Process for citizenship while no longer living in Canada

[spanishnick]

Hi,

I met the eligibility criteria to apply for citizenship after having lived more than 3 years in the past 5 years as a permanent resident in Canada.

I will apply for citizenship in the coming days - however I will be moving to France in the coming months for the next three years at least, most likely prior to doing my test and obtaining my citizenship. I was wondering whether I would still be allowed to go over the entire process from abroad. Or do I need to stay reside in Canada until the end of the process.

Thank you for your help!

 

[xuan]

This question has been asked thousands if not millions of time here lol.

anyway to summarize in 1 sentence:

You can leave but you must come back to Canada for the test and for the oath to avoid problems.

 

[scylla]

Hi,

I met the eligibility criteria to apply for citizenship after having lived more than 3 years in the past 5 years as a permanent resident in Canada.

I will apply for citizenship in the coming days - however I will be moving to France in the coming months for the next three years at least, most likely prior to doing my test and obtaining my citizenship. I was wondering whether I would still be allowed to go over the entire process from abroad. Or do I need to stay reside in Canada until the end of the process.

Thank you for your help!

You can take the test abroad. You have to return to Canada and be physically in Canada for the oath.

 

[wink]

Hi,

I met the eligibility criteria to apply for citizenship after having lived more than 3 years in the past 5 years as a permanent resident in Canada.

I will apply for citizenship in the coming days - however I will be moving to France in the coming months for the next three years at least, most likely prior to doing my test and obtaining my citizenship. I was wondering whether I would still be allowed to go over the entire process from abroad. Or do I need to stay reside in Canada until the end of the process.

Thank you for your help!

First thing is, as you mentioned, you should apply (while in Canada) before you leave.

Based on my couple of years of observation, along the process, these are the main events some of the applicants go through:

1. Finger print request: Not everyone is asked to do this, but some do. If you are asked to provide one, it could be done being abroad.
2. Citizenship Knowledge Test: Currently, IRCC allows to take the test being abroad. But would like to highlight that before pandemic, it is used be a in-person event.
3. Interview: Some of the applicants are asked to appear for an interview. Currently IRCC seems to allow to appear for this online.
4. Oath: Everyone expected to be in Canada, even if it happens online. There maybe very few exceptions though. IRCC seems to ask applicants to let them know once you are in Canada (with a proof like passport stamp or boarding passes) to schedule the oath. Till then they might put your application on hold when your application reaches this stage.

 

[esse]

First thing is, as you mentioned, you should apply (while in Canada) before you leave.

Based on my couple of years of observation, along the process, these are the main events some of the applicants go through:

1. Finger print request: Not everyone is asked to do this, but some do. If you are asked to provide one, it could be done being abroad.
2. Citizenship Knowledge Test: Currently, IRCC allows to take the test being abroad. But would like to highlight that before pandemic, it is used be a in-person event.
3. Interview: Some of the applicants are asked to appear for an interview. Currently IRCC seems to allow to appear for this online.
4. Oath: Everyone expected to be in Canada, even if it happens online. There maybe very few exceptions though. IRCC seems to ask applicants to let them know once you are in Canada (with a proof like passport stamp or boarding passes) to schedule the oath. Till then they might put your application on hold when your application reaches this stage.

Few things to add to the post above. If one takes the test outside of Canada, you will be called for an interview after the test. Usually, you have to wait 5 months or longer for the interview date. Everyone has to be in Canada for the Oath. I did not know any exceptions to that rule. You might apply for urgent processing but to grant this request is at the discretion of the officer. People who have done urgent processing could give more information on that. Good luck.

 

[Dreamlad]

Being abroad is what IRCC hates. I'm saying this from personal experience...

 

[spanishnick]

Hi all,

Thank you all for your responses, it's much appreciated.

I would be moving back to Europe for grad school for the next three years at least and I don't have any family in Canada, so would literally just fly to Toronto just for the test and the oath. Any idea whether I would be eligible for an exemption if I show a proof of enrollment? It would be quite costly to fly back twice to stay just a couple of days.. Unsure if this would fall under the "urgent" category. If not, I'll fly back for the oath but would probably need to take the test abroad.

Thanks again!

 

[scylla]

Hi all,

Thank you all for your responses, it's much appreciated.

I would be moving back to Europe for grad school for the next three years at least and I don't have any family in Canada, so would literally just fly to Toronto just for the test and the oath. Any idea whether I would be eligible for an exemption if I show a proof of enrollment? It would be quite costly to fly back twice to stay just a couple of days.. Unsure if this would fall under the "urgent" category. If not, I'll fly back for the oath but would probably need to take the test abroad.

Thanks again!

Based on what we've seen here, you won't get urgent processing if you're requesting it for a reason that involves leaving Canada.

In terms of taking the path outside of Canada, please assume that won't be possible and you'll need to fly to Canada to be here in person. There have only been two people on this forum who have claimed they were able to take the oath from outside of Canada and these claims haven't been substantiated to the best of my knowledge. So assume you'll need to fly back. Keep in mind that you won't have your choice of dates and that there may not be a ton of notice.

 

[Hadysaade]

Based on what we've seen here, you won't get urgent processing if you're requesting it for a reason that involves leaving Canada.

In terms of taking the path outside of Canada, please assume that won't be possible and you'll need to fly to Canada to be here in person. There have only been two people on this forum who have claimed they were able to take the oath from outside of Canada and these claims haven't been substantiated to the best of my knowledge. So assume you'll need to fly back. Keep in mind that you won't have your choice of dates and that there may not be a ton of notice.

I will add an important note to the above. As far as I know, and please guys correct me if I am wrong, at the time of the oath the applicant must be in compliance with the residency obligation, otherwise they will put their residency on risk.
So better you take in consideration your residency obligation a year and half from now for example.

 

[canvis2006]

No issues, my parents had to be abroad due to sorting out his pension, life, property issues while application was in process.
They are seniors so exempt from test. Not called for interview.

ofcourse came to canada for oath when called. Took oath and became citizens. They were able to wind their affairs there and came back.

france is like 8-9 hrs away by flight, just ensure you be here when called for anything……shouldn’t be an issue as long as you meet requirements and have an address here to get letters, etc. good luck!

 

[dpenabill]

I met the eligibility criteria to apply for citizenship after having lived more than 3 years in the past 5 years as a permanent resident in Canada.

I will apply for citizenship in the coming days - however I will be moving to France in the coming months for the next three years at least, most likely prior to doing my test and obtaining my citizenship. I was wondering whether I would still be allowed to go over the entire process from abroad. Or do I need to stay reside in Canada until the end of the process.

The longer, more than one sentence, version:

Yeah, this comes up a lot. How it goes varies a lot. There is no one-answer for everyone. For many it is not complicated and it goes OK, no problems. For some it does not go all that well and there are problems.

I would be moving back to Europe for grad school for the next three years at least and I don't have any family in Canada, so would literally just fly to Toronto just for the test and the oath. Any idea whether I would be eligible for an exemption if I show a proof of enrollment? It would be quite costly to fly back twice to stay just a couple of days.. Unsure if this would fall under the "urgent" category. If not, I'll fly back for the oath but would probably need to take the test abroad.

Overall:

There is nothing prohibiting leaving Canada, even for an extended time, while a citizenship application is in process. Many who leave Canada do not encounter problems. Some do. How it actually goes varies considerably, which is true for all applicants, including those remaining in Canada. How it goes for any particular applicant DEPENDS on a broad range of factors specific to the individual. Being abroad is just one more factor, among so many factors, that can have influence in how things go.

In particular, for the applicant who is staying outside Canada for an extended period of time while their citizenship application is pending, just like it is for anyone applying for citizenship, how things go will be affected by the specific circumstances in that individual's situation. The risk of RQ-related non-routine processing, for example, often comes up. There is a risk of this for ALL applicants. However, there are many individual factors specific to the particular applicant which influence how much risk the particular applicant has. The risk ranges from a minimal risk of RQ-related non-routine processing for the VAST MAJORITY of applicants, to situations in which an applicant has a significantly higher risk of RQ. There is an obviously higher risk, for example, for an applicant who fails to accurately report travel history resulting in substantial discrepancies between the applicant's disclosures and other information that IRCC reviews (whether the applicant is in Canada or outside).

While there is no doubt that living abroad after applying is a factor that can influence how things go, and in particular a factor that can be and sometimes is considered by the bureaucrats making decisions (some forum claims otherwise are not true), in processing a citizenship application, how so, to what effect, with what weight, is largely unknown. And subject to some controversy in this forum.

Personal Decision-Making:

For purposes of personal decision-making, for preparation and planning, there are two very different scenarios.

For many it is a question about whether or not to go, or a question about when to go abroad. It may be about deciding the best time to apply. This involves weighing the additional risks involved, considering the individual's own situation, and assessing the reasons for going abroad. For many, if it is possible, it would be more prudent to wait to go abroad. For others it would be prudent to wait longer to make the citizenship application. It is largely a personal choice, depending on personal preferences and priorities, taking into consideration personal factors which can influence how it goes.

For many others, the decision to go abroad is already made, and this includes those who have already made a move abroad. Their approach is better oriented to being prepared for contingencies and to minimize the risks of problems.

Some Do's and Don'ts for those abroad after applying:

There are some FOR SURE do's and don'ts for those who are relocated abroad after applying (some touched upon by others above):

-- do NOT fail to stay in compliance with the PR Residency Obligation . . . this is an imperative up to the very day the oath is taken, and it affects eligibility; if a PR-applicant becomes subject to an enforceable Removal Order for a breach of the RO, the citizenship application is denied and they lose PR status​

​

-- be certain IRCC has contact information that will for sure mean you TIMELY get communications from IRCC; be aware that even though most communication is done by email or webform these days, in some cases it can still be important to timely get communications by regular mail​

​

-- be prepared to return to Canada to timely appear for scheduled events, which can be on fairly short notice; this includes for sure the oath, which must be done IN Canada (there have been some confirmed exceptions, such as a couple cases reported in mainstream media for persons allowed to take the oath in Ukraine this year, among other reports claimed in this forum . . . but this is so rare it should NOT be considered a realistic possibility)​

-- -- a citizenship applicant MIGHT be scheduled for other events which require being IN Canada, which includes some events, like interviews and the knowledge of Canada test, which currently MOST applicants (not necessarily all) are being allowed to take online while abroad​

​

-- be sure to keep relevant records accessible, including records related to proof of physical presence in Canada, which includes any expired passports that could have been used during your eligibility period, so that you can timely provide these to IRCC if asked​

Regarding interviews in particular: it appears, again for now, most applicants required to participate in a PI (Program Integrity) Interview are allowed to do so online while abroad, HOWEVER, there are reports some are required to be IN Canada for an online interview, and some applicants are now being required to attend interviews in person. Generally all adult applicants must attend a PI interview BUT during the last two plus years this has not been IRCC practice due to the Covid pandemic. It is not clear when, or even if IRCC will resume PI interviews for all adult applicants, but it is clear that more and more are being scheduled for the PI interview, and it appears that an interview is more likely for applicants identified as abroad (including in particular those who engaged in the knowledge of Canada test while abroad). NOTE that the PI interview is not the only time IRCC might schedule an applicant for an interview; this is about non-routine processing so does not affect most applicants, but for the small number of applicants who are scheduled for an interview with a citizenship officer as to some non-routine issue, it appears these must be done while IN Canada and that most of these are scheduled for an in-person interview.

 

[dpenabill]

I will apply for citizenship in the coming days - however I will be moving to France in the coming months for the next three years at least, most likely prior to doing my test and obtaining my citizenship. I was wondering whether I would still be allowed to go over the entire process from abroad. Or do I need to stay reside in Canada until the end of the process.

Particular Considerations For Applicants Headed Abroad After Applying:

No Prohibition; no direct effect on eligibility:

For PRs applying for Canadian citizenship, there is no prohibition against leaving Canada for an extended period of time. Living outside Canada while the application is pending does not affect the PR-applicant's eligibility for citizenship. In particular, living outside Canada while the citizenship application is pending is NOT grounds for denying the application.

It warrants noting upfront, however, that there are some risks in addition to the risks that can affect all applicants. That's a big subject. There are logistical risks (to some extent already noted by others, such as potential difficulty returning to Canada in time for scheduled events) and procedural risks (a more complicated subject, but the main one is the higher risk for RQ-related non-routine processing).

Many Experience Smooth Sailing:

It is readily apparent that many PRs do move outside Canada after applying and sail through the process without issues, encountering no problems or delays other than those many applicants remaining in Canada encounter. There have been many anecdotal reports in the forum of this, similar to what @canvis2006 reports.

Logistical Risks:

There are, of course, various logistical risks involved in the processing of a citizenship application. For example, an applicant can be traveling within Canada, let alone outside Canada, when given notice to appear at a scheduled event, and depending on their particular circumstances it may be logistically more difficult for some to timely make it to the scheduled event. Applicants in transit, again whether in or outside Canada, can sometimes encounter problems getting communications in time to appropriately and timely respond.

Generally such logistical risks tend to be greater for the applicant outside Canada than those remaining in Canada. But this is relative. Applicants living in Detroit, Michigan or Buffalo, N.Y., in the U.S., do not run nearly the same risk of having difficulty timely returning to Canada on short notice for a scheduled event, as an applicant who is living in a rural area in Central Asia. Financial circumstances can be a big factor. Some can more readily afford to drop things and pay to travel to Canada on short notice than others. Applicants with family living at a long-term stable address in Canada can generally rely on that address for getting regular mail more than an applicant without strong personal ties in Canada. And so on.

IRCC allows a significant amount of leeway for failures to timely respond to requests or even a failure to appear as scheduled for an event. But this is not a blank cheque. IRCC will typically reschedule an oath ceremony but for the applicant abroad this can result in delays pending confirmation of actual presence in Canada.

Procedural Risks:

All applicants have some risk of non-routine processing. How being abroad affects the process if there is non-routine processing depends on the particular circumstances and varies. Here again, some circumstances can pose more logistical hurdles. Even for minimally disruptive non-routine processing, like fingerprint requests, for one example, where the applicant is located and the circumstances there can affect how easy, or not-so-easy it is to timely provide the FPs.

Most common procedural risk seen currently is having to positively declare when the applicant will return to Canada to be scheduled for the oath. Many are just scheduled for the oath and as long as they can travel to Canada and take the oath in Canada, they are fine. But a significant number of others are asked to positively declare when they will be back in Canada before being scheduled for the oath, and there is no guarantee the oath will be scheduled anytime soon after that date. Some have been required to verify they are actually back in Canada and provide proof of that.

The risk of RQ-related non-routine processing has gone down considerably in the last several years, but both RQ-lite (CIT 0520) and full blown RQ (CIT 0171) are still being issued to some applicants. Historically (going back to at least 2005) being abroad after applying was considered a "reason-to-question-residency" and standing alone was a factor that often triggered RQ, and for a short time (2015 to 2017), living abroad while the application was pending would be sufficient grounds to deny the application (actual enforcement of the eligibility requirement for an intent to continue residing in Canada, effective as of June 2015 but repealed in 2017, was more short-lived, the Liberal government suspending enforcement of this provision by early 2016 even though stating an intent to continue residing in Canada continued to be requirement to make a citizenship application until the effective date of repeal in October 2017).

To what extent being abroad is still a factor elevating the risk of RQ is unknown, although it very likely it still increases the risk some. It is likely other factors have more influence, like substantial discrepancies in travel history or concerns indicated in comparing Canadian work history with other information about the applicant. Just as a smaller margin of presence over the minimum can influence whether such factors trigger RQ in the particular case, it is likely that being abroad after applying likewise has some influence in whether such other factors trigger RQ. No rocket science necessary to map the trajectory of such factors, which includes the nature and extent of the applicant's ties in Canada. Obviously, the more an applicant clearly has extensive ties in Canada, the less likely a total stranger bureaucrat will question the applicant's presence in Canada; conversely, a minimal margin of presence, not so many established ties in Canada more or less emphasized by living abroad after applying, and a significant omission or inaccuracy in the travel history, is going to increase the chance a total stranger bureaucrat will question the applicant's presence in Canada.

Procedural Risks -- Delays:

Any non-routine processing tends to cause delays. All applicants face some risk of delays. How long is also something that varies a lot, a real lot. For the PR-applicant abroad an overriding risk is that the application processing encounters delays and ends up taking years, and in the meantime the PR-applicant is approaching a problem complying with the PR Residency Obligation. It is imperative to stay in RO compliance.

For a couple very recent discussions about citizenship applicants abroad running into very lengthy delays and RO compliance issues, illustrating the risks, see the posts by and in response to
@cango2017 here: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/classic-law-school-case-not-classical-please-help.780100/
and @gino007 here: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/rq-versus-physical-presence-questionnaires-including-cit-0205.534082/page-30#post-10261653

 

[gino007]

I have some personal observation to add to the above. I have been reading tens of pages here (not hundreds) about other people's experiences. It seems to me (and again it is a personal observation so I might very well be wrong) that people from certain countries like in the Middle East and East Asia are more prone to be scrutinized for choosing to live abroad compared to those who choose to move to the U.S. after submitting their citizenship application. I have read at least a couple of stories of those who chose to move to work in U.S. and sailed the process smoothly. So, if you are from one of the countries I mentioned above (I am talking specifically about countries like China, India, Pakistan, Iran, UAE, etc, their citizens who move back to their home countries after submitting their citizenship application seem to have a higher likeliness of being subject to lengthier processes. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

 

[akbardxb]

I have some personal observation to add to the above. I have been reading tens of pages here (not hundreds) about other people's experiences. It seems to me (and again it is a personal observation so I might very well be wrong) that people from certain countries like in the Middle East and East Asia are more prone to be scrutinized for choosing to live abroad compared to those who choose to move to the U.S. after submitting their citizenship application. I have read at least a couple of stories of those who chose to move to work in U.S. and sailed the process smoothly. So, if you are from one of the countries I mentioned above (I am talking specifically about countries like China, India, Pakistan, Iran, UAE, etc, their citizens who move back to their home countries after submitting their citizenship application seem to have a higher likeliness of being subject to lengthier processes. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

I would wholeheartedly agree. Been there, done that.

 

[footyluv]

Hello @wink

I am living outside Canada and I am now asked to come for an in-person Citizenship interview.

Can this be taken online? Can I request them if this can be an option?

Thanks