lot. that makes a lot of sense.

 

[MM345]

I exactly tought about this too when I applied as a family with my wife. Honestly your point makes sense, in my wife's case after we got married she used my name on her passport. Once in Canada she decided to use her name on all immigration papers. Basically she used her name on pr card, DL and healthcare card. When applying for citizenship I wasn't too sure about providing name change docs and called IRCC call center and explained my situation, they advised to send a marriage certificate even if she did not change name after pr. Their concerns were more about question 5 as my wife needed to put all names she used included her marital name. In this case she needs to add a name change doc.

If I understand correctly, in your wife's case, her name on current passport was her married name and her name on Pr card was her maiden name. That's why IRCC required marriage certificate??
In my case all my documents have my married name.

 

[hotshot45890]

Would be good to hear from those in a similiar situation if on the forum who had a different name before their PR was approved, provided no name change documents and still got AOR.

I still feel the name change has more to do with what goes on the citizenship certificate. If no documents provided, they use the names in the system/PR is my view. Interesting note at end of Appendix A:

"Important information: Once processing of your application has begun a name change can only be made due to an administrative error made by the Department, or a legal change of name. "

Doesn't look like its a completeness issue rather what goes on certificate.

Bottom line is you will not get a 100% definite answer on this. As your application is already submitted you need to decide how much uncertainty/risk you are willing to tolerate in terms of waiting or if you prefer sending another application to be 100% sure.

 

[Das67]

Would be good to hear from those in a similiar situation if on the forum who had a different name before their PR was approved, provided no name change documents and still got AOR.

I still feel the name change has more to do with what goes on the citizenship certificate. If no documents provided, they use the names in the system/PR is my view. Interesting note at end of Appendix A:

"Important information: Once processing of your application has begun a name change can only be made due to an administrative error made by the Department, or a legal change of name. "

Doesn't look like its a completeness issue rather what goes on certificate.

Bottom line is you will not get a 100% definite answer on this. As your application is already submitted you need to decide how much uncertainty/risk you are willing to tolerate in terms of waiting or if you prefer sending another application to be 100% sure.

I agreed with you, IRCC call center even told me my wife's citizenship certificate will have her name as it appears on her PR card.

 

[MM345]

Would be good to hear from those in a similiar situation if on the forum who had a different name before their PR was approved, provided no name change documents and still got AOR.

I still feel the name change has more to do with what goes on the citizenship certificate. If no documents provided, they use the names in the system/PR is my view. Interesting note at end of Appendix A:

"Important information: Once processing of your application has begun a name change can only be made due to an administrative error made by the Department, or a legal change of name. "

Doesn't look like its a completeness issue rather what goes on certificate.

Bottom line is you will not get a 100% definite answer on this. As your application is already submitted you need to decide how much uncertainty/risk you are willing to tolerate in terms of waiting or if you prefer sending another application to be 100% sure.

I just read the instruction guide again.

Step 4. 4b states:
If you changed your name and/or gender since becoming a Permanent Resident, check the "yes" box and provide the required documents listed in Appendix A.

It is crystal clear. Since I did not, I do not need to provide those docs and my application is complete.

 

[StrongBoy]

Can you please confirm what was the final outcome as I am in the same situation.... were you asked to provide additional documents?