C-6 Citizenship Applications, Frequently Asked Questions
- Thread starter spyfy
- Start date
Of course the physical presence calculator is the authority. That's the whole point. When you filled out the calculator it asked you when you will sign the application. That is obviously the date you will sign the application. And the eligibility period is the one listed by the calculator. The calculator was invented to save you the hassle of freaking out over these dates.
Thanks a tonne . I want to believe that too. Just too many ambiguous replies. So may I please also clarify in that case if the dates for international student and temporary worker before the PR period are the same in both the physical presence and the form.Of course the physical presence calculator is the authority. That's the whole point. When you filled out the calculator it asked you when you will sign the application. That is obviously the date you will sign the application. And the eligibility period is the one listed by the calculator. The calculator was invented to save you the hassle of freaking out over these dates.
Reason I ask is, on the form I can go back before my eligibility period but on the calculator I cannot.
So I am not sure if I put my study and work permit validity dates on the form and stick to the restriction of eligibility period on the calculator?
Or should they be the exact same dates? like I literally just replicate what's on the calculator on the form?
Thanks again and appreciate your patience
As mentioned in the other thread, please read this guide:
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
And yes, replicate the calculator. Please read the form carefully. Question 9 explicitly says:
During your eligibility period did you have Temporary Resident or Protected Person status in Canada before becoming a permanent resident?
I left Canada as PR back in July 23, 2011 and returned still as PR October 30, 2015. I am doing the calculator and not sure if I am doing this right.. I did visit the US (for internship on first visit and second visit for vacation) and Japan(vacation) and was living in the Philippines as I was studying there, also worked for a few months while waiting for graduation and before returning to Canada. I keep on listing Philippines as I am trying to write it in order. Also, after saving it of course it said that my date was outside my 5-year eligibility period. But that was the only time I left Canada, never left since I returned back in 2015. Please advice if this is the right way to do this? Thank you so so much! My "reason" box looks like this... sorry don't know how to attach photo here.
Philippines - Reason: School
United States - Reason: Internship
Philippines - Reason: School
Japan - Reason: Vacation
Philippines - Reason: School
United States - Reason: Vacation
Philippines - Reason: School and Work
Philippines - Reason: School
United States - Reason: Internship
Philippines - Reason: School
Japan - Reason: Vacation
Philippines - Reason: School
United States - Reason: Vacation
Philippines - Reason: School and Work
Hello, everyone.
I became protected person in 2011. At that time CIC took my passport and i've never got it back.
Became a PR in 2016, and now i am applying for citizenship.
Since i did not have a passport in the last 5 years, i have to submit 2 IDs which have photo.
I am planning to submit my driver's license as one and dont know what i should submit as 2nd.
I do have Alberta health card but it doesnt have a photo. What else can i submit with my application?
I became protected person in 2011. At that time CIC took my passport and i've never got it back.
Became a PR in 2016, and now i am applying for citizenship.
Since i did not have a passport in the last 5 years, i have to submit 2 IDs which have photo.
I am planning to submit my driver's license as one and dont know what i should submit as 2nd.
I do have Alberta health card but it doesnt have a photo. What else can i submit with my application?
Dear friends
I am applying on nov 9, which is the date that my passport was issued, on 2013, and i have used this passport for my trips.but I had another passport, that was issued before this one, but the expiry date is january 2014, but when a new passport is issued, the last one is expired, and I never used that one in my eligibility period.
I donot know if I have to send that passport with my application or not.
Thank you for your help.
I am applying on nov 9, which is the date that my passport was issued, on 2013, and i have used this passport for my trips.but I had another passport, that was issued before this one, but the expiry date is january 2014, but when a new passport is issued, the last one is expired, and I never used that one in my eligibility period.
I donot know if I have to send that passport with my application or not.
Thank you for your help.
For question 11 what if my supervisor is not working there anymore or what if the company is closed?Yes, I know I know, why start a new thread, there already are so many.
However, I feared that this FAQ would get lost if I posted it as a reply in one of the other threads.
I started an FAQ.
Note: I am posting the original version of the FAQ here but the Forum won't allow me to update the post after some hours (one can only edit posts in the first hours). So please check the current version of the FAQ on these two webpages:
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=citizenshipgeneral
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=policecertificates
FAQ
What should I worry about?
What should I not worry about too much?
- Double check the document checklist. Triple check the document checklist. Make sure you forgot no required document.
- Make sure you sign both your application and the printout of the residency calculator.
- Do not leave any gaps in your history. Not even a single day. It is fine if periods overlap. You can be both a student and a part-time employee. But make sure you don't leave a gap. Put “unemployed” or “housewife/househusband” etc.
I do not want to claim pre-PR credit (either because I didn't live in Canada before PR or because I have enough days post-PR), do I still need to fill the info for the full five years?
- "The perfect wording". Simply be honest and clar. An example: You have to list your status in Canada before PR. Some people were on implied status for a while and they ask if they should write “implied status” or “study permit” or “study permit/implied status”. Your form will be read by a human. They can process different descriptions. Just make sure you are clear an concise. There is no “perfect wording”.
- Adding unnecessary documentation. For example, they only ask you to copy the bio page of your passport. You do not need to have your passport stamps copied and/or translated. If they want to see those stamps, they will contact you later.
- Processing Time. Questions like “I am XXX/I have done XXX, will that affect my processing time?” are not really helpful. To be honest, no one really knows. And also to be honest it wouldn't really help you if you know the answer to that question. Processing times depend on many things, most of them out of your control.
- Ambiguous Questions. If you feel it's hard to reply to question within the very strict structure of the form, simply attach an explanation (see below).
Yes, no matter if you want to claim credit or not, you must supply all information for the full five years.
It is hard to answer a question on the form, I think it needs clarification, what should I do?
By the nature of forms, it might happen that a particular question is hard to answer for you since it is ambiguous because of your special situation. If there are such questions, do the following:
Do I have to send the application on the same day as I sign it?
- Answer the question on the form as well as you can
- Add an additional page to your application (printed is better than handwritten)
- On top of the page write “Application for Citizenship on YYYY-MM-DD by Bob Chen, date of birth YYYY-MM-DD, Additional information”
- Then for each question/answer you want to explain, first write the question you refer to, then write the explanation.
- Generally: Write as much as necessary but not more. Don't write a whole page of explanation for a single question. Be concise and to the point.
You can of course but you don't have to. These are the rules:
Question by Question
- Obviously you can't sign a future date.
- Most importantly: Do not sign with the date you expect the application to arrive at the office. That is a date in the future and might mean your application will be returned.
- On the other hand, after you dated and signed the application, you have 90 days until the application has to be at the office. Note: It has to reach the office on the 90th day. It is not enough to send it off on the 90th day.
Question 9c is confusing me. I lived outside of Canada but I wasn't a Crown Servant. Why should I fill that weird form?
Full disclosure: IRCC made a mistake with the form here and it will hopefully corrected soon. Here is my personal recommendation (note: I am not a lawyer) on how to deal with it.
I went on vacation for some days. Do I need to mention the address of the hotel in section 10(a) and 11?
- If you did not live outside of Canada in the eligibility period (five years), tick “No” and you are good.
- If you lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period and you actually were a crown servant of Canada (unlikely), tick “Yes” and fill that extra form.
- Those of you who lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period but were not crown servants, tick “Yes” or “No” but - and this is the important part - add an explanation page to your application saying something like this (use your own words, don't just copy this): “Question 9c: This question is a bit unclear so I want to clarify the situation: Yes, I lived outside Canada during the eligibility period, but No, I do not want to claim residency credit for that time outside of Canada. That rare situation does not apply to me. This is why I did not fill the additional form since there is no residency outside Canada to claim.”
No, section 10(a) is only about your residential addresses and section 11 is only about your major activities (work, study, unemployment, …). It is not the length of stay that matters but if you were residing there or not. Example: If you went to London for four weeks for an internship, you were residing there. You need to mention that period in question 10(a) and 11. If you went to London for four weeks on an extended vacation and went sightseeing/traveling, you were not residing there. Your residential address was still the one where you actually live. There is no clear cut rule what is residential and what isn't. Use your own judgement and intuition.
Note: Of course you need to list every single vacation abroad in the physical presence calculator. Just because you don't need to list it in Question 10(a) and 11 that doesn't mean it doesn't matter for physical presence.
Question 11: What is with the contact name for employment & education history?
Think of it like this: List a person that, if contacted, could - with authority - say, "Yes, that person worked/studied here." For school, add the name of your college registrar. For work, the name of your supervisor is better than the name of your colleague.
Question 12(a): I am sending my application in 2017, do I have to list 2017 as a tax year in the application?
No, because obviously no one could file a tax return for 2017 yet. Only list 2016, 2015, 2014, …
Question 14(a): Is a visa travel document?
No. Passports a refugee travel documents are travel documents. A Visa is something that is just added to your passport. Think of it like this: The MAJOR document you show at the border is a travel document. Yes you also might show your visa at the border. But still, the most important document you show is the passport. But, for example, in Europe people can use a so called identity card to cross the border. That is also a travel document. It can be used to cross borders. Another example is a NEXUS card or an enhanced drivers licence. But unless you are an American or Canadian citizen it is very unlikely that you have an enhanced drivers licence.
Police Certificate
In what case do I need a police certificate?
If you spent more than 183 days in a single foreign country in the last four years before applying.
If, for example, you spent 100 days in France and 90 days in China, you don't need to provide police certificates for either country.
What if I have been to a country for more than 183 days but not in a single visit?
You still need to provide a police certificate. If for example you went to France five times and each time you spend 40 days there, you spent a total of 200 days in France and need a police certificate.
I only visited the country, I didn't really live there. Do I still need a certificate?
No matter if you were there to eat croissants or to work, if you spent a total of more than 183 days in France, you need a police certificate.
How does the four-year threshold work? Do they count calendar years?
No, count exactly four years, not calendar years. If, for example, you apply on October 20, 2017, count the days since October 20, 2013.
I landed as a PR on XX, do I still need a police certificate for the time before
Your landing date is completely irrelevant for the police certificate threshold. You always go exactly four years back and count the days abroad.
How do I get a police certificate for country X?
Follow the link above, there is a complete list.
Has the four-year threshold changed with Bill C-6?
No, it remains the same. The four year rule for police certificates is independent of the years that are considered for the residency requirement.
Thanks
Pick a name of whoever could confirm that you were working there. So if there is a new supervisor, take them. If the company closed, list the last supervisor and attach a note explaining that the company closed (one paragraph at most).
Yes, I know I know, why start a new thread, there already are so many.
However, I feared that this FAQ would get lost if I posted it as a reply in one of the other threads.
I started an FAQ.
Note: I am posting the original version of the FAQ here but the Forum won't allow me to update the post after some hours (one can only edit posts in the first hours). So please check the current version of the FAQ on these two webpages:
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=citizenshipgeneral
https://canimmiwiki.000webhostapp.com/doku.php?id=policecertificates
FAQ
What should I worry about?
What should I not worry about too much?
- Double check the document checklist. Triple check the document checklist. Make sure you forgot no required document.
- Make sure you sign both your application and the printout of the residency calculator.
- Do not leave any gaps in your history. Not even a single day. It is fine if periods overlap. You can be both a student and a part-time employee. But make sure you don't leave a gap. Put “unemployed” or “housewife/househusband” etc.
I do not want to claim pre-PR credit (either because I didn't live in Canada before PR or because I have enough days post-PR), do I still need to fill the info for the full five years?
- "The perfect wording". Simply be honest and clar. An example: You have to list your status in Canada before PR. Some people were on implied status for a while and they ask if they should write “implied status” or “study permit” or “study permit/implied status”. Your form will be read by a human. They can process different descriptions. Just make sure you are clear an concise. There is no “perfect wording”.
- Adding unnecessary documentation. For example, they only ask you to copy the bio page of your passport. You do not need to have your passport stamps copied and/or translated. If they want to see those stamps, they will contact you later.
- Processing Time. Questions like “I am XXX/I have done XXX, will that affect my processing time?” are not really helpful. To be honest, no one really knows. And also to be honest it wouldn't really help you if you know the answer to that question. Processing times depend on many things, most of them out of your control.
- Ambiguous Questions. If you feel it's hard to reply to question within the very strict structure of the form, simply attach an explanation (see below).
Yes, no matter if you want to claim credit or not, you must supply all information for the full five years.
It is hard to answer a question on the form, I think it needs clarification, what should I do?
By the nature of forms, it might happen that a particular question is hard to answer for you since it is ambiguous because of your special situation. If there are such questions, do the following:
Do I have to send the application on the same day as I sign it?
- Answer the question on the form as well as you can
- Add an additional page to your application (printed is better than handwritten)
- On top of the page write “Application for Citizenship on YYYY-MM-DD by Bob Chen, date of birth YYYY-MM-DD, Additional information”
- Then for each question/answer you want to explain, first write the question you refer to, then write the explanation.
- Generally: Write as much as necessary but not more. Don't write a whole page of explanation for a single question. Be concise and to the point.
You can of course but you don't have to. These are the rules:
Question by Question
- Obviously you can't sign a future date.
- Most importantly: Do not sign with the date you expect the application to arrive at the office. That is a date in the future and might mean your application will be returned.
- On the other hand, after you dated and signed the application, you have 90 days until the application has to be at the office. Note: It has to reach the office on the 90th day. It is not enough to send it off on the 90th day.
Question 9c is confusing me. I lived outside of Canada but I wasn't a Crown Servant. Why should I fill that weird form?
Full disclosure: IRCC made a mistake with the form here and it will hopefully corrected soon. Here is my personal recommendation (note: I am not a lawyer) on how to deal with it.
I went on vacation for some days. Do I need to mention the address of the hotel in section 10(a) and 11?
- If you did not live outside of Canada in the eligibility period (five years), tick “No” and you are good.
- If you lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period and you actually were a crown servant of Canada (unlikely), tick “Yes” and fill that extra form.
- Those of you who lived outside of Canada in the eligibility period but were not crown servants, tick “Yes” or “No” but - and this is the important part - add an explanation page to your application saying something like this (use your own words, don't just copy this): “Question 9c: This question is a bit unclear so I want to clarify the situation: Yes, I lived outside Canada during the eligibility period, but No, I do not want to claim residency credit for that time outside of Canada. That rare situation does not apply to me. This is why I did not fill the additional form since there is no residency outside Canada to claim.”
No, section 10(a) is only about your residential addresses and section 11 is only about your major activities (work, study, unemployment, …). It is not the length of stay that matters but if you were residing there or not. Example: If you went to London for four weeks for an internship, you were residing there. You need to mention that period in question 10(a) and 11. If you went to London for four weeks on an extended vacation and went sightseeing/traveling, you were not residing there. Your residential address was still the one where you actually live. There is no clear cut rule what is residential and what isn't. Use your own judgement and intuition.
Note: Of course you need to list every single vacation abroad in the physical presence calculator. Just because you don't need to list it in Question 10(a) and 11 that doesn't mean it doesn't matter for physical presence.
Has the four-year threshold changed with Bill C-6?
No, it remains the same. The four year rule for police certificates is independent of the years that are considered for the residency requirement.
Hi,
How did you answered question 6? "List all the name that you have used.......... and nicknames"?
I have used same name from birth, do I need to write my name in this chart and select "name at birth"?
also my wife name is same before and after marriage, so should I write her name in the chart and select name at birth or maiden name?
Thanks and Regards,
lucky