Citizenship for kids from UK

[SEB32]

Hi,

I applied for my Canadian citizenship by decent a couple of years back and got my proof of citizenship and passport, I've never been to Canada but me and my husband plan to visit in the next 2-3 years once our kids are 4/5 ish.

I understand I need to sponsor them all first but as long as the PR is successful my query is... how can I go about citizenship for my kids?

Can I apply for this when I return to the UK after our visit/ their PR activation (landing) or can this be done quickly whilst in Canada?

 

[screech339]

Hi,

I applied for my Canadian citizenship by decent a couple of years back and got my proof of citizenship and passport, I've never been to Canada but me and my husband plan to visit in the next 2-3 years once our kids are 4/5 ish.

I understand I need to sponsor them all first but as long as the PR is successful my query is... how can I go about citizenship for my kids?

Can I apply for this when I return to the UK after our visit/ their PR activation (landing) or can this be done quickly whilst in Canada?

If your kids are required PR to land in Canada, you would have to sponsor them. You have to convince CIC that you are intending to move to Canada. You cannot sponsor them for PR if you are only doing it so that they can get PR for convenience's sake.

If they were to get PR, they can apply for Canadian citizenship as residency qualification won't apply to them. However they are required to maintain their PR status of residing in Canada 2 years out of 5 years.

 

[alphazip]

Nothing can be done quickly whilst in Canada. I'm also a Canadian citizen by descent, now living in Canada, and it took 18 months to get PR status for my U.S. spouse. However, if you can get PR for your kids, you can then immediately apply for citizenship for them without regard to residency requirements. I don't think PR will be granted, though, unless the belief is that you plan to reside in Canada, not just vacation here once in a while.

 

[SEB32]

I also don't think they need to meet the requirement of residing in canada for 2 out of 5 years as my husband doesn't need to do this to keep his PR as long as they are living with a citizen I.e me whether that be uk or somewhere else that counts as time. To get citizenship he would need to live in canada for a period of time but I expect kids under 18 are exempt from this rule?

My intent is to get my kids citizenship and husband PR with the intent to move there a year or 2 after but first a trip over to carry activation and have a look around etc

 

[SEB32]

Nothing can be done quickly whilst in Canada. I'm also a Canadian citizen by descent, now living in Canada, and it took 18 months to get PR status for my U.S. spouse. However, if you can get PR for your kids, you can then immediately apply for citizenship for them without regard to residency requirements. I don't think PR will be granted, though, unless the belief is that you plan to reside in Canada, not just vacation here once in a while.

Would I not have to have my kids landing document before applying for citizenship or can I apply for PR and the. Citizenship from the uk without landing?

My intent is to move to canada but first to carry out a activation run and look about etc

 

[alphazip]

I also don't think they need to meet the requirement of residing in canada for 2 out of 5 years as my husband doesn't need to do this to keep his PR as long as they are living with a citizen I.e me whether that be uk or somewhere else that counts as time. To get citizenship he would need to live in canada for a period of time but I expect kids under 18 are exempt from this rule?

My intent is to get my kids citizenship and husband PR with the intent to move there a year or 2 after but first a trip over to carry activation and have a look around etc

As far as I know, the Canadian citizen has to be a spouse, not a parent. However, in any case, the children would get Canadian citizenship before their PR status ran out.

 

[alphazip]

Would I not have to have my kids landing document before applying for citizenship or can I apply for PR and the. Citizenship from the uk without landing?

My intent is to move to canada but first to carry out a activation run and look about etc

Just going from memory, they have to have PR status and have "landed", before applying for their citizenship. AFAIK, you can't apply for their citizenship stating on the application that they do not reside in Canada.

 

[SEB32]

so what I know so far is that I need to apply for PR first for my kids and husband, then they all need to land.

So what next? My husband will remain on PR as he is living in me whether that is in Canada or UK, but my kids how can I get them citizenship, can I apply when I am on the landing trip or can I apply from the Uk on my return from the landing trip?

My intent is to move there but just want to ensure my kids have citizenship asap from landing

 

[paw339]

so what I know so far is that I need to apply for PR first for my kids and husband, then they all need to land.

So what next? My husband will remain on PR as he is living in me whether that is in Canada or UK, but my kids how can I get them citizenship, can I apply when I am on the landing trip or can I apply from the Uk on my return from the landing trip?

My intent is to move there but just want to ensure my kids have citizenship asap from landing

Seb the changes to the citizenship act have introduced an "intend to reside" clause which probably will be in force by the time your husband and children are PR's. "IF" (I'm unsure) that clause applies to minors you won't be able to apply for citizenship for your children unless you are living in Canada and not immediately planning on leaving.

First step is to apply for PR for your husband and children irrespective.

 

[SEB32]

Thanks paws

Yeah first step is PR, but as things change I want to get my kids citizenship. I would hope to land my family, return to the Uk after a few weeks look about and then apply for my kids citzenship from UK (I am sure I read a while back I could apply once in Canada on my landing trip).

The intent to live there is always specified I had to write a letter with my citizenship by decent application

 

[SEB32]

found this info on another forum wiki

I'm a Canadian citizen but my child is not!

There's still hope! As a Canadian citizen you are entitled to sponsor your child to migrate to Canada (if child is still "dependent" in Immigration terms).

If child is under 18 (and with a Canadian parent), child can immediately be naturalised as a Canadian citizen after arriving as a permanent resident in Canada.

The usual 3 year residence requirement does not apply.

Child would become a Canadian citizen otherwise than by descent.

In order to sponsor, parent must normally intend to move back to Canada. In compassionate cases, especially if child is stateless or has especially strong ties to Canada, CIC may waive this requirement.

 

[screech339]

found this info on another forum wiki

I'm a Canadian citizen but my child is not!

There's still hope! As a Canadian citizen you are entitled to sponsor your child to migrate to Canada (if child is still "dependent" in Immigration terms).

If child is under 18 (and with a Canadian parent), child can immediately be naturalised as a Canadian citizen after arriving as a permanent resident in Canada.

The usual 3 year residence requirement does not apply.

Child would become a Canadian citizen otherwise than by descent.

In order to sponsor, parent must normally intend to move back to Canada. In compassionate cases, especially if child is stateless or has especially strong ties to Canada, CIC may waive this requirement.

The child would not be immediately become naturalized Canadian once the child lands as PR. The child would still have to go through the procedure for canadian citizenship as everyone else. The only difference is that the child does not have to wait 3 years to qualify. Thus can apply for Canadian citizenship upon landing.

Screech339

 

[SEB32]

Thanks for the post screech

So the wiki statement almost makes it sound like you can go to the application office and get citizenship for children as long as you are present with them, but I guess all it means is you can submit the application and you still have to wait the same waiting period as the rest.

So really there is not much difference so it sounds like I could just apply from the UK once we return from our landing trip? I was hoping there might be a service like you can do in the UK with regards to a fast track or on the day passport service, but with citizenship certificates.

Is there anyone in a similar situation that can advise?

 

[saria1]

Thanks for the post screech

So the wiki statement almost makes it sound like you can go to the application office and get citizenship for children as long as you are present with them, but I guess all it means is you can submit the application and you still have to wait the same waiting period as the rest.

So really there is not much difference so it sounds like I could just apply from the UK once we return from our landing trip? I was hoping there might be a service like you can do in the UK with regards to a fast track or on the day passport service, but with citizenship certificates.

Is there anyone in a similar situation that can advise?

I will be going through a very similar process as you. I'll be applying for my son and husbands PR to move to Canada from the US. Next summer we're taking a 3 week vacation/ road trip (husband wont fly) to Vancouver to get a better feel for the area and choose a nice middle class suburb to rent in, until we're ready to purchase. We won't have PR status at the time of our trip, so the landing will have to be done at a later date, probably in Niagara Falls. Once that is complete, I will be applying for my sons citizenship while back in the US as we're listing our house and starting the process of moving. So I'm very curious to see who else has gone through the similar process we both intend to do.

 

[SEB32]

Can anyone confirm the process at all? Or can anyone share similar experiences?

So what I am really looking to know is that can my kids apply for citizenship on our PR landing visit, i.e some form of fast track service if you apply in person at a citizen office, or would I just have to apply once back in the uk after the PR landing visit?

Thanks for you post saria1