Lamin

I have my test next Wednesday in Halifax, studying hard for it, then what happens.

Is it pass or fail on the spot, go see the judge as I have heard some test or oral or they can retest you?

So if you pass everything do you then get Citizenship on the spot, ID card etc I assume.

Then the ceremony what are the waiting times, is it mandatory, is anything else involved.

Sorry for all the questions, just I have no idea but am relieved / pleased that I have the test finally next week.

Thanks

danfolkestone

There doesn't seem to be a set process - experiences vary considerably. At my test, we were required to wait while they marked the tests, and were given our results on the spot. Some people are only told if they passed or failed, but we were given the actual mark.

If you fail the first test you get called to try again a few weeks later, and you only get called before a citizenship judge if you fail that one as well.

If you pass, you will be called for a citizenship ceremony, after which you are Canadian. Sometimes, that is held immediately after the test but usually it is at a later date. I believe that you would have received notice to appear for the oath of allegiance with your notice to appear for the test if they were on the same day, but I may be wrong about that. In my case, it was just under two months between test and ceremony, but that varies from office to office and person to person.

You don't get an ID card - CIC stopped issuing them a while ago. You receive a certificate, which you can use to apply for a passport. You can't immediately apply though, as you have to wait for the administrator at your ceremony to confirm that you attended and submit the electronic copy to Passport Canada. We were told to wait at least 24 hours, but that might vary as well.

Cookie

At our citizenship test in Halifax (Sept 2012) we were told as a group after the test that everyone had passed. Our citizenship ceremony was held almost 2 months later. Lasted a couple hours. Miffed there was no tea/coffee social afterwards

MarkG

We weren't told. We just handed in the papers and left when we were done, because they'd said they couldn't mark them that day.

JamesM

No such thing as a free lunch

BristolUK

All I got at the palace at an "honours" do was a glass of orange juice.

Yeah. I went to the Savoy for mine but it certainly wasn't free.

pinzo

Here's a question;
If you get citizenship but your British/or any other passport is still valid and you don't immediately apply for a Canadian passport, how do you prove when returning to Canada that you are a citizen?
Do you have to carry the certificate with you when travelling?
Currently being a PR I just show them my card and that's all they need.

rae

this concerned me, the answer I got was simply, "get a Canadian passport" and a look like, why wouldn't you?
so get a passport I suppose. I have just done it, complete all the forms on line, $377 for 2 adult 10yr and 1 child, took it to the office and they checked all 3 applications for free! due to receive them on Feb 20th, so all in all cheap and quick, then travel on your Canadian, much simpler when going through the USA apparently.

pinzo

That's interesting.
I would like to get a passport (when eventually eligible) however, if there's time left on a British passport, why not just use it until it expires then spend the money on a Canadian passport.
Getting citizenship isn't all about getting a passport. It's also about finishing the process....not having to keep renewing PR staus every 5 years (and paying for it).....the option to vote....lots of other benefits (to me anyway.)

There must be other people who are citizens, but haven't got the passport. How do you prove to Immigration you're a citizen??
Now I'm curious!

J-A-UK

The certificate clearly states "This is not a travel document"

I took my citizenship test in Feb 2013 and Ceremony was Aug 2013 - They take your PR card at the ceremony - I went to US the following weekend and showed my Uk Passport and appointment letter for citizenship ceremony.

I say "no worries" that little screen that the border guards look at has plenty of info on it - Your answers just have to match !

Aug 2013 to Feb 2014 I still have not applied for Canadian Passport and have crossed the border 4 times without issue.

pinzo

Thats good to know! Thank

rae

I agree, I just don't like leaving things to chance personally and I would not like to place my holiday in jeopardy for me and my family due to a border guards decision/interpretation, when they are not exactly renowned for their flexibility, especially in USA. So I just got a passport. As pointed out the certificate you receive is not a travel document, they take the PR card and leave you with just the computer record really, do you want to chance that this is entered correctly as you stand at the gate having paid your money? I trust what I have done and what I can physically produce, experience bitterly held from travelling worldwide.

pinzo

Good point Rae
I suppose the only way to be safe is to just get a passport.
I'm sure, as J-A-UK says, the border agents can tell when you pass through that you're a citizen....but as you say, I don't want to ever take that chance because sods law I would be refused entry!
I guess stumping up the money for a passport (even with a valid British passport with some years still on it) is the only way round it.

rae

Yes I would say so if you want to feel completely secure, like you say it is unnecessary and an annoyance when you have a perfectly good UK passport, and to put it into a little more context even though they have this system, when you apply for your passport they want to see the actual certificate-why, when they have the computer record right in front of them? because sometimes computer says no I suppose, and that, for me anyway, is the worry.

Dorothy

I'm not sure if Canada's the same, but here in Australia when you become a citizen your visa is invalidated in the system. When the airlines look to see whether you have authority to travel to Australia (I'm sure Canada has the same electronic system) and see that you don't have a valid visa in your passport (non-Australian) they can refuse to board you.

Why not just stump up the fee and get a Canadian passport? Why take a chance on not being allowed to board your flights or have the hassle of trying to prove you're actually a citizen when it's not difficult to get a passport?