Yes, I know I know, why start a new thread, there already are so many. 
However, I feared that this FAQ would get lost if I posted it as a reply in one of the other threads.
I started an FAQ.
Note: I am posting the original version of the FAQ here but the Forum won't allow me to update the post after some hours (one can only edit posts in the first hours). So please check the current version of the FAQ on these two webpages:
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=citizenshipgeneral
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=policecertificates
FAQ
What should I worry about?
Yes, no matter if you want to claim credit or not, you must supply all information for the full five years.
It is hard to answer a question on the form, I think it needs clarification, what should I do?
By the nature of forms, it might happen that a particular question is hard to answer for you since it is ambiguous because of your special situation. If there are such questions, do the following:
You can of course but you don't have to. These are the rules:
Question 9c is confusing me. I lived outside of Canada but I wasn't a Crown Servant. Why should I fill that weird form?
Full disclosure: IRCC made a mistake with the form here and it will hopefully corrected soon. Here is my personal recommendation (note: I am not a lawyer) on how to deal with it.
No, section 10(a) is only about your residential addresses and section 11 is only about your major activities (work, study, unemployment, …). It is not the length of stay that matters but if you were residing there or not. Example: If you went to London for four weeks for an internship, you were residing there. You need to mention that period in question 10(a) and 11. If you went to London for four weeks on an extended vacation and went sightseeing/traveling, you were not residing there. Your residential address was still the one where you actually live. There is no clear cut rule what is residential and what isn't. Use your own judgement and intuition.
Note: Of course you need to list every single vacation abroad in the physical presence calculator. Just because you don't need to list it in Question 10(a) and 11 that doesn't mean it doesn't matter for physical presence.
Question 11: What is with the contact name for employment & education history?
Think of it like this: List a person that, if contacted, could - with authority - say, "Yes, that person worked/studied here." For school, add the name of your college registrar. For work, the name of your supervisor is better than the name of your colleague.
Question 12(a): I am sending my application in 2017, do I have to list 2017 as a tax year in the application?
No, because obviously no one could file a tax return for 2017 yet. Only list 2016, 2015, 2014, …
Question 14(a): Is a visa travel document?
No. Passports a refugee travel documents are travel documents. A Visa is something that is just added to your passport. Think of it like this: The MAJOR document you show at the border is a travel document. Yes you also might show your visa at the border. But still, the most important document you show is the passport. But, for example, in Europe people can use a so called identity card to cross the border. That is also a travel document. It can be used to cross borders. Another example is a NEXUS card or an enhanced drivers licence. But unless you are an American or Canadian citizen it is very unlikely that you have an enhanced drivers licence.
Police Certificate
In what case do I need a police certificate?
If you spent more than 183 days in a single foreign country in the last four years before applying.
If, for example, you spent 100 days in France and 90 days in China, you don't need to provide police certificates for either country.
What if I have been to a country for more than 183 days but not in a single visit?
You still need to provide a police certificate. If for example you went to France five times and each time you spend 40 days there, you spent a total of 200 days in France and need a police certificate.
I only visited the country, I didn't really live there. Do I still need a certificate?
No matter if you were there to eat croissants or to work, if you spent a total of more than 183 days in France, you need a police certificate.
How does the four-year threshold work? Do they count calendar years?
No, count exactly four years, not calendar years. If, for example, you apply on October 20, 2017, count the days since October 20, 2013.
I landed as a PR on XX, do I still need a police certificate for the time before
Your landing date is completely irrelevant for the police certificate threshold. You always go exactly four years back and count the days abroad.
How do I get a police certificate for country X?
Follow the link above, there is a complete list.
Has the four-year threshold changed with Bill C-6?
No, it remains the same. The four year rule for police certificates is independent of the years that are considered for the residency requirement.
However, I feared that this FAQ would get lost if I posted it as a reply in one of the other threads.
I started an FAQ.
Note: I am posting the original version of the FAQ here but the Forum won't allow me to update the post after some hours (one can only edit posts in the first hours). So please check the current version of the FAQ on these two webpages:
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=citizenshipgeneral
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=policecertificates
FAQ
What should I worry about?
- Double check the document checklist. Triple check the document checklist. Make sure you forgot no required document.
- Make sure you sign both your application and the printout of the residency calculator.
- Do not leave any gaps in your history. Not even a single day. It is fine if periods overlap. You can be both a student and a part-time employee. But make sure you don't leave a gap. Put “unemployed” or “housewife/househusband” etc.
- "The perfect wording". Simply be honest and clar. An example: You have to list your status in Canada before PR. Some people were on implied status for a while and they ask if they should write “implied status” or “study permit” or “study permit/implied status”. Your form will be read by a human. They can process different descriptions. Just make sure you are clear an concise. There is no “perfect wording”.
- Adding unnecessary documentation. For example, they only ask you to copy the bio page of your passport. You do not need to have your passport stamps copied and/or translated. If they want to see those stamps, they will contact you later.
- Processing Time. Questions like “I am XXX/I have done XXX, will that affect my processing time?” are not really helpful. To be honest, no one really knows. And also to be honest it wouldn't really help you if you know the answer to that question. Processing times depend on many things, most of them out of your control.
- Ambiguous Questions. If you feel it's hard to reply to question within the very strict structure of the form, simply attach an explanation (see below).
Yes, no matter if you want to claim credit or not, you must supply all information for the full five years.
It is hard to answer a question on the form, I think it needs clarification, what should I do?
By the nature of forms, it might happen that a particular question is hard to answer for you since it is ambiguous because of your special situation. If there are such questions, do the following:
- Answer the question on the form as well as you can
- Add an additional page to your application (printed is better than handwritten)
- On top of the page write “Application for Citizenship on YYYY-MM-DD by Bob Chen, date of birth YYYY-MM-DD, Additional information”
- Then for each question/answer you want to explain, first write the question you refer to, then write the explanation.
- Generally: Write as much as necessary but not more. Don't write a whole page of explanation for a single question. Be concise and to the point.
You can of course but you don't have to. These are the rules:
- Obviously you can't sign a future date.
- Most importantly: Do not sign with the date you expect the application to arrive at the office. That is a date in the future and might mean your application will be returned.
- On the other hand, after you dated and signed the application, you have 90 days until the application has to be at the office. Note: It has to reach the office on the 90th day. It is not enough to send it off on the 90th day.
Question 9c is confusing me. I lived outside of Canada but I wasn't a Crown Servant. Why should I fill that weird form?
Full disclosure: IRCC made a mistake with the form here and it will hopefully corrected soon. Here is my personal recommendation (note: I am not a lawyer) on how to deal with it.
- If you did not live outside of Canada in the eligibility period (five years), tick “No” and you are good.
- If you lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period and you actually were a crown servant of Canada (unlikely), tick “Yes” and fill that extra form.
- Those of you who lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period but were not crown servants, tick “Yes” or “No” but - and this is the important part - add an explanation page to your application saying something like this (use your own words, don't just copy this): “Question 9c: This question is a bit unclear so I want to clarify the situation: Yes, I lived outside Canada during the eligibility period, but No, I do not want to claim residency credit for that time outside of Canada. That rare situation does not apply to me. This is why I did not fill the additional form since there is no residency outside Canada to claim.”
No, section 10(a) is only about your residential addresses and section 11 is only about your major activities (work, study, unemployment, …). It is not the length of stay that matters but if you were residing there or not. Example: If you went to London for four weeks for an internship, you were residing there. You need to mention that period in question 10(a) and 11. If you went to London for four weeks on an extended vacation and went sightseeing/traveling, you were not residing there. Your residential address was still the one where you actually live. There is no clear cut rule what is residential and what isn't. Use your own judgement and intuition.
Note: Of course you need to list every single vacation abroad in the physical presence calculator. Just because you don't need to list it in Question 10(a) and 11 that doesn't mean it doesn't matter for physical presence.
Question 11: What is with the contact name for employment & education history?
Think of it like this: List a person that, if contacted, could - with authority - say, "Yes, that person worked/studied here." For school, add the name of your college registrar. For work, the name of your supervisor is better than the name of your colleague.
Question 12(a): I am sending my application in 2017, do I have to list 2017 as a tax year in the application?
No, because obviously no one could file a tax return for 2017 yet. Only list 2016, 2015, 2014, …
Question 14(a): Is a visa travel document?
No. Passports a refugee travel documents are travel documents. A Visa is something that is just added to your passport. Think of it like this: The MAJOR document you show at the border is a travel document. Yes you also might show your visa at the border. But still, the most important document you show is the passport. But, for example, in Europe people can use a so called identity card to cross the border. That is also a travel document. It can be used to cross borders. Another example is a NEXUS card or an enhanced drivers licence. But unless you are an American or Canadian citizen it is very unlikely that you have an enhanced drivers licence.
Police Certificate
In what case do I need a police certificate?
If you spent more than 183 days in a single foreign country in the last four years before applying.
If, for example, you spent 100 days in France and 90 days in China, you don't need to provide police certificates for either country.
What if I have been to a country for more than 183 days but not in a single visit?
You still need to provide a police certificate. If for example you went to France five times and each time you spend 40 days there, you spent a total of 200 days in France and need a police certificate.
I only visited the country, I didn't really live there. Do I still need a certificate?
No matter if you were there to eat croissants or to work, if you spent a total of more than 183 days in France, you need a police certificate.
How does the four-year threshold work? Do they count calendar years?
No, count exactly four years, not calendar years. If, for example, you apply on October 20, 2017, count the days since October 20, 2013.
I landed as a PR on XX, do I still need a police certificate for the time before
Your landing date is completely irrelevant for the police certificate threshold. You always go exactly four years back and count the days abroad.
How do I get a police certificate for country X?
Follow the link above, there is a complete list.
Has the four-year threshold changed with Bill C-6?
No, it remains the same. The four year rule for police certificates is independent of the years that are considered for the residency requirement.
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