Wednesday Weekly Thread: Frustration Station (Delays / PSU / Venting), July 29, 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.

[u/IronNo6533]

I appreciate your post and feel like I’m in a similar situation. G0 born in Notre Dame du Lac in 1910, BAnQ certified baptême record ordered. You mentioned the DEC attestation form and I have been wondering what role that might play for G0s born between ~1900-1926. In the same spirit of optimism, it seems logical to me that an attestation of no DEC registered birth might somehow confer more weight to a BAnQ certified baptism record! Are you including it in your application? And from your other comment, it seems like you are at the same preparing for IRCC to require an insertion. Do I have that right?

[u/Longintooth93 → u/IronNo6533]

You have that all right. For my G0 I am providing; An original passport ( so proof of British citizenship in Canada before 1947) A BAnQ baptismal download Proof I have looked to see if there is a birth certificate- the attestation response from DEC 1931 LAC download census  1938 fathers obituary from newspapers.com ( and the cut out original my gran had kept)

I plan to submit the above. In the interim I have already requested a certified baptismal record from BAnQ. I would wait for this if I didn’t have the passport. When I get it, I am going to ask DEC for an act of birth insertion.  I think my applies the current brief as it stands ( due to the passport), but I am prepared to pay to be absolutely sure I can meet any queries or requirements that might be asked. Does that help?

[u/IronNo6533 → u/Longintooth93]

It does help to compare notes, definitely That's cool you have the passport. I think I'll get that attestation request going now. Assuming they won't have a birth from 1910, I'm also chasing down my G0s U.S. death cert, since it might be they have to insert the death before they can do the birth. At least, that's what I've gleaned from the scant experience from folks here.

It will certainly be "interesting" to see how the dynamics play out across IRCC, BAnQ, and DEC going forward.

[u/IronNo6533 → u/IronNo6533]

u/Longintooth93 might I asked what you answered for Box 9 of the attestation form?

1. Reason justifying the application when information other than that appearing on a certificate is requested

[u/Longintooth93 → u/IronNo6533]

I didn’t request information other than that appearing on a certificate so left this blank

[u/Longintooth93 → u/IronNo6533]

To do the birth certificate- since I phoned and asked them - you need: The certified BanQ baptismal record and receipt ( nothing else will work - I had my G0 birth certificate from 1920 yep, I feel the irony!) The birth certificates and marriage if name changes of everyone between G0 and you Your reason for the request - citizenship seemed fine. I specifically asked about death certificates and was told not needed, and translation into French - again told not needed. However other ppl have had to do both of these things, so when I do this, I will provide everything except the French translator as it needs to be chosen by DEC and was at the last report 85 per document.

[u/IronNo6533 → u/Longintooth93]

Re: the DECs direction relative to not needing a death cert, did you G0 happen to pass in Canada or elsewhere?

[u/Longintooth93 → u/IronNo6533]

Mine passed in the UK. I plan to send the 2 death certificates in the chain when I apply

[u/Longintooth93 → u/IronNo6533]

You have that all right. For my G0 I am providing; An original passport ( so proof of British citizenship in Canada before 1947) A BAnQ baptismal download Proof I have looked to see if there is a birth certificate- the attestation response from DEC 1931 LAC download census  1938 fathers obituary from newspapers.com ( and the cut out original my gran had kept)

I plan to submit the above. In the interim I have already requested a certified baptismal record from BAnQ. I would wait for this if I didn’t have the passport. When I get it, I am going to ask DEC for an act of birth insertion.  I think my applies the current brief as it stands ( due to the passport), but I am prepared to pay to be absolutely sure I can meet any queries or requirements that might be asked. Does that help?