will keeping a gulf country visa affect my citizenship application

[catwomancat]

Hi everyone,

Here is a question for you and I appreciate your input:

I came to Canada with my child as federal skilled worker. we used to live in a gulf country before that, but when I moved here I cancelled the visa from the gulf country. Now my husband has not found a job in Canada yet, so he stayed overseas and kept his job there.

Till my husband can finally settle in Canada with us, I visit him with our child every 6 months. But it is not that easy to keep issuing a tourist gulf visa every time I fly there. So I was thinking of re-issuing a gulf residency visa again just for the purpose of visiting my husband. My query is: how will this look like when I apply for the citizenship? I should be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship within 2.5- 3 years and I do not think I will keep the gulf residency visa that long as hopefully my husband will settle in Canada. Is it going to negatively affect me that I renewed a visa elsewhere while I am a resident of Canada?

Let me know your thoughts....highly appreciate it.

Best

 

[ttrajan]

As per new rule, you have to be in canada for 4 out of 6 years to be eligible for citizenship.

 

[catwomancat]

As per new rule, you have to be in canada for 4 out of 6 years to be eligible for citizenship.

I understand that, and I see your point with regards to time-frame. But the question is, once I complete required days and I am eligible for citizenship application- will having a residency visa of another country affect my citizenship application.. in the sense that will the officer dislike seeing this on my passport?

 

[ttrajan]

It won,t affect your application.

 

[mabmabs]

Hi everyone,

Here is a question for you and I appreciate your input:

I came to Canada with my child as federal skilled worker. we used to live in a gulf country before that, but when I moved here I cancelled the visa from the gulf country. Now my husband has not found a job in Canada yet, so he stayed overseas and kept his job there.

Till my husband can finally settle in Canada with us, I visit him with our child every 6 months. But it is not that easy to keep issuing a tourist gulf visa every time I fly there. So I was thinking of re-issuing a gulf residency visa again just for the purpose of visiting my husband. My query is: how will this look like when I apply for the citizenship? I should be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship within 2.5- 3 years and I do not think I will keep the gulf residency visa that long as hopefully my husband will settle in Canada. Is it going to negatively affect me that I renewed a visa elsewhere while I am a resident of Canada?

Let me know your thoughts....highly appreciate it.

Best

As far as I know, you dont need to submit original passport or previous visas while submitting Citizenship application. Infact, once approved you would get new canadian Passport. So how would they know if you have Gulf Residence visa . and even if they do know, it should not make a difference.
However there is only one point, Canada is looking to offer citizenship whoi intends to reside in canada, and valid residence permit of other country other than canada or citizenship proves otherwise...Anyways, You still have 2.5 years to apply for citizenship, you can get Gulf residence visa and later before applying for citizenship, you can cancel it, if you feel lit or dont want to take chances.
Good Luck

 

[odin2404]

I would wait to get the citizenship and a passport. There's no saying how the residency visa will effect your application.

There is no criteria on the CIC website that says you have to not hold residency in another country, however, at your interview, it may look a little odd that you want to be a Canadian and have applied for residency elsewhere.

While it may be inconvenient to get a visa every time you visit you husband, I would suggest not chancing your citizenship application and waiting it out.

And once you are a citizen, you may not need a visa to visit - Good Luck!

 

[catwomancat]

I would wait to get the citizenship and a passport. There's no saying how the residency visa will effect your application.

There is no criteria on the CIC website that says you have to not hold residency in another country, however, at your interview, it may look a little odd that you want to be a Canadian and have applied for residency elsewhere.

While it may be inconvenient to get a visa every time you visit you husband, I would suggest not chancing your citizenship application and waiting it out.

And once you are a citizen, you may not need a visa to visit - Good Luck!

Thanks Tteajan and Mabmabs....truly appreciate your input

Odin, many thanks..those are exactly my concerns and I think you are absolutely right. I guess I will just keep issuing visit visas just in case.