Resident Questionnaire Questions

[Raincoast]

I received a RQ and have way too many questions.
1. Why do people on this forum seem to have to apply for a CBSA travel history? I do not see this requirement on the RQ - there is a consent to disclose personal information of history of entries to Canada from the CBSA and only if one ticks NO might you have to supply this? Do I understand anything wrong here?
2. Absences from Canada Q7: If I travelled May1 to May31 to the USA but spent the last say 3 days in Canada - will it be wrong to say 1-31 and 31 days and rather calculate too many days outside Canada than too few? Often there is no stamp and I can only go by rememberance and take trips from day I left home to day I came back home - could that be a problem?
3. Same travel question Q7: I have to color copy passport. It also says: Travel records and/or Records of Movement from all countries for which you have a passport. What does this mean? Is this anything extra than my passport?
4. I live with my husband - house on his name - is proof of residence enough to give a property tax assessment and marrige certificate or do I have to include title documents and residential/automobile insurance policies?
5. I do not have children of my own. My husband that has been a Canadian many years more than myself does have children. Can I specifiy nothing for children since I came 5 years ago without any and still have none of my own? His children are all Canadian citizens and some were born here. I am sure they are not applicable on my form?
Hope my questions can also help someone else... Thanks

 

[Msafiri]

I received a RQ and have way too many questions.
1. Why do people on this forum seem to have to apply for a CBSA travel history? I do not see this requirement on the RQ - there is a consent to disclose personal information of history of entries to Canada from the CBSA and only if one ticks NO might you have to supply this? Do I understand anything wrong here?
2. Absences from Canada Q7: If I travelled May1 to May31 to the USA but spent the last say 3 days in Canada - will it be wrong to say 1-31 and 31 days and rather calculate too many days outside Canada than too few? Often there is no stamp and I can only go by rememberance and take trips from day I left home to day I came back home - could that be a problem?
3. Same travel question Q7: I have to color copy passport. It also says: Travel records and/or Records of Movement from all countries for which you have a passport. What does this mean? Is this anything extra than my passport?
4. I live with my husband - house on his name - is proof of residence enough to give a property tax assessment and marrige certificate or do I have to include title documents and residential/automobile insurance policies?
5. I do not have children of my own. My husband that has been a Canadian many years more than myself does have children. Can I specifiy nothing for children since I came 5 years ago without any and still have none of my own? His children are all Canadian citizens and some were born here. I am sure they are not applicable on my form?
Hope my questions can also help someone else... Thanks

1. Old RQ forms did not have the authorization. Its possible some people tick no so they can get the CBSA report review it and withdraw if their dates are very different.
2. Easiest way is to count each day you are in Canada at midnight as 1 physical day e.g. left Canada Jan 29 at 07:00 am then back at 11:55 pm and no departure before midnight = 1 day.
3. Its the equivalent of CBSA in the relevant country e.g CBP for the US.
4. These are helpful but not definitive since they are 'passive' indicators of residence i.e. you don't have to be physically in Canada to have them...get your medical records and employment (In Canada) records (letter, T4s, NOAs) as 'active' indicators.
5. Put N/A

 

[Raincoast]

Thank you so much for such detailed answers Msafiri!!!

What is NOA's? So if I have to change exact dates of trips, how can I obtain a new clean RQ questionnaire? Or can I fix it on the form, it will look terrible, but I cannot find this RQ form anywhere online.

What will happen if I cannot determine where and how to obtain the CBSA equivalent travel records in South Africa? I started by emailing South Africa Customs and are hoping to be at the right spot. Very difficult to know where to go to. I honestly do not know how people with little means (language and money and internet to find these things) can ever comply with this form's demands. I find it a very daunting task. I see other people stress as much as I do about all of this. Of course the Medical Records people were not helpful at all, they say 6 weeks and sorry, just give immigration a call and tell them, 'they know we take longer than that'!

Good luck to everybody struggling with the same procedure! and thanks for everyone and everybody with the helpful answers.

 

[Msafiri]

Thank you so much for such detailed answers Msafiri!!!

What is NOA's? So if I have to change exact dates of trips, how can I obtain a new clean RQ questionnaire? Or can I fix it on the form, it will look terrible, but I cannot find this RQ form anywhere online.

What will happen if I cannot determine where and how to obtain the CBSA equivalent travel records in South Africa? I started by emailing South Africa Customs and are hoping to be at the right spot. Very difficult to know where to go to. I honestly do not know how people with little means (language and money and internet to find these things) can ever comply with this form's demands. I find it a very daunting task. I see other people stress as much as I do about all of this. Of course the Medical Records people were not helpful at all, they say 6 weeks and sorry, just give immigration a call and tell them, 'they know we take longer than that'!

Good luck to everybody struggling with the same procedure! and thanks for everyone and everybody with the helpful answers.

1. You are welcome. NOA - Notice of Assessment from CRA when you file your taxes...you've been filing right? The dollar amount declared and source of income are indicative of residence...for example I notice that in many appeals before the Federal Court (FC) for denial of Citizenship there are applicants who claim to have 1095 days of physical presence but have not filed taxes or file an income below welfare levels...CIC smell a rat and rightly so!!

2. The RQ is not formally available from CIC but its been obtained via an ATIP request and a link to file share set up as per thread below: caveat - may not be the version you received.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-does-residency-questionnaire-look-like-t130364.0.html

You have 45 business days to send the documents back...send what you have with a letter explaining the other docs will follow. Mail everything registered so you have proof of delivery.

3. Records of Movement are to collaborate missing passport stamps. DHA RSA (Dept Home Affairs South Africa) stamps both in and out so unless you have missing stamps I wouldn't sweat it.

4. RQ mess is primarily due to high levels of fraud in Residence Declarations by a ring run by crooked consultants centred around Mississauga and Montreal discovered by CIC - a single address was listed as 'home' for several hundred applicants was the trigger...CIC cracked down and everyone cheat or honest is caught in this until CIC work on some kind of exit check system.

Parliament hasn't helped either by mandating physical residence for Citizenship...you can apply without 1095 physical days and make your case to the Judge for grant via a strong connection to Canada...most people in this category leave their family in Canada and travel back and forth usually for employment. Again FC is nowadays siding with CIC when these appplications are refused and appealed. How many days did you declare?

In the meanwhile its easier for CIC to RQ anyone exhibiting a 'risk' profile as per below - which ones apply to you? Or you may just be in the Quality Assurance/ Programme Integrity sample.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/file-requirements-checklist-reasons-for-a-residence-questionnaire-t131555.0.html

 

[Raincoast]

Your help is extraordinarily!!! Thanks again.

I had 1100 days upon application which would be slightly more, for example I miss some entry stamps in Canada and err on the safe side ie. I know we came back near the end of the month and would declare 31 rather than say 28 and be wrong.
I think my 'risk' factor was that I was unemployed and still travel a lot - reason, I am married to a Canadian citizen and need not work. I do have Notice of assessments and T4's though because I work part-time and sometimes in his office and do get paid. Fortunately I did state part-time on my Citizenship application forms, but the first 2 years was unemployed/homemaker because I was not landed and were not allowed to work at all. I have also never had a bank account and only recently (the last 2 years) had my own credit card, always just had rights and free usage to his account - that might be a problem. I can obtain a letter from the bank for proof that I had a secondary card and free access. I do not have my own bank statements though. Fortunately I have proof of a bit of volunteer work I have done. I can also give car insurance as proof?
So I understand that if I do have all my entry/exit stamps for South Africa I can neglect to get the Records of Movement from them?
It is only the Canadian entry and exits that are missing.

I understand that they can have no way to say that I am legitimate other than this process, however painful. Pity there are so many people that want citizenship although they do not even stay here. I am a little worried because originally I came on a visitor visa and then got married and stayed. All throughout using the correct procedures to get extention of stay and Permanent Residence. I am sure nothing to fear if all else is ok and nothing to hide.

 

[Msafiri]

Your help is extraordinarily!!! Thanks again.

I had 1100 days upon application which would be slightly more, for example I miss some entry stamps in Canada and err on the safe side ie. I know we came back near the end of the month and would declare 31 rather than say 28 and be wrong.
I think my 'risk' factor was that I was unemployed and still travel a lot - reason, I am married to a Canadian citizen and need not work. I do have Notice of assessments and T4's though because I work part-time and sometimes in his office and do get paid. Fortunately I did state part-time on my Citizenship application forms, but the first 2 years was unemployed/homemaker because I was not landed and were not allowed to work at all. I have also never had a bank account and only recently (the last 2 years) had my own credit card, always just had rights and free usage to his account - that might be a problem. I can obtain a letter from the bank for proof that I had a secondary card and free access. I do not have my own bank statements though. Fortunately I have proof of a bit of volunteer work I have done. I can also give car insurance as proof?
So I understand that if I do have all my entry/exit stamps for South Africa I can neglect to get the Records of Movement from them?
It is only the Canadian entry and exits that are missing.

I understand that they can have no way to say that I am legitimate other than this process, however painful. Pity there are so many people that want citizenship although they do not even stay here. I am a little worried because originally I came on a visitor visa and then got married and stayed. All throughout using the correct procedures to get extention of stay and Permanent Residence. I am sure nothing to fear if all else is ok and nothing to hide.

1. Unemployment with travel is the trigger.
2. Letter of volunteering is very helpful - its a must include in the RQ and also NOAs/T4s.
3. Yes include insurance letter and copy of your DL.
4. Letter from the bank is less helpful but do include it - CIC don't doubt applicants have credit cards just that its not definitive who used the card...cheats will and do give their family/ friends in Canada their card to use and pretend they are in the country.
5. No need for RSA movements record - ppt stamps in and out clarify duration of stay in RSA.
6. The visitor to PR to Citizenship application is not an issue...you just need to meet the requirements.

 

[Silver77]

hello ,I am landed immigrant since January 2010 . I am going to apply citizenship this year June 2013.My income wasnt too high last 2,5 years. I had some period that I was unemployed but I still fill the tax forms and have t4s for each year.

I am wondering if you have to earn certain level of income to apply for citizenship?

 

[Abahoni]

hello ,I am landed immigrant since January 2010 . I am going to apply citizenship this year June 2013.My income wasnt too high last 2,5 years. I had some period that I was unemployed but I still fill the tax forms and have t4s for each year.

I am wondering if you have to earn certain level of income to apply for citizenship?

There is no income requirement on the citizenship till now at least on my application. But you do have to fill work and education and address history for last four years..

 

[Silver77]

Thank your for the reply Abahoni. I had some time that I was on job search . I am able to fill address and education history but I dont know how to show unemployed period on the working history?

 

[Raincoast]

Thank you again Msafiri for your detailed help.

I am ready for the process now and feel much better about everything, thanks to your help. I wonder if you can ever know how much people appreciate what you do here.

Have a wonderful day.