applied for citizenship but had to move back to UK

[PaulSingh]

Hi, moved to Surrey, bc in 2006 with my wife whom is a permanent resident to wich I applied ans received on 2007. I easy met the required time to apply for citizenship to which we did In 2011. My child is also born in Surrey. Due to a few stuggles we had to move back to UK in 2012.
I received a questionnaire about time in and out Canada which I filled and sent back and also details of our reason not for staying in canada for the whole citizenship process but are planning on returning.
It is now 2014 and have no communication back.

Can anybody please tell me where we stand on receiving citizenship due to leaving Canada whilst we are in process of our application and who we can contact as they dont take telephone calls from abroad.

Thank you
Paul Singh

 

[Leon]

There is nothing in the rules you applied under that says you can't leave Canada during the processing. However, if your application is further delayed, keep in mind that as a PR, you must still continue to meet the residency obligation even though you have applied for citizenship. If you lose your PR due to not having met the RO, your citizenship application will automatically be denied.

In order to meet the residency obligation, may not have spent more than 1094 days outside Canada in the past 5 years.

 

[NSBoy902]

Most likely, your PR card is about to expire soon. And, when you send your application process, you have had a valid PR card.

As far as I can remember, you have to live physically in Canada for 2 years to become eligible to apply for a new PR card. Please feel free to correct me If I am wrong with "2 years".

I anticipate you have lived in Canada with valid PR status more than 2 years. So you should be eligible to renew your PR card. Once your PR card is renewed, he new PR card will be good for 5 years, with a new date and year.

By the time you go for Oath and get the citizenship, you will have a valid PR card in your pocket.

Good luck.

 

[boasorte]

Most likely, your PR card is about to expire soon. And, when you send your application process, you have had a valid PR card.

As far as I can remember, you have to live physically in Canada for 2 years to become eligible to apply for a new PR card. Please feel free to correct me If I am wrong with "2 years".

I anticipate you have lived in Canada with valid PR status more than 2 years. So you should be eligible to renew your PR card. Once your PR card is renewed, he new PR card will be good for 5 years, with a new date and year.

By the time you go for Oath and get the citizenship, you will have a valid PR card in your pocket.

Good luck.

Anyone with valid PR status is eligible to apply for/be issued a PR card.

 

[eileenf]

Can anybody please tell me where we stand on receiving citizenship due to leaving Canada whilst we are in process of our application and who we can contact as they dont take telephone calls from abroad.

As others have said, the key issue is the ticking clock of your PR status (please note that this is different than your PR card expiry). You need to maintain your PR Residence Obligation (RO) which is 2 out of 5 years in Canada. You must be a Canadian PR until the day your Oath is administered. CIC does a status check for PR status before Oath invites are sent. If you run afoul of the PR RO, your citizenship application will be considered abandoned.

Given the current political climate and the Intent to Reside provision of the new Citizenship Act (though not yet in effect), it's very risky to rely on any speedy processing by the CIC. If your family would like to return to Canada, consider if there's any way to do so before your PR lapses.

Also, here is the info on how to contact the Call Centre from outside of Canada:
Call 613 944 4000 then option 1, option 2, option 1, option 2

Good luck.

 

[screech339]

As others have said. But also keep in mind, your action may trigger CIC to send you a RQ form to be completed delaying your citizenship process even longer.

Screech339