Citizenship Test

[dan403]

Hi everyone,
I have my Citizenship test soon but heard from someone the other day that I should get translations for non-english stamps on my passport. Some of my stamps in my passport are in arabic from my travels to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Has anyone else experienced any issues during the citizenship test with non-english stamps on their passport?
Cheers,
Dan

 

[qorax]

@dan403

a) It will be mentioned in your test invite letter
b) If it is, then you'd've to get the Saudi entry/exit stamps translated
c) UAE stamps do not require translation

 

[dan403]

@dan403

a) It will be mentioned in your test invite letter
b) If it is, then you'd've to get the Saudi entry/exit stamps translated
c) UAE stamps do not require translation

So the test invite notice that I got does not mention translating anything. It just states to bring all passports. You are right, UAE stamps do not requite translation, they are already in English....my bad.

 

[btbt]

So the test invite notice that I got does not mention translating anything. It just states to bring all passports. You are right, UAE stamps do not requite translation, they are already in English....my bad.

Some people have had no issues, just bringing in their passports.
Others have been asked to provide translations during their interviews, so had to procure those and mail them in later, delaying the processing of their file.

 

[qorax]

So the test invite notice that I got does not mention translating anything. It just states to bring all passports. You are right, UAE stamps do not requite translation, they are already in English....my bad.

Yes, btbt is correct. There are many applicants who were asked to provide foreign language stamps translated. However imo, it is not the norm. Especially under two scenarios:

#1. If it is "not" asked in the test invite letter, and
#2. If the applicant haven't traveled much thru those regions.

Remember one thing, there are many many citizenship applicants who are "not members" of any forums. If it is not asked in that letter how would they know that these stamps need to be translated?

 

[ssk94]

I had my interview on Thursday. The interviewer noticed some Arabic stamps in my passport and said no one here reads Arabic so they need to ask for my CBSA records and they'll let me know if those stamps need to be translated in two to three weeks, but the next day my status changed to decision made so I assume they don't need the translation.

 

[btbt]

Yes, btbt is correct. There are many applicants who were asked to provide foreign language stamps translated. However imo, it is not the norm. Especially under two scenarios:

#1. If it is "not" asked in the test invite letter, and
#2. If the applicant haven't traveled much thru those regions.

Remember one thing, there are many many citizenship applicants who are "not members" of any forums. If it is not asked in that letter how would they know that these stamps need to be translated?

The thing is: they don't need to ask you to bring them to the interview, because they can ask to provide them afterwards. IIRC doesn't ask explicitly, maybe because they believe that the default policy is clear enough (clearly it isn't) and likely also because they're indifferent to the delay you run into if you have to get them after an interview.

It's clear that they don't always need the translations. What determines that is likely part of internal IIRC policies and guidelines that we are not privy to, and may depend on how well you do in the interview. And thus the decision wasn't made when the test invitation is sent. If nothing in the interview makes them doubt your travel history, or maybe in the interview you can assuage doubts that had been raised in the initial review, and so you may be good to go. Or it goes the other way, and now IIRC wants to double check your story, so they ask you to send in the translations.

As an applicant not bringing translations is not going to cause your application to be denied, but it may be approved a bit later than it would have been otherwise. If IIRC doesn't ask for translations at all (for your particular application) you've saved some money. If they do ask for them, you'll have lost some time.

And so that's the trade-off you have to make as an applicant: time or money.

 

[dan403]

All points seem to be valid. In some cases they might as while in others they might now. The criteria in which they might ask for translations is not very well understood by us and could include a few different things. I guess its a good idea to bring them in just in case they do ask. I am going to try and find a translation agency to get them translated ASAP.