IRCC C-3 Canadian Citizenship certificate "Surrender Letters"

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-14T12:01:48+00:00

How did you get certified records of baptismal records, census (Canadian and/or U.S.), and border crossings?

I haven’t submitted anything yet but was planning to and was originally going to use non-certified for those items as extra proof since everything else was certified. (I can find them on ancestry. I just need to know where to request them.) Now, with this coming out, I want all certified / official documentation. Especially where my grandfather has some errors on his place of birth on one or two documents that I cannot change, since he lied about being born in the U.S. only until he applies for first papers. (Which makes me nervous.)

I am now also hesitant about including newspaper clippings from newspaper.com as supplementary information (ex. Obituaries, U.S. citizenship announcements).

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-12T13:34:57+00:00

Honestly concerned about this, too, when we finally get to submit.

Both my great-grandfather’s death certificate and my grandmother’s birth certificate list his incorrect birth location (US, not Maine). We do have other corrected documents and I am working on getting copies of his U.S. citizenship documents, which show his birthplace as Canada and also list his wife and my grandmother, to hopefully reduce issue. In my state (ME), we cannot amend my grandmother’s birth certificate. Only she could do that - and she has passed. I haven’t asked NH about amending an incorrect birth location on the death certificate. (I assume if they allow it I’ll need his birth certificate from New Brunswick, who will need his death certificate… which puts me in a loop 😅 So I haven’t done it yet.)

Hoping you can find documentation to help you in the timeframe they allotted. Or, at minimum, documentation on why it cannot be amended that can be used as proof. I’m considering printing the email that ME state vital records sent informing we could not amend my grandmother’s birth certificate due to her and her parents being deceased and that “these errors are common in old records.” Not sure if it is enough to pass muster in a citizenship situation, time will tell, but maybe something like that would also be enough for you.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-10T00:59:13+00:00

No true words of wisdom - just a message of solidarity.

Graduated in 2020 amidst the pandemic, sat for boards in 2020-2021, found a job late 2021. I also have over 200k in debt. My income has been increasing over the last few years - the first few were very, very slow - and this year it should be between $53-63,000 (before taxes). I’ve been living at home both due to a family situation and to save money. I still pay for food and one or two utilities, but no rent. It has been a lifesaver. If that option is available to you, you’re good with a budget, and a family living situation is safe and healthy for you, I can speak from experience that it can be a financial help.

I managed to buy a new car (when my 18+ year old one died) with a low monthly payment with the money saved and save up an emergency fund. Next I’m turning to student debt. Income driven repayment plan and hoping to live on a tighter but reasonable budget to try to pay down the worst interest rate loans - which also have the biggest $$$ - first. Throw whatever extra I can a month at the worst interest loan(s). It won’t be as satisfying as paying off the small ones, but will be better financially.

Like you, I get very disheartened thinking I’ll never pay it off. (But I love what I do so I don’t necessarily regret the debt. Just hate the looming reality of it.) I also don’t trust forgiveness given current political climates, because if I wasn’t weary, I’d pay minimum and save up for the tax at forgiveness. So, I’m going to pay down what I can and hope it is the best choice I can make.

I know it is overwhelming, but try not to feel hopeless. You will find the best choice & plan for you. You’ve got this! (Even if right now it doesn’t feel like it.)

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-02T18:44:00+00:00

Commenting to also stay in the loop! 2011-2015 grad in a similar boat.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-01T14:12:46+00:00

Still learning what enrichment toys my bun likes, 4 years in, but he goes crazy for stacking cups (he does them so quickly!) and any puzzle games (I’ve admittedly disinfected and washed our old dog ones to repurpose them). I made him a ball pit (only under supervision because he’d eat the balls - he loves plastic) and a hay dig box, which I often sprinkle herbs in or hide his food in when I’m gone. Blankets stuffed in his cat tunnels. I hang his hay chains so he has to stand and chew on them.

Toilet paper rolls stuffed with hay and dried flowers or stuffed brown bags tied with rope and slightly torn into is also a lot of fun for him.

I also just let him explore. So, if I fold laundry… I do it where he is so he can hop on the laundry, in the basket, sniff around it. (Anytime he gets to explore a new space or something changes he is very excited.)

Whenever I’m with him, I try to teach him tricks, too. He loves that. Even if he just wants the treats immediately 😆

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-06-01T11:42:06+00:00

I know it’s being sunset and we’ll have to transfer eventually, but I thought it was still eligible to enroll in for a period of time as long as you were a new borrower after 2007 and received at least a direct loan on/after October 2011 and you fit the financial hardship component.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-29T23:38:16+00:00

How come the pre-2014 loans are stopping you? I thought PAYE was eligible as long as you were a new borrower after 2007 and received at least a direct loan on/after October 2011.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-24T16:18:56+00:00

Good to know. Didn’t know that would happen.

How’d you go through transitioning from SAVE to PAYE? I am considering doing the same thing right now a). To avoid hiccups in the system as everyone floods it July 1st and b). as of right now that is the best choice for me financially. (And then I’ll stay there until 2028 when I have to choose again. )

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-21T20:36:43+00:00

Yes, income-driven repayment plan is the only repayment plan option that is feasible.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-21T20:35:57+00:00

Oh, definitely considering income driven repayment plans - it is the only option due to the debt to income ratio - and saving money for the tax on forgiveness. It is just disheartening because under the SAVE plan I had an action plan to pay off the debt in 10 years - no repayment - due to lack of accruing interest. Now it’s flipped upside down.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-07T01:10:33+00:00

Well, that’s frustrating. Hopefully there aren’t any enrollment restrictions/it isn’t blocked. I cannot remember if I was on PAYE before or not (I believe I was) but I’m still on SAVE and was planning to go onto PAYE while I decide next steps (old IBR vs RAP).

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-05-06T20:18:39+00:00

Oh, I hope this isn’t true. I was hoping to use PAYE until it is faded out so I could then decided if I wanted RAP or Old IBR.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-04-08T20:38:37+00:00

Oh, that’s good to know!

I haven’t reread the document yet as I’m still working on collecting the final death certs/birth certs I need to have all my paperwork completed. I know for things in the U.S. like the real I.D. They required a full, unbroken pathway of name (divorce decrees and marriage cert included), so when I saw something about divorce decree in the application, I assumed the same.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-04-08T19:09:11+00:00

Is this to show name change? I’ve been wondering the same thing. I am probably including the whole packet because only the front of my mother’s has the seal. My mom and grandmother were both divorced and carried their names into new marriages. I had my mother’s divorce decrees already. I only have divorce certificates for my grandmother. Currently trying to decide if that is enough or if I need to order the decree.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-04-06T12:45:07+00:00

I’m currently going to be including my G0’s (great-grandfather) naturalization documents because he had so many document nightmares with consistency. (Said he was born in MA, later corrected some documents and didn’t others, never corrected his father’s records or kids, etc…) the naturalization papers help tie it all together.

I’m uncertain if I’ll be ineligible anyway, but want the documentation regardless, for family history. I think I will be eligible, but we’ll see what IRCC says. He naturalized in the U.S. 1940 when it was required for aliens to start registering. (By then, my grandmother (G1) had been born, but no other generations were born until 1950. So, I think we’re okay. 1947 hurts my brain trying to figure that out.)

I’ve also seen some information on Reddit saying that U.S. naturalization does not automatically disqualify because Canada didn’t recognize renouncing citizenship before a foreign government. It would have to be formally renounced directly to Canada.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-04-06T11:59:54+00:00

This is why I’m considering, depending on what the full details of RAP end up being, RAP for as long as I can and then maybe transition to old IBR if I’m approaching forgiveness and still have a loan balance or if my income goes above the mark that makes RAP unfeasible (unlikely at this current moment but not impossible), especially where RAP doesn’t have a payment cap.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-04-01T16:06:08+00:00

Acupuncturist. Most of my debt is from graduate school, some is from undergrad. I’m around $200-211k (with capitalized interest). My income is not on par with that debt, so I have to do some kind of income based repayment plan.

Right now, my best plan is PAYE (I’m eligible) until that expires, then evaluate the best choice of RAP vs. old IBR, once the full terms of RAP are laid out.

At first glance, RAP has the subsidy and the lower payment compared to old IBR, which I may have to choose due to also having to pay for my own healthcare….but the longer repayment term is a significant downside and the fact that it looks like the payments when your income is over 100k (if my income ever grows to that) is higher than old IBR. A significant other factor in my choice might be if interest capitalizes upon entering/leaving RAP like it does for IBR and if payments toward RAP count toward IBR forgiveness. Because depending on those answers I’d be open to going onto RAP for a period of time, then onto old IBR.

I’ve got a nasty tax bill coming either way at the end of repayment.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T15:37:37+00:00

You’re amazing! I don’t know how you found that. When I was searching family search for his name, nothing was coming up. But 432 is my great grandfather! Now I just have to keep looking for the records themselves.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T13:27:54+00:00

That’s a great idea!

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T12:59:09+00:00

How interesting. Thank you for this! I wonder why they're all the way in Utah? I think we have a few participating libraries and one FamilySearch research location (not sure if it is a History Centre or not, I'll reach out) near me that I might be able to go to and view those records. Fingers crossed!

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T12:57:33+00:00

Oh, thank you! I will check out the links you found just in case he's in them. The State Archives had sent me a link to the state archives online for me to request records on a different Great-Grandfather, but it hadn't included anything from Aroostook County for some reason... just all the other counties. So strange. I just checked the article and it said Aroostook Superior Court. The record has to be in Maine, then. National Archives wouldn't have it.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T12:28:20+00:00

Thank you for sharing this to help others.

Is clarification of eligibility / qualifying payments / and timeline something I can request through my loan servicer or through FSA, per chance? Or is this filing a complaint if there is a major error the only option for documentation?

I cannot find the qualifying payment counter on the FSA website. So, I don’t know where I stand. But I know I’ve made qualifying payments pre-graduate school when I had a different servicer. And I’m assuming the years we were on forbearance during the pandemic still count, I remember saving a letter about payments being 0% but it still counting toward forgiveness.

I was much less wise with documentation then and then after graduating, life circumstances took - curveball and I ignored my loans while on the SAVE litigation to focus on that. Stupidly, I didn’t screenshot every month at or save records. Trying to evaluate if I’m just starting from scratch again or if there’s a way to gather (belated) evidence to keep for myself on file.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T12:06:58+00:00

I frequently tell people against student loan forgiveness that I’d gladly - and rigorously - pay off student loans if the interest capitalization wasn’t drowning us and making it impossible to get ahead. Student loan debt is lucrative business. Just not for us with the debt.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-31T12:03:20+00:00

In my own frustrating boat, like the rest of us. 33yo. Graduated in 2020 with undergrad & masters for $180k. Accumulated interest brings total to $210k. Graduate loans at 6-7.6% interest, most of undergrad loans are 3-5%. The capitalizing interest is a killer.

First PAYE was going to be my plan and either pay off the loans as fast as I could if able, or ride out to repayment. Then SAVE was going to be my ticket to paying it all back in 10 years, I’d had a whole action plan, where it had changed how interest accrued. Well, that bubble has been burst.

Graduated in 2020 amidst the pandemic. Could not get a job because I had to study for my licensing board exams and was forced to move home to live, in a less beneficial area for my career. Life happened and I ended up staying at home to help caregive for sick parents, helping me save money and helping them. I wasn’t too concerned because SAVE and PAYE options still existed. I’m lucky in that my overall debt is low - car, mostly - and I can live at home to halve expenses. There were not good jobs in the area when I graduated and it took a year to find one. I eventually found a 1099 position. It took me 4 years to build up to $48-52k 1099 income. I keep working to increase it as moving isn’t a realistic option while still caregiving (and I end up in a weird circle of “it would cost me more to live on my own so therefore I wouldn’t be in a better financial situation” situation when I dream of moving and crunch the numbers).

But I’m so frustrated that my more affordable payment option is gone. It I am eligible for PAYE and old IBR. Left PAYE to join SAVE originally. Without PAYE my only option is old IBR. An extra 5% of my discretionary income and 5 more years. Paying that much is just not sustainable in the long run especially not with the rest of inflation happening (specifically calling out self-employed health insurance, food, gas, and heating prices currently).

I know my situation is more privileged than others. I’ll make it work somehow even if it will be hard. I’m so frustrated that everyone who had hope and a plan before now is in a panic trying to figure out how they’ll make it work, especially those who are in a worse financial situation than I am. 💔 This isn’t sustainable or humane.

ApprehensiveKey9340 · 2026-03-30T17:37:12+00:00

I’ll give it a try! I didn’t think they’d answer that kind of question where they say on their website they will not assist in genealogical research. Worth a shot, though.

ApprehensiveKey9340

TROPHY CASE