September 5, 2013 — Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is taking action to reduce citizenship grant wait times by decreasing its inventory of dormant applications.

Measures are being taken for applicants who do not show up for their scheduled citizenship test or interview.

After a missed test or interview, applicants will be reminded in a final notice to contact CIC to provide a reasonable cause for not showing up. If the applicant provides a reasonable cause for missing their appointment, CIC will reschedule their test or interview. They will be given two opportunities over three months to provide a reasonable cause. Otherwise, their application will be closed.

Some examples of reasonable cause for missing a scheduled test or interview include:

• being away to care for a dying parent;
• inability to appear as a result of health constraints following an illness or accident; or
• waiting for the arrival of documents requested from a third-party (requests for additional information only).

CIC sends notices to the applicant's most-recent known address. Applicants are responsible for keeping their contact information with CIC up-to-date. Applicants can change their address online.

Applicants whose files have been closed will have to re-submit a new application if they are still interested in obtaining Canadian citizenship.

CIC news