I need to find a date of a Citizenship obtained in Edmonton, AB,
sometime between 1976 and 1978.
Exclude request to Citizen and Immigration department for a search on
Citizenship information (done, but it may take up to three months).
Exclude getting it on the Canadian Citizenship Certificate (credit card
size).  Date is not there.
Apparently some countries publish a list of participants to the
Citizenship cerimony on any given day.  Does Canada?  If so, where can
I find it?  If not, any other suggestions?

---

Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 27 Jun 2006 04:54 PDT

Hi ghost2006,

The full date is stamped on the Certificate of Commemoration of
Canadian Citizenship which came with the original citizenship card. It
was an 8" x 11" piece of paper when received, reduced to 8" x 8.5"
when the top was removed along the perforations. It's a yellow-gold
colour with an image of parliament at the bottom. Under that image is
the date you are seeking. If you have a laminated card, the year is in
the box under YR-AP, probably only two digits (e.g., 76).

Does that help?
hummer

---

Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 27 Jun 2006 05:35 PDT

Hi ghost2006,

"Undated commemorative certificates
  FRA:  Certificat commémoratif non daté
  SN:   Commemorative certificates issued between February
        15, 1977 and September, 1980, do not have the     
        effective date of citizenship. Commemoration      
        documents issued since September 1980 bear the    
        effective date. 
http://www.cic.gc.ca/cic-index/english/u.html

Proof of Citizenship
3.8. The
Citizenship Act (1977)
The laminated card form of the certificate of citizenship is the only
proof of citizenship issued since February 15, 1977. There have been
several versions issued over the years. A commemorative certificate
was issued with each certificate (grant and proof) until 1996. Since
then, a commemorative document is only issued when a person becomes a
Canadian citizen (grant); a letter containing the effective date of
citizenship (if applicable) is issued with certificates to Canadian
citizens.
Certificates of retention and renunciation are also issued under this Act. 
5.Undated Commemorative Certificate
5.3. Context
The large paper citizenship certificates issued prior to February 15,
1977 bear the date on which a person became a citizen (effective
date). Commemorative certificates issued between February 15, 1977 and
September 1980, do not have the effective date. Commemoration
documents issued since September 1980 bear the effective date. The
laminated citizenship certificate (card) does not bear the effective
date. People sometimes require proof of the date they became a citizen
of Canada. If they have lost the document that bore the date or
received one of the undated commemoratives, they may apply for a
Search of Records, pay the fee, and obtain a letter confirming the
date. See CP 11 - Search of Records.
5.4. No fee for confirmation only
There is no fee for confirmation of the effective date for undated
certificates issued between February 15, 1977, and September 1980. The
undated certificate could be a first-time certificate or a replacement
certificate, but must be the last issued certificate for no fee to
apply. In this case, the letter issued is a confirmation letter, not a
Record letter.
htt p://www.cic.gc.ca/manuals-guides/english/cp/cp10e.pdf

hummer

---

Clarification of Question by ghost2006-ga on 02 Jul 2006 09:07 PDT

Hi.  Thanks Hummer for your suggestions.  
Yes I do have the commemorative certificate, but it must have been
issued between Februry 1977 and September 1980, since it DOES NOT bear
the date of citizenship.

Yes I did request a search for my date of citizenship to CIC.  Again,
I have been told that it may take up to three months, and I intend to
leave Canada much sooner than that.  Also, I did not realize that I
could avoid paying the fee, so I did pay it.  If I am able to recover
it, I will let you know and give you part of it.

However, I am looking for another answer / suggestion.  Thanks again

gost2006

---

Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 02 Jul 2006 09:37 PDT

Hi gost2006,

May I ask what you need the date of citizenship for (e.g., passport)?

hummer

---

Clarification of Question by ghost2006-ga on 04 Jul 2006 22:24 PDT

Due to my parent's very poor state of health, I have to be back to my
country of origin by the end of this August.  However, as a Canadian
visitor, I can only stay there for three months, and cannot work. 
Instead, I want to stay there for several montshs, since many things
need to be arranged. I could do so if I got my native citizenship back
(it is now allowed as a dual citizenship with Canada's).
The complication arises from the fact that the burocracy in my country
of origin will not let me be a citizen there, until they have
registered me as non-citizen.  Then they can re-instate me as a
citizen.  However, to register me as a non-citizen, they will accept
nothing but a document coming from the Canadian Government that
includes the exact date of citizenship.  This is because they need to
fill a form that includes the date.  So, although I will be going
there with my Canadian passport, citizenship certificate (both of
them), a range of canadian citizenship dates (from February 15 77 to
September 78), I will still not be able to be decleared a Canadian
citizen there until I got the darn dates.  CIC will take (they say)
between 22 and 26 months to give it to me.  I am getting pretty
desperate, also because I need to book my flight really soon.
Anyway, thanks for your trying to help
ghost 2006

---

Clarification of Question by ghost2006-ga on 04 Jul 2006 22:26 PDT

Sorry, I meant CIC said it may take 22 to 26 WEEKS (not months). 
Still, it is about 6 months.

---

Request for Question Clarification by hummer-ga on 05 Jul 2006 07:33 PDT

Hi ghost2006,

An application for a citizenship certificate takes 3 months. Once you
have received your acknowledgement letter, you have 2 months to go and
can check the status online.

"Currently, the total processing time for a routine application for a
citizenship certificate is three months from the time the Case
Processing Centre (CPC) in Sydney, Nova Scotia receives your
application until the time you receive your certificate."
The process is divided into two (2) steps:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/times/certif-processing.html

e-Client Application Status 
http://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/ECAS.jsp

However, I would think that just requesting the "confirmation of the
effective date for undated certificates" would take less time. You
don't need "Proof of Citizenship", just a "Search of Records".

CP 11 - Search of Records
http://www.cic.gc.ca/manuals-guides/english/cp/cp11e.pdf

Did you request a Proof of Citizenship or Search of Records?
hummer

---

Clarification of Question by ghost2006-ga on 06 Jul 2006 09:19 PDT

A search of records

---

Clarification of Question by ghost2006-ga on 06 Jul 2006 10:51 PDT

Hi hummer.  I think that you have given me enough information I did
not have, that I can go on from there.  I believe yuo have earned your
$35, and given me an answer.  You can stop now.  I am not sure how I
let google know, but I will figure it out.  Thnks a lot, if I need
more help I will put up another questions.  Thanks again

gost2006

Dear ghost2006,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to post an answer, that is
very nice of you and it's nice to know that I've been able to help you
a bit. I'm going to give your question some more thought and I'll let
you know if I come up with anything that may be of use. Sounds like
your country's bureaucracy may be unrivaled by none. Oh, I almost
forgot, I *did* think of something last night. Your country could've
contacted CIC, with your permission, and requested the information
themselves (a third-party request - I believe it is mentioned in the
last link I gave you).  It may have been quicker, I don't know, but
it's too late now anyway because I don't think you can have two
requests going on at the same time.  I do hope everything works out ok
(if you think of me, I'd love to hear how long it actually takes to
hear back from CIC with an answer), I'm sure your parents will be
happy as clams to have you home again.

Sincerely,
hummer

Here are the links I already gave you to make them official.

    "Undated commemorative certificates
      FRA:  Certificat commémoratif non daté
      SN:   Commemorative certificates issued between February
            15, 1977 and September, 1980, do not have the     
            effective date of citizenship. Commemoration      
            documents issued since September 1980 bear the    
            effective date. 
    http://www.cic.gc.ca/cic-index/english/u.html

    Proof of Citizenship
    3.8. The
    Citizenship Act (1977)
    The laminated card form of the certificate of citizenship is the only
    proof of citizenship issued since February 15, 1977. There have been
    several versions issued over the years. A commemorative certificate
    was issued with each certificate (grant and proof) until 1996. Since
    then, a commemorative document is only issued when a person becomes a
    Canadian citizen (grant); a letter containing the effective date of
    citizenship (if applicable) is issued with certificates to Canadian
    citizens.
    Certificates of retention and renunciation are also issued under this Act. 
    5.Undated Commemorative Certificate
    5.3. Context
    The large paper citizenship certificates issued prior to February 15,
    1977 bear the date on which a person became a citizen (effective
    date). Commemorative certificates issued between February 15, 1977 and
    September 1980, do not have the effective date. Commemoration
    documents issued since September 1980 bear the effective date. The
    laminated citizenship certificate (card) does not bear the effective
    date. People sometimes require proof of the date they became a citizen
    of Canada. If they have lost the document that bore the date or
    received one of the undated commemoratives, they may apply for a
    Search of Records, pay the fee, and obtain a letter confirming the
    date. See CP 11 - Search of Records.
    5.4. No fee for confirmation only
    There is no fee for confirmation of the effective date for undated
    certificates issued between February 15, 1977, and September 1980. The
    undated certificate could be a first-time certificate or a replacement
    certificate, but must be the last issued certificate for no fee to
    apply. In this case, the letter issued is a confirmation letter, not a
    Record letter.
    htt p://www.cic.gc.ca/manuals-guides/english/cp/cp10e.pdf

    "Currently, the total processing time for a routine application for a
    citizenship certificate is three months from the time the Case
    Processing Centre (CPC) in Sydney, Nova Scotia receives your
    application until the time you receive your certificate."
    The process is divided into two (2) steps:
    http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/times/certif-processing.html

    e-Client Application Status 
    http://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/ECAS.jsp

    CP 11 - Search of Records
    http://www.cic.gc.ca/manuals-guides/english/cp/cp11e.pdf

It seems a bit unfair to the researchers that they might give enough
info through requests for clarification (like mine did) to help enuogh
for the person to figure out the answer, and then the questioner can
just cancel the question and avoid paying.  I do not know what the
solution may be, but I think you need a way to solve it.  Maybe rate
the questioner?  I had to tell the guy (or gal) to stop and write an
answer, because I was satisfied.  Perhaps you can add a button for the
questioner to click on when they think the researcher has given enough
info, even if it is not an official answer.  Whatever.  In any case,
this was my first time and it worked very well for me.  Thanks

gost2006

Dear ghost2006,

Thank you for your thoughtfulness, rating, and generous tip, they are
all appreciated. Your point is well taken but fortunately, most people
are honest and appreciative of the time spent on their behalves. The
GA system worked much better when the questioner, plus any researcher
who posted something on their question, received email notifications
of any activity on it. This not only insured timely responses but also
made sure the questioner knew about any work done on their behalf. The
GA editors have assured us on numerous occasions that they are working
to get that feature up and running again, hopefully it will be soon.

Good luck with CIC!
Bon voyage,
hummer

Hi Hummer.  I got my letter from the governemnt of Canada with the
citizenship date.  It took them two weels (from when they signed the
receipt of my request) to open it (they were two weeks behind in
starting their files).  However, they mailed me the letter with the
date on the next day.  I have been told (not by them!) that if I had
written "Urgent" on my envelope they might have opened it earlier. 
Cannot guarantee.  Also, I did contact my MP's office, and they talked
to the respective department about me.  So I do not know if they would
have taken more time otherwise.  In any case, I am very happy. I
wonder if you have ever used MSN in your research.  Anyway, thanks
again, have a great summer

ghost2006-ga

P.S.  I have not received my money yet, so thanks again for pointing
that out to me. i'll pursue the issue.  Cheers
ghost2006

Hi ghost!

Thanks for the good news, it's really nice when things actually work
out well, isn't it? I wonder if two weeks is a record, must be at
least close to one. Well, I'll keep what we've learned in the back of
my poor brain and perhaps help someone else in the future. So now you
are all set, have a safe journey and spend lots of time with your
parents.

All's well that ends well -
hummer

Hi hummer.  Well, it was really nice to have a chance to work with
you. I have seen your reviews and you appear to be a great font of
information, apart from a nice person.  Too bad I am out of questions!
I tried to get Google to give you a way, if you wanted, to get in
touch with me, so we could chat.  Apparently though they discourage
direct contacts between questioners and researchers.  Too bad.  Oh
yes, I did ask you a question in my earlier comment.  Do I need to put
it in as a formal question (do you use MSN)?
You do not really need to answer this, or we may go on forever. 
Thanks for all your help, it was great.  All the best
ghost2006-ga

Hi again, ghost2006,

Oh dear, I'm sorry, I did notice your question about MSN but then
promptly forgot about it. The answer is no, never. On second thought,
I do have occassion to go to Sympatico/MSN but not really to do
searches. I suppose it all depends on what you get used to, for
example, I use Firefox exclusively and never IE.
Yes, GA has been quite adamant from the start that personal contact
between researchers and questioners is forbidden, at least via GA.
Well, I'm not sure about being "a great font of information" (hmm, I
would spell that "fount", as in fountain, but both spellings are
used), I'm probably more like a sprinkler of information!

Cheers,
hummer

Yeah right, a sprinkler!  More like a raging torrent!  Still pretty
small, if you compare it to the ocean ...  In any case, I guess I need
to give you another tip, I never new about "fount".  I wonder if you
pronounce it the same as font ... but please don't tell me for free,
or GA might kick both of us out! As far as MSN, no, I don't use it for
searches either (except that it lets me connect with my son, who also
uses Firefox).  However, MSN is great for chats.  You should try it! 
Bye

ghost2006-ga

Oops! ... knew about ...  Sorry.  All the best