canadian citizenship application done in Canada even if not in Canada

[bferr]

Hello,

Here is my situation, I would like to apply for a Canadian citizenship for my son who was just born in Russia, July 2014, since I am a Canadian citizen. My wife and I live in Siberia and the closest Canadian embassy is in Moscow, a 4 hour flight away. I will be traveling to Toronto this month for a week, is it do able if I apply for his citizenship from there? or do I have to apply in Moscow. If it is do able which office do I go to apply, do I need an appointment?

Plus I am not sure on the process of applying for my wife, Should both my son's and wife's applications be submitted at the same time?

Thank you.

 

[Leon]

Hello,

Here is my situation, I would like to apply for a Canadian citizenship for my son who was just born in Russia, July 2014, since I am a Canadian citizen. My wife and I live in Siberia and the closest Canadian embassy is in Moscow, a 4 hour flight away. I will be traveling to Toronto this month for a week, is it do able if I apply for his citizenship from there? or do I have to apply in Moscow. If it is do able which office do I go to apply, do I need an appointment?

Plus I am not sure on the process of applying for my wife, Should both my son's and wife's applications be submitted at the same time?

Thank you.

If you were already a citizen at the time your son was born and you had gained citizenship yourself either through being born in Canada or having immigrated to Canada, even if you were a minor under your parents at the time you immigrated, you will have passed citizenship onto your son automatically. You just have to apply for a citizenship certificate to get that registered and for him to have proof of it as well.

You can find the instructions on how to do this starting here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/proof-how.asp

If you look at the processing times here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/certif-processing.asp you will see that it takes 6 months to apply from within Canada for a child that lives in Canada. Add 3-4 months when applying through an embassy but add 6-8 months if you apply from within Canada for a child that lives outside Canada. Therefore, as your son is not living in Canada, it would be best for you to apply through the embassy. You can apply through the mail.

As for your wife, she would not qualify for citizenship unless she is already a permanent resident and has lived in Canada for 3 out of the past 4 years. Do you want to sponsor her for permanent residency? Check the family section of this forum for info on how to do that. As a citizen, you do not have to live in Canada in order to sponsor your wife for PR, you would however have to show proof/plans of moving to Canada when she gets her PR.

 

[bferr]

Leon! Thank you very much.

I will apply for my son's citizenship via the Canadian embassy in Moscow. I will have to make an appointment and fly there though. I emailed them and this was in their reply:

" The following documents are required to apply for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate for your child if you would like to submit your application in Moscow:

Please submit in person (we do not need to see the child)."

I think it will be safer anyways to go there in person as I will have to show them our original passports as well as my son's original birth certificate, and my original marriage certificate. I don't feel safe mailing the original documents.

I should apply for my wife's PR at the same time as well then in Moscow. There shouldn't be a problem with that right?

Thanks in advance for your reply. This is a great forum!

 

[Leon]

You can not apply for your wife's PR in Moscow. You have to fill out all the forms here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp and include your proof that you will be moving to Canada when your wife gets her PR. You have to send all the forms together in one package to Mississauga. After Mississauga approves you as the sponsor, they will forward the application to your visa office.