OK......so.....I've sent of my application for citizenship today. I guess that, this time next year, I will be wondering just how long it can really take for the beaurocrats to process this!

Now, I know that they receive a large number of applications for citizenship, but I really find it hard to accept that it will take nearly 2 years!!!! Seems to me that they should attempt to staff their offices at a level appropriate to the task in hand.

I cannot see that a processing time of ....say....6 months is asking too much.

Depends where you are in the country, Ontario and BC are the worst. There's going to be a citizenship bill this year, one of the things they're planning on doing is raising the application fee and hiring more staff.

Ajax, Ontario was 7 months. Applied in May, test Dec 20, Oath on Jan 2nd 2014.

Ours was ok too, a few days shy of a year from mailing to ceremony, also Ontario. Do they still leave them on a desk in Sydney for 6 months? I was under the understanding that the forms had to be forwarded to the regional office that would be dealing with your application within 6 months, hence why I ask if they stay on a desk until then, we heard from our local office very quickly after that point.

We're still waiting after over 3 years...... test was in August, we passed but still no ceremony Our application was sent in Oct 2010.

That someone who has lived in Canada for the requisite three years and presumably, before that, went through the TWP/PR process with associated beauracracy and is still surprised that their Citizenship application will take two years, made me smile.

Accept it. You are dealing with the Government of Canada.

Besides why pay more taxes just so that CIC can staff up and process Citizenship Application faster. Definitely more pressing concerns out there.

Thanks for the input .... I didn't express any surprise....I was simply expressing my view that it shouldn't NEED to take such a long period of time.

Steve

Can't help but agree with you! I understand, and accept, that the whole immigration process is extremely bogged down. If the backlogs were able to be dealt with, then the processes would obviously take less time.

"Accept it"..... I have no choice....but I don't have to like it!

It isn't exactly rocket science .....it should be possible to process applications within a six month period. Just because it is the Government of Canada, doesn't make it acceptable.

Steve

I agree - if it was MPs expenses you can bet your life it wouldn't take that long. IT's not as if we're not already well and truly in the system.

Or if you owed taxes would it take them 3 years to process??

Hi,

I sent mine on New Years Eve - and also in BC!

I was eager to get mine in as I was worried they were going to change the pre-requisites.

Sarah

Spoke to someone I know who works at CIC. It's a total shambles the way they operate. They've hired a lot of short term staff but didn't give them proper training.
I think 2 years is being optimistic.

So how do you explain the speedy processing we had, May 2013 posted, Jan 2, 2014 Oath day

It depends on who processes your application, some can be strict whereas others can be more relaxed. It's all about luck.
I received an RQ and it was processed within 4 months whereas for most people it's taking 4 years. Because of the amount of backlog that they've accumulated and the number of RQs they are sending, it's going to quite some time to get the job done.