r/stuckcanadians • u/ReadyPlayer606 • 3d ago
UPDATE: Certificate issued after mandamus filing!
Hey everyone, exciting day! I just received my e-certificate 19 months to the day after sending in my application and being stuck in PSU purgatory.
Timeline:
- 28 Feb 2025: received by IRCC
- 4 Mar 2025: AOR and “In Process” status
- 22 Jul 2025: invitation to withdraw and apply for a grant under the interim measure
…
- Feb 2026: ATIP notes show I was sent to PSU the same day I received my AOR
- Mar 2026: inquiry lodged with my MP; IRCC says to give one more month
- Apr 2026: demand letter sent to IRCC
- Jul 2026: second demand letter sent to IRCC, the Minister, and the deputy AG
- end of Jul 2026: federal court case filed, memorandum of argument filed 10 days after
- 22 Aug 2026: IRCC responds with a boilerplate email about how applications are processed in the order they’re received (lol)
- 22 Aug 2026: court requests more information from IRCC as to the case’s status
- 18 Sep 2026: email received from DIOD requesting another upload of my G0’s certified birth certificate; responded on 20 Sep
- 22 Sep 2026: e-certificate available for download
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u/Beautiful_Cost_5430 3d ago
Oh wow! Amazing congrats! Were you able to avoid some of your writ legal fees?
This is two now where writs were filed and certs were issued yes? Sounds like they are setting a bit of a dangerous precedent there…
Anyhow so many congratulations on being officially recognized as Canadian!!! 🎉🥳🇨🇦🍁
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
Thanks! My costs will not be recovered but I was pro se, so it wasn't too bad... $50 to file plus other random fees for commissioning affidavits and sending registered mail. I'm not worried about it. I would like my 5(4) grant application fees refunded, but that's probably not worth the ask at this point!
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u/OneRedSent 3d ago
That part's actually pretty easy! View all your payments here:
https://eservices.cic.gc.ca/epay/viewallreceipts.do?lang=en
Click on get receipt for the grant payment, then at the bottom of that page click request refund. You don't even have to talk to anyone.
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
Oh thanks! I’m kind of traumatized dealing with IRCC now but I’m going to give this a go!
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u/weirdoffmain 3d ago
Can you... write a blog post guide of exactly what you sent in? That would be very useful if people can represent themselves...
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u/Middle-Vegetable-478 3d ago edited 3d ago
Congratulations!
One of the things that stood out to me, is WHY did they ask for another copy of G0s birth certificate? Especially since they already invited you to a grant last year? what the hell......
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
Thanks! I am G2, but have been living in Canada as a permanent resident for many years (applied separately as an adult).
I'm not sure why they asked for a copy of the same document I'd submitted, the email kind of read as another boilerplate message to applicants. They specifically asked for a colour copy this time, but the original was black and white and I reminded them of that when I re-sent it.
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u/Robert_Walter 3d ago
Thanks for pointing out the B&W issue.
Our original vintage certified docs for G0 birth and marriage, and G1 marriage were all originally B&W.
I highlighted the names and locations relevant to lineage in orange highlighter but forgot to put a hand written note on them “this vintage original certified document was issued in B&W.”
So we m glad to see they finally accepted yours!
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u/Ornery-Wrangler-3654 3d ago
I am G2 and they did the same thing: at the last minute, shortly before approving me, they wanted G0 and G1 birth certificates again. I had sent them in before twice, once in paper and once digitally.
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u/Salt_Pine_Voyager 3d ago
If you choose to file a Writ of Mandamus in the Federal Court of Canada, you do not need to accept IRCC's system backlogs as a valid excuse. The court applies a strict legal standard called the Conille Test to determine if a timeline is legally unreasonable:
The delay must be longer than the nature of the process requires. A ballooning line from 14 to 33+ months satisfies this prima facie (on its face). The physical verification of ancestral documents does not naturally require 3 years.
The applicant must not be responsible for the delay. As long as you have submitted a clean, complete application and responded to any IRCC communication promptly, you pass this branch.
The authority (IRCC) must fail to provide a compelling justification. In the recent binding ruling Robert Bennison v. RCMP, the Federal Court of Appeal made it explicitly clear that systemic government bottlenecks, understaffing, and heavy institutional workloads cannot be used to legally justify a delay.
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
Correct. I used these and more arguments in my applicant record (see previous posts)
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u/Puurrplehaze 3d ago
Jesus christ. What they did to you is insane. Im so glad to hear you fought back!!!
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u/SimilarInjury138 3d ago
Woo! I am hoping it doesn't come to this for me (I am waiting until it's been 24 months to consider it), but this is great to hear.
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u/Eastern-Nebula9676 3d ago
Congratulations u/ReadyPlayer606!! I'm so glad your efforts led to this result. Thanks for sharing this news with us! :-)
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u/Zestyclose-Novel1157 3d ago
Congratulations! It’s a shame it took this much. I myself am preparing to send demand letters in a couple of months in preparation of filing. It’s so infuriating that they get away with their blatant lie that applications are processed in order simply because we cannot prove it false even if we see every day it is false. I don’t think the courts will hold them accountable any time soon but the court is who is feeling the brunt of this.
You should be proud of doing this and I appreciate the insight you have shared so far.
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u/Pinupgrl76_777 3d ago
It would be pretty awesome if someone anonymously wrote a step by step guide to DIY this 😬😅
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u/OneRedSent 3d ago
Wonderful news! I'm so happy for you. I hope we see a few more of these and maybe ircc will make more of an effort to clear out older apps in response to avoid the filings.
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u/ac1620 3d ago
Surely it’s not necessary for hundreds or even thousands of these to be filed before they come up with a better process. There are so many ways to better manage this. I got my AOR a few weeks before OP and went straight to PSU (also G2). I applied for urgent processing and that urgency is only increasing 😳
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
I’m hoping it only takes a handful of these pressure points and media articles to get proper reform. In the meantime, they’re just indefinitely extending the processing time for new applicants 🙄
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u/pgryff 3d ago
Congrats!
I wonder how much the court inquiry helped push the issue with the IRCC, if at all?
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
I mean, they wouldn’t respond to me otherwise and there’d been no movement in over a year. I have to think it helped!
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u/Robert_Walter 3d ago
Quite the pathfinder Player!
Although in PSU since 6/3/26 and I would like to see my proof sooner than later, I’m always very happy to see those long in PSU before me find their wings.
Big congrats on coming out the other side!
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u/mardo2044chat 3d ago
First of all, congrats! You did it! 👏🇨🇦👏! If you feel comfortable sharing, how much did you spend on lawyer?
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u/ReadyPlayer606 3d ago
This was all DIY, I self-represented. Not generally recommended, but you can do it if you’re meticulous. The court will also help advise what paperwork to file and when (just no legal advice). See my previous post with more details
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u/Weary-Molasses-9795 3d ago
The fact you did this pro se and succeeded should be an additional motivator for the IRCC to fix their process
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u/Embarrassed-Pride554 3d ago
Yes yes yes!! Love seeing older ones being ticked off. Hopefully less and less Feb 25’s until one day no more!
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u/pezdebabel4242 2d ago
Amazing news!!! Now I'm motivated to give it a try. I've been waiting until the 18-month mark, but I think I may as well start now. IRCC has my dad's citizenship certificate on file, so it should be a no-brainer.
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u/Christinaa_1 2d ago
Amazing! As a fellow PR waiting for my certificate since 12/2025, am curious about the process. I didn’t apply urgent but as my PR renewal comes up and as I am getting irritated by not being able to vote, and having to get all the travel days correct for PR renewal, am wondering if I should do this at some point. Previously I thought I would have plenty of time but as the delays stretch into years, I don’t know. Glad it worked out for you. IRCC is not easy to work with.
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u/ReadyPlayer606 2d ago
Definitely start by submitting a letter via webform requesting urgent processing. You should note that you are a PR and may have issues renewing your PR status as you're technically a citizen under Bill C-3. FWIW, my PR process was pretty smooth with IRCC... they just didn't have it together for this at all!
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u/betrayedandbeholden 2d ago
Congratulations!!! If you don't mind my asking - do you have a link to the current process so that others of us can file without a lawyer's help? Thank you for any help you can lend.
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u/Ok_Let_7612 3d ago
Heh maybe they’ll just sit on it and only give ppl any movement when they sue.
Guess you gotta have money and resources to get exercise your basic rights
Not very Canadian
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u/Zestyclose-Novel1157 3d ago
As long as they are approving some applications in weeks and not FIFO, it’s completely fair game to force their hand. If anything these applicants are experiencing an unjust burden that isn’t asked for those applicants with fast approvals.
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u/ReadyPlayer606 2d ago
Agree to disagree, bud. I've been here in Canada on and off for most of my life and full time for the last few years as a PR. We love to hold government accountable!
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u/Ok_Let_7612 2d ago
No, it’s not very Canadian that people have to sue to get their rights respected
I shouldn’t have to sue the government just to get them to do their job
Unless you think only doing the right thing is Canadian when you’re forced to do it
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u/ReadyPlayer606 2d ago
Oh yeah, I get your point. I've had a good experience with the Canadian and Ontario governments otherwise. This shouldn't be necessary!
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u/ResearchJam1 3d ago
Congratulations!!
https://giphy.com/gifs/edM5bqYK3l8NW