Can I leave Canada when my citizenship application is under process

[Westwood86]

Hi Guys,

I have completed my 1095 days of legal requirement of stay in Canada. I filed my citizenship application in June 2013 and the file is still under review. I have found a job in NYC and would like to move to the US. Would that affect my citizenship chances in anyway? I have an appartment in T.O and I will frequently be checking my mails every 2nd month.

Any help would be useful

Thanks

 

[farrous13]

Hi Guys,

I have completed my 1095 days of legal requirement of stay in Canada. I filed my citizenship application in June 2013 and the file is still under review. I have found a job in NYC and would like to move to the US. Would that affect my citizenship chances in anyway? I have an appartment in T.O and I will frequently be checking my mails every 2nd month.

Any help would be useful

Thanks

Yes you can leave.

I assume that the you own the apartment in TO? So you have an permanent address in Canada, right?
If so, I would keep the same address as is (Toronto's). Since you don't need to notify the CIC of any job change, I wouldn't call the CIC.
But it's tricky. When it comes to the interview after the test, the CIC will see the new stamps on your passport. Don't lie. Mention that you accepted a job in NY and this will help your career and so forth.

Make sure you check your ecas online. Have a relative or a friend check your mail on weekly basis.

Just for my info, do you have a H1B visa? Keep us updated!

PS don't listen to anyone who will be giving negative feedback because you're leaving Canada. Just ignore them.

 

[kimosabe]

Short answer: Yes you can leave.

Just make sure you have access to your snail mail in a timely manner so you won't miss your test & interview, and your oath dates, and you can return to the border without any hitches (i.e., keeping PR card up to date) -- that's the easier part

The trickier part is explaining the new stamps on your passport during the interview. The interviewer may or may not see malice in your absence. In which case it may or may not trigger an RQ.

I've known people who've been in the same boat as you are, who've been successful, and others not so.

Good luck.

 

[links18]

There is no legal bar to leaving Canada after applying for citizenship. However, you must maintain your PR status up until the day you take your oath. With today's extremely long processing times, it is possible to lose PR status before your oath, especially if you are RQ'ed. Some CIC officers do not look fondly at people who have taken employment in another country after applying for citizenship and see this as a reason to issue an RQ. They will ask you about your current employment when they interview you at the test. I have no idea why they ask you this as it is not supposed to have any bearing on your application, but they do.

There are even rumours that some CIC Call Centre staff are telling people they do not give citizenship to people who do not live in Canada, even if they met the requirements before leaving. There is no legal basis for such claims, but given the political exploitation of Canadian citizenship by the current government, leaving Canada after applying is fraught with risk.

 

[keesio]

The trickier part is explaining the new stamps on your passport during the interview. The interviewer may or may not see malice in your absence. In which case it may or may not trigger an RQ.

Do you still get stamps in the passport? I thought US officials just stamp your boarding pass while coming back to Canada your use a kiosk so you would not get a stamp that way either.

 

[bangloboy]

I travelled outside for vacations and personal trips. I was also RQed. During my citizenship interview CO never bothered about travels outside of Canada after applying. She only verified dates that I had put in for my application. So not sure why they would be so concerned about issues aside from ones put in application

 

[kimosabe]

Do you still get stamps in the passport? I thought US officials just stamp your boarding pass while coming back to Canada your use a kiosk so you would not get a stamp that way either.

AFAIK, most people who need a visa to enter the USA get their passport stamped when entering US.

Upon arrival, a CBP officer stamps the travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler with the admission date, the class of admission, and the date that the traveler is admitted until.

 

[keesio]

AFAIK, most people who need a visa to enter the USA get their passport stamped when entering US.

ah ok. Thanks for the explanation.