US Visitor Status - Physical Presence

[Lubinr]

Hey all, I'm a US Citizen with Canadian PR. US Passport holders are not required to have a visitors visa for visits of 6 months or less. We only present our passport at the Canadian border crossing.

Do I still need to add the visits made to Canada between the beginning of the 5-year period and when I landed as a PR? My 5-year rolling period for Citizenship has sufficient days (with a good cushion) over the goal line with or without these visitor days added. I worry I will be scrutinized for incorrect information on my application, regardless what I put down, as I can't seem to find definite answers to this. Thanks all.

 

[forw.jane]

Hey all, I'm a US Citizen with Canadian PR. US Passport holders are not required to have a visitors visa for visits of 6 months or less. We only present our passport at the Canadian border crossing.

Do I still need to add the visits made to Canada between the beginning of the 5-year period and when I landed as a PR? My 5-year rolling period for Citizenship has sufficient days (with a good cushion) over the goal line with or without these visitor days added. I worry I will be scrutinized for incorrect information on my application, regardless what I put down, as I can't seem to find definite answers to this. Thanks all.

Yes days you were outside Canada need to be specified to properly calculate the physical presence days.

 

[Lubinr]

Yes days you were outside Canada need to be specified to properly calculate the physical presence days.

Sorry if the question was unclear, that much I am aware of, but thank you for the reply!

I meant to ask if the days I visited Canada as a non-PR (just a visitor) are calculated since US passport holders are not required to have a visitors visa or eTA for stays that are below 6 months. As a US passport holder visiting Canada (as a tourist, for example), we simply hand our passport to the border official and assure them our intent to not remain longer than 6 months and are sent on our way. Anything beyond 6 months requires a proper visa I believe, which I never needed, as my stay in the 5-year period of my physical presence period was only a couple weeks as a visitor before I became a PR.

 

[forw.jane]

Sorry if the question was unclear, that much I am aware of, but thank you for the reply!

I meant to ask if the days I visited Canada as a non-PR (just a visitor) are calculated since US passport holders are not required to have a visitors visa or eTA for stays that are below 6 months. As a US passport holder visiting Canada (as a tourist, for example), we simply hand our passport to the border official and assure them our intent to not remain longer than 6 months and are sent on our way. Anything beyond 6 months requires a proper visa I believe, which I never needed, as my stay in the 5-year period of my physical presence period was only a couple weeks as a visitor before I became a PR.

You want to use the days you spent in Canada while being a USA citizen as a visitor towards your physical presence?

 

[YVR123]

Sorry if the question was unclear, that much I am aware of, but thank you for the reply!

I meant to ask if the days I visited Canada as a non-PR (just a visitor) are calculated since US passport holders are not required to have a visitors visa or eTA for stays that are below 6 months. As a US passport holder visiting Canada (as a tourist, for example), we simply hand our passport to the border official and assure them our intent to not remain longer than 6 months and are sent on our way. Anything beyond 6 months requires a proper visa I believe, which I never needed, as my stay in the 5-year period of my physical presence period was only a couple weeks as a visitor before I became a PR.

That's fine. Just enter them as the actual enter and exit days. Your status was visitor before you become PR. (regardless if you have a visitor visa/eTA or just enter using US passport.)
If you are REALLY worry, you can wait till 5 years after you became PR and then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[forw.jane]

The responsibility of proving physical presence days for visitor status lies with the applicant, and IRCC can simply conclude that you lack sufficient days of physical presence. Therefore, it is advisable not to rely on visitor days for obtaining citizenship and to apply using only your PR days.