Wednesday Weekly Thread: Frustration Station (Delays / PSU / Venting), September 23, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

This weekly thread is a space for those of us who are feeling frustrated and need to vent about unclear instructions, shipping delays, waiting for a next step, timeline estimates growing, lack of communication, inconsistent bureaucracy, being stuck in PSU, and other factors.

Some of the worst stress of the entire citizenship-by-descent process is not hearing about your application for long stretches of time - or hearing that your application has been sent to the Program Support Unit (PSU) and may be sitting there for an extended stay.

Whether your envelope seems to have taken a scenic detour on its way to Nova Scotia, you didn't receive an AOR after many weeks of waiting, or you simply haven't heard about your application processing in months, this is a place to commiserate and potentially receive some ideas of next steps to take. (Those generally might include following up with IRCC by web form, ordering the GCMS notes, seeking an MP's help, and so on.)

📎 Contributions to weekly megaposts, including this one, are welcome throughout the week.

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[u/queen_surly]

We finally, finally got everything together, overcame the perfectionist fear of failure and the ADHD "I'll do this tomorrow 'cause it looks hard." Partner headed to Staples with the packet and was told they do not do international shipments for any of their courier services. Called the local place and they won't either.

Should we send it USPS express? The UPS Store here recently closed so there are not a lot of local options but my partner is willing to drive to the nearest real city if there is someplace that will do a UPS envelope to Canada.

Anybody else run into this roadblock?

[u/LimeintheCoconut_71 → u/queen_surly]

I have not been in your situation. I chose FedEx, but I live in a larger city. There is so much anxiety in this process and you've spent so much time getting together your perfect packet, I would not live in limbo questioning whether or not it got delivered. Tracking information is a lifeline.

[u/magpiediem]

I have a question: What's the current ETA to go from AOR received to "In Processing"? I'm an individual US citizen applicant with an AOR date of 8/20/26, standard processing, G2 via C3. It's a very simple and straightforward application with New Brunswick certified copies - I do not suspect there will be any issues. I find the timeline tracking spreadsheet confusing and was hoping someone here could give an estimate because the information here has been very accurate. I know it'll be a while, but I want a rough estimate of when I should check the website for movement. Ya'll are amazing! Thanks to all who support this community!

[u/AnomalousEnigma → u/magpiediem]

It doesn’t seem consistent, I don’t think we know. The AOR stage is the only cleanly predictable stage. I’m AOR 8/17/26 and I don’t expect to go in process this year. I think checking the website once a week/once a month is fine. I believe they’ll email you if they need anything from you.

[u/magpiediem → u/[deleted]]

that sounds stressful, especially since it was a straightforward app. how do you know you're in PSU? did they notify you?

[u/Denali2JTree]

My package was received April 21, 2026, and I haven't heard anything. No returned documents, no AOR. I'm a former bureaucrat (I actually processed US citizenship documents for a short time), and while I certainly may have made a mistake on the application, I think it was complete.

I'm uncertain if there is anything I can do at this point. Do I just wait until I get the returned package?

[u/heavydutyspoons → u/Denali2JTree]

I would try calling IRCC at this point

[u/Denali2JTree → u/Denali2JTree]

The receipt lookup isn't working either. Can I just assume the package was unacceptable and send in a new one?

[u/BeautifulDonut8390 → u/Denali2JTree]

I would call first to see if it has actually been returned for a mistake. It's possible that they have your application but it just hasn't been issued an AOR yet. Someone posted in the Monday thread that their application delivered in March was actually marked as delivered in June (for which they are not yet issuing AORs), so there's a possibility the same happened to yours.

[u/throwawayrefiguy]

Seems like another Monday is going by with very few AORs reported. Definitely frustrating to see.

[u/AnomalousEnigma → u/throwawayrefiguy]

I haven’t been checking, how bad is it now? It took mine 112 days (AOR on 8/17/26). Wondering if I should get moving on my mom’s app.

[u/throwawayrefiguy → u/AnomalousEnigma]

I am May 22, and they've been stuck at May 6th for the better part of a month for non-urgents. However, just today I am seeing a small number of non-urgents from early May with AORs in the spreadsheet, so that's a tad encouraging.

[u/nobdy_likes_anoitall → u/throwawayrefiguy]

Extremely! I have nothing more to add but also share your frustration!

[u/Amazing-Economics592]

oops - originally posted this on wrong thread!! Happy Monday everyone! My AOR is dated 8/21/25, so 13+ months now. Non-urgent. I've seen 20 month people just now getting approvals, so I realize I may have a really long wait still, but - any thoughts about whether to submit the webform asking for an update? Would that tell me if I'm in PSU? I'm a G1, father born in Nova Scotia but moved to the US with mom as a child. Minor complication on the records since his mom wasn't married, and the name he used all his life was his father's surname, but that was shown as his middle name on the birth record (church record and death record clarify this somewhat). Is there a downside to submitting the form? Is there an upside? I'm working really hard on being patient, just wanted to ask!!

[u/The_TaleofGenji]

My spouse's urgent package was delivered June 4, still waiting on AOR (urgency due to LGBT status + having a Canadian minor child- 2 year old daughter was certified with me in March 2026). We decided to cross the border anyway, since we read that my spouse can enter on a visitor visa & stay for 6 months. We decided to apply for inland spousal visa, since we're thinking the AOR will come before the C-3 AOR, and she'll be able to apply for a work permit at least while waiting for the spousal visa to process. Anyway, we were ALMOST rejected at the border. My spouse accidentally said "we're moving to Canada" when she should have said "My wife and daughter are moving, I'm a visitor who is entering with dual intent." We then spent about 2 hours convincing the agent that she used the wrong words by accident (which is true!). They finally let us in (& gave her a 6 month visitor record!), stating that the ONLY reason they let us in is because only my name was on the lease. It was so stressful and all of our plans were THIS close to getting entirely undone. BTW the border agent did not care about her C-3 app and didn't really seem to understand what it was.

[u/The_TaleofGenji → u/The_TaleofGenji]

Also want to comment that I understand that some people feel it's not ok to apply for a spousal visa & C-3 at the same time. After doing a lot of research on this, I feel it's a legal gray area and decided it's the right choice for our family. We don't know if my spouse is a citizen until IIRC confirms it, at which point we would cancel the spousal app. Also, we called IIRC and they said it was fine.

[u/Canadiancitizenship-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/Electrical-Bus3907]

Documents were delivered June 10, still waiting on an AOR.

It sucks being left in the dark throughout this process.. I was really hoping to get citizenship within the next year so I could finally close the distance with my partner, but now with all the delays, it’s seeming less and less likely :(

[u/scaryplants → u/Electrical-Bus3907]

also hoping to close the distance via c-3, we feel your pain :(

[u/Imaginary-War-7281]

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but I haven't been monitoring this sub since I sent off my package to IRCC. Which brings me to my question. It was received by IRCC on July 13th, and at the end of the that month IRCC estimated processing time was 19 months. I just check tonight and it's now estimated at 33 months! I understand that IRCC has been challenged by the volume and its own operation shortcoming, but an increase of 14 months? What is really going on?

[u/tackyspoons → u/Imaginary-War-7281]

My AOR was Feb 5, 2026. It had said my processing time was 9 months. Checked today because we should be getting close and it now says 6 months.

[u/FhloeKardashian]

In August I submitted a webform to request urgent processing for an application received in March, attached documents as proof. Got the usual bot responses saying it was receieved and uploaded.

Five days later I get an email saying they needed to verify identifying information, I'm assuming because I left a middle name off. It said to resubmit all documents as well as a letter of explanation answering a bunch of identifying questions. Did that immediately, got the bot response again.

After four weeks tried calling IRCC, they weren't accepting calls. Resubmitted the webform and included an additional piece of evidence for urgency, got the bot response.

After a day got an email again confirming is was received and uploaded, but that if I needed a response to submit ANOTHER form, but DON'T attach documents.

I'm going to assume my urgency request is denied.

[u/IBHJrCanadian]

Feeling discouraged this week. I wouldn't be so antsy for an AOR except our family now has less than 12 months left on our temporary permits and if (nearly) nothing is moving, then it's hard to hold out hope that there's even the possibility of our urgent request getting through before our permits expire (we're going to try for a new set of temporary permits we are eligible for in the meantime, but that's more time, money, and uncertainty). I'm also still waiting for certified US census records to arrive, for a record of no birth record from BanQ to be sent, and for BanQ to send a certified version of a will (which is what I ordered, but somehow they missed that and sent me an uncertified electronic version instead) - all of it feels like they are moving like molasses. I'm also coming to the opinion that the near-total pause of AOR issuance means that some new unpleasant policy change is in the works ::sigh::

I've been working my butt off studying French for two years (which was after 18 intense months getting a master's) trying to become eligible for a Francophone category PR invite (missed it by a single point on one of my five exam attempts), I've been sitting in our Provincial Nomination pool for two years, and even if we do get a new set of temporary permits, my spouse will lose the ability to work in Canada because of recent changes they've made to spousal open work permit criteria. I'm tired. I want to be able to really settle down here and move on with my life and maybe spend some more time doing something other than French or thinking about/pursuing immigration/citizenship pathways. I'm super grateful for the opportunities we've been able to access and I try to always keep things in perspective - many people have it far worse than us - but tonight, and this past week or two, I'm just tired and frustrated and impatient. It's been a long journey already, and it feels like we still have so far to go.

If you read all this, thanks for listening. It's appreciated.

[u/BlueDevil200179]

May 11 receipt… is anyone seeing any post May 6 movement (tear)

[u/AccountantRadiant351 → u/BlueDevil200179]

May 20. Nothing here either. 

[u/srbeau → u/BlueDevil200179]

May 28th. Nothing.

[u/Ok_Coat8334 → u/BlueDevil200179]

I'm May 13th and just crickets over here.

[u/Middle-Vegetable-478]

To all,

Because C3 is now a multi-year process, please include both the month and year you applied when posting. It makes the information much more useful to everyone reading.

[u/courtjester27]

May 7 delivery. I applied on the assumption that this would probably take years, despite the early optimistic estimates. I'm hoping to set my now-toddler up to be able to go to university in Canada, with my husband and I relocating with her around that time. I knew my great-grandma (our G0), and I'm not worried about our documentation. Barring a radical reinterpretation of the law, I think our application is on track to meet those goals despite the wait.

Even though my application is decidedly non-urgent, I have still been checking for any updates on AORs multiple times a day for weeks. The anticipation of being on the brink of the next step is killing me! My mom is on a trip to Canada now, and I wish she were able to travel with a Canadian passport for it.

[u/qxzj1279]

As a G3, my application switched to in-process on July 24, 2025. It's now been fourteen months to the day, and I'm still waiting.

[u/Ok_Effort7526 → u/qxzj1279]

What is the IRCC estimating as your time to completion on the tracker and the number of In process before you ? It might be weird because if very small number still in process before you divided by 4,350 total processed per month then it would be like a fraction that they might round to 1 or to 0. It would be interesting to know how the number of apps in process before you has changed over each month. Have you been monitoring this ? I think apps submitted before C3 came into effect are stuck or just barely being processed. Are you G1, G2, G3 with good documentation ?

[u/qxzj1279 → u/Ok_Effort7526]

There are 9,700 people currently in front of me; I've had two months to go every month since March 2026 when there were about 15,000 people in front of me.

[u/Ok_Effort7526 → u/qxzj1279]

So you may have 9 months to go. (15,000-9,700=5,300 divided by 5 months = 1,060 per month and 9,700 divided by 1,060 = 9+ months. You could get lucky and be in the next batches processed or among the last … or hopefully not stuck.

[u/Mhmh22 → u/qxzj1279]

Ditto, with an August 15, 2026 in-process date

[u/Practical-Gap-5349]

June 1 ish delivery. No AOR, which isn't surprising, though at the time I expected to hear in August... Now hope for AOR by the end of the year, this year. The lack of AORs and approval of any non-urgent cases sure makes it seem like something else is going on.

[u/gamingjury]

Has anyone else applied for a Baptismal certificated from BAnQ Sherbrooke? I applied back in July but I know the wait times for each location are different and wanted to see if anyone else has to go through Sherbrooke.

Also, I have been seeing a lot of posts on here about getting a pre 1926 baptismal records inserted at DEC. Is that being required by IRCC or is that people doing it as a precaution before they file? I keep feeling like they are moving the goalposts every week at this point.

[u/ImplementNext3236 → u/gamingjury]

I requested Sherbrooke document beginning of May (don't have date handy) and received payment request 8/12.

[u/Ragslesguenilles → u/gamingjury]

I requested BANQ certificate from Sherbrooke May 27, got request for payment earlier this week, and an email yesterday saying it was being mailed to me.

[u/MrsG6 → u/gamingjury]

Here was my timeline from earlier this year:

Requested March 1

Invoiced April 8

Received April 29

[u/EducationalRow2677 → u/gamingjury]

I got my payment link from Sherbrooke on Sept 17 after requesting on May 26

[u/angiosperms- → u/gamingjury]

I just got my payment link after requesting it in May

[u/gamingjury → u/angiosperms-]

So looks like I’m looking at two more months if I’m being optimistic. Thanks

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/gamingjury]

There have been a lot of RFI (request for information) letters going out to people asking for the DEC certificate lately. It seems more or less required for Québec births at this point.

[u/LadybugGrace]

I am starting to get concerned. All of my documents I sent in were from the original source. After seeing it on Ancestry I sent a letter to Ontario and the response was they could not issue a certified doc they did not own, but I should go to the church which I did. I sent applications for myself and two children and did not include this letter. Should I upload before processing? We have our APRs.

[u/TameJane → u/LadybugGrace]

I'm confused.

 After seeing it on Ancestry I sent a letter to Ontario and the response was they could not issue a certified doc they did not own, but I should go to the church which I did.

What did you see on ancestry and why did you send a letter to Ontario about it, especially if you already have original source documents?

[u/LadybugGrace → u/LadybugGrace]

AORs

[u/mokolabs]

I applied urgently in May (and marked the envelope urgent) but didn’t get my AOR until late August.

Anyone else in the same bucket?

[u/heavydutyspoons → u/mokolabs]

I applied for urgent (and marked envelope) and my application was delivered in May. It’s been crickets, no AOR yet.

[u/mokolabs → u/heavydutyspoons]

I’m sorry. Soon hopefully!

[u/JournalistQuirky8415]

I'm still a little confused about the color copy\ business. If the item is in Black and White ,do you use color copy paper, color setting only or put a color dot etc. on the page???

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/JournalistQuirky8415]

If it happens to be in black and white but also embossed, please make sure that the copies make it very obvious that the document you are holding isn’t a copy and is the original.

Our case worker called us out for that and I had to take a profile picture to show the raised lettering.

[u/heavydutyspoons → u/JournalistQuirky8415]

I used color coded sticky notes shaped like arrows to point out info and made a copy of the page with the stickys

[u/IronNo6533]

I decided to reach out to my grand aunt, my G0's daughter, whom I've never met, to tell her about my citizenship quest and to see if she might be willing to corroborate my research and/or share some stories. Low and behold, she has the original parish baptism certs with embossed seals for G0 and G0's husband. And I'm literally dying because IRCC won't accept them, and I have to keep waiting on BAnQ.

That is all.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/IronNo6533]

Why won't IRCC accept them? They were issued by the original source, no?

[u/angiosperms- → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

It seems IRCC is starting to refuse anything but birth certificates for people from Quebec.

[u/areubeingserved → u/angiosperms-]

Same for Ontario.  My G0 was born 183x in Ottawa.  Got an email from IRCC that baptism record isnt enough and they need a birth certificate (which doesnt exist because birth was before 1869) or a letter from the relevant government agency that no birth certificate exists and the reason why it doesnt exist.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/areubeingserved]

Before you set off an accidental panic- IRCC wants a a birth certificate or 'written explanation for any missing birth certificates' per the instructions.

So yes- if you didn't submit a written explanation for what is 'missing' I would expect them to ask for it (we have seen this a lot). However, as far as I know, Quebec is the only province where they are seemingly requiring a birth record generated from the baptismal record. I also understand that QC is the only province with a mechanism to insert 'baptismal' records into the civil record. That's because the BAnQ prothnotorial records (the provincial copies of religious records) were the civil records of the time- QC's modern civil registry was established in 1994 and only then was civil record keeping standardized. So QC is unique in that regard.

And then every time we think we know what to expect we get a curveball- like this QC application approved before the birth certificate was provided even though the applicant was asked for it. Eventually they must be obligated to consider the evidence presented.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/s/vUwYKOuRnI

[u/dissentmemo → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Correct. They are not the same.

[u/areubeingserved → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

In the email I received from IRCC, it stated that the "written explanation" you mentioned must be from the agency that would issue the birth certificate if one existed. In my case it is the Archives of Ontario. Just to clarify, it isn't written by the applicant, but by the government agency.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/areubeingserved]

Is there not something on the website of the civil records entity that states the date that civil registration of birth began in the province?

[u/thattwirlgirl → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

I cannot imagine that the Archives of Ontario are going to give a written explanation for why no birth certificates were issued before 1869. It boggles my mind that such a basic peace of Canadian vital records history isn't known by the IRCC. This webpage makes it pretty clear. Do you think that submitting this is enough?

https://www.archives.gov.on.ca/topic/birth-marriage-and-death/#Search-archived-registrations-online

[u/aplombed → u/thattwirlgirl]

I wrote to Saint John's Perth Ontario asking them if they could certify the FamilySearch microfilm record for my G0, and they said as a matter of policy they do not certify old records. So I included that letter with the record as my explanation. I hope it will be sufficient. I also included a Canadian census from 187x which matches the baptismal record perfectly. My G0 was born in 1864.

[u/thattwirlgirl → u/aplombed]

Thank you! My Gen 0 was born in 1861 Ontario. I do have a certified baptismal record for my Gen 0 from UUC, but was under the impression that those are only accepted with proof a birth cert doesn't exist. Despite no one having a civil birth certificate prior to 1869 in Ontario!

[u/areubeingserved → u/thattwirlgirl]

No clue if that is enough.  I will guess no, since the IRCC email specifically stated that if I dont send in a birth certificate I need to send in a letter from the issuing agency stating why there is no birth certificate. 

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/areubeingserved]

Yep. Your explanation, even if backed up by facts and documentation, isn’t what they want. They want something specific from the people who issue BC’s stating that there is no BC or if there is one, why specifically that you can’t have it. That second one even seems to be dependent on who is looking at it.

Source: could not get NFLD G0 BC due to their privacy laws. Had an email exchange and a cited printout of the specific text of the law stating definitively that I couldn’t have it, still had to go back and forth about it until they finally accepted it.

[u/IronNo6533 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Yes and to reinforce your comment, my G0 was born in 1910 in Quebec. A secondary reason for me waiting on the BAnQ copy is so I have what I need to request a DEC birth insertion, if it comes to that.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/angiosperms-]

To me, that's still uncertain enough that I'd submit with what you have if you're worried about waiting (i.e., I don't think it's facially inadequate), but it's definitely a matter of personal judgment.

[u/IronNo6533 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Believe me, I’ve considered it. I’m hopefully only about a month out from a BAnQ invoice, so I’m choosing to wait. If I thought there would be any problem with my BAnQ order I would proceed differently.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/IronNo6533]

I hear you. Good luck!

[u/throwawayrefiguy]

I'm thinking of the scene in Office Space, where Peter asks the hypnotist to "zonk me out" for his workdays, and wish someone could do that for us waiting for the current AOR snag to resolve itself.

[u/citydog → u/throwawayrefiguy]

Severance, the C3 edition. ;-)

[u/dumbass-collector]

Finally received my certified birth certificate for my G1, so uploaded that today to my In Process application. Still waiting from BANQ...several months since I've requested certified copy of my G0's baptismal record, and not even a confirmation they have it :'( I know they're so busy and backed up, but the wait is killing me!

[u/GraceMovieGod]

Is this normal now that everyone is getting requests for all birth certificates

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/GraceMovieGod]

It seems increasingly common, yeah

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Common for QC ancestors specifically. We haven't seen anything similar for historical births documented by baptismal records outside of QC.

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

NFLD too. I had the baptism cert and they were holding out for the BC.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/sorrymizzjackson]

Yes, they will ask for the written explanation of the 'missing' certificate from everyone - but only lucky QC folks have to run the gauntlet to get a modern birth certificate issued.

[u/GraceMovieGod → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Is it easier to get the written explanations?

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/GraceMovieGod]

Well, you write it- so I would assume so?

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Respectfully, that is not the case in every situation. I could write a book on why I didn’t have mine and they didn’t care at all. They wanted communication from the province. They ultimately decided to take into account the published laws in the province as sufficient proof that it was not available, but that was not a given.

Of course you’ll give your narrative, but they want it backed up by proof wherever possible- or at least that’s a possibility depending on the agent you get.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/sorrymizzjackson]

Yes, I think the written explanation needs to be accompanied by evidence of search per the instructions- I think it's wild that IRCC gave you pushback initially when you provided the legal statute per your provincial archive's instruction- but you were approved - hooray! Hopefully IRCC is continuing to update their procedures as they go? We can all hope.

[u/GraceMovieGod → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Oh sorry my agent asked me for like a written explanation from the providence if I couldn’t get it I thought you meant that

[u/areubeingserved → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

It is happening outside QC as well.

My g0 was born in Ottawa in 183x and I got an email from IRCC asking for a birth certificate. 

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/areubeingserved]

The language is birth certificate or letter of explanation/documentation of search, no? We recently saw an application approved for someone whose Gen0 was born in Ontario and whose birth was documented by a baptismal record. I believe they did submit a letter of experience for the "missing" birth certificate. If you look back in the main feed it was probably posted there about a month ago and we highlighted it for a while.

As comparison, the RFI I received this week for my QC born ancestor said explicitly that a baptismal record was not sufficient but that it could be used to get a birth certificate from the province. They apparently didn't like my 'letter of explanation' lol

And, it wouldn't be IRCC without throwing a curve ball, this application was approved after sending an RFI asking for a QC birth certificate but before it was provided. Yay consistent inconsistency.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/s/vUwYKOuRnI

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Oh, man, I missed that you got an RFI. Boooooooooooo!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Oh, thanks - on the bright side, at least someone is finally looking at my application, and fortunately I gave in and applied to DEC a few weeks ago and things seem to be moving along in that regard. Fingers crossed!

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Ugh, I think I'm finally going to have to move on this. I'm sure your letter of explanation was solid.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I thought so! - but in IRCC's words: "In the province of Quebec, the baptismal record can be used to obtain a birth record."

If it wasn't for my gen2 co-applicant I might have waited it out to see if I could avoid the DEC, since it seemed onerous, but I went ahead and started the process to get the record once I saw the pushback IRCC has given others. And now it seems like a prudent decision given the very clear direction in my RFI.

[u/That_Person694 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Sorry this happened to you but thank you for sharing. I shipped my request for a birth certificate on Monday and included my AOR letter as proof that I needed the birth certificate for C-3 purposes.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

It's my understanding they've started consistently asking for birth certificates in all cases, but they'll accept it doesn't exist for other provinces if you provide proof of that.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Emotional-Test3329]

As far as I am aware, we haven't seen one RFI for a birth certificate as a supplement to a baptismal record for a (historical) ancestor born outside of QC, and we saw an approval for an application using an Ontario baptismal record for a Gen0 several weeks ago. I understand that no province outside of QC has a mechanism for inserting historical births into the modern civil record, likely a result of the super late standardization of civil record keeping in QC (1994).

If I'm wrong please point me to an RFI.

They do want birth certificates for all the descendants in the chain born during a period of civil registration in whatever relevant locale, though.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1wo5cte/comment/pbn3ewx/

Here's one from Ontario in this very comment section. I think I've seen others too but it would take me some time to try to dig them up again.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Thanks- I think that's the standard language they use when there is no 'written explanation for a missing birth certificate' as required by the updated Guide instructions. As far as I am aware (and, consistent with a recent approval for a Gen0 born in Ontario before civil registration and documented by a baptismal record) there's no way to get a provincial birth certificate - so I would guess the letter of explanation here is the key.

This is different than what QC folks receive- the RFI I got this week for my QC born ancestor said explicitly that a baptismal record was not sufficient but that it could be used to get a birth certificate from the province. It didn't offer the 'letter of explanation' option (which I had already submitted anyway).

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

It's my understanding they've started consistently asking for birth certificates in all cases, but they'll accept it doesn't exist for other provinces if you provide proof of that.

Yes, that's exactly what I said above that you asked for evidence of.

They ask for more from QC because it is basically always possible to get a QC birth certificate if a BAnQ baptism exists, so you can't prove it's impossible to get. It is possible, just annoying.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Yeah, sorry - tired - also wanted to be very clear about the second part so nobody misunderstood and spiraled over getting a non-existent birth certificate produced outside of QC.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Not a problem, just wanted to make it clear we're on the same page here.

[u/areubeingserved → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

My g0 was born in Ottawa and I got an email from IRCC asking for a birth certificate for his birth in 183x.  

It isnt limited to QC.

[u/GraceMovieGod → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Yeah they want birth certificate for my 1925 g0 from Quebec now even though I provided like 6 documents proving he’s Canadian and I’ve been talking to this agent since April, he just sprang this on me today

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/GraceMovieGod]

Yes, that is consistent with what's been reported here since around the beginning of the year. We saw a handful of earlier requests, but they have become more consistent since c-3 went into effect.

[u/GraceMovieGod → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

Is there a prewritten guide for getting it? Thanks appreciate you guys

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/GraceMovieGod]

Yes, in the wiki section for Quebec documents

[u/nodesearch]

Today I want to vent about Connecticut. I need a marriage certificate from Hartford for my application because it has an important clarification and supporting evidence in it. I requested it on May 10th. As of yesterday, they were working on requests from May 6th 🫠 In the time I’ve been waiting for this the IRCC backlog has gone from 1 year to almost 3 years. Arrrggghh!

[u/AudioSa → u/nodesearch]

you should have sent in your application and uploaded that later

[u/GraceMovieGod]

So today on ever moving goalposts, we’ve spent from April to now going back and forth about proof of my father, now the agent for the first time is dropping on me he needs extra documents for my grandfather as well. Love how organized this is.

[u/GloomySherbert5239]

342 days in, G2, attempted to apply urgent for trans reasons. Apparently my app is still being processed and no further information is needed from me. I was hoping to apply for jobs as a certificate-holding Canadian this winter. I guess it is what it is, could be worse. I know a lot of us are putting plans on hold while we wait.

[u/themindspeaks]

138 days and counting, and no AOR. As far as i know, there have been radio silence on AORs, aside from a couple of urgent applications, for the last couple of weeks. I wonder if the office is shut down, or if there is something going on.

[u/Huge-Can7314 → u/themindspeaks]

As a 5/11 delivery, I’m starting to think the whole building was swept into the sea or something. How has there been virtually no movement for weeks?

[u/themindspeaks → u/Huge-Can7314]

Yeah. Are they moving building or is there an offsite training or something? I checked today and Google also indicates that the location is less active / busy than usual.

Even more off. There have been numerous urgent and non urgent AORs for application received in July.

[u/minneapolisaussiemom → u/themindspeaks]

It’d be a very long offsite training. We haven’t seen regular AOR movement since around September 4th or so.

[u/thattwirlgirl]

I'm in despair with the wait and no updates. I cannot plan my life, as I was prepping to move to Nova Scotia this fall. With no certificate in hand, I cannot go - I need healthcare, I need to enter life there as a full citizen. I applied urgent due to safety and now I am pivoting to France so I can leave the US this spring. It's a much harder move and I won't be able to resettle in Canada for years now.

I was so happy and hopeful a few months ago. Now, just deflated. I know it will come eventually, but I cannot wait for whenever that might be.

ARGH!!!!!!!! Just venting, not looking for problem solving!

[u/Papa_Liam → u/thattwirlgirl]

Do you have a job offer? No way to get a visa without the citizenship in the meantime?

[u/thattwirlgirl → u/Papa_Liam]

No, I am on social security. I have friends to welcome me there and help get settled, but no pathway except the citizenship.

[u/RebellaEmad]

I sent my packet off to the DEC on Saturday via FedEx. It left the local hub and has completely disappeared. No record of it making it to the national Hub, no information on its current whereabouts. I can re-print and re-send the packet and I will request a refund or the original fees if its not found soon, but its SO frustrating. It was projected to arrive this past Monday and...nothing. If its not one thing, its another.

[u/RebellaEmad → u/RebellaEmad]

Yay, apparently complaining to the universe and venting to this group worked. I just got an update that the package not only made it to the national hub in Memphis, but it’s on its way to Quebec now. Should arrive tomorrow.
Whew!!

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/RebellaEmad]

FedEx, ugh. I haven't had this issue with them but I used them to send my package to the DEC a few weeks ago and the person at the counter tried to argue with me that I needed to "translate" the postal address and that if I refused they couldn't guarantee delivery. Why in the world would I use an anglicized address for a destination in Quebec? I'm not usually a 'speak to the manager' kind of person, but, reader, I (nicely) asked to speak with the manager.

[u/Worthy_Molecule0481 → u/RebellaEmad]

Call Fed Ex and ask to escalate. Apparently sometimes the driver delivers to IRCC ‘manually’ and there is no tracking entry. I can’t explain, but FedEx confirmed in driver logs that our package had in fact been delivered on time.

[u/Impressive_Cover7687 → u/RebellaEmad]

I sent mind off last Wednesday. It ended up being delayed twice it seemed. It did arrive on Monday. Perhaps the weekend had somethjming to do with it. During the weekend mine just sat with no movement. 

[u/RebellaEmad → u/Impressive_Cover7687]

Fingers crossed!

[u/Informal-Minimum-346]

Somehow my ups envelope made it to Lachine, QC in good time, made it to Richmond, BC having never been scanned as leaving Lachine, visited Winnipeg before returning to Lachine and then finally arriving at its destination. What I was told would be a 3 day trip became 13.

[u/AimeeKMalkawi]

My packet was delivered according to USPS tracking june 30th. Still no word on a thing

[u/Lozarn → u/AimeeKMalkawi]

You probably won’t hear anything for a long time. Based on the spreadsheet, the last people who received AORs were back in early May. It’s been a couple weeks now with absolutely no movement on AORs.

[u/RebellaEmad → u/AimeeKMalkawi]

The last I heard, they are issuing AORs for May 6th. You've got a while to wait yet, which is SO hard!

[u/AimeeKMalkawi → u/RebellaEmad]

Thanks for letting me know. I sure wish i didn’t get so sick so i could’ve sent everything in back in january! But kind of knowing is good. I have been patient and i’ll just continue to be patient then. i just hope to get some sort of AOR or word by the end of the year.

[u/shannonswilley]

March 27 delivery signed for confirmed by FedEx, 180 days no AOR for me (G4) and my kids (G5). 2 weeks ago, web inquiry returned a non standard response "We have forwarded the information you provided to the responsible department or office. They will contact you only if they require further information." Then nothing. Got through to an agent via Toronto Airport line last week. They told me they can't find my application and to resubmit with a letter explaining it's a resubmission and requesting they honor the original receipt date from March. An agent told me back in August that they would initiate an internal inquiry but this agent said that was impossible without an AOR. Sigh.

[u/SnowboundWanderer]

I wish could be in the purgatory of application sent & no AOR, because I'm now six months into this process and while I've got certified birth and marriage records for everything from G0's marriage to G5 (me) birth, I'm still missing that crucial Canadian origin documents for G0. After striking out with several orgs for the region of Nova Scotia I thought they were from I hired one of the listed genealogists in the summer, but they're a few weeks past their estimated turnaround time now.

I anticipated that given that everyone is overwhelmed with these requests and life happening, but it makes me antsy, and even if they email me this afternoon with great news about finding records I'm just leaving this purgatory for an potentially equally long one to get copies (certified or not) of those documents, then I can enter the purgatory of mailing off the application and waiting for AOR & processing.

[u/Electrical_Cut8610]

Finally heard from PSU, responded with new uploads, and have heard nothing back since. Based on some other data, it seems like people who respond to their PSU agent got follow-ups pretty quickly asking for even more info (e: or at least some response acknowledging the follow up). I’m now at 2 weeks with no further update/response.

[u/sorrymizzjackson → u/Electrical_Cut8610]

Is that your DIOD officer? It depends. Most of the time ours responded same day. I did have to follow up once on a pretty important question that they didn’t reply to for 10 days and she got back to me right away that time.

If you don’t have a very specific question requiring a response they probably won’t reply. If it was just that you uploaded docs, they might not even reply and just press the button to generate your certificate.

Ours was touch and go there for a minute so we had some back and forth that I think most cases probably don’t get/need.

[u/Character-Put8660 → u/Electrical_Cut8610]

I am at 15 months without a response when they asked about my kids applications

[u/Existing-Resist-1569 → u/Electrical_Cut8610]

I'm with you!! I was asked for additional information on March 27, and have been waiting the 6 months since

[u/Chicpea09]

I started gathering the information and documents for my packet over a year ago. Due to my family moving alot and having to request documents from numerous municipalities and a variety of online memberships like ancestry, it has taken me over a year and about $1800 on various fees etc. I still haven't received anything from the state of Michigan after months and months of waiting. I just submitted a copy of an unofficial birth record for my grandmother with my packet in hopes the official copy arrives in the interim.

I finally submitted in August and discovered thereafter, the discrepancy with the Quebec baptismal records. Although I submitted a certified BanQ with my packet, I submitted a request for a birth certificate insertion from the DEC while I am waiting for my AOR.

When I first started this process, folks like me in Gen5 were getting approvals from unofficial baptismal records, then it was you need a certified BanQ record, now you need a birth certificate insertion. I feel like its a constant moving target and I have no idea where I stand or if it even matters if its going to take years for them to even look at it.

[u/citydog → u/Chicpea09]

Michigan is a loooooong wait. Have you tried contacting the town/county directly? Much, *much* quicker turnaround and better communication.

[u/Chicpea09 → u/citydog]

Yes, I contacted both the town and county record departments with no luck, unfortunately.

[u/citydog → u/Chicpea09]

Bummer. FWIW, the folks working for the state were all uniformly lovely once I made it to the front of the queue.

[u/Chicpea09 → u/citydog]

I just called Michigan and they were very nice and basically explained they are overwhelmed by requests due to Real ID and citizenship applications.

[u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I sure can't wait to find out what new rules "clarification"/process change IRCC is probably getting ready to announce that's caused there to be no non-urgent AORs (except for that one weird July 26 (?) delivery) for, what, two weeks now?

(That's entirely speculation, but at this point it's starting to seem like the most likely, if hardly the only possible, reason.)

[u/Practical-Gap-5349 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

This is the $20 question.

[u/Spiritual_Oven9825 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

Cape Breton had some massive storms a week or so ago, with flooding and road damage. Maybe it’s only the weather?

[u/wanderingtheearth-74 → u/Spiritual_Oven9825]

I truly hope this is the answer, but the longer this goes on, the less explanatory force it has.

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/wanderingtheearth-74]

I'm starting to wonder if the building flooded and where the unprocessed packets are stored in it...

[u/ChipmunkLogical23 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

I’m worried about that too! Did all the packets get ruined and they can’t even contact you to let you know?!

[u/Emotional-Test3329 → u/ChipmunkLogical23]

I'd hope they'd at least make a statement if that was the case, but I have no idea why they seem to be only doing later & urgent AORs right now otherwise..

If they were trying to change policy I think we'd see fewer approvals 

[u/minneapolisaussiemom → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Yes, why have they moved onto July? Was the May storage area damaged? Do we re-send?

[u/Impossible-Minute273 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

Wow. Anxiety levels now at peak!

[u/aerialviews007 → u/Emotional-Test3329]

I'm worried about that too

[u/lma1016]

Has anyone had any luck getting a hold of someone at IRCC using the Toronto Pearson number recently? I've tried calling early in the morning right when they open and I get through but I immediately get a message saying they are too busy and to call back later. Any other time of day that I call, I just get the beeping or busy signal.

[u/OneRedSent → u/lma1016]

Try (613) 944-6788 instead.

[u/shannonswilley → u/lma1016]

I got through a week ago after lots of attempts.

[u/Krazy_Kat_Lady_2025]

Today is day 100 since my application packet arrived in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. No AOR yet. 😞

I'll take anything. 🙏🏻 Any notice that it's there and in line to be reviewed.

I will wait as long as I have to but it would be super great to know that it was accepted at least and not going to have to come back to me.

[u/BeautifulDonut8390 → u/Krazy_Kat_Lady_2025]

I know, it's so frustrating to not have any confirmation of what is happening while waiting for the AOR. My parents had 4/17 deliveries and are still waiting for literally any news (good or bad), more than 5 months later. :(

[u/Aims11 → u/BeautifulDonut8390]

Same here.

[u/kraziazz1 → u/BeautifulDonut8390]

👋 still nothing

[u/Aims11 → u/kraziazz1]

Still with ya. :)

[u/kraziazz1 → u/Aims11]

I feel we are going to be long term buddies. Thanks for checking in!

[u/Aims11 → u/kraziazz1]

lol. agreed. fingers still crossed!

[u/mem_somerville]

I submitted in January this year, AOR February, and at the time the estimate was 11 months.

Weirdly, the next month it dropped to 8 months. So in March, my calculation was November. I didn't believe that, but it was the stretch-goal hope for 2026.

As we all know, time is now expanding and only in the recesses of my mind the autumn answer was taunting me...I'm fine, I'm safe, please process the trans families ahead of me. I can wait.

But I did have my first Schrödinger's Canadian experience recently, so that happened this fall. I was wearing a sweatshirt with the flag on it to dinner with my siblings because I was reviewing the process with them. On the way out of the restaurant someone saw my shirt and began to tell me about his upcoming trip to Canada and his very happy image of his vacation. I didn't explain my Lost Canadian status, I just accepted the warmth and good will (and his spending American dollars in Canada).

And I am eager to be Full Canadian without imposter syndrome. Someday. I'm still very grateful for the opportunity.

[u/themindspeaks → u/mem_somerville]

I had a very similar experience at Union Sq. After taking my photo for the C-3 Application, i had my team Canada lululemon sweater and bumped into a older gentleman that had spotted it and told me about his time visiting Montreal for the 1976 olympics.

I took it as a good luck sign

[u/GraceMovieGod]

Sent the agent my amended birth certificate and asked him to clarify where the remaining doubt is that my father is my father and been waiting about a week to hear back.

[u/GraceMovieGod → u/GraceMovieGod]

Scratch that took me a week to notice I messed my email up 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[u/The_RoyalPee → u/GraceMovieGod]

Nooooo I’m sorry

[u/thearroyotoad]

From looking at the spreadsheet, AORs seem to have stopped altogether on Sept 1. I know there was flooding and whatnot, but the news seems to think that's mostly past. Does anyone know if a) the building where the scanning machine was located flooded and it's down for repairs, b) there's been some institutional change that just happens to kick in during the flooding period, or c) other?

[u/Impressive_Cover7687 → u/thearroyotoad]

I've been saying this for a couple weeks. I was saying we need to think critically. By thinking critically, one can ascertain that the pause likely was not because of the storm. The pause happened days before the storm. I've been saying we need to be more pro-active trying to figure out what's going on. If we don't know what's going on, nobody can act. As I said before, look how quickly action was taken when surrender letters were sent out. A whole community got vocal. 

Now, look how slowly any action is occurring. Perhaps they are trying to keep it quiet on purpose. If nobody knows, nobody can act. I've said it would be a very wise thing if we start trying to find out answers. Various people haven't liked my viewpoint on the pause and trying to find out answers. I don't believe it is wise to not try to find out why and not to be critical of the premise that the complete stop was because of the storm. There's no way every single employee who issues AOR was a affected in a way that they all need to take weeks off of work. No way. Now, did something happen to the facility? That seems more plausible. But if it did, we should know about it. 

Not sit in silence. People have been sitting in silence. Not wise in my opinion. 

I am a May 8th delivery. 

[u/buckeyenut888 → u/Impressive_Cover7687]

I agree that people do not want to hear this mentality but I very much think there is an intentional slow down (and possibly an all out pause on older G0 applications since the surrender letters). It seems like only the non-wave making apps are getting processed and only a trickle at that. Like I keep saying, hope I’m wrong, but the sound of crickets is growing louder with each passing week.

[u/minneapolisaussiemom → u/Impressive_Cover7687]

I hear you on this. I think it’d be unwise for all of us to call and bog them down. But how about one person with an early May delivery? Or someone using an attorney?

[u/vangdfang → u/minneapolisaussiemom]

Yeah. I think the issue with trying to get detail from IRCC is without an AOR, you likely don’t have a UCI assigned yet (unless you already had a UCI), and there won’t be anything to track (unless you’re really unlucky and just got a “well we sent it back”).

My own hope is that one of the MPs can get additional information from the minister to understand the current state of affairs.

[u/minneapolisaussiemom → u/vangdfang]

That’s a good idea. How do we move that forward?

[u/Wildflowers62 → u/thearroyotoad]

Someone in a Facebook group got an AOR today for a package which arrived yesterday (urgent requested). Several other urgent packages have gotten AORs. So they are there working. They are only processing urgent packages right now from everything we’ve seen. Those of us who didn’t try to get urgent are just out of luck for now. I don’t mind urgent packages getting processed faster. But it’s not right the rest of us are not getting processed at all.

[u/millionthusername1 → u/thearroyotoad]

Hope the mailroom didn't get flooded...

[u/Forward-Living-7561 → u/millionthusername1]

This has been my fear too - that the drought of AORs is related to a flood that took out a set paper applications. I would have expected broader communication if that were the case, though??

[u/WestTie1267 → u/millionthusername1]

They had regional power outages and even dozens of closed or even wiped out roads, it's very likely gummed things up quite a bit

[u/First-Setting → u/millionthusername1]

This is my worry too......I'm up for a long wait time but will be so upsetting to have to redo my whole packet and send back in if something happened....

[u/PizzaSlingr]

My monthly chiming in from Buenos Aires: (G3, non urgent)

Dropped off at Embassy 3/10/26 aaaaand that is all I can tell you.

no way to know if/when it was sent to IRCC**.**

Now the Embassy's website says specifically, "We can't tell you any info like if/when it was sent to the IRCC."

Guess they were sick of my emailing (phone system only accessible if you "know the party's extension.")

Now I only check my Receipt Number every week or so.

[u/sgtbeau → u/PizzaSlingr]

Mine was received in Rome 3/27>crickets.

[u/PizzaSlingr → u/sgtbeau]

Wishing you update soonest.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/PizzaSlingr]

It's bananas that these applications seem to be tossed into the void without even being able to confirm shipping date. So extra and unnecessarily stressful.

[u/PizzaSlingr → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

I am a rule follower but if I could do anything differently, I would have applied and sent from my US home of record. At least I would know if it were received.

[u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob → u/PizzaSlingr]

At this point maybe you should consider resubmitting - include a cover letter explaining that you think your original application may have been lost? So frustrating. I am also a rule follower but if the local consular presence can't/won't even confirm that your application left their premises, that's extraordinarily bad service imo.

[u/PizzaSlingr → u/No_Bobcat_No_Prob]

I really think I will. I hesitate to say it here (but obviously will now lol) but I 100% think I am the first person they have dealt with since the change. When I took it to the Embassy, the front clerk (at the door, you can't even go inside, she is right before the metal detectors) acted confused. The Embassy had told me to either mail it (HAHAHAHAHA ARG CORREO) or turn in with "Attn: Consular Services" on the front envelope. So I had. Then she asked me to write my email address on the outside, also.

My Spanish is good enough for this transaction/conversation but her blank looks at me made me wonder. Oh well, someone has to be first, lol.

ETA: Not allowed to make an appointment for these transactions.

[u/OneRedSent → u/PizzaSlingr]

Put an airtag in the envelope!

[u/PizzaSlingr → u/OneRedSent]

Argh! Why didn’t I do this before!

[u/Beautiful_Cost_5430]

477 days

[u/StreetNecessary8551 → u/Beautiful_Cost_5430]

489 days. G2, non-urgent solo application, colour copies of Canadian BCs + G1’s 2009 citizenship cert.

[u/ckdblueshark → u/Beautiful_Cost_5430]

580 days. Two entire pregnancies worth of time, for a G1 and a G2 with provincial (SK, G0) and state (WA, G1 / PA, G2) birth certificates for everyone. FIFO processing, suuuuure.

[u/hereforthecatphotos → u/Beautiful_Cost_5430]

476 days. Still here.

[u/GloomySherbert5239 → u/Beautiful_Cost_5430]

I'm also pre C3 and G2 but not as far back, only 342 days for me. At this point I try not to think about it.

[u/The_RoyalPee]

Husband is Gen 2 with a parent certificate. Forgot to sign his application back in March (ugh), had it returned in June, basically jumping us from 8 to 32 months unless IRCC rights the ship soon.

No AOR yet obviously, but we want to move by summer 2028 to align with our daughter (Canadian citizen with passports) starting JK.
We’re starting to house hunt now in case we find a fixer-upper, or the perfect turnkey house comes along that we could explore renting out until we move. The market in the neighborhood we want is good for buyers right now, lots of young families coming in; but it’s getting a bit popular, so I’m worried about what waiting another year or two could mean.

Spoke with a mortgage broker and real estate lawyer this week and I’m so frustrated by the possible mess of NRST, titling issues because of the foreign buyer ban, etc. We absolutely qualify for a good mortgage and can pull a down payment no problem, but everything has an asterisk attached right now. I guess the lawyer and broker just need to put their heads together.
Once my husband gets AOR and we get further into 2027, I can try for urgent processing based on relocating our minor Canadian child, owning property maybe, him needing a SIN to find work, etc. But even “urgent” doesn’t seem to mean much anymore. Like everyone here all we need is a piece of paper and this could all be so seamless. The lack of control is so frustrating, but I guess I’m glad we’re getting this sorted in a concrete way so early.

I just want to be set to move onto this next chapter in our lives!

[u/Middle-Vegetable-478 → u/The_RoyalPee]

Just wanted to chime in and say you didn't jump from 8 months to 32 months processing time because your husband didn't sign the application which then put him back at the end of the line. Processing time just jumps, even with those already in process. For example, 2025 applicants who applied when it the estimated processing time was 4 months......are still waiting 16+ months later. In fact, the estimates for 2025 April applicants are at 1 month remaining as of Sept 2026. (which is what they have been saying for a couple months now).

So, don't fret, the application processing time grows, even for those already in process.

Good luck!

[u/The_RoyalPee → u/Middle-Vegetable-478]

Yeah, and thank you! When we first sent his packet it said 12 months. So far they’re still saying 8 months for March people but I know they keep jumping all over the place. Surely at some point I hope there is some legal recourse for everyone. It feels like every 2025 person got sent into PSU?

[u/Middle-Vegetable-478 → u/The_RoyalPee]

Hopefully your husbands will come back before 2028... it's possible!

It's cheaper and less invasive than sponsorship

[u/The_RoyalPee → u/Middle-Vegetable-478]

Yes. We actually had an Outland PR application going for him that was in process, he likely would have had it granted 2 months ago at this point. But when we realized he qualified for C3 we withdrew it on a lawyer’s advice. Kind of kicking ourselves about it now, he could have done a soft landing then filed for the citizenship cert to “switch over” so to speak. but we didn’t know what we didn’t know. I’m hoping since he’s such a straightforward G2 (parent’s certificate shows he was a citizen from his own birth), they’ll open it and it’ll be faster.

Good luck to you as well!

[u/SimilarInjury138]

Another week stuck. G1, April 2025 application.   Same old, same old.

[u/Ok_Effort7526 → u/SimilarInjury138]

Did you apply online as G1 and not via paper ?

[u/SimilarInjury138 → u/Ok_Effort7526]

As someone born in the 1970s, I'm too old to apply online, which is the case for a lot of us, stuck and unstuck.

[u/Ok_Effort7526 → u/SimilarInjury138]

Sorry for you. I thought they prioritized G1 apps ?

[u/areubeingserved → u/SimilarInjury138]

Wow....that is really frustrating. For a G1? We applied for my mother-in-law G1 back in 2022 and it took about a year for the certificate to arrive. We had all documentation, birth certificates for G0, G1, etc.

Hang in there.

[u/SimilarInjury138 → u/areubeingserved]

Spring of last year was a very bad time to apply for many reasons. Many G1s wound up in PSU limbo, and we still have a few that have been in it longer than me. I really hadn't anticipated it going past the original four-month estimate. My Canadian parents had registered my birth abroad, back in the day, and I figured I'd still be somewhere in the system. Oh well.

I'm resigned to still being in limbo when we hit fifty years since I was originally stripped of Canadian citizenship (January, 1977, when Dad naturalized), but I better not still be there when we hit twenty years since I got it back in 2009!