Citizenship Application Processing when outside Canada

[aksaks]

Hello All,

We have applied for Citizenship during June 2022. Since then we have moved out of Canada for a job offer and currently expected to be out of Canada for about 2 years. I am trying to understand how this will impact our application processing. I see conflicting information around this,

Will it just delay the application processing by 3-6 months due to additional steps (like interview etc.,)? Or, will the application be put on hold till we return to Canada?

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

 

[ebs2cloud]

Hello All,

We have applied for Citizenship during June 2022. Since then we have moved out of Canada for a job offer and currently expected to be out of Canada for about 2 years. I am trying to understand how this will impact our application processing. I see conflicting information around this,

Will it just delay the application processing by 3-6 months due to additional steps (like interview etc.,)? Or, will the application be put on hold till we return to Canada?

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

Have you taken test already in Canada or outside?

 

[aksaks]

Have you taken test already in Canada or outside?

Yes, about 10 days back, outside Canada. No updates on the final test results yet.

 

[ebs2cloud]

Based on my observation, most likely you'll have an interview that may prolong the process.

Did you inform ircc that you'll be outside of Canada for long term?

 

[forw.jane]

Yes, about 10 days back, outside Canada. No updates on the final test results yet.

Based on the experiences that I read by people who are outside Canada, @Dreamlad is one such applicant, they put your oath on hold till the time you come back to Canada. It's also tricky in the sense that even if you come back to Canada and send them the boarding pass copy there is no guarantee on the time it will take for you to get the Oath date. It will be tricky if you working full time outside Canada to come and wait for months to get an Oath date. Additionally they would add Interview as an additional step to your application processing.

 

[aksaks]

Based on the experiences that I read by people who are outside Canada, @Dreamlad is one such applicant, they put your oath on hold till the time you come back to Canada. It's also tricky in the sense that even if you come back to Canada and send them the boarding pass copy there is no guarantee on the time it will take for you to get the Oath date. It will be tricky if you working full time outside Canada to come and wait for months to get an Oath date. Additionally they would add Interview as an additional step to your application processing.

Thanks, is there any official policy around the requirement to be a Canadian resident at the time of Oath?

 

[Dreamlad]

Thanks, is there any official policy around the requirement to be a Canadian resident at the time of Oath?

No, you just need to continue to be a PR (2 yrs out of 5).
My file was put on hold for 6 months until I returned to Canada.
They don't say it on the table but they don't like you being outside. This is based on my personal experience.
I also know somebody who took oath outside Canada (EU citizen) so this completely depends on your office.

 

[calgybwn]

Hello All,

We have applied for Citizenship during June 2022. Since then we have moved out of Canada for a job offer and currently expected to be out of Canada for about 2 years. I am trying to understand how this will impact our application processing. I see conflicting information around this,

Will it just delay the application processing by 3-6 months due to additional steps (like interview etc.,)? Or, will the application be put on hold till we return to Canada?

Appreciate your inputs. Thanks.

Hi, I was in the same situation, had given the test, fingerprint and all outside Canada. But have comeback to Canada waiting for the oath as they clearly sent me a email stating when I would be back, they wanted me to send the passport page copies and ticket and boarding pass scans to prove I am back. Then they Conducted a phone interview to verify I am back in Canada and where I am working. So yes, I can confirm you need to be inside country for them to proceed with your application. Its been 2 months since I have entered back in the country and waiting for my oath. Until I was outside the country they did not move forward with my file, it was on hold.

 

[Dreamlad]

Hi, I was in the same situation, had given the test, fingerprint and all outside Canada. But have comeback to Canada waiting for the oath as they clearly sent me a email stating when I would be back, they wanted me to send the passport page copies and ticket and boarding pass scans to prove I am back. Then they Conducted a phone interview to verify I am back in Canada and where I am working. So yes, I can confirm you need to be inside country for them to proceed with your application. Its been 2 months since I have entered back in the country and waiting for my oath. Until I was outside the country they did not move forward with my file, it was on hold.

I got DM 2 months after I returned...

 

[aksaks]

Thank you @Dreamlad and @calgybwn for sharing your experiences. Based on the IRCC link (below), it seems to be mentioned like it is fine. But I am guessing the internal process \ requirement is a bit different.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=911&top=5
Yes. You can leave Canada after we receive your application.

If you need to leave Canada and want to stay eligible for Canadian citizenship, you must:

• make sure that you live in Canada long enough to keep your Permanent Resident (PR) status
• be a permanent resident (when you apply)
• not lose PR status before you take the Oath of Citizenship
• bring your PR card with you when you leave Canada so you can return easily

 

[bakshivishal]

I submitted my citizenship application in June 2021 and moved to US 2 months later and have been living in US since. I got my test invite in Dec 2021 and took test from US.
Then I got oath invite in 2022 Oct, I flew to Canada, took my oath, got my certificate and flew back to US.

So, you do not need to be in Canada to get oath invite. But you have to be in Canada to take the oath (there are exceptional cases when they allow oath from outside).

I do not believe they put your application on hold. In case, you haven't heard for months after test, you can write them an email explaining that you can travel back to Canada if you get oath invite; I have seen this work for some people.


Vishal

 

[aksaks]

Thank you @bakshivishal for sharing your experience. Good to see that it gets processed for some cases as well.

 

[forw.jane]

Thank you @bakshivishal for sharing your experience. Good to see that it gets processed for some cases as well.

Looks like IRCC is ok with you being in a European country or USA. Delay arises if you are somewhere else. I hope you also get a normal processing as it can be pretty stressful to have an unending processing.

 

[Dreamlad]

Looks like IRCC is ok with you being in a European country or USA. Delay arises if you are somewhere else. I hope you also get a normal processing as it can be pretty stressful to have an unending processing.

I agree on this. Especially USA.
They clearly could've sent me CIT 0520 this May instead of right after my return.

 

[aksaks]

Thank you @Dreamlad and @forw.jane for the inputs. But while browsing through the threads, I saw at least one case where the person (in USA) returned to Canada before the oath invite. So, I am guessing, it may be based on multiple factors (likely including the 'country of stay' as you mentioned).