Van 2012 applicants

Citizenship timelines:

guitarhero wrote: Updating about my citizenship test today. It was quite easy and straightforward. The officer informed me that I passed the test, however, he handed me a RQ during the interview. He found inconsistencies between the stamps in my passport and what I reported in my application. It is completely my fault and I wish I paid more attention when I filled out the application. Now the hard part begins i.e., collecting all the documents for the RQ. I applied with 1096 days, but after correcting I am down to 1085 days. I am not sure what to do in such situation.

Good news is that if everything else is in order, you have all your travel documents, you have proof of ownership or rental or some occupancy related interest in a place of abode covering every month going back to four years prior to applying (or arrival date in Canada if that was less than four years prior to applying), and you have all your CRA Notices of Assessment in conjunction with other direct, objective evidence of what you have been doing (employment, school), it all should eventually go well. It just may be a long while getting there.

The bad news is not too bad, considering, other than the inherent delay this is going to involve, and that bad news is mostly about compromising your credibility. Many people think of credibility in terms of telling the truth, as in not lying, and in doing so overlook that accuracy and reliability are the hallmarks of credibility, not intention. An inaccurate reporter cannot be counted on to always give accurate information. Why the reporter (applicants are self-reporting the information they submit in the application and in the response to the RQ, and are thus the "reporter" I am referring to here) was not accurate on prior occasions matters some, but the fact of being inaccurate compromises the extent to which someone can rely on this individual to accurately report other information, regardless of why the original inaccuracy occurred (be it a lie, a mistake, a misunderstanding, whatever).

I say this is not so bad considering because mistakes are common. Contrary to what some here tend to broadcast, my sense is that CIC is actually fairly flexible, fairly liberal even, and generally understanding about how individuals make mistakes, and so they do not necessarily hold relatively small mistakes against applicants if, otherwise, the applicant appears on the up-n-up as some put it.

It is bad news nonetheless since it was more than being off by just a day or two, and you applied so close to the physical presence threshold. And now you are below the physical presence threshold, so it is more likely you will have to wait a long while to see a Citizenship Judge in person. Not sure you will. And in this regard, even though it will be a long while from now, many months at least, significant chance it will be more than a year, before you have much of a clue as to how this is going to go (as in whether or not you will have to see a CJ in person), I hope you come back and keep us informed about how this goes, however it goes.

In any event, I take it you understand most of this. I go into the detail to emphasize that, sure, you are in a bit of tough spot, and you have some work to do, but it is not insurmountable if you compile the key documents to include with your response to the RQ.

If other than for the mistake leading to the recalculation of 11 days or so, you otherwise make a solid impression as someone who is providing truthful, accurate information, and that information paints a clear picture of someone settled permanently in Canada, and the absences were all clearly of a temporary sort (not about retaining ties to home country or a job or career in another country), the odds are good enough of success in the long run to make putting a substantial effort into responding to the RQ worthwhile, and riding this out worthwhile. There are no guarantees of course. In some cases CJs are applying the strict APP requirement of 1095 days, and that could be enough to deny you. But, again, my sense is that someone well settled, permanently settled in Canada, with the basic, key proof, is more likely to be OK when it comes time for the ultimate decision, even though they fall short of 1095 days APP by a dozen days.

Again, please keep us informed about how this goes.

RQ for me even though I had sent out information in additional information questionaire regarding my leases and other information , would like to get information how to get file separated from my family, thanks

hello emc11,

Hi Everyone,