Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posted on: 15-03-08 01:59:37
Hello there,
I'll be eligible to apply for my citizenship in April 2007. While filling out my application form and residency calculator I am facing some issues.
I landed in Canada in April 2003 but went back to the US immediately (next day) as I was doing my MS in Computer Engineering from California and wanted to complete my degree before moving to Canada permanently. In 2004 I made two brief visits to India from the US.
Having completed my degree in December 2004, I moved permanently to Toronto in January 2005.
My two questions are,
- When filling out the application form, I'm showing my absence (in the last four years) from April 2004 to January 2005 with the reason that I was doing my MS. Do I also need to indicate my two visits to India in 2004? I would think not because I'm already claiming that I was out of Canada. Moreover these visits were made from the US to India.
- Will this extended absence from Canada after landing negatively effect my application in any way? Should I be expecting an RQ? And/or an interview with a Judge?
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally posted by MississaugaX
Hello there,
I'll be eligible to apply for my citizenship in April 2007. While filling out my application form and residency calculator I am facing some issues.
I landed in Canada in April 2003 but went back to the US immediately (next day) as I was doing my MS in Computer Engineering from California and wanted to complete my degree before moving to Canada permanently. In 2004 I made two brief visits to India from the US.
Having completed my degree in December 2004, I moved permanently to Toronto in January 2005.
My two questions are,
- When filling out the application form, I'm showing my absence (in the last four years) from April 2004 to January 2005 with the reason that I was doing my MS. Do I also need to indicate my two visits to India in 2004? I would think not because I'm already claiming that I was out of Canada. Moreover these visits were made from the US to India.
- Will this extended absence from Canada after landing negatively effect my application in any way? Should I be expecting an RQ? And/or an interview with a Judge?
Thanks!
_____________________________________________________________
CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP -RECORDS OF EVENTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
Hello,
It will be advantageous to you, if you can generate the events that led to your sudden departure to the United States, from April 2003, for furthering in your Education at California. Please make sure that you have explanations for the full five year period, to date.
You could start with the date of filing your application with the CHC for PR Visa.
Your obtaining a Visa for entry into the United States for higher studies.
Your Date of applying for the studies and the acceptance.
The time delay in receiving of the COPR from the date of Original Application.
The timing of your arrival here in Canada and the immediate departure to the
location of studies, et all should be documented with records, such as the correspondence and the logical turn of events that led to the absence.
Time taken to graduate and the obtaining of your MS Degree and the date of obtaining the Degree.
The reasons for the short trips to the native land and the dates with proof from your Passport entries.
Your date of re-entry into Canada.
Rent records and the Lease agreements with payments to the landlord.
Your employment records and the salary slips and annual filing of the tax returns from the time of re-entry.
Your activities in any of the Cultural Organizations here in Canada. If there be any records of payment of dues and Group Pictures taken from time to time. You could also include any of the 'Events that took place at work'.
Other Proofs that you have maintained through Motor Vehicle Insurance, obtaining of your Driver's license here locally, bank statements and expenditures and anything that will link your day to day activities with Canada or a group in Canada, even if it might seem trivial to you, but might help you in your efforts in trying to settle down in this New country Canada will go a long way in helping your self obtain the Canadian Citizenship without any undue questioning or investigation by the judge in whose laps these papers will land. (Even Telephone Bills and long distance calls could be produced if the need arises)
I would urge you to prepare a chronological summary of events and the links to the papers that you will have to support them, as they happened, if they ever become necessary.
Canadian Government has all of the dates and clearances through the Police Records upto the time of landing here. Now the onus is upon you to provide them with all of the events with details, as to the period of lapse and with the next set of records for to fill in the GAP in time, till the time of re-entry.
After your arrival and obtaining the employment and settling down, provide them with the subsequent support documents, IF THEY EVER CALL FOR.
How they will evaluate such absence depends upon how articulately you prepare your summary of events and how short and sweet it will seem to the judge in whose lap these papers will land.
I am sure you will be very comprehensive and neat in your preparation of the same. Please make sure you attach this summary with your Citizenship application and the fees for it.
Also remember that it is time NOW for the renewal of your PR Card a second time.
Good Luck to you.
Freddie.
___________________________________________________________
Looks like you are not out of status for residency obligations and also completed 3 out of 4 years condition for citizenship (assuming you have been here since Jan. 2005 without any absence) , you should be fine and may not need to present all these documents mentioed above unless asked !!
you may include a note with your application stating the fact that you visited India from US during the time you were absent from Canada for studies, don't seem to be a big issue. if in doubt you may try some settelment org who help people with immigartion/citizenship application and usually don't charge you.
Good luck
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Kind Regards
Shah
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posted on: 16-03-08 12:40:25
Thanks Freddie and Shah.
Yeah, that was my main worry. How much of the supporting material should I be sending with my application. My objective is to minimize my chances of getting an RQ or interview with a judge as that would just add around a year to the citizenship application times.
BTW, I had a green card when I arrived here in Toronto in 2005. I surrendered my green card to the US immigration authorities because 1) I couldn't keep both US and Canadian residency at the same time and 2) I have a lot of family in Canada so didn't plan on returning back to the US.
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posted on: 09-04-08 20:55:18
I had another question. I'm filling my application and there are questions 7 (a) and (b) which ask when you received your permanent residency and when you came to Canada to live. Since I first landed here on April 2003 I'll put that date in 7 (a). I permanently moved to Canada in January 2005. Should I put Jan 2005 in 7 (b) or April 2003?
I called CIC and they said to put January 2005 in 7 (b). However the residency calculator has similar questions but it will not let me put January 2005 as an answer, saying that the date should be before or the same as when I got my permanent residence.
Isn't this contradictory to what the CIC guys told me?
Location: Mississauga/ Toronto, Can
Posted on: 09-04-08 22:08:26
Quote:
Originally posted by MississaugaX
I had another question. I'm filling my application and there are questions 7 (a) and (b) which ask when you received your permanent residency and when you came to Canada to live. Since I first landed here on April 2003 I'll put that date in 7 (a). I permanently moved to Canada in January 2005. Should I put Jan 2005 in 7 (b) or April 2003?
I called CIC and they said to put January 2005 in 7 (b). However the residency calculator has similar questions but it will not let me put January 2005 as an answer, saying that the date should be before or the same as when I got my permanent residence.
Isn't this contradictory to what the CIC guys told me?
I would consider the CIC website's residency calculator authentic, mainly because you need to submit the print out of the same with your out-of-Canada dates along with your application for citizenship.
Trinity
Dont worry too much about ur extended absence as it falls within the 2 years in 5 years rule.
Make sure u have sufficient proof in terms of passport stampings, rent receipt, pay slips etc..
If they have doubts they will ask questions and delay ur process but they cannot deny u as long as u meet requirements..
Ur first landing date should be April 2003 and rest of the entry exit dates should be shown as absence..
Quote:
Originally posted by MississaugaX
I had another question. I'm filling my application and there are questions 7 (a) and (b) which ask when you received your permanent residency and when you came to Canada to live. Since I first landed here on April 2003 I'll put that date in 7 (a). I permanently moved to Canada in January 2005. Should I put Jan 2005 in 7 (b) or April 2003?
I called CIC and they said to put January 2005 in 7 (b). However the residency calculator has similar questions but it will not let me put January 2005 as an answer, saying that the date should be before or the same as when I got my permanent residence.
Isn't this contradictory to what the CIC guys told me?
