Residency questionnaire (0171)

[holySinner]

Hello everyone here;

I guess this one topic on citizenship has least amount of info and help available so guys I would request all those who have gone through this process or in the process, to share their stories and experiences with us. This can be of great help for so many who were a bit unfortunate for getting this killing questionnaire.

 

[holySinner]

ok I should start first with my story. I got my residency questionnaire while I went to give my test. My frequent visits back home must have triggered for the residency questionnaire. By the end of Sep 2011 i completed the questionnaire and collected whatever documents I could and send it to CIC. The wait started.......

I was wondering if somebody can help me with following unknowns'

1. Probably how long I would have to wait for CIC to contact me again?

2. What would happen next? will it be hearing or oath invite?

3. If its hearing how long that process would take?

I would highly appreciates if somebody can help me with these things.

 

[amirchov]

1. Probably how long I would have to wait for CIC to contact me again?

<b>Officially - 12-18 months (written on the RQ instructions page). I've seen it going over though... I wish more people share their timeline for judge hearings...</b>

2. What would happen next? will it be hearing or oath invite?

<b>It really depends why the RQ was handed over: missing days? establish link to your life in Canada? frequent absences? etc... If the documents you sent satisfy them without a need for a hearing, then the next step is the oath. But most likely the next step is a judge hearing</b>

3. If its hearing how long that process would take?

<b>I have been waiting for 12 months already... again - should be 12-18 months</b>


<b>Good luck!</b>

 

[holySinner]

Thanks Amirchov; For me it is just two months, so still a long wait. Would you be able to tell us which location issued you the residency questionnaire. My application is sitting in Mississauga office.

Thanks.

 

[amirchov]

Thanks Amirchov; For me it is just two months, so still a long wait. Would you be able to tell us which location issued you the residency questionnaire. My application is sitting in Mississauga office.

Thanks.

My application is at the St. Clair (Toronto) CIC office. A very busy office...

 

[holySinner]

somebody sent me a personal message about why I was given the residency questionnaire but unfortunately I couldn't reply there so i am posting it here, hope he would read here.

well i can't say for sure but what the officer has hinted and what i feel is following;

"Although she was able to verify all the stamps but I had frequent visits back home, and at the time of my test i was unemployed and was unemployed for quite some time". I feel these two reasons triggered her to give me the questionnaire.

 

[aryana]

Thanks for staring the topic.

My application is sitting in mississauga CIC. After i wrote my test in march a letter came in May with RQ and all necesssary information were sent in the same month. still no updates or any letter of any sort.
RQ was given as there was a H1 visa in the timeframe i mentioned that i was in canada . I was working for a us company from canada and i had the validity when i was here in canada and that triggered a question during the test session.
All documents have been sent but no updates yet. If anyone who had been in similar situation could share some of their experiences it would be of great help

 

[holySinner]

aryana; you would have to wait for another 12 to 18 months (according to some people its written there in RQ document) before you would be asked to appear before a citizenship judge. I know its a tough call.

 

[Mary Chad]

Well here is my story, i am in Canada since 2008 Feb, only went to Buffalo in Nov 2008 with friend for shopping, came back same day, no travel after that.
Filed Citizenship on Mar 29, 2011
Received Notice and Discover Canada on Apr 09, 2011
File in process 11 Oct, 2011
Moved to local Mississauga office: Nov, 2011
Notice for Test 06 Jan to appear on 23 Jan 2012 for test.
Now my test was super easy , i would say all 20 questions should be right officer never asked lots of question, just basic conversation, if my husband who is PR lives in Canada. About my job(same job for 4 years)
but what i saw in his notes"unable to verify absence from Canada since there are no entry stamps" -(Canada never stamped my passport when we were coming back after shopping)
i am concern seems will receive the RQ, i had all the docs which proves that i have lots of activities in Canada apart from my stable job....
keeping my fingers crossed

 

[AK111]

Notice for Test 06 Jan to appear on 23 Jan 2011 for test.

Mary, with the letter on Jan 6, 2012, Did they ask to bring a certified copy of your passport with translation if any or they just asked for the original to review at the time of the test?

Thanks

 

[Mary Chad]

Mary, with the letter on Jan 6, 2012, Did they ask to bring a certified copy of your passport with translation if any or they just asked for the original to review at the time of the test?

Thanks

They just asked to bring all the passports, current and expired with photocopies of first page (photo one)of each passport.

 

[amirchov]

Well here is my story, i am in Canada since 2008 Feb, only went to Buffalo in Nov 2008 with friend for shopping, came back same day, no travel after that.
Filed Citizenship on Mar 29, 2011
Received Notice and Discover Canada on Apr 09, 2011
File in process 11 Oct, 2011
Moved to local Mississauga office: Nov, 2011
Notice for Test 06 Jan to appear on 23 Jan 2012 for test.
Now my test was super easy , i would say all 20 questions should be right officer never asked lots of question, just basic conversation, if my husband who is PR lives in Canada. About my job(same job for 4 years)
but what i saw in his notes"unable to verify absence from Canada since there are no entry stamps" -(Canada never stamped my passport when we were coming back after shopping)
i am concern seems will receive the RQ, i had all the docs which proves that i have lots of activities in Canada apart from my stable job....
keeping my fingers crossed

A single daily exit out of Canada should not trigger the RQ but if they can't verify when you got back in, then they may ask for more information. When you applied for Citizenship, how many days in Canada did you have? if you had 1095 exactly, then there is no room to maneuver and they might send you the RQ.

The whole process is flawed... I can't believe they cannot communicate with the border control agency and retrieve exits and entrances. It would have saved them (and us) so much time.

Keep your fingers crossed and best of luck!

 

[Mary Chad]

A single daily exit out of Canada should not trigger the RQ but if they can't verify when you got back in, then they may ask for more information. When you applied for Citizenship, how many days in Canada did you have? if you had 1095 exactly, then there is no room to maneuver and they might send you the RQ.

The whole process is flawed... I can't believe they cannot communicate with the border control agency and retrieve exits and entrances. It would have saved them (and us) so much time.

Keep your fingers crossed and best of luck!

Well i don't think of or see any thing which can trigger RQ except the one day trip...because i renewed my PR in 2009 March (after the Buffalo trip, and officer took short interview before handing over the renewed PR) so yes how can i be 2 places :-[ ....
I applied on day 1120
I wish good luck to all who don't scam system...

 

[toby]

A major value of this thread is to remind people to put themselves in the shoes of VOs who must decide whether the applicant has spent enough time in Canada. Have you given them proof of time spent in Canada, proof that is easy to understand?

If there are a lot of stamps in your passport, give them a spreadsheet or paper guide to the trips you took outside Canada, and refer to the passport page where the relevant exit and entry stamps can be found. Make it easy.

If there is no stamp showing the date you returned to Canada, then show other proof that you were in Canada the next day (whatever it may be; e.g. ATM withdrawal slip showing place and date of a withdrawal, or a photo of you and someone else in front of an identifiable Canadian scene, with date and the other person's phone number on the back , so he/she can be called to verify the date of the photo, etc etc).

 

[amirchov]

A major value of this thread is to remind people to put themselves in the shoes of VOs who must decide whether the applicant has spent enough time in Canada. Have you given them proof of time spent in Canada, proof that is easy to understand?

If there are a lot of stamps in your passport, give them a spreadsheet or paper guide to the trips you took outside Canada, and refer to the passport page where the relevant exit and entry stamps can be found. Make it easy.

If there is no stamp showing the date you returned to Canada, then show other proof that you were in Canada the next day (whatever it may be; e.g. ATM withdrawal slip showing place and date of a withdrawal, or a photo of you and someone else in front of an identifiable Canadian scene, with date and the other person's phone number on the back , so he/she can be called to verify the date of the photo, etc etc).

That's a fantastic advice Toby.
I did however notice that they never went over the list during the year that they had the file and the purpose of the interview is to quickly match the list. Any problem/issue that raises a flag is not dealt with in "real-time" but rather generates the RQ. They weren't interested in seeing any documents - just list check.