Canadian Citizenship by Descent: Should Families Submit Applications Together or Separately?

Nếu bạn vừa phát hiện mình đủ điều kiện nhận quốc tịch Canada theo diện huyết thống (Citizenship by Descent), rất có thể bạn không phải là người duy nhất trong gia đình có quyền lợi này.

In many cases, if your citizenship was established through Canadian citizen grandparents or parents, your siblings and their children may also be eligible to apply.

In that case, a common question is: Should you submit the applications for all family members at the same time, or submit them individually?

Each option has its advantages and limitations. The appropriate choice will depend on the completeness of each dossier.

What is proving Canadian citizenship by descent?

Proof of Canadian Citizenship is a document for individuals who are already Canadian citizens under the law but need to obtain a certificate to confirm their citizenship status.

Khác với nhập quốc tịch (Citizenship Grant), đây không phải là quá trình xin trở thành công dân, mà là thủ tục chứng minh bạn đã có quyền công dân Canada từ trước thông qua huyết thống.

Hiện nay, hồ sơ chứng minh quốc tịch vẫn được nộp dưới dạng hồ sơ giấy đến trung tâm xử lý của Bộ Di trú, Tị nạn và Quốc tịch Canada (IRCC) tại Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Submitting a joint application for the whole family: Convenient but risky.

IRCC allows multiple family members to submit their applications in the same package.

Advantage

Consolidated shipping offers several benefits, such as:

• All applications arrive at IRCC at the same time.
• Reduces the risk of a file being lost or processed out of sync with the other files.
• The files are typically processed according to relatively similar timelines.
• Given the increasingly long processing times, submitting applications simultaneously can help family members receive their results at roughly the same time (although IRCC does not guarantee this).

Disadvantages

This is also a point that many people are unaware of.

If even a single application within the package is deemed incomplete, IRCC may return the entire package rather than just the incomplete application.

This means the entire family will have to provide additional information and resubmit the application from scratch, thereby extending the processing time.

Hiện nay, thời gian xử lý hồ sơ chứng minh quốc tịch Canada đã lên tới khoảng 25 tháng, vì vậy việc hồ sơ bị trả lại có thể khiến thời gian chờ kéo dài thêm đáng kể.

Submitting applications separately: Lower risk.

If each person submits a separate application, each application will be assessed independently by IRCC.

This means:

• The complete application continues to be processed even if another member's application encounters issues.
• Suitable when a member is missing documents or has a more complex file than the others.
• Reduce the risk of the entire family being affected by the mistake of a single individual.

In return, you will need to prepare and submit various sets of documents, and processing times may vary among the different members.

What should be kept in mind when submitting multiple applications at the same time?

1. Each dossier must be complete and self-contained.

Many people assume that, since they are all establishing a relationship with the same Canadian ancestor, they only need to submit a single set of documents.

This is an incorrect view.

IRCC may separate individual applications for processing by different officers. Therefore, each application must include a complete set of its own documents, including those related to family lineage.

Typically, each set of documents needs to include:

• Document Checklist (CIT 0014).
• Danh mục kiểm tra hồ sơ (CIT 0014).
• Two standard-compliant citizenship photos.
• Photo ID.
• Fee payment receipt.
• A complete set of documents proving the blood relationship (not to be shared with other applications).

The absence of any document may result in the application being returned.

2. You should attach a cover letter.

Although not mandatory, a cover letter is a very useful document.

In the letter, you can:

• List the family members who are applying in the same batch.
• Explain the relationship between the records.
• It helps IRCC easily identify and cross-reference information.

This is particularly useful when multiple people are establishing their citizenship through a common ancestor.

3. General fees can be paid.

IRCC allows family members to pay the fees in a single payment.

All you need is:

• Pay the total fees for all applicants.
• Print a payment receipt.
• Attach this receipt to the same set of documents.

4. Prepare separate sets of documents within the same package.

Immigration lawyers often recommend:

• Each person should have their own document envelope.
• Then, place all the envelopes into a large package to send to the IRCC.

This approach helps prevent documents from getting mixed up or lost during the intake process.

If a family has a large number of eligible individuals, splitting the application into several smaller packages may be a more reasonable option.

A spouse is not eligible for Canadian citizenship by descent.

It should be noted that Canadian citizenship by descent applies only to individuals with a direct blood relationship to a Canadian citizen.

Therefore:

• Your spouse does not automatically qualify for Canadian citizenship simply by virtue of marriage.
• Once you are confirmed as a Canadian citizen, you may be eligible to sponsor your spouse for permanent residence (PR).
• Only after meeting the residency requirements and Canadian legal regulations may the sponsored person apply for citizenship.

Conclusion: Should they be sent together or separately?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

If all dossiers are complete, clear, and of similar complexity, submitting them together can facilitate the tracking process.

Conversely, if one or more members are missing documents or have a complex case, filing separately helps reduce the risk of affecting the entire family.

Before making a decision, carefully review each application package to minimize the risk of it being returned by IRCC due to missing documents.