Snave

Just to keep other hopefuls updated:
I applied on 01MARCH2009, and heard back yesterday, virtually six months to the day, that it will take a further 12-15 months before they contact me. Wow, that IS a long time - so 18 months in total?
Only thing in my favour is that I'm a really old fart so won't need to do the test, so hopefully they can shoehorn my ceremony in somewhere quicker.
Unless you know better...

Tuppence

Oh crap.

Elaine B.

FWIW I got the same letter when I applied for citizenship saying it would take a further 12-15 months, in fact I did the test 3 months later and the ceremony 1 or 2 months after that.

Ciderman

Applied for my citizenship at the end of October 2008 and took the test on August 12th this year so that part took almost 10 months.

Supposed to be about 1 to 2 months after the test for the ceremony part.

Tuppence

Ooh, thanks for sharing that. That's a little more positive. Covering the worst case scenario I guess. We are talking about Sydney NS too

ExKiwilass

Yikes. I need to get on this, PR card expires next October.

ExKiwilass

Ooohhh, I like that. Under promise, over deliver.

Elaine B.

I only applied after I'd decided to move back home so I was lucky that I ended up getting Citizenship 10 days before I left.

Marmite lover

So glad you said that I applied April 6th this year and since then have been worried that it got lost in the post. I shall hope in another month I too will hear back.

fledermaus

That's really annoying. Typical Canadian bureaucracy. You can't apply until you are eligible and then you have to wait more than a year to become a citizen, in that time you still can't vote, get legal aid, can't apply some government jobs, become Prime Minister, be refused entry to Kenya by a Canadian Official

Ben W Bell

Oh no you can go to Kenya, no one cares about that. Coming back, not so much...

fledermaus

ah yes, very true. I thank you for the correction

woodworm

here is my timeline (Nova Scotia)
citizenship application sent : Nov 18 , 2008
letter of acknowledgement received: April 20th , 2009 (5 months later)

since then I haven't heard anything, but they already said it would take 12-18 months.... so I am prepared for another wait.

I talked to somebody who works for CIC in Halifax about the process and she said that as soon as the application has been processed by CIC Sydney, which is the central processing facility for ALL applications, the files are being forwarded to the respective province for further processing and it depends on the province how long it takes to schedule the citizenship tests. In smaller provinces with less applicants and maybe only 1 citizenship judge, who has to travel around (Maritimes , etc.) it will take longer until they have a session organized, in places with more applicants it might not take as long, before they will contact you...

TrishP

I applied end of October 08, received confirmation of application about 5 months later, told I would wait another 12-15 months, received another letter 3 weeks ago telling me to go to the CIC office on Catherine for a test, did it last week (easy peasy, 20 multiple choice questions), so just waiting on being called for the 'dib dib dib I promise to be a good Canadian' ceremony now!

mardyarse

I think its bizarre that one friend who lives in Ottawa applied May last year, tested July and heard nothing since. My other friend who lives in London, Ont applied June last year and did the test in September and ceremony November!!!