I would appreciate the help of anyone who has been in same situation as me or from those who know the Canadian law for citizenship.
I am a woman of 30 years old who come to Canada in 2002 to joint my Canadian husband. I was a full time mother since I had three kids in laps of 4 years, all of them born in Montreal and I have never been outside Canada. I have completed my 3 years compulsory period in 2005 and applied for my citizenship. A years later (December 2006), I was sent a first notice to present for the citizenship test and ceremony which was planned for on January 2007 but I missed it because in November 2006 my Husband 9 who was laid off from his work) had an offer to do a PhD in the UK and I had to go with him because our kids were too Young (3 years 1.5 years and anew born) and I was not sure to manage them alone mostly in Montreal winter. I have communicated with the citizenship and told them that I can not attend this time and asked to reschedule another for July 2007 which they did. Unfortunately I also missed the second notice which they sent me in June 2007 because the person who was looking after our house and mail left the country for summer vacation and we just did not know that we received a second notice to pass the test. Again we communicated with citizenship and requested a third time appointment which we received in January 2008. This one I did not miss and I attend the test and successfully achieved it. As you may know after the written test you will have to pass an interview with a citizenship agent or judge. He asked me to provide my passport and the IMM2000. I do not know if it was a bad luck but when I showed him my passport he asked about the old one (passport) so I showed him a certified copy of the old one which he simply refused. I have explained that when we renew the passport our embassy keep the old one and provide a certified copy. He then asked why I have missed the two appointments for the test, so I have told him the reason and told him that I have never left Canada before the end of my fourth year. He did not understand and asked me to fill a questionnaire and give evidence. I was so disappointed because I suffered during the first four years in Canada imagine 3 kids in a row and never seen my family. My first child saw his grand parents until he reached 3. Now it has been almost a year and half since I have provided the questionnaire with all the evidences I could gather such as bank statement, income tax, house property, phone and hydro bills, letters from hospital medical center stating I was followed up by the same doctor for all my three kids from first moth of pregnancy till the delivery and post delivery. I have provided letter from the CLSC for all the visits that the nurses did in my house…etc and so far no response. Please advise me what to do. I feel being treated unfairly. Do you think I should take a lawyer? Do you think I should apply again? It is just unfair. By the way I explained my case to my embassy in Montreal and they told in case I need I can go pick up my old passport for temporary period and return it when am done.
I am a woman of 30 years old who come to Canada in 2002 to joint my Canadian husband. I was a full time mother since I had three kids in laps of 4 years, all of them born in Montreal and I have never been outside Canada. I have completed my 3 years compulsory period in 2005 and applied for my citizenship. A years later (December 2006), I was sent a first notice to present for the citizenship test and ceremony which was planned for on January 2007 but I missed it because in November 2006 my Husband 9 who was laid off from his work) had an offer to do a PhD in the UK and I had to go with him because our kids were too Young (3 years 1.5 years and anew born) and I was not sure to manage them alone mostly in Montreal winter. I have communicated with the citizenship and told them that I can not attend this time and asked to reschedule another for July 2007 which they did. Unfortunately I also missed the second notice which they sent me in June 2007 because the person who was looking after our house and mail left the country for summer vacation and we just did not know that we received a second notice to pass the test. Again we communicated with citizenship and requested a third time appointment which we received in January 2008. This one I did not miss and I attend the test and successfully achieved it. As you may know after the written test you will have to pass an interview with a citizenship agent or judge. He asked me to provide my passport and the IMM2000. I do not know if it was a bad luck but when I showed him my passport he asked about the old one (passport) so I showed him a certified copy of the old one which he simply refused. I have explained that when we renew the passport our embassy keep the old one and provide a certified copy. He then asked why I have missed the two appointments for the test, so I have told him the reason and told him that I have never left Canada before the end of my fourth year. He did not understand and asked me to fill a questionnaire and give evidence. I was so disappointed because I suffered during the first four years in Canada imagine 3 kids in a row and never seen my family. My first child saw his grand parents until he reached 3. Now it has been almost a year and half since I have provided the questionnaire with all the evidences I could gather such as bank statement, income tax, house property, phone and hydro bills, letters from hospital medical center stating I was followed up by the same doctor for all my three kids from first moth of pregnancy till the delivery and post delivery. I have provided letter from the CLSC for all the visits that the nurses did in my house…etc and so far no response. Please advise me what to do. I feel being treated unfairly. Do you think I should take a lawyer? Do you think I should apply again? It is just unfair. By the way I explained my case to my embassy in Montreal and they told in case I need I can go pick up my old passport for temporary period and return it when am done.
