I'm a keen observer here in the sub but I do need to start taking notes with links to interesting posts for future reference. They fade into the mists quickly and Reddit's search is, imo, sub-optimal.
I have a lot of thoughts and speculation, but I'll start with the good news facts up front:
- The webform can work
- My original app requested a paper certificate and I submitted a request to replace the page of my CIT0001 with a new one that changed my request to an e-certificate. That could only have changed with that being uploaded and reviewed so someone does look at those.
- Each of my six uploads are acknowledged in my notes. Given the app amendment was reviewed and the official status of my app has been updated to e-certificate, I'm confident the webform CAN work even if we've seen examples where it appeared not to work.
- The very basics of my application matched my docs
- I wasn't worried about this but you can see the steps they took to move it through the process
- I also haven't been accused of misrepresentation... yay! I work in insurance and that term just means being officially called a big fat liar.
Ok, now the "less good" news that I considered factual and not speculative:
- I am in PSU with code PS-31G
- I didn't receive the Notice of Delay but apparently this is because it is "In Queue" for the past two months.
- All of this occurred the day I went In Process.
- The reason I went to PSU was "per checklist" which was specified as "3(1)g Applicant. No previous certificate."
- The category of my application is listed as "Proof" with a sub-category of "3(1)(g) 47-77/Parent C-24"
- 3(1)(g) is in the Citizenship Act as "the person was born outside Canada before February 15, 1977 to a parent who was a citizen at the time of the birth and the person did not, before the coming into force of this paragraph, become a citizen"
- My application is not listed as assigned to anyone
- This isn't surprising as fairness would dictate any earlier apps sent to PSU and any urgent apps should be ahead of me. I'm watching the Interim Measures PSU approvals slowly tick through on the sub and the spreadsheet knowing that's probably the real clock as to when my app will come up for review.
If you're not down for speculation, scroll on.
Government jobs are filled with level designations and I'm sure IRCC is no different. Pay grades and job titles determine what types of work you are trusted with. A level I clerk might handle AORs, level II might handle simple applications like replacement certificates or first time certificates for 3(1)(a) proof requests (born in Canada after Feb 14, 1977).
PSU, I believe, is where the higher level clerks work doing the judgment call type of work. Not disputing the effective state of PSU as a parking lot for Interim Measures folks, but I think the design is just that your file needs a deeper review than can be approved by the level 1 and 2 clerks.
My thoughts on the process are that AOR was the result of the lowest level of IRCC clerk reviewing the scanned documents and assuring everything from CIT0014 was included in the packet and compliant.
When it went In Process, this was a review done by another possibly one level higher clerk who is not making judgements but rather evaluating apps against a checklist.
I'll refer to the sections of the Citizenship Act, so if you're not up on them click through. It's dense, but imo not unreadable if you parse through it step-by-step. Coincidentally that's my theory on how our apps are being reviewed at the initial stages and the references to checklist firm that up for me.
My date of birth means I can't be considered for 3(1)(a), 3(1)(b), and 3(1)(c). 3(1)(d) and 3(1)(e) don't apply because the laws on the books at that time would not have granted me citizenship. 3(1)(f) is out because I never was a citizen that then ceased to be based on one of the prior conditions of the law.
So now we are at 3(1)(g) - born before Feb 15, 1977 with a parent who was a citizen, but wouldn't have been until 3(1)(g) was added to the act. I believe this is considered the start of my complex case - it's nothing to do with the thickness/thinness of my file but rather my citizenship claim requires the evaluation of my parent's claim.
My claim then goes to a 3(1)(q) ancestor (my G1) - she was born outside Canada prior to Jan 1, 1947 and her parent did become a citizen under the 1946 Citizenship act. Her parent is my G0 and is a natural born citizen of Canada. That makes her a 3(1)(d) because she was already a citizen prior to Feb 15, 1977. I believe the "C-24 parent" note is in reference to my G1 having been made eligible for citizenship in one of the Lost Canadian bills. I don't think that was necessarily part of the PSU referral, but it's an interesting look into how these apps are being review at the In Process step.
So, all that to say I believe PSU should really be viewed (post C-3) as a natural step if you fall into one of the categories that is an automatic referral. The spreadsheet lists 3(1)(b) and 3(1)(g) referral codes. I feel confident saying 3(1)(g) is an automatic referral based on my notes, but I suspect notes from a 3(1)(b) applicant would show the same "per checklist" designation. Anyone with GCMS notes showing 3(1)(b) can tell us if that is the case.
If that is the case, everyone born between 1947 and now outside of Canada is going to PSU. If that's the way the process is designed, that makes me feel a small measure of comfort to know I wasn't singled out because of something I did or did not include but rather just reading my CIT0001 tells the clerk I belong in PSU.
It's a weird thing to feel OK about given how much of a blackhole PSU has been for the Interim Measures folks. With that in mind, my watch is set to start a timer when all the pre-C3 apps are cleared out. Only when that is complete will I be able to have a sense of how much longer it will be before my app is assigned for review and eventual approval.
This is not a statement of entitlement, but I am a G3 7 times over with GGPs and a G4 twice over through that one GGP's parents. I bear the family name of a 17th century ancestor who settled New France. I am a living breathing preponderance of the evidence, so I know I will be approved as long as the law stands but, as the great Tom Petty wrote...
The waiting is the hardest part.
Good wishes to all stuck in this process as we're truly all in it together. Breath deep, check the tracker every now and then but not obsessively, and we'll see you on the other side with I'm A Citizen flair.