energysolutions

So we completed the ceremony today

It was pretty straightforward - we stayed on the outskirts (Abbotsford) as I booked the hotel pretty much as soon as it was verbally confirmed. Just as well too as CIC never actually sent us any instructions as to where the location was (I had to call at the end of last week and they told me over the phone)

We left early (~7:30) this morning and drove in. I've never driven in Vancouver before and being a Monday morning the roads were busy for sure however we arrived super early (~8:30) and had lots of time for food etc. Paid public parking is available in the same building as the CIC building so that helped.

The ceremony probably took an hour in total. Listened to the speakers etc, took the oath, received our certificates and sang the national anthem. Was back home by 5PM after visiting a couple of shops.

Does it always rain in Vancouver?

Snowy560

Glad it went well.

Yes it rains a great deal.

energysolutions

Thanks

Yep, every time I've been it seems to be raining

Just discovered that we can no longer fly on our current British passports which is problematic as we have a trip planned back to the UK in early October

And there was me thinking my stress was over.........

Siouxie

Congratulations!!!

As to the passport issue - you can't fly BACK to Canada on your British ones, but you can fly out on them.

You can apply for expedited processing for Canadian passports (and if you are in the UK for a while, you could also apply in London)


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ing-times.html

energysolutions

Yeah, this is where it gets tricky

I like in the Okanagan and the closest passport office is in Vancouver which, as I understand it, is where I HAVE to make a non standard Express application like the one you mention (cant do it in Kelowna etc). I was in Vancouver today but was explicitly told not to apply for 2 days to allow the system to update.

I am headed back to Vancouver but not until the 27th September, so thats getting tight for time (they quote up to 9 business days for Express)

My other option is to apply now (well Wednesday as thats 2 days after Citizenship) via the normal application, and hope for the best (they quote up to 20 business days for normal applications)

Its a tough call.......

Twitcher1958

Siouxie

You might want to check Kelowna on this page.. it says they do Express as do other offices in the area

Find a passport service location near you

If all else fails, this might be of use if you are in the UK and need to fly back: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...a.html#findOut

energysolutions

I'm going to go into my local office today and find out but I reread it and basically it sounds like I can apply for express from there and pick up in Kelowna in 2-9 business days which would work fine

energysolutions

Thanks, I'm going to try to get passports before we leave but that will give us a fall back plan should that not work. The trip home was booked waaaay before the CIC contacted us to sit the test etc.

In some ways I'm kicking myself, I went to a fair bit of trouble and expense to go to Vancouver so we could be come citizens sooner only to find that in effect I have set us up with yet more time sensitive hurdles. In hindsight I should have waited for CIC to come back to Kelowna in early 2019 but I didn't know.

Now we are more Canadian than ever but suddenly travel becomes harder - seems upside down to me

scilly

Re rain in Vancouver ..................

no longer completely accurate that it rains all the time here.

We had very little rain (less than 10mm total) in July and August.

Similar happened last year

Didn't you notice that the grass was all brown, and the trees drooping?????

energysolutions

I actually didn't but thats interesting

Both days I was there the rain seemed to be making up for lost time however

energysolutions

I went to the Passport office in Kelowna today and got our paperwork processed

It actually went pretty well and the girl I dealt with seemed confident we would have them no problem even if the rumoured mail strike happens (she predicted the 26th September which gives us a little wiggle room)

Siouxie

Perfect!! Phew!!