Program delivery update – January 29, 2015

Update to instructions related to interpreters and accompanying persons for the citizenship program

Summary

As a result of the coming into force of changes to the Citizenship Act and its Regulations on June 11, 2015, the instructions have been updated to reflect that

• accompanying persons and interpreters should not have a citizenship application in progress;
• interpreters should be at least 18 years of age;
• interpreters should have sufficient knowledge of English or French; and
• an assessment of hardship should be conducted when deciding whether to allow an accompanying person or interpreter to attend a proceeding.

New instructions

• Persons acting as interpreters (instructions for citizenship judges)
• Persons acting as interpreters (instructions for citizenship officers and case processing agents)
• Accompanying persons (instructions for citizenship judges)
• Accompanying persons (instructions for citizenship officers and case processing agents)

Updated instructions

• Citizenship administration
• Citizenship decision-making
• Program-specific procedures for using interpreters
• Functional guidance on citizenship: Table of contents