Wait for a decision

Learn what happens after you submit your application and how you can track its status.

On this page

• What happens first
• After we process your application
• Check and update your application
• Quality Assurance Program

What happens first

When the Case Processing Centre in Sydney (CPC Sydney) receives your application, the staff there will check that you

• included all the required documents
• paid the correct fees

If your application is complete, we’ll start processing your application and send you an acknowledgement of receipt letter.

If your application is incomplete or missing fees, we’ll return your application to you.

After the initial review, CPC Sydney sends your application to a local IRCC office to make a final decision. You may be asked to attend an interview with a citizenship officer or a citizenship judge.

After we process your application

Check and update your application

You can check your application status online only after you’ve received an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter or email.

• You’ll get an AOR once we’ve received your application and have checked that it’s complete.
• It can take some time for you to receive it.

Learn how to understand your application status.

We may contact you to get more information if your case is non-routine.

Check your application status

Change your address

Tell us right away if you change your address at any time after you submit your application, even if you arrange for mail forwarding.

• Canada Post doesn't forward parcels (An application package is a parcel).
• If we return your application package to you at a forwarding address, you won't get it and it will be sent back to us.

After you become a Canadian citizen, you don't need to tell us if you change your address.

Learn how to change your address.

When to contact us

Do not contact us about your application status if you haven’t received an acknowledgement of receipt letter.

While we are processing your application, contact us if you

• change your address
• change other contact information, such as your email address or telephone number
• plan to leave Canada for more than 2 weeks in a row
• can’t check your application status online, and the normal processing time for your application has passed
• are charged with a crime
• applied as part of a group but now want to continue the application by yourself
• want to update any other information in your application

If you don’t update us

• it may take us longer to process your application or
• we may refuse or abandon (stop processing) your application

Due to privacy laws, we can’t give information about your application to anyone unless you consent in writing. For example, if you have difficulty communicating in English or French, you need to provide consent for a family member to contact us about your application.

Contact us

If you don’t want to become a Canadian citizen anymore

Find out how to withdraw or cancel your application.