Can I send the citizenship application early

[Loulou79]

Hello,

I'll be eligible for citizenship on July 2nd. the signature date I put on the application is July 3rd. Can I send the application, lets say June 29th so it reaches Sydney on July 4th or 5th?

 

[frankhurt]

It's better for you to wait until July 5th and double check your everyone and if you passport or passports got expired earlier then you must have to write them a letter explaining the gap, otherwise your full application will come back in 3 weeks.

 

[dpenabill]

Hello,

I'll be eligible for citizenship on July 2nd. the signature date I put on the application is July 3rd. Can I send the application, lets say July 29th so it reaches Sydney on July 4th or 5th?

If you meet the physical presence requirements on July 2, sending in an application July 29 might be OK. But dated July 29 not July 3. Personally I lean toward allowing at least a little more of a margin than that.

I realize you meant sending it June 29. No, postdating the application is a really bad idea. Moreover, at least in the past, CIC (before the name changed to IRCC) kept the packaging the application arrived in, which generally shows the mailing or shipping date. Hint: probably a reason they do that. Since the applicant's signature verifies the information in the Physical Presence Calculation and the information in the application as of the date it is signed, just being totally confident you will be in Canada on a future date (even just days away) is not the same as verifying the fact that the information is accurate and complete as of that date (again, even if just days away).

I realize this is a common practice. But it is not a good idea in any formal documents for which there are serious penalties for making a false statement, including possible criminal prosecution. Read the affirmation in the signature box on the application form and take it very seriously. You can trust that the government of Canada does.

And the application arriving in Sydney a few days earlier is not going to make any difference in when the process is completed. A lot of the processing is done in batches anyway (especially scheduling for test, interview, and oath ceremonies), and thus depending on which local office handles the application, the group a particular applicant is processed with can cover applications made over a range of months not merely weeks let alone days.

In any event, applying with at least some margin over the minimum requirement is prudent. How much of a margin is a personal decision and for some it should be more than for others. But the current law is inflexible. So if there was anything that led IRCC to perceive the possibility, the mere possibility your presence was just a few days off, that would lead to being denied citizenship. Cutting it real close can sometimes invite a total stranger bureaucrat to wonder if indeed the declaration is off by just a few days, and even if that gets resolved in the applicant's favour, it may result in some further assessment or inquiries delaying the processing. No good to save two or four weeks (let alone a few days) up front only to have that result in an additional four or six months of processing time, or even longer.

And remember:
-- it is not what you know but what you can prove
-- better to use a courier service which confirms delivery


By the way, postdated applications are deemed to be unsigned, thus not complete, and will be returned. See http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/cit/admin/general/accept.asp
I realize you intend to time the mailing so that it will actually not arrive at Sydney until after the date it is signed, but again the packaging itself becomes part of the application file (many applicants get a photocopy of their packaging, including its shipping stamps et al, when they make the ATIP request for their file). Just plain not a good idea to postdate the application, for multiple reasons.

 

[scylla]

Hello,

I'll be eligible for citizenship on July 2nd. the signature date I put on the application is July 3rd. Can I send the application, lets say July 29th so it reaches Sydney on July 4th or 5th?

I think you made a typo and meant to write "June 29th" instead of "July 29th". If so - the answer to your question is no.

 

[Loulou79]

Thank you Frankhurt, Dpenabill and Scylla for taking the time to answer my question. Yes I meant June 29th Sorry.

the reason I wanted to send it early is for my application to be processed before the 3/5 rule is back. Now thanks to what Dpenabill posted, I know its not a good idea. But wont send it later than July 3rd .

Thanks again. Wish me a quick processing time.

 

[dpenabill]

Thank you Frankhurt, Dpenabill and Scylla for taking the time to answer my question. Yes I meant June 29th Sorry.

the reason I wanted to send it early is for my application to be processed before the 3/5 rule is back. Now thanks to what Dpenabill posted, I know its not a good idea. But wont send it later than July 3rd .

Thanks again. Wish me a quick processing time.

It would be foolish to sign and date the application July 3 if you just meet the presence requirements as of July 2. At the very minimum, wait a week. Again, this will not delay the processing of your application by much if any, but otherwise there is a very substantial risk an application with less than a week's margin over the absolute minimum will, at the least, significantly delay processing. A minimal margin, let alone no margin, almost assures the application will at least temporarily be set aside for a more detailed assessment, to compare CBSA travel history and other sources of information.

There is absolutely no chance the 3/5 rule will take effect before July 3 or even September 3. Only a slight chance it will be in effect before November or December. Even if the Senate approves Bill C-6 immediately, and Royal Assent comes this month, there is no chance the 3/5 rule will come into effect before September. (While this government may prepare to implement the changes more quickly than the nearly full year it took the previous government to implement changes to the residency/presence requirements, at the least forms have to be revised, software designed for the residency calculation, instructions drafted and edited before final version is issued, and staff trained on the changes; none of this stuff can be done before Royal Assent because government funding and allocation of resources is required to do it, and until the law is changed, until there is Royal Assent, there is no legal basis to spend the government's money, Canadians money, on implementing these changes. No magic wand is available. It will take, at the least, several months beyond Royal Assent before the 3/5 rule comes into force and takes effect.)

 

[thejkhan]

Hello,

I'll be eligible for citizenship on July 2nd. the signature date I put on the application is July 3rd. Can I send the application, lets say June 29th so it reaches Sydney on July 4th or 5th?

So you want to put 3rd July as the date on your application while it's not 3rd July yet?

That's very dishonest if you ask me.

 

[Godzilla9]

So you want to put 3rd July as the date on your application while it's not 3rd July yet?

That's very dishonest if you ask me.

I agree that it's an ethical issue. Also, would suggest you wait until July 10-15 to make sure that in case there is an issue with miscalculation of your residency days, you could have some extra days.

 

[screech339]

Not sure why someone would want to sign application forms with a future date on it and mail it in hope that it will arrive after the signed date. CIC could see that the postmarked date of package has been sent before the actual date of application. CIC could indicate that it is fraud.

Another issue is that the application must include an online residency calculator in which the calculator must also be signed. This calculator date would conflict with future application signed date. Another giveaway of fraud.

I could understand someone doing this if there will be a rule change ahead of time and is trying to get the application in before rule change. But there is no official rule change this July and it's most likely that it won't.

My suggestion as others have said, apply with plenty of breathing room in qualified days to allow for any discrepancies that may cause qualification days below 1460 days.

 

[canadaon]

Hi, Do not worry - even after the bill gets passed the CIC will post the official date when it will stop accepting application in the old rule. Like last time they might give a 2 week time for the people to mail their applications in order to get considered with the old rule. Since you are eligible on July 3rd that shouldn't be an issue as it is under 2 weeks. Even I am eligible to apply on July 3rd, just stop worrying and stay calm

 

[ngag]

It would be foolish to sign and date the application July 3 if you just meet the presence requirements as of July 2. At the very minimum, wait a week. Again, this will not delay the processing of your application by much if any, but otherwise there is a very substantial risk an application with less than a week's margin over the absolute minimum will, at the least, significantly delay processing. A minimal margin, let alone no margin, almost assures the application will at least temporarily be set aside for a more detailed assessment, to compare CBSA travel history and other sources of information.

Why risky? What's wrong with sending an application 1 day after being qualified? Nothing is illegal with that !!!

 

[screech339]

Why risky? What's wrong with sending an application 1 day after being qualified? Nothing is illegal with that !!!

It is risky but not illegal. The issue is that miscalculations can happen (missed vacation days for example), that can bring the total qualification days to fall below 1460 days requirement. Once that happens, the applicant is no longer qualified for citizenship and the application will likely get returned. There is no basic residency anymore to use. Sure, you can appeal the decision but all over a few days short, even 1 day short? It is not worth the hassle. You will only delay your process so much longer. You would likely to get your citizenship on your second new application before you get your citizenship on your appeals on your first application.

No one is stopping anyone from applying 1 day after qualifying at 1460 days. But don't come on this forum crying foul if you ended up less than 1460 days required due to miscalculations or missed vacation days.

 

[ngag]

It is risky but not illegal. The issue is that miscalculations can happen (missed vacation days for example), that can bring the total qualification days to fall below 1460 days requirement. Once that happens, the applicant is no longer qualified for citizenship and the application will likely get returned. There is no basic residency anymore to use. Sure, you can appeal the decision but all over a few days short, even 1 day short? It is not worth the hassle. You will only delay your process so much longer. You would likely to get your citizenship on your second new application before you get your citizenship on your appeals on your first application.

No one is stopping anyone from applying 1 day after qualifying at 1460 days. But don't come on this forum crying foul if you ended up less than 1460 days required due to miscalculations or missed vacation days.

DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CASE?
DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT NO APPLICANT CAN EVER HAVE CALCULATION MISTAKES EXCEPT TROLLS OF YOUR TYPE?
DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE SEVERE COMPREHENSION PROBLEMS?
YOU WERE TOLD AGAIN AND AGAIN BY MANY MEMBERS ON THIS FORUM, GO TAKE ENGLISH CLASSES AND TRY BRUSHING YOUR BRAIN FOR GOD'S SAKE

 

[screech339]

DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CASE?
DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT NO APPLICANT CAN EVER HAVE CALCULATION ISSUES LIKE TROLLS OF YOUR TYPE?
DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE SEVERE COMPREHENSION PROBLEMS?
YOU WERE TOLD AGAIN AND AGAIN BY MANY MEMBERS ON THIS FORUM, GO TAKE ENGLISH CLASSES AND TRY BRUSHING YOUR BRAIN FOR GOD'S SAKE

I never said this has anything to do with you. I am only merely explaining how it has been risky to apply with no margins for error.

BTW: I wasn't referring to you or your case when I mentioned "you" in my post. I apologized if you misunderstood my post.

 

[keesio]

Why risky? What's wrong with sending an application 1 day after being qualified? Nothing is illegal with that !!!

If you search this forum a bit, you will find many people who have issues with their application because they applied right away and then later found out (whether by themselves or from IRCC) that they miscalculated their days in/out of Canada and ended up being a few days short of the requirement, thus putting their applicant in jeopardy. Hence the lesson learned is that is is always a good idea to have a few extra days buffer (2 weeks is usually good). I also heeded that advice and it turned out to be good advice because I had miscalculated by a day and the interviewer caught that but also remarked that since I had well over the required days anyway (I gave 11 days buffer), that it was no problem.