Leaving Canada after applying for citizenship. What to do with CRA, child benefit, taxes and driving licence?

[Elkam123]

This is a rather complex question. But hope anyone can direct me to where can I find answers.

I applied for citizenship about a month ago. I plan to leave Canada for 2-3 years. I know I must notify different agencies that I left Canada. I want to do everything in the right way so it doesn't affect my application.

First Canada revenue agency and Quebec revenue and child benefit? how to handle those? notify before I leave or after I leave? and how to notify?

I want to keep my driving licence until I return. The 5 years will expire soon and I will not be in Canada then. Any idea how to handle that?

Appreciate if anyone can help.

 

[sookie85]

This is a rather complex question. But hope anyone can direct me to where can I find answers.

I applied for citizenship about a month ago. I plan to leave Canada for 2-3 years. I know I must notify different agencies that I left Canada. I want to do everything in the right way so it doesn't affect my application.

First Canada revenue agency and Quebec revenue and child benefit? how to handle those? notify before I leave or after I leave? and how to notify?

I want to keep my driving licence until I return. The 5 years will expire soon and I will not be in Canada then. Any idea how to handle that?

Appreciate if anyone can help.

Hi,

If you move and you don't plan to declare income to Canada you can switch to a non-resident account on My CRA account online. It is a simple procedure where you are asked a few questions. If you don't have access to My CRA you can contact them via phone. I believe once you notify CRA they will notify Quebec Revenue as well (not 100% sure). CRA will automatically adjust your CCB entitlement.

Regarding DL, you will have to switch to a local DL wherever you move to within a specified period of time. You can keep the old one, and renew when you get back.

A little piece of advice, do not move prior to getting your AoR!

Good luck with your move!

 

[from_india_to_canada]

Hi,

If you move you don't plan to declare income to Canada you can switch to a non-resident account on My CRA account online. It is a simple procedure where you are asked a few questions. If you don't have access to My CRA you can contact them via phone. I believe once you notify CRA they will notify Quebec Revenue as well (not 100% sure). CRA will automatically adjust your CCB entitlement.

Regarding DL, you will have to switch to a local DL wherever you move to within a specified period of time. You can keep the old one, and renew when you get back.

A little piece of advice, do not move prior to getting your AoR!

Good luck with your move!

may i ask why no move before AOR? thanks. is it because application may get returned?

 

[sookie85]

may i ask why no move before AOR? thanks. is it because application may get returned?

Exactly.

 

[canuck78]

This is a rather complex question. But hope anyone can direct me to where can I find answers.

I applied for citizenship about a month ago. I plan to leave Canada for 2-3 years. I know I must notify different agencies that I left Canada. I want to do everything in the right way so it doesn't affect my application.

First Canada revenue agency and Quebec revenue and child benefit? how to handle those? notify before I leave or after I leave? and how to notify?

I want to keep my driving licence until I return. The 5 years will expire soon and I will not be in Canada then. Any idea how to handle that?

Appreciate if anyone can help.

You should speak to CRA directly because determining your tax residency status is more complicated and depends on what assets, family, property, etc. you have in Canada. That will determine whether you qualify for CCB and you can also put that on hold. You also must inform your provincial health program of your absence.

 

[limhockkiong]

@from_india_to_canada @Elkam123

Something worth considering and confirming with an immigration lawyer and IRCC. I learned from this forum about the need to fulfill the residence obligation (RO) of 1095 days (3 years) in the last 5 years and the "last 5 years" is a rolling 5 years time window.

I learned that it is not a one off or one time requirement at the time of citizenship application. That is to say, if you apply for citizenship at say. 01 December 2021, you must have stayed in Canada for 3 years in the last 5 years (01 Dec 2021 to 01 Dec 2016 time window). And at the time of citizenship exam and oath ceremony, the same RO applies at those points in time depending on when those steps take place in your citizenship process. And it sounds like these key milestones are being delayed significantly due to covid.

So, in this example timeline of 01 Dec 2021 (when you apply for citizenship), if your oath ceremony is not until two years later on 01 Dec 2023, you might not fulfill the RO later because you leave Canada after passing the exam. This is because the "last 5 years" will be counted from 01 Dec 2023 to 01 Dec 2018 and you might have clocked in 3 years from 01 Dec 2016 to 01 Dec 2019 but for whatever reason, not apply for citizenship until 01 Dec 2021.

Might not apply to your situation if you have only clocked in the 3 years towards the latter part of the"last 5 years" time window. I am also not sure if this "rolling 5 year time window" is accurate.

 

[amrelroby]

This is a rather complex question. But hope anyone can direct me to where can I find answers.

I applied for citizenship about a month ago. I plan to leave Canada for 2-3 years. I know I must notify different agencies that I left Canada. I want to do everything in the right way so it doesn't affect my application.

First Canada revenue agency and Quebec revenue and child benefit? how to handle those? notify before I leave or after I leave? and how to notify?

I want to keep my driving licence until I return. The 5 years will expire soon and I will not be in Canada then. Any idea how to handle that?

Appreciate if anyone can help.

I think this the answer to your exact question is on the cic site, see the link below.
In short, you can leave but just make sure you do not lose your PR status before the oath which means do not stay more than 3 years abroad in last 5 years. Nothing about maintaining 1095 days citizenship requirement in last 5 years till oath.

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=911&top=5

 

[cooldoc80]

Exactly.

Sookie , just a quick question please. My wife applied for citizenship in December 2020 and her application is in process now. But the problem is that she asked to change her birth date.

They sent her an email saying “ if she wish to amend date of birth on landing document “ then she should apply a form to amend the date and then get back to the IRCC . They asked to reply to them within a month!

The said that ”citizenship may or may not change the date on the landing document” but according to thier policy they could only issue the citizenship as the information are listed on the landing document?

So my question is that my wife is already leaving for a 1 year master degree to the UK , is it safe to do so ?

WE already replied to them 2 weeks ago to their email saying that We do not wish to change the date of birth and to process the application as it is ? I’m not so sure what will they do ? can they return the whole application after it is in process!

Thanks for your reply.

 

[sookie85]

Sookie , just a quick question please. My wife applied for citizenship in December 2020 and her application is in process now. But the problem is that she asked to change her birth date.

They sent her an email saying “ if she wish to amend date of birth on landing document “ then she should apply a form to amend the date and then get back to the IRCC . They asked to reply to them within a month!

The said that ”citizenship may or may not change the date on the landing document” but according to thier policy they could only issue the citizenship as the information are listed on the landing document?

So my question is that my wife is already leaving for a 1 year master degree to the UK , is it safe to do so ?

WE already replied to them 2 weeks ago to their email saying that We do not wish to change the date of birth and to process the application as it is ? I’m not so sure what will they do ? can they return the whole application after it is in process!

Thanks for your reply.

Hi,

If you have already informed them that you do not intend to make any further changes you should be fine. Are you planning to inform them about your absence? If not, make sure you update your physical address where you have access i.e. a relative or friend.

I am also planning to move to Germany for work in late Sept. once I get fully vaccinated, but can be back once invited for a citizenship test and oath.

 

[from_india_to_canada]

Hi,

If you have already informed them that you do not intend to make any further changes you should be fine. Are you planning to inform them about your absence? If not, make sure you update your physical address where you have access i.e. a relative or friend.

I am also planning to move to Germany for work in late Sept. once I get fully vaccinated, but can be back once invited for a citizenship test and oath.

when you move to germany, do you plan to update your living address to be in germany, while mailing address to be in canada?

Thanks

 

[sookie85]

when you move to germany, do you plan to update your living address to be in germany, while mailing address to be in canada?

Thanks

I hope I'll get a test invite until then, but if not I'll update my physical address to Germany and leave the current one as it is and ask my landlord to notify me in case they send something via snail mail.

 

[Mexontario]

@from_india_to_canada @Elkam123

Something worth considering and confirming with an immigration lawyer and IRCC. I learned from this forum about the need to fulfill the residence obligation (RO) of 1095 days (3 years) in the last 5 years and the "last 5 years" is a rolling 5 years time window.

I learned that it is not a one off or one time requirement at the time of citizenship application. That is to say, if you apply for citizenship at say. 01 December 2021, you must have stayed in Canada for 3 years in the last 5 years (01 Dec 2021 to 01 Dec 2016 time window). And at the time of citizenship exam and oath ceremony, the same RO applies at those points in time depending on when those steps take place in your citizenship process. And it sounds like these key milestones are being delayed significantly due to covid.

So, in this example timeline of 01 Dec 2021 (when you apply for citizenship), if your oath ceremony is not until two years later on 01 Dec 2023, you might not fulfill the RO later because you leave Canada after passing the exam. This is because the "last 5 years" will be counted from 01 Dec 2023 to 01 Dec 2018 and you might have clocked in 3 years from 01 Dec 2016 to 01 Dec 2019 but for whatever reason, not apply for citizenship until 01 Dec 2021.

Might not apply to your situation if you have only clocked in the 3 years towards the latter part of the"last 5 years" time window. I am also not sure if this "rolling 5 year time window" is accurate.

WRONG...Residency obligation for PR is 2 out of 5 years. Anyone applying for citizenship need to prove they have maintained their PR status indicating they are in Canada 2 out of the last 5 years on the day of oath ceremony!! 3 years is a requirement for citizenship on the day before signing citizenship application. Both cannot be combined and interpreted in a convenient way.

 

[cooldoc80]

Hi,

If you have already informed them that you do not intend to make any further changes you should be fine. Are you planning to inform them about your absence? If not, make sure you update your physical address where you have access i.e. a relative or friend.

I am also planning to move to Germany for work in late Sept. once I get fully vaccinated, but can be back once invited for a citizenship test and oath.

Thanks Sookie85

Actually the application is for my wife not me. I’m not sure if we need to notify them ? The thing is that i will stay with the kids in canada while she is doing her Master degree for the next year. I really hope they would decide to process her application with the date shown on her landing document and ignore our initial request to change the date!

The reason why we decided to do so is that i check the processing for amendment of the landing document and it is 6 months!! And after that we will have to correct the PR card and then get back to the citizenship!

Do you recommend she notify them ? I think if she do , her application will get delayed . She can definitely come back whenever needed? I hope she get to do the test atleast before next september when she leaves?

thanks and all the best to you

 

[sookie85]

Thanks Sookie85

Actually the application is for my wife not me. I’m not sure if we need to notify them ? The thing is that i will stay with the kids in canada while she is doing her Master degree for the next year. I really hope they would decide to process her application with the date shown on her landing document and ignore our initial request to change the date!

The reason why we decided to do so is that i check the processing for amendment of the landing document and it is 6 months!! And after that we will have to correct the PR card and then get back to the citizenship!

Do you recommend she notify them ? I think if she do , her application will get delayed . She can definitely come back whenever needed? I hope she get to do the test atleast before next september when she leaves?

thanks and all the best to you

If I were you I would not notify them as this will delay the application. If you are staying that's even better.

Good luck!

 

[limhockkiong]

WRONG...Residency obligation for PR is 2 out of 5 years. Anyone applying for citizenship need to prove they have maintained their PR status indicating they are in Canada 2 out of the last 5 years on the day of oath ceremony!! 3 years is a requirement for citizenship on the day before signing citizenship application. Both cannot be combined and interpreted in a convenient way.

Thanks for the correction @Mexontario . Is the 2 and 3 years out of the 5 years time window a rolling 5 years time window?