Canadian citizens legally adopting children internationally are experiencing prolonged administrative delays associated with the processing of their children’s citizenship applications. These files are taking years to process leading to significant heartache to the children and their families as the children are not allowed into Canada until the files have been processed.

Adoption literature shows that the younger a child is placed into their permanent home, the better it is for their mental health and well-being in the short and long term. The health, emotional and psychological wellbeing of these children are being put at risk due to the lengthy time it is taking Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to process these citizenship applications. 

The parents are experiencing emotional, psychological, physical, and financial anguish because of these delays. These families desperately need the Canadian government to hold IRCC accountable for processing these files in a timely manner and on a priority basis as they aim to with adoption cases.

Charlene’s Story:

Our family’s story was recently shared on CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/international-adoption-adoption-manitoba-mother-ircc-delays-1.7065183

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of being a mom. When I try to explain to people that I am a mom now, but I don’t currently live with my son, I get sympathetic responses directed at how complicated and long the adoption process can be. The adoption process itself is long, complicated, and rigorous, as it should be. But the adoption process itself isn’t the reason my son is still not allowed into Canada.

My son continues to live in an orphanage in Lagos, Nigeria, despite being legally adopted according to the province of Manitoba, Canada and the state of Lagos, Nigeria. We crossed every “t” and dotted every “i” in the process of ensuring our adoption met the requirements of international adoption according to Manitoba, Canada and Lagos, Nigeria. Yet, my son is still not allowed to come to Canada, over 2 years following his legal adoption. We have very little information from Canadian Immigration regarding the status of our file. And we aren’t the only Canadian family that has gone through this.

IRCC related administrative delays are preventing children adopted by Canadian citizens from entering Canada for years following the legal approval of the adoption by the family’s provincial government and the government of the child’s country of origin.

My Member of Parliament (MP) and Canadian Immigration (IRCC) have told me that our part 2 citizenship application is “in the que to be reviewed by an immigration officer” and that “due to administrative delays, these files can take 6 months to 3 years to be processed.”

I followed and adhered to all legal requirements set out for international adoption by the Manitoba Government, Canadian Government and the Nigerian Government. I worked with licensed adoption agencies in Manitoba (and Ontario) and Nigeria. After many years learning about adoption, participating in courses put on by a local, private adoption agency, going through multiple years of homestudies and interviews with adoption officials, letter writing, dossier preparation, criminal record checks, medical evaluations, etc., I legally adopted my son in December 2021.

I have met all requirements for international adoption and followed all due processes. Prior to leaving Canada, I received confirmation of our Part I citizenship request for international adoption by IRCC. The Court and Permanent Secretary in Lagos, Nigeria gave permission for my adopted child to leave Nigeria. The Manitoba Ministry of Child and Family Services provided a Letter of No Objection as per the accepted protocols. Nigeria provided my son with a Nigerian passport and have approved him leaving Nigeria.

And yet, 2 years later I still can’t bring my son to Canada.

My son is growing up without his mom. A mom that loves him very much. And right now, he really doesn’t understand why I can’t bring him to Canada. We video chat on weekends, and I cherish those moments, but it really isn’t comparable to being together.

Being with his mom is so important. It’s critical for his development. Studies show that the younger an adopted child can enter a loving family the better. Institutionalization is associated with a step-like increase in the risk of these children developing long lasting effects on their mental health and wellbeing.

I applied to have my son’s part 2 citizenship file expedited due to medical concerns over a year ago. I have still not received a response from IRCC on this topic.

The lack of communication from IRCC about our file, the lack of accountability of IRCC for processing the file of adopted children in a timely manner, and the impact these long delays are having on our family and other families is unacceptable.

IRCC, a federal government agency, is not meeting its objective of providing a service that is “in the best interest of the child” when it accepts these unreasonably long administrative delays in processing these files.

We are missing birthdays, holidays, and adventures together but most importantly, we are missing the simple joys of everyday life together. Our lives sit on hold while we wait. At minimum families like ours should be allowed to stay together in Canada while the citizenship files of our children are being processed. Especially if these files are expected to take years to process.

The Canadian government must hold IRCC accountable for processing these files of adopted children in a timely manner. It’s not acceptable to blame administrative delays without an acknowledgement of the consequences of these delays on these children and their families. IRCC needs to be held accountable and this issue needs to be addressed. These files need to be processed in a timely manner and on a priority basis as is in the best interest of these children.