+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Citizenship Test From Outside Canada

cooldoc80

Hero Member
Nov 1, 2010
761
47
NOC Code......
4111
Passport Req..
No PPR yet , just Passport Biopage request
LANDED..........
I'm Dreaming of July/2015
You can take the test outside Canada. However, many applicants are requested to contact IRCC after they are back in Canada (proof of return required) so that further processing (DM/Oath) can continue. I recall reports of some applicants who are taking test outside Canada being asked tentative dates of return to Canada.

I think this varies from person to person, not everyone is processed the same way from the looks of it.
Thanks for replying, I also read that some were asked to report when they come back to canada but i think the majority are not. I tend to think that people who post in form are usually the ones with issues while those who get a straight forward application dont usually share the experience ? I might be wrong ?

I 100% agree with the principal of doing the oath in canada but really it is silly to come back if your outside of canada just to do a 15 min test online!!!!!
 

cooldoc80

Hero Member
Nov 1, 2010
761
47
NOC Code......
4111
Passport Req..
No PPR yet , just Passport Biopage request
LANDED..........
I'm Dreaming of July/2015
Quite a few reports of applicants taking the test outside Canada, but physical presence in Canada is a must for the Oath.
So far I have read of only one individual on the forum who claimed to have taken the Oath outside Canada, so you can decide on its validity.
Oath invite mentions that you confirm you are in Canada before taking the oath.
Some one has also reported a request for submission of all pages of passport after the test abroad. So it would be safe to assume that you will have to return to Canada at some point in time for oath or risk delaying closure.
I dont mind coming back for oath for sure , but my question was would taking the citizenship test trigger a delay in processing if they ask for proof of return
 

rajkamalmohanram

VIP Member
Apr 29, 2015
15,803
5,786
Thanks for replying, I also read that some were asked to report when they come back to canada but i think the majority are not. I tend to think that people who post in form are usually the ones with issues while those who get a straight forward application dont usually share the experience ? I might be wrong ?

I 100% agree with the principal of doing the oath in canada but really it is silly to come back if your outside of canada just to do a 15 min test online!!!!!
No, not necessarily. Straight forward cases are reported on the forum as well, just not as often as some non-routine ones. It is indeed silly for IRCC to expect people to come to Canada for a test that can be completed in less than 10 minutes (I think I took 8 minutes to complete). This practice is now done with, you can certainly take the test outside Canada.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cooldoc80

akbardxb

Champion Member
Nov 18, 2013
1,244
464
Mississauga
LANDED..........
28-03-2014
I dont mind coming back for oath for sure , but my question was would taking the citizenship test trigger a delay in processing if they ask for proof of return
No one can be certain for sure. That is a risk you should be willing to take!

I recently took the Oath. The first question asked by the processing officer was to confirm my presence in Canada.
 

cooldoc80

Hero Member
Nov 1, 2010
761
47
NOC Code......
4111
Passport Req..
No PPR yet , just Passport Biopage request
LANDED..........
I'm Dreaming of July/2015
No, not necessarily. Straight forward cases are reported on the forum as well, just not as often as some non-routine ones. It is indeed silly for IRCC to expect people to come to Canada for a test that can be completed in less than 10 minutes (I think I took 8 minutes to complete). This practice is now done with, you can certainly take the test outside Canada.
Thanks Rajkamalmohanram for your expert opinion.

Do you think I would be safe to do the test outside Canada ? It has been almost a year since I applied and only AOR. I need to go back for my home country to settle things for a couple of months and then move to Australia as I got a 1 year training position. I'm really worried if I take the test while outside they might stop/delay processing of my application!

I don't intend to come back to Canada in the upcoming year at least so i'm not sure if it is worth it to "play it safe" and come back to Canada to do the test?

Your opinion is highly appreciated?
 

cooldoc80

Hero Member
Nov 1, 2010
761
47
NOC Code......
4111
Passport Req..
No PPR yet , just Passport Biopage request
LANDED..........
I'm Dreaming of July/2015
No one can be certain for sure. That is a risk you should be willing to take!

I recently took the Oath. The first question asked by the processing officer was to confirm my presence in Canada.
I believe the oath is a totally different subject though! they expect you to be in Canada when taking the oath. In the citizenship test option it seems they are kinda formally offering you to take the test outside at least by acknowledging this. But who would know what goes in IRCC mind!
 

DODGE1981

Star Member
Sep 2, 2020
50
2
FYI, interview can also be done outside Canada.
Hi , excuse me did they mentioned on the PDF interview invitation that you must be physically in Canada , or it exists on the invitation but there is apoint related if you are outside Canada you send to them and make the interview normally,Thanks
 

DODGE1981

Star Member
Sep 2, 2020
50
2
I took the test from the USA. I sent an email to my local IRCC office putting "Outside Canada" in the subject line, as instructed in the pdf. Within two business days, my local IRCC office gave me the green signal to take the test. I believe it will be wise to wait for their reply. If you don't hear back from them, you can take the test, maybe in the third week of the test window. Also, please check if you can actually log in to the test portal. Because when I tried it for the first time, I found the link broken and had to email technical service to fix that.
Hi , excuse me how you know the email of your officer , because all my conversations already made through the following email :IRCC.MtlConvoTests-ExamensConvoMtl.IRCC@cic.gc.ca or how to know even the office email, Thanks
 

Dreamlad

Champion Member
Jan 11, 2016
1,266
471
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2171
AOR Received.
08-04-2017
Med's Done....
23-06-2017
Hi , excuse me did they mentioned on the PDF interview invitation that you must be physically in Canada , or it exists on the invitation but there is apoint related if you are outside Canada you send to them and make the interview normally,Thanks
In the PDF document attached to the email, they say contact them immediately if you're outside which I did. They said it's ok to take interview outside Canada. Besides, I'm gonna request to take oath outside due to medical condition. Let's see what happens.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DODGE1981

DODGE1981

Star Member
Sep 2, 2020
50
2
In the PDF document attached to the email, they say contact them immediately if you're outside which I did. They said it's ok to take interview outside Canada. Besides, I'm gonna request to take oath outside due to medical condition. Let's see what happens.
Thanks for your reply
 

Dalboy1980

Hero Member
Jan 21, 2016
371
196
I didn't want to reply to a specific post so I thought I'd just send one in general (and by no means I'm an expert but basing it on my own experience and based on what I've read).

Look in an ideal world, yes you will be in Canada, take the test there....take the interview there (if required) and finally the Oath....oh and then apply for the passport.

Myself I was outside of Canada when asked to take the test, originally (before it was allowed), I informed them back in April 2021 that I was outside of the country and I was told to let them know when I returned and that they could hold my application on hold for a maximum of 6 months before it would essentially be returned back to myself.

In June/July (I believe) of 2021 the rules relaxed and applicants were able to take the test outside of Canada, so my wife was able to do that by replying straight back to the email and also I then sent them an email directly, to my surprise they replied and allowed me to do it....usually with their track record they take their time in replying to any query.

So we were both successful in taking out tests outside of Canada in July 2021 and passed the tests, after that we were expecting the lottery of interviews.

The request for interviews did not come, quite possibly because our application was straight forward (not sure what constitutes as being straight forward but UK born, provided passports copies with initial application, degree certs, ties to Canada i.e. mortgage and home docs etc).

However I was asked for a 2nd set of FPrints in Nov which I sent from the UK to an agency in Vancouver who digitally sorted them for me and forwarded then to the RCMP who then forwarded them on to IRCC.

I then took me a few emails to confirm that IRCC had received them as RCMP were not replying and neither were IRCC (initially), they confirmed receipt via an email in December.

Every status was then changed in early Jan and a request was made to attend an Oath in Mid-Feb, which meant flying in from the UK.

Citizenship certs have been received but a passport application will be done from the UK, which is where I am currently back in, now yes I will be moving back to Canada but unsure as to exact date....could be summer or xmas of this year.

Going back to the original question, look tests can be done....interviews have been shown more recently in a handful of replies that they're also possible but yes the Oath is strictly on Canadian soil....again barring one post I've seen here.

Ultimately each case is different and we come here for that re-assurance I guess or the clarity that we require, especially when some of us are abroad for whatever reason that we may be, so take it as it comes, if you're outside then yes currently tests allowed, interviews yes (but again you'll need a good reason I assume as to why)...Oaths....as far as I know 99.9% 'not allowed.'
 

rajkamalmohanram

VIP Member
Apr 29, 2015
15,803
5,786
Thanks Rajkamalmohanram for your expert opinion.

Do you think I would be safe to do the test outside Canada ? It has been almost a year since I applied and only AOR. I need to go back for my home country to settle things for a couple of months and then move to Australia as I got a 1 year training position. I'm really worried if I take the test while outside they might stop/delay processing of my application!

I don't intend to come back to Canada in the upcoming year at least so i'm not sure if it is worth it to "play it safe" and come back to Canada to do the test?

Your opinion is highly appreciated?
How you plan this is up to you. You can either take the test outside Canada or you can return to Canada to take the test and then head to your destination. There might or might not be an email from IRCC asking if you've returned to Canada (I've seen it in some cases / there isn't data or I haven't seen it in others who took the test outside).

Either way, you'll have to come back for oath of citizenship.

Good luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cooldoc80