Applying for citizenship with an expired passport

The time has come for my family to apply for citizenship.

When checking the documents, I realized that my kids' passports have already been expired. Since the application asks for a copy of the passport page, I would like to know if our applications will be returned/rejected based on that ground, or if there any requirements that the passport must be valid at the time of application.

Thanks for your information.

Hi,

I just received an RQ regarding my son as minor applicant for CDN citizenship. He has expired US passport but never travel abroad since the time we landed here. According to RQ, something about the term of 4 years is not met. As I think of it, it makes sense for the main reason that CIC needed proof that he did not travel outside Canada fro 4 years (prev. 3 yrs). His expired pp issue date was nov., 2006 and expired on 2011 .. We landed here on apr, 2008.. So the fourth yr in Canada was on 2012. Therefore there is a missing 1 year in my son's passport that CIC cannot determine his whereabouts. I should have thought about it before I send all the papers. Now, I'll apply for his pp in US embassy ASAP. 

JoMay0517 wrote: I just received an RQ regarding my son as minor applicant for CDN citizenship. He has expired US passport but never travel abroad since the time we landed here. According to RQ, something about the term of 4 years is not met. As I think of it, it makes sense for the main reason that CIC needed proof that he did not travel outside Canada fro 4 years (prev. 3 yrs). His expired pp issue date was nov., 2006 and expired on 2011 .. We landed here on apr, 2008.. So the fourth yr in Canada was on 2012. Therefore there is a missing 1 year in my son's passport that CIC cannot determine his whereabouts. I should have thought about it before I send all the papers. Now, I'll apply for his pp in US embassy ASAP.

Once RQ is issued, residency is in question and a full response to the RQ is necessary. Once RQ is issued, the assessment is not at all limited to the reason why the RQ was issued.

I have the nagging sense this may not be RQ but rather a specific document request; I have this sense (vague sense) because you seem to be saying that something in the request addresses a specific issue or document. In contrast, RQ is broad, requiring a lot of information covering any matter at all related to residency, travel, or presence.

We do not see much reporting about minor applicants for citizenship, so beyond what I just said, about the best I can offer is to be sure and read all the instructions carefully and do you best to follow them.

Note: American citizens in Canada do not ordinarily apply for a U.S. passport through the embassy. I suppose it can be done, but the online instructions for Americans living in Canada say to apply by mail, directly to the U.S.

Main thing, if indeed it is the Residence Questionnaire: follow the instructions, be complete and as accurate as possible, and make a concerted effort to provide direct, objective documentation as requested, at the least documentation responsive to the key elements of place of abode, school records, employment (if of an age to be employed), and residency of immediate family, particularly parents (or guardians if applicable).

Mark1552 wrote: If your Son doesn't have a passport I would have thought that was a positive sign that he hadn't travelled abroad. Just attach a note saying his passport has expired and hasn't been renewed. School attendance records are most useful for children.

School attendance records for dependent minors are indeed useful, but not only useful, they are critical if not mandatory.

While many people have the impression that reporting no travel abroad is the easiest sort of scenario, it readily appears that for some if not most who report no travel, CIC is skeptical. Thus, reporting no travel can actually lead to more, not less scrutiny.

This would be particularly true of an American citizen. CIC is quitely likely, and at least statistically well within the range of reasonable inferences, to expect an American citizen to travel to the U.S. on at least some occasions. An assertion of no travel for an extended time is likely to at least draw attention if not elevated scrutiny, if not skepticism.

In any event, there is little indication that CIC infers there was no travel during a period of time an applicant reports not having a valid passport. Some may feel CIC should make that inference. But the indications are they do not. Indeed, the absence of presenting a valid passport or other travel document covering a period of time within the relevant four years seems to more often lead to concern, if not an outright inference, that the individual had some alternative travel documents that were used for the purpose of international travel.

I suppose some of this seems counter-intuitive. While common-sense usually works quite well when dealing with CIC, there are some nuances of the process in which CIC has its approach, an approach not altogether the same as one would reason it would be, and it is what it is.