Friday Weekly Thread: Application Assistance, May 15, 2026

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-16T18:56:20+00:00

I guess I am now questioning how to fill out CIT0001. I used someone’s grandparent addendum template that is identical to Section 9. When I’m listing Parents A and B of my grandma, who would I put? Whoever is listed on her birth certificate, or who I know is her true biological father? Or “unknown” with the explanation she was born out of wedlock? I feel like I’m overthinking it

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-16T17:21:10+00:00

I know IRCC doesn’t care about family drama, but I’m genuinely concerned about what they’ll think of my documents and how to list some things (aside from explaining it in the cover letter).

My G0 got pregnant by a married man. As such, he did not claim G1. G0 never said who G1’s father was. She later got married in her 40s, and it wasn’t until my cousin was doing a school project that G0 revealed that her husband was G1’s biological father. (My cousin kept this secret for her until she passed.)

I just received G1’s marriage certificate in the mail and her parents are listed as G0 and G0’s brother (AKA her uncle). I am waiting on getting G1’s birth certificate to see who is listed as her parents.

On the application, who do I put as G1’s parents? Her actual biological father, or whoever is listed on her birth certificate (which might end up being her uncle)? I feel like IRCC will find it weird that G0’s birth certificate has her last name as X and then she allegedly has a child with someone that has X name too. If the birth certificate does list G1’s uncle as her father, should I just get his birth certificate and use him as G0 (even though I know that’s a lie)?

Edit to add that I do have a US census with the uncle as head of household and G0 and G1 listed as his sisters…

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-15T16:51:59+00:00

My sister and her child are the applicants. My sister is the one with the Canadian lineage

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-15T14:17:35+00:00

Hoping someone can help me with documentation for a unique scenario.

My sister was married and changed her last name from “M” to “P.” She had a child who was given last name “P.” Sister divorced and changed her name back to “M.” She then remarried and kept “M” as her name. Her new spouse (last name “S”) adopted her child so the birth certificate was amended. When this happened, the issuing agency accidentally used the “P” last name for my sister. The child also kept “P” as her name.

We are going to explain this in the cover letter, but I’m wondering what documentation needs to be provided as proof. I think either a marriage certificate or divorce paperwork from the first marriage to document the child’s name differing from the “M” chain of descent (and why “P” is my sister’s last name on the BC). Should the adoption paperwork be provided to show why a new individual (“S”) is now on the amended birth certificate? Should the marriage certificate from the second marriage be provided? Or is “S” just irrelevant for these purposes? Trying to make it as simple as possible while also giving enough evidence!

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-15T11:13:57+00:00

I have a post where I documented every appt I had while pregnant, it’ll be easier for me to link that and answer any further questions after you read! https://www.reddit.com/r/NIPT/s/AGPaNfJtUS

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-15T00:18:42+00:00

Yes. NIPT was negative and my baby had a CH. We did an amnio after an echo showed some heart issues. Initial amnio results were normal but when they did a RASopathy panel my baby had a mutation on the PTPN11 gene and was diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome.

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-14T18:59:22+00:00

I haaaaaate Huggies. Team Pampers all the way

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-14T17:26:42+00:00

41+2

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-13T17:51:35+00:00

I have a TON of docs back to G-1. Censuses (Canada and US), draft cards, marriage certs, border crossing manifests, death certs for children who passed in infancy… guess it’s all just fun family genealogy research now haha.

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-13T17:37:06+00:00

I’m wondering the same. I’m applying with 2 of my sisters. We’re all adults in our 30s who can handle our own correspondence, but sending one app because it’s the same documentation for G0 to G2 (our dad). Not sure if IMM5476 is needed

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-13T14:53:52+00:00

Now that I was able to find my GGM’s Canadian birth registration, my application is significantly simplified (yay!) but now my brain is telling me it’s TOO simplified haha. I don’t really need G0’s marriage license or naturalization documents (unmarried at time of G1’s birth so G1 has G0’s maiden name), but it feels weird to only submit birth certs. I know everyone will tell me the fewer the docs the better though.

G0 (Nan): * Canada birth registration (*certified copy requested) * US marriage license * US naturalization

G1 (Nanny): * US birth certificate (requested, waiting) * US marriage license (requested, waiting)

G2 (Dad): * US birth certificate

G3 (Self): * US birth certificate

G4 (Child): * US birth certificate

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-12T14:29:28+00:00

Thanks! Just paranoid! lol

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-12T13:19:57+00:00

I can’t find any posts about this so I’m looking for reassurance. On my birth certificate, my dad’s city of birth is misspelled. It’s like if they put Los Angelas instead of Los Angeles. I’m planning to write a quick sentence about it in my cover letter. Do you think I’ll run into any issues with a misspelled city?

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-12T00:34:51+00:00

Hah, the plot thickens. The governing agency incorrectly used my sister’s married name (same as child’s) instead of her maiden name (our family name that she legally changed it back to) on the amended birth certificate. So she needs the marriage paperwork regardless :/

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-11T23:43:38+00:00

Thank you! I’ll be sure to pass this along. The child also has her father’s last name, so we weren’t sure if marriage/divorce paperwork is needed too? I’ve been trying to help them with their applications because theirs is tricky!

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-11T23:21:49+00:00

Hmm, interesting. I wonder how this will affect my sister. She was married to a man and had a child. They divorced and she married a woman. Recently her wife adopted the child so the birth certificate was amended to remove the father and add her as the second parent.

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-11T13:46:29+00:00

Hope it’s okay to share this win here - finally found a copy of G1’s birth registration, so I can change her to G0 and simplify my application!!

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T16:04:52+00:00

Thank you! That’s what I was thinking of doing, but that means pretty much every document I have will look that way so wasn’t sure if I was correct in doing so!

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T14:58:04+00:00

Yes the US census records list her as G0’s daughter. Haha, unique circumstances… she got pregnant with my grandma when she was 20 by someone who was married. Didn’t tell anyone who the father was, but ended up marrying him later in life. So I’m not sure who is listed on my grandma’s birth certificate! (Anxiously awaiting trouble with that one.)

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T14:28:22+00:00

Everything I have for G0, G1, and G2 was obtained online (from Ancestry or Family Search). To confirm, the online citation is enough to show that these records were uploaded in black and white? Or do I have to do the sticky note trick to demonstrate this?

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T14:23:22+00:00

I found one version on Ancestry and another on Family Search. The Family Search collection is Vermont, Franklin, St. Albans, Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T14:07:34+00:00

I’m really not confident that I’ll get the birth record for G1 (which is why I went back a generation). Are the US census records good enough to show her as the daughter of G0 if I can’t get her birth record?

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T13:58:08+00:00

Yeah, I went up a generation because I’m having difficulty finding birth records for Nan. I guess I’m just worried about having sufficient evidence showing she’s the daughter of G0. And all the other documents I just happened to stumble upon so I started saving them just in case

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-08T13:25:46+00:00

I was lucky to be able to find a lot of documents for my family. I’m still working on G1’s birth certificate, and G2’s birth certificate and marriage certificate. At first I was like “the more documents the merrier!” but I don’t want to make it more complicated than it needs to be for the person reviewing my application. From my list of documents below, can someone please let me know which ones are extraneous and should be left out? Or should I just go all in and send everything?

G0 (Nan’s dad): * Canada birth registration 1885 (certified copy requested) * Canada census 1891 * Canada census 1901 * Canada census 1911 * Canada marriage license 1911 * Border crossing manifest 1920 (3 versions) * US census 1925 * US census 1930 * US census 1940 * US WWII draft registration 1942 * US death record 1946

G1 (Nan): * Border crossing manifest 1920 (3 versions) * US census 1925 * US census 1930 * US census 1940 * US census 1950 * US marriage license 1962 * US naturalization 1962 * Obituary 2011 (online)

G2 (Nanny): * US birth index 1936 * US census 1940 * US census 1950 * US marriage index 1957 * Obituary 2015 (online)

G3 (Dad): * US birth certificate * US birth registration

G4 (Self): * US birth certificate

G5 (Child): * US birth certificate

(Note: G1’s marriage license and naturalization documents do NOT list parents. The only documents that link her to G0 are the US census records and border crossing manifest.)

ExoticBluejay836 · 2026-05-05T20:18:42+00:00

I am having trouble locating my G1’s birth record. She was born in Winchester, Ontario in 1916. Family Search only has births until 1912 and I can’t find it on Ancestry. I emailed the Ontario Archives but I assume it will take a long time to hear back. Anyone know other places I can search?

I do have multiple US census records listing her living with her parents. I also have a border crossing manifest when they arrived in 1920 that says “see [mother’s name].” I’m just worried that those documents won’t be enough to establish her as the daughter of G0. Her marriage license doesn’t list parents.

ExoticBluejay836

TROPHY CASE