Imp: Physical presence error - Interview

[goldencheck]

Hi everyone,
I am looking for advice from anyone who is knowledgeable about physical presence.
I sent my application back in Dec 2019 and did my test already 3 months ago and then got scheduled for an in-person interview to verify documents.
As I was printing the documents, just today, I realized that I had filled the physical presence in the wrong way. Since the first year of the eligibility period, I was mostly outside Canada for work, I was doing a lot of trips due to my work. So in the physical presence form/calculator, I was putting each trip separately as an absence instead of putting the multiple countries in the reason. So I went online and filled it out again to see if it will make a difference, and it did.
I had already 7 months buffer when I applied, but then when I filled it again in the correct way it was almost 6 months buffer over my eligible days. This means I am still eligible since I have extra days, but they are shorter than what I claimed first due to my misunderstanding of how to fill out the form.

This was an honest mistake, as I was trying to be very accurate in putting each trip since I have a lot of stamps. I didn't realize that this is not how they wanted it to be. I know it is a mistake still and has resulted in giving me extra days but I really was trying my best to show each trip as I kept records of everything and wanted to be very accurate.
Now I have my interview in a couple of days, and I am not sure how to present this case to them. I have not missed any trip from my initial submission and all my stamps match what I entered, it's just that I misunderstood how to fill it which caused this mistake.
Any advice on how these situations are handled?

 

[asamad88]

Hi everyone,
I am looking for advice from anyone who is knowledgeable about physical presence.
I sent my application back in Dec 2019 and did my test already 3 months ago and then got scheduled for an in-person interview to verify documents.
As I was printing the documents, just today, I realized that I had filled the physical presence in the wrong way. Since the first year of the eligibility period, I was mostly outside Canada for work, I was doing a lot of trips due to my work. So in the physical presence form/calculator, I was putting each trip separately as an absence instead of putting the multiple countries in the reason. So I went online and filled it out again to see if it will make a difference, and it did.
I had already 7 months buffer when I applied, but then when I filled it again in the correct way it was almost 6 months buffer over my eligible days. This means I am still eligible since I have extra days, but they are shorter than what I claimed first due to my misunderstanding of how to fill out the form.

This was an honest mistake, as I was trying to be very accurate in putting each trip since I have a lot of stamps. I didn't realize that this is not how they wanted it to be. I know it is a mistake still and has resulted in giving me extra days but I really was trying my best to show each trip as I kept records of everything and wanted to be very accurate.
Now I have my interview in a couple of days, and I am not sure how to present this case to them. I have not missed any trip from my initial submission and all my stamps match what I entered, it's just that I misunderstood how to fill it which caused this mistake.
Any advice on how these situations are handled?

my wife did a mistake of omitting one day trip to USA, but this trip still made her eligible for citizenship. My wife had no idea until the interviewing officer asked about it. My wife told her that it was an honest mistake and the officer let it go since she was still eligible.

But i would suggest you to consult lawyer before going to interview.

 

[wink]

I was putting each trip separately as an absence instead of putting the multiple countries in the reason.

It is still not clear to me what mistake you did. If I understand correctly, in one trip you visited multiple countries and you captured it as multiple trips. I am not sure how you entered From/To dates.

Just my opinion and not advice: I think you should explain this situation to the IRCC's personnel during the interview and as you have still good amount of buffer, I think still you are in a good position. I am kind of sure that they noticed the mistake you have done. I think IRCC's main intention is to check whether you really meet the required number of days to qualify. But yes, you should still bring it to their attention and seek their advice. It is bit late in the process to try anything else. Just let them know. I am guessing that they would take/accept your new Physical Presence Calculation and proceed with the rest of the process. Again, just my opinion.

 

[goldencheck]

It is still not clear to me what mistake you did. If I understand correctly, in one trip you visited multiple countries and you captured it as multiple trips. I am not sure how you entered From/To dates.

Just my opinion and not advice: I think you should explain this situation to the IRCC's personnel during the interview and as you have still good amount of buffer, I think still you are in a good position. I am kind of sure that they noticed the mistake you have done. I think IRCC's main intention is to check whether you really meet the required number of days to qualify. But yes, you should still bring it to their attention and seek their advice. It is bit late in the process to try anything else. Just let them know. I am guessing that they would take/accept your new Physical Presence Calculation and proceed with the rest of the process. Again, just my opinion.

Thank you for your response, and to answer your question:
So just to make it simpler, If I was absent for 1 year I should put the date I departed from Canada and the day I came back and in the "Reason" I should mention the countries I had been to because they were multiple countries, with no need to mention the number of days I spent in these countries. since they only care about the number of days I was outside Canada.
Instead, I have put each country separately to show how many days I spent in each country. . The Calculator assumes that each trip/absence is from Canada, so it would count the day of departure as in Canada, and that results in adding 1 day to each trip.
This was completely a misunderstanding from my end since I thought they want to to know each entry to each country and at what date did it happen.
I am now worried about my eligibility, because I was honest in my entries and I have made sure to stay extra months before I apply, and even now I live here after almost 3 years of my application. I only care that this honest mistake does not delay my process.

Thank you,

 

[wink]

Thank you for your response, and to answer your question:
So just to make it simpler, If I was absent for 1 year I should put the date I departed from Canada and the day I came back and in the "Reason" I should mention the countries I had been to because they were multiple countries, with no need to mention the number of days I spent in these countries. since they only care about the number of days I was outside Canada.
Instead, I have put each country separately to show how many days I spent in each country. . The Calculator assumes that each trip/absence is from Canada, so it would count the day of departure as in Canada, and that results in adding 1 day to each trip.
This was completely a misunderstanding from my end since I thought they want to to know each entry to each country and at what date did it happen.
I am now worried about my eligibility, because I was honest in my entries and I have made sure to stay extra months before I apply, and even now I live here after almost 3 years of my application. I only care that this honest mistake does not delay my process.

Thank you,

I think you should be fine. Just explain this and keep the new calculation sheet handy if you need to share it with them.

 

[Miss bee]

I think you should be fine. Just explain this and keep the new calculation sheet handy if you need to share it with them.

Well if you have 1095 or maybe more days , then nothing to worry. It’s just minor error so should be able to submit new calculator or Letter of explanation through webform. But if you have less days than than 1095 , then you are in trouble as you have to withdraw and apply again.

 

[wink]

Please give us an update after the interview.