Middle Eastern immigrants applying for citizenship....update here

[newcomer]

Hi,

I am starting this thread to create a database of immigrants who immigrated from Middle East and received/not received an RQ regarding their citizenship application,in order to find a co-relation between the length of citizenship application processing times (RQ granted or not) and their association with ME.

I have found it necessary to start this topic as at various forums I have been reading that many immigrants coming from ME were granted RQ ,so want them to report their timeline here and share details about their cases i.e. such as any RQ given or not.In that way we will be able to find whether is there any co-relation between RQs and immigrants previous status in ME or not.

Guys please share details about your cases.

Thanks

 

[Barrie3arabi]

Salam,
I have just registered to participate, I am from the middle east (Arab) and I live in Barrie, ON. My timeline is as follows

Application received : Dec. 2010
Started processing : Jan 2012
Fingerprints requested : April 2012
Fingerprints receieved : May 2012

Till now, I have not been invited to the do the exam. I have a PhD from the USA, and currently working as a scientist for the Canadaian government. My name is so unique that it is impossible to find anyone in the world with my name. When they requested fingerprints (despite the fact that I am a fedral employee), I knew that it has to do with my Muslim name and middle eastern origin.

My wife timeline

Application received: June 2011
Still receieved.

Both I and my wife have been ideal immigrants, since day one in Canada working hard and paying taxes, never been in trouble, I have even never got a traffic citation.

 

[newcomer]

Salam,
I have just registered to participate, I am from the middle east (Arab) and I live in Barrie, ON. My timeline is as follows

Application received : Dec. 2010
Started processing : Jan 2012
Fingerprints requested : April 2012
Fingerprints receieved : May 2012

Till now, I have not been invited to the do the exam. I have a PhD from the USA, and currently working as a scientist for the Canadaian government. My name is so unique that it is impossible to find anyone in the world with my name. When they requested fingerprints (despite the fact that I am a fedral employee), I knew that it has to do with my Muslim name and middle eastern origin.

My wife timeline

Application received: June 2011
Still receieved.

I truly beleive that CIC practice racial profiling

Hi,

Thanks very much for sharing your details.Infact your case has already reached 18th month of processing still no test.The request for finger printing itself shows that your case is going to take longer than average processing time as everyone is not requested for finger printing.

Wish you all the best for the future processings of yours and your wife s cases.

Please keep us posted .Thanks once again!.

I have across an article in this regard & would like to share it here:

http://www.goanvoice.ca/2011/issue05/Health_Wellness.htm

 

[Maisa]

Greetings all,
I just wanted to share my time line with everyone here. I am also Arabic myself and my husband and I with our kids have applied for citizenship in Surrey -BC in February 2012. I too have lived in UAE previously and that is why I am also very worried about getting an RQ.
My husband and I have been ideal citizens too; lived here for more than 3 years now. Were either working or studying and contributed to this great country.
I just fear that being Arabic might trigger an RQ.

Will keep you posted.

Maisa

 

[newcomer]

Greetings all,
I just wanted to share my time line with everyone here. I am also Arabic myself and my husband and I with our kids have applied for citizenship in Surrey -BC in February 2012. I too have lived in UAE previously and that is why I am also very worried about getting an RQ.
My husband and I have been ideal citizens too; lived here for more than 3 years now. Were either working or studying and contributed to this great country.
I just fear that being Arabic might trigger an RQ.

Will keep you posted.

Maisa

Well being an Arabic is not a feature to get an RQ.Infact CIC wants to closely monitor all those nationalities who had been working previously in Middle East and some of them might still be working there but are fraudulantly maintaining their presence in Canada with the help of some crooked consultants.The irony of all this situation is that many genuine applicants who are really living in Canada are/might be punished due to the ill doings of some rotten eggs.

I hope and pray that you dont receive an RQ but please do keep us posted.

Good Luck!

 

[newcomer]

Hi Barrie3arabi,

Any update on your case, I hope n pray that you do not receive an RQ .

Thanks

 

[Barrie3arabi]

Hi Barrie3arabi,

Any update on your case, I hope n pray that you do not receive an RQ .

Thanks

Nothing new yet.

 

[newcomer]

Nothing new yet.

Thnx for the info.

Please keep us posted about your case.

 

[Visachi]

Hi everyone,

Here's my timeline:

Landed PR : June 2008
Sent application: 2nd Dec 2011
Date on confirmation letter & booklet: 5th Dec 2011
Ecas Update: Received 5th Dec 2011
Ecas update- In process- 23rd May 2012
Received RQ (before test) - 25th May 2012 ( 8 months passed since application)

Both my husband & myself received RQs. We both are Indian passport holders but were working in Dubai for 6 years before PR. On leaving Middle East never had a valid Middle East Visa & never went back to any part of ME.
Absolutely no idea why we received RQ.
Some common points between my husband & me could be:
1) Not bought house yet
2) Moved rented house twice due to birth of baby
3) Passports were expiring in Feb 2012
4) Have valid US visitor visa

I am not sure if having ME visas & stamps ( all cancelled) was a reason for RQ as in the application they had not requested for the full passport copy, so how could they know we had ME visas/stamps?

 

[newcomer]

Hi everyone,

Here's my timeline:

Landed PR : June 2008
Sent application: 2nd Dec 2011
Date on confirmation letter & booklet: 5th Dec 2011
Ecas Update: Received 5th Dec 2011
Ecas update- In process- 23rd May 2012
Received RQ (before test) - 25th May 2012 ( 8 months passed since application)

Both my husband & myself received RQs. We both are Indian passport holders but were working in Dubai for 6 years before PR. On leaving Middle East never had a valid Middle East Visa & never went back to any part of ME.
Absolutely no idea why we received RQ.
Some common points between my husband & me could be:
1) Not bought house yet
2) Moved rented house twice due to birth of baby
3) Passports were expiring in Feb 2012
4) Have valid US visitor visa

I am not sure if having ME visas & stamps ( all cancelled) was a reason for RQ as in the application they had not requested for the full passport copy, so how could they know we had ME visas/stamps?

Hi,

Well what we are reading nowadays that not only having valid/cancelled ME visa but also previous working connection with ME can trigger RQ (obviously there should be some other reasons to supplement it) .Recently suddenly CIC has started issuing RQs randomly ,people having perfect applications,no absences at all, no ME connection ,no GC etc etc still got RQ.It appears CIC is following a crack down policy ,atleast for the time being,to warn future applicants.

 

[SusanG]

Hi all,

For me, we applied in October 2011, we've got the book and that is it .. but I have a question what do you mean by RQ?

Thanks

 

[newcomer]

Hi all,

For me, we applied in October 2011, we've got the book and that is it .. but I have a question what do you mean by RQ?

Thanks

Hi,

RQ stands for Residence Questionnaire.Infact its not part of routine citizenship application .It is actually a Form which is requested by CIC in case ,it is suspicious about one s 1095 days presence in Canada/one having sufficent ties with Canada/one s future intentions to live in Canada after gaining citizenship.The most important fact is that this form is supplemented by tons of documents to prove one s presence ,ties with Canada and usually the citizenship process is delayed for atleast an year (or some times more than that) or so.Usually the RQs are given at the time of test or send by mail after test but from the past 2 months or so CIC has started sending RQ BEFORE the test(usually it coincides with the date of transfer in the local office) which is a new trend.

In the past CIC had been sending RQs quite rarely but in the current year,the number of RQs granted has increased enormously .

Hope it helps.

 

[basharar]

Could everyone please list your location, or the local office, we are applying soon and its getting ridiculous

 

[cocosyr]

Hi,

RQ stands for Residence Questionnaire.Infact its not part of routine citizenship application .It is actually a Form which is requested by CIC in case ,it is suspicious about one s 1095 days presence in Canada/one having sufficent ties with Canada/one s future intentions to live in Canada after gaining citizenship.The most important fact is that this form is supplemented by tons of documents to prove one s presence ,ties with Canada and usually the citizenship process is delayed for atleast an year (or some times more than that) or so.Usually the RQs are given at the time of test or send by mail after test but from the past 2 months or so CIC has started sending RQ BEFORE the test(usually it coincides with the date of transfer in the local office) which is a new trend.

In the past CIC had been sending RQs quite rarely but in the current year,the number of RQs granted has increased enormously .

Hope it helps.

Doesn't this only apply to Middle Easterners/South Asians?

 

[newcomer]

Doesn't this only apply to Middle Easterners/South Asians?

Not really, but its a fact that citizenship applications from ME immigrants undergo more scrutiny as compared to their other counterparts .I have seen applicants getting RQs as well ,with no South Asian or ME background at all.