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leaving canada after applying citizenship

nunu

Full Member
Jun 27, 2009
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hi everyone
its been three years i am leaving in canada now its time to apply for citizenship.my question is:

can i leave canada after applying for citizenhip?will it effect my citizenship process?
thanks
 

steaky

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Nov 11, 2008
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Do you realize this problem faced by this poster:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/travel-document-rejected-but-have-schedule-for-citizenship-test-t127139.0.html;msg1927460;boardseen#new
 

EasyRider

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Oct 12, 2008
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Nunu, check these 2 topics:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/moving-to-the-us-after-applying-for-citizenship-t57757.0.html

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/obtaining-citizenship-after-temporarily-moving-abroad-t126137.0.html
 

nunu

Full Member
Jun 27, 2009
39
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Thanks steaky,
what i understand from that link is that his PR expires while he was outside canada thats why travel document wasnot issued to him while in my case if i leave canada after applying for citizenship my PR will stay valid for two more years and in the meanwhile i will come back to take my citizenship test and oath.my question was will it delay the process unnecessarily if i leave the country after applying?

Thanks once again
 

Msafiri

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Nov 18, 2012
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On paper nothing stops you from leaving Canada after a Citizenship application and returning only for the test and the oath. This on the basis that the processing proceeds smoothly and is concluded prior to any risk on the residence obligation i.e. within 730 days. If you have 1095 days of physical presence in your Citizenship application and avoid a Residence Questionnaire your chances are good.

Make sure you have reliable access to your mail and can return to Canada at short notice. Note that CIC officers have been known to RQ applicants who have a recent passport entry stamp for test or oath attendance.

Good luck
 

Dejaavu

Hero Member
Aug 17, 2013
530
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I know a guy who was living in Vancouver for 3 years and then he applied for citizenship and then he got a job overseas and he left Canada.

He contacted CIC and explained the situation. He said that he couldn't find a job in his field in Canada. He teaches at a university.

He just got the citizenship. They gave him an RQ and it took him about 2 years in total to get the citizenship.
 

canadp

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Feb 25, 2009
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Dejaavu said:
I know a guy who was living in Vancouver for 3 years and then he applied for citizenship and then he got a job overseas and he left Canada.

He contacted CIC and explained the situation. He said that he couldn't find a job in his field in Canada. He teaches at a university.

He just got the citizenship. They gave him an RQ and it took him about 2 years in total to get the citizenship.
With reference to this, I also would like to say that situation now is not same as it was before, if you leave Canada after filing your citizenship, your citizenship process may delay. CIC also now tends to check whether your intention is to live in this country or not. I know one person who has been here for more than 8 years and still waiting for his citizenship. Reason I believe that he worked in dubai and USA for 2-3 years within this period of time and traveled a lot.

I mean you never know how CIC will response in every individual case.
 

farrous13

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Oct 1, 2013
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I know someone who actually left Canada to pursue a degree at a university in the initial country that he/she came from.
Came back to Canada to do the citizenship test and went back. Yes this person passed. I will let you know what happens later on.
 

Dejaavu

Hero Member
Aug 17, 2013
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It looks like it depends on each case. I was surprised when that guy got his citizenship in Vancouver.
 

mirjahan

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Jul 5, 2011
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nunu said:
hi everyone
its been three years i am leaving in canada now its time to apply for citizenship.my question is:

can i leave canada after applying for citizenhip?will it effect my citizenship process?
thanks
You can leave Canada after apply for Citizenship but before your exam they check again your physical present in Canada .
Look their FAQ section
https://eservices.cic.gc.ca/rescalc/redir.do?redir=faq#Q2

They are always look for from Last five years period. If you are absent fro long period time then could be a problem beacusethey check again your physical present on exam date.
 

farrous13

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Oct 1, 2013
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farrous13 said:
I know someone who actually left Canada to pursue a degree at a university in the initial country that he/she came from.
Came back to Canada to do the citizenship test and went back. Yes this person passed. I will let you know what happens later on.

As per the quoted comment above, the person mentioned got the invitation to attend the oath by the end of this February. I don't have an exact date.

That person resides overseas (pursuing a medical degree in home country). Just wanted to update you guys. If you have a valid reason, then you shouldn't worry much about the RQ.

local office: MONTREAL
 

redstone

Hero Member
Apr 6, 2013
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is there problem if we go for vacation or family visit to back home for 2 months after submitting citizenship app???
 

farrous13

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Oct 1, 2013
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Why would it?
as I mentioned in my previous comment, I witnessed someone who left after applying for the citizenship and will get it without RQ. As a matter of fact, when my sister took the oath two days ago, some applicants seem to have just arrived to Canada for the oath. They had luggage with the tags still on.
And there are some applicants who don't leave Canada but still get RQed.

redstone said:
is there problem if we go for vacation or family visit to back home for 2 months after submitting citizenship app???
 

Mike15

Member
Feb 4, 2014
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I've enjoyed a couple of vacations in the US while my Citizenship application has been in process, and it hasn't negatively impacted anything.

No longer residing in Canada would get murkier, but physically leaving the country and returning is no problem.

Citizenship test notification can come on very short notice though, so being away for a lengthy period of time can be doubly problematic. I received my letter in the mail on the 30th of December, for an exam on the 8th of January.
 

links18

Champion Member
Feb 1, 2006
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You never know what might cause CIC to give you an RQ and send your application to the bureaucratic black hole. Officers have wide discretion and there is little transparency. That's why many are afraid to travel after submitting there application, even if it is perfectly legal. Travel at your own risk.