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

October 11th 2017 - Citizenship Applicants under 3/5 rule

Mugiwara

Member
Nov 5, 2017
19
16
Guys. Update to my case. I cancelled my trip just to attend the oath ceremony this coming feb 27th. I talked to 3 agents and they all have the same answer. I told them that i did the email and webform about rescheduling the oath ceremony. They said it depends to the judge or officer if they will accept my reason not to attend. So i told them if i can still can attend the oath even though i send an email about rescheduling. They said i can. They are not gonna remove my name on the list. I told them why is that. They said because people sending email and letters about not showing up but they still show up. So they said. They will reschedule me AFTER the oath ceremony and do the decision if they will give me a new sched or letter of abandonment w/c is i have to re apply again and they will refund the 100$ w/ is the right of citizenship.

They give me a 2 options,
1. Send an email or letter again saying that i will attend the oath ceremony now
2. Just show up and do the ceremony.

I asked them if what if they approve my reason and give me a new sched. They no. I told u that they will make a decision after ur ceremony. U wont get any emails or update before that day. I said ok. But after that conversation. They congratulate me for becoming a citizen.

Bottom line. I cancel my trip now and i did send again an email saying that i cancel my trip already and i will show up on that day. Hopefully everything will be fine.

So update for my status please

Feb 9 - oath invite thru email
Feb 27 - oath ceremony (8.30am) edmonton

I will update u guys after my ceremony if what will happen. Thanks
I had same issue and they said right your name will be on the list even if you call for cancelling. So go to your oath without stress
 

wins26

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2011
235
56
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
I had same issue and they said right your name will be on the list even if you call for cancelling. So go to your oath without stress
So they are right then eh? Even though u let them know that u wont make it and asking for reschedule. Still your name will be stay on the list
 

emamabd

Champion Member
Jun 22, 2012
1,815
428
Guys. Update to my case. I cancelled my trip just to attend the oath ceremony this coming feb 27th. I talked to 3 agents and they all have the same answer. I told them that i did the email and webform about rescheduling the oath ceremony. They said it depends to the judge or officer if they will accept my reason not to attend. So i told them if i can still can attend the oath even though i send an email about rescheduling. They said i can. They are not gonna remove my name on the list. I told them why is that. They said because people sending email and letters about not showing up but they still show up. So they said. They will reschedule me AFTER the oath ceremony and do the decision if they will give me a new sched or letter of abandonment w/c is i have to re apply again and they will refund the 100$ w/ is the right of citizenship.

They give me a 2 options,
1. Send an email or letter again saying that i will attend the oath ceremony now
2. Just show up and do the ceremony.

I asked them if what if they approve my reason and give me a new sched. They no. I told u that they will make a decision after ur ceremony. U wont get any emails or update before that day. I said ok. But after that conversation. They congratulate me for becoming a citizen.

Bottom line. I cancel my trip now and i did send again an email saying that i cancel my trip already and i will show up on that day. Hopefully everything will be fine.

So update for my status please

Feb 9 - oath invite thru email
Feb 27 - oath ceremony (8.30am) edmonton

I will update u guys after my ceremony if what will happen. Thanks
Makes a lot of sense, better to attend Oath and get your passport done then you'll be free to travel/return whenever you want
 
  • Like
Reactions: wins26

wins26

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2011
235
56
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Makes a lot of sense, better to attend Oath and get your passport done then you'll be free to travel/return whenever you want
Yeah that is what i am going to do know. I rather cancel my flight and attend the oath. Otherwise have some regret after if ever
 

halifaxmember

Newbie
Jan 9, 2018
7
5
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
 

emamabd

Champion Member
Jun 22, 2012
1,815
428
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
I think this (183 cumulative during the past 4 years) was clearly specified in the checklist/required documents (Step 4, item # 10):

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-0002-application-canadian-citizenship-under-subsection-5-1-adults-18-years-older.html#Step3

Within the last 4 years, if you spent 183 days or more in another country (other than Canada), you must provide a police certificate. You must provide a police certificate for each country where you spent 183 days or more. If you cannot get a police certificate, tell us why.
Example 1
In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to France that lasted 200 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from France.
Example 2
In the past 4 years, you took 10 trips to the United States of America (USA). Each trip lasted 3 weeks, for a total of 210 days. You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from the USA.
Example 3
In the past 4 years, you spent one year (365 days) working in Singapore. While working in Singapore, you took a trip to Malaysia (10 days) and Thailand (10 days). You would answer “Yes” to the question and you would need to provide a police certificate from Singapore. You would not need to provide police certificates from Malaysia or Thailand.
Example 4
In the past 4 years, you took one (1) trip to Europe where you visited Portugal (5 days), Spain (7 days), France (10 days), Belgium (3 days), Netherlands (3 days), Germany (21 days), Switzerland (7 days) and Italy (21 days). You took a second trip to Europe where you visited Ireland (14 days), Scotland (14 days) and England (21 days). You went to Germany for a business trip that lasted 60 days. The total time you were outside of Canada was 186 days but you were not in a single country for 183 days or more. You would answer “No” to the question and you would not need to provide police certificates from any of the countries.


Anyway, good luck and hope it isn't a big hassle to get your Police clearance.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: halifaxmember

CANADIANZ

Hero Member
Mar 30, 2017
386
199
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
I think you are very lucky! In your case it was a requirement to submit police clearance from your home country with your application. Which you did not, and officer could have returned your application before sending AOR (considering it incomplete). This has happened and normally happens!

So as soon as you can get the clearance send it and you will be all done! Good luck!
 

HRHJohn

Member
Mar 14, 2013
19
13
My case still has not been added to the spreadsheet

Location: Toronto
Application: Single adult
Physical presence days: 1331.5 (982 days as PR, 349 days credited pre-PR)
Date sent: October 11, 2017
Date received: October 18, 2017
Date acknowledged: November 23, 2017
Date placed into processing: December 8, 2017
 

rajmalhotra7

VIP Member
Apr 5, 2010
3,142
803
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
My case still has not been added to the spreadsheet

Location: Toronto
Application: Single adult
Physical presence days: 1331.5 (982 days as PR, 349 days credited pre-PR)
Date sent: October 11, 2017
Date received: October 18, 2017
Date acknowledged: November 23, 2017
Date placed into processing: December 8, 2017
Added. Good Luck!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: HRHJohn

derin1010

Hero Member
Oct 18, 2017
390
105
51
Toronto
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
Am in the same situation. I was told by the officer after the test/interview that they will send me a fingerprint request. It's over a month now. Am still waiting for the FP request.
 

Stef.

Hero Member
Apr 5, 2017
603
164
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
This is nothing to worry about and it happens regularly. Just submit your fingerprints and it will be fine. A friend of mine did the same thing and she got decision made shortly after. It does say though on the website that the 183 days can be a sum of different trips.
 

jay2100

Newbie
Feb 1, 2018
7
1
Hi Everybody,

I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
How did you prepare for test?
 

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,435
3,183
I just finished my test and there are 2 news, good and bad. The good one is i got 20/20 on the test but the bad news is during my interview the interviewer mentioned that i need to submit finger prints/police clearance from my home country as i have spent more than 183 days cumulative during the last 4 years, not in one trip (i didn't spend more than 183 days in one trip) but all my trips (5 trips) to my home country were 233 days combined. I thought the 183 days rule is in a single trip

Did anybody face the same issue or the interviewer just being not nice to me?
As @emamabd and @Stef. have noted, the application instructions are actually quite clear, and if there is any doubt, as @emamabd referenced and quoted, the help and guide examples explicitly make it clear that 183 days in total, not just in one trip, not just in one year, triggers the requirement to include a police clearance (or explain why one cannot be obtained) with the application.

So, no, the interviewer was not singling you out. Given the total amount of time you spent in another country, IRCC has put the burden on you to prove you have no prohibitions for criminal charges or convictions in that country. This has been a standard part of the application since the June 2015 version.


This is nothing to worry about and it happens regularly. Just submit your fingerprints and it will be fine. A friend of mine did the same thing and she got decision made shortly after. It does say though on the website that the 183 days can be a sum of different trips.
This is not a fingerprint request but rather a police clearance request, for which typically (for at least some countries), requires making a formal request to that country, with accompanying FPs to facilitate the criminal history check.

I think you are very lucky! In your case it was a requirement to submit police clearance from your home country with your application. Which you did not, and officer could have returned your application before sending AOR (considering it incomplete). This has happened and normally happens!
I am guessing @halifaxmember checked "no" in response to item 10.b That will not cause an application to be returned due to a failure to include a police certificate, since the instructions tell applicants they should submit a police certificate for any country they checked "yes" for in response to item 10.b

Technically it is a misrepresentation, since the truthful response should have been "yes." So far IRCC seems readily satisfied that applicants who checked "no," despite having been in a country 183 or more total days in the preceding four years, did so in error or due to a misunderstanding, and thus it is not considered to be a material misrepresentation.

Overall, remember that the completeness check is about completeness, not an accuracy check. There could be scores of problems in the application which will not trigger the application being returned.

Am in the same situation. I was told by the officer after the test/interview that they will send me a fingerprint request. It's over a month now. Am still waiting for the FP request.
If you are in the same situation as @halifaxmember, perhaps you misunderstood what the interviewer said. In particular, if you erroneously checked "no" in response to the item (item 10 in current application) asking if you were in another country a total of 183 or more days, over the four years preceding the date you applied, but you were in another country 183 or more days, you may have been instructed you need a police clearance from that country and you will need to submit your FPs with your request for the clearance.

If the interviewer specifically said you will be sent a request for FPs, that is a different situation. That would be more like the situation reported by @Stef. . . . and for most there is little delay due to this once the FPs are submitted.

I am not sure if IRCC only makes a verbal request in the situation reported by @halifaxmember or if the applicant should expect to get a written request to submit the respective police clearance.

Any applicant who realizes he or she should have checked "yes" they were in another country 183 or more days total, and submitted a police certificate, should just go ahead and obtain the police certificate whether a formal written request to do so has been received or not. Doing this could save a considerable amount of time.