Applying for citizenship after 21 years with PR card. How to keep track of days?

[VermiciousKnish]

Hey all,

Applying for citizenship after 21 years of having a PR card. Applicant traveled many times in the last 6 years. How can they calculate all days absent? They really have no idea how many times they have left and passport stamps do not show all the entry and exits (especially to the USA). I see you can check off the box to allow CBSA to pull your entry/exit records but what does applicant even write on the absence calculator? They really have no idea as to how many days they were absent.

I have made a FOIA request for them for US entry and exit and but it's been over 1 month and they still have not released anything. Am I doing something wrong? It still says processing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Verm

 

[samreentariq]

You Can also request the CBSA request for yourself if you are unsure of the dates as you have to enter the absences in the actual form. The best way to start is to order a CBSA record as well so you can see all entry and exits entered by CBSA. FOIA records take time when I applied for it earlier this year it took 6 months to get them, others have had it between 1 to 3 so it depends on how they process it, if you have applied all you can do is wait and keep an eye out for the email they send saying it is ready to be downloaded online.

 

[Bigudi]

I agree. Make yourself a request for CBSA report. It takes only 30 days and can clarify a lot about one's entries in Canada. It will be very useful to build up the residency calculator (together with the FOIA and passport stamps).

You can also check the i-94 for USA entries. But I warn you that it is incredibly unreliable. But it takes you 30 seconds to see it and it might show up a few entries to USA to help complete the Residency calculator.

So I think your best chance is to compile the information contained in CBSA report, FOIA report and i-94 report. It's better to wait and make something precise than having a RQ in the future.

You can check the i-94 on this link. It's instant.
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/consent.html

Cheers!

 

[Babi22]

Same here, best thing to do is to start with the CBSA Entry Exit records. You will have all your entries recorded with your PR card and your "exit" only by road to the US (no AIR exits exist yet). You will then try and recap all your trips for the last 6 years. You don't want to miss a trip as this might trigger some red flags in your application which might delay it by months/years.

Good luck.

PS: I take it you know hiw to order your CBSA Entry/Exit records ?

 

[VermiciousKnish]

Thanks Fellas. I am not clear on how to order CBSA records. I am about to start with the I-94 link and see how that goes but then I will try for CBSA. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[VermiciousKnish]

Also what does it mean if it says "not found" on the I-94 request? Tried 2 requests and and both said "not found". These people travelled out of Canada into the USA many times.

 

[samreentariq]

Thanks Fellas. I am not clear on how to order CBSA records. I am about to start with the I-94 link and see how that goes but then I will try for CBSA. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

You can order a CBSA report via the following link :

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/pia-efvp/atip-aiprp/req-dem-info-eng.html

Click on Apply online today :

http://postimg.org/image/hgsgsd64x/

On the new screen click on Next ,

You should see the following screen

http://postimg.org/image/kqocl8u8h/

Click on the check box, and then click on Continue

In the new screen that comes up for :

*Please select the Department where you would like to submit an Access to Information or Privacy request. select Canadian Border Services Agency

Fill out the all the required information.

For Category best describes you : Select 'member of Public'

Click on Next.

Here select Privacy Act so it is free

For *Which type of records do you wish to request? Select Case Files

Click on Next

and you can provide further details of what you are looking for and submit the request.

This takes 30 business days.

 

[janoo]

Hi. Do as suggested by Samreen you will reach your goal..

 

[Babi22]

Thanks Fellas. I am not clear on how to order CBSA records. I am about to start with the I-94 link and see how that goes but then I will try for CBSA. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I missed one important point on my yesterday's post. The exit report from the CBSA will only include your exits by road to the US from June 2013. They do not have any record prior to this.

 

[janoo]

CBSA WILL SHOW ONLY YOUR ENTRY RECORD FOR SEVERAL YEARS GET CBSA
REPORT. THIS WILL SHOW ALL YOUR ENTRY BACK TO CANADA ALL EXIT ENTRY
YOU HAVE TO GET FROM USA OR FIND THE STAMP ON YOUR PASSPORT WHEN YOU
VISIT ANY COUNTRY THEY STAMP ON YOUR PASSPORT....

 

[Babi22]

CBSA WILL SHOW ONLY YOUR ENTRY RECORD FOR SEVERAL YEARS GET CBSA
REPORT. THIS WILL SHOW ALL YOUR ENTRY BACK TO CANADA ALL EXIT ENTRY
YOU HAVE TO GET FROM USA OR FIND THE STAMP ON YOUR PASSPORT WHEN YOU
VISIT ANY COUNTRY THEY STAMP ON YOUR PASSPORT....

This is correct except for exits by road to the US. There will be a new page called "Exit history" that will show his entries to the US since June 2013.