Avoid "RQ" while submitting the Citizenship Appl.?

Hi,

Brief snapshot of my Permanent residence in Canada before jumping on to my query:-

Date landed as PR: Aug 24, 2007;  Date entered Canada to live(reside) permanently: Dec 31, 2007; Completed 1095 days: as of Feb 18, 2011.
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• Landed as PR on Aug 24, 2007 from US via road. Stayed at friend’s place for 2 days. Applied for PR card.

• Returned to US via road on Aug 26, 2007. As I had valid I-94, no entry was made in passport by US border service when re-entered US on Aug 26.

• Stayed and worked in US on H1B visa till end of Dec 2007.

• Received PR card from friend in Canada. Returned to live permanently in Canada via road on Dec 31, 2007 . As I had PR card, no entry was made in passport to indicate the date on which I came in to Canada for good. However, as I was importing my car from US, I have documents issued by CBSA dated Dec 31, 2007.
  

• Lived at friend’s basement while looking for work (no rental contract) till mid. April 2008 and moved to my own apartment since April 2008. Have lot of documents to prove my stay starting Jan 2008 – bank records, BC Driver License, RV documents for car imported from US etc and rental contract, work documents starting Apr 2008 to to-date.
  

• During my Canadian residence, have visited US 2 times via road within the allowed I-94 "6 months' period and hence no exit (from Canada) and entry (to Canada) stamps for these 2 trips in the passport. Have mentioned these out of Canada stays in the 1095 days calculation. However, worried that when I go for test if I will be issued Residency Questionnaire (RQ), as these entry/exits will not show as stamps in the passport [Including the key entry date of Dec 31, 2007 :- my start date for living in Canada permanently]?

Per reading from threads on RQ, gather that any discrepancy between Passport and out-of-Canada details filled in the online residency calculator, might trigger "RQ". Considering my details above,

a. Is there anything I can do while submitting the Citizenship application (adding additional documents?) [or] while appearing for the test with the relevant documents to avoid RQ?

b. Does CIC entertain viewing non-passport documents as proof of stay in Canada while appearing for Citizenship test? (For eg.. CBSA document - detailed below)

PS: i) Have applied for Traveler History under Privacy act with CBSA to get my entry dates/details to Canada. Hope this will at least address entry portion of the trip, though it looks like it can take close to a month or so to get this. Sent this request via FAX and waiting for the response by Canada post. Details pertaining to requesting info. under "Privacy Act" is
available @ http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/pia-efvp/atip-aiprp/req-dem-priv-eng.html

ii)Looking at US CBP, it may not possible to get entry to US details for border crossing via Road. So, not sure if I will be able to prove exit dates for 2 of my road trips to US. Are there any other options to look at? [BTW, thinking of applying for US entry/exit details under FOIA as mentioned in CBP website; Curious to see if it would help].

Please suggest if there are other options that might help in avoiding RQ (or) worst case, being prepared for RQ.

Thanks very much.

I agree that nothing can guarantee avoiding RQ for any citizenship applicant. The odds of RQ, though, are probably quite low.

Some things will increase the risk of RQ. Some of these things an applicant does have control over.

Big example, you are on the right track regarding: do what you can to be sure that the residency calculation disclosure you submit is complete, precise, and accurate. The more precise and accurate your disclosure, the more fully it corresponds to any and all records of travel, whether that is CBSA records or your passport, the better. While some have expressed a different view, I doubt very much that the lack of a stamp in the passport hurts so long as all travel is accurately disclosed ... it is only when the lack of a stamp in the passport suggests that the applicant may have other travel documents which were used to travel that the absence of stamps is likely to raise problematic issues. The lack of stamps for U.S./Canada border trips is common, so should not be an issue ... though, of course, all trips should still be fully disclosed.

Some things the applicant has little control over. Indications of residence in the U.S. (or any country other than Canada) or status allowing residence, probably increases the risk of RQ. That's history, no changing it now, so it is something the applicant does not have control over.

Very, very difficult to quantify such risks. There is no statistically significant data source to examine and evaluate, no concrete or even reliable estimates even. Like saying second-hand smoke increases one's risk of heart disease. Especially so since there are so many other risk factors at play.

I further agree that giving oneself a margin over the 1095 day threshold is a good idea.

The importation of the vehicle and other indicia of establishing a residence in Canada (bank records, drivers license, rental agreement, and so on) are good records.

You probably have a strong case. You probably do not need to worry. Do your best to submit a complete and accurate travel disclosure and otherwise a fully well-done application, and all should go well.

In the meantime, sure, keep records of all travel, keep records showing your engagement of activities in Canada, from using the bank to participating in events, especially employment and address documentation, just to be ready for RQ in case. Anyone can get RQ. So, yeah, good idea to be prepared. But odds are you won't get RQ and all will go well.

sivan wrote: Thanks very much  kevin_405, dpenabill for very detailed feedback. Considering few US trips in my case after landing as PR, I am anxious that I may get RQ.  At the same time, I don't want to complicate/create unease for  the Citizenship officer with too much of (not asked) documentation to prove 1095 days while submitting the application. 1. kevin_405: Are you referring to writing a cover letter (detailing "short writeup of time-line post PR landing") along with the Citizenship application and attach all relevant photocopies as proof for entry/exit? 2. Including 2 days of stay after landing as PR (**My time-line below), completed 1095 days as of Feb 18, 2011. Planning to apply in few days - so, it will be 1106 days or so. How soon is good enough to apply? Does 10 to 15 additional days suffice [OR]  - let's say one month after completing 1095 days is ideal? Please share your thoughts. **My time-line : Landed as PR on Aug 24, 2007. Absences outside of Canada: From To No. of days Comment 26-Aug-07 31-Dec-07 127 ·          After landing as PR on Aug 24, 2007, went back to US to complete work responsibilities. Entry to US on Aug 26 not captured in passport as I-94 (H1B) was valid. ·          Returned to Canada on Dec 31, 2007 to live permanently. Entry back to Canada on Dec 31, 2007 not captured in passport, as already had PR card. [Have Customs document for Car Import showing this date.] 17-May-08 19-May-08 2 ·          Visit to US on B1. Entry date to US marked with new I-94. ·          Entry back to Canada on May 19, 2008 not captured in passport. 28-Jun-08 05-Jul-08 7 ·          Visit to US on B1. Travel on pre-existing I-94. Entry date to US not captured. ·          Entry back to Canada not captured in passport. 16-Nov-08 16-Nov-08 1 ·          Visit to US on B1. Travel on pre-existing I-94. Entry date to US not captured. ·          Entry back to Canada not captured in passport. 24-Dec-08 03-Jan-09 10 ·          Visit to US on B1. Entry date to US marked with new I-94 (Gave this I-94 during the next US trip. Did not take copy of this I-94). ·          Return date (Jan 03, 2009) to Canada marked in passport. (Air Travel) 16-May-09 16-Jun-09 31 Vacation to India. ·          Exit from Canada – no entry in the passport.[ India customs stamping and Boarding pass should work]. ·          Return date (June 16, 2009) to Canada marked in passport. (Air Travel) 22-May-10 23-May-10 1 ·          Visit to US on B1. Entry date to US marked with new I-94. ·          Entry back to Canada not captured in passport. [Paid customs duty and have a receipt showing the date of entry to Canada (CBSA duty receipt)]   Total 179

Here is the link to the thread, if anyone wants to obtain their US records :

http://www.immigration.ca/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4788&title=us-travel-records-from-us-dhs-cbp-foia

Hi Canvis2006,

I was not sure of all my absences. So, I decided to get Traveler History from CBSA before I submitted my application. I will share my CBSA experience in another thread.

In your post above, you were referring to getting "entry to US records" from CBP.

http://www.immigration.ca/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4788&title=us-travel-records-from-us-dhs-cbp-foia

In this regard, I have following questions:

1. Can a Canadian resident (PR) apply for US records from CBP. The above post talks about experience of  US citizen.

2. Looking at US CBP wesbite,

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/976/kw/record%20of%20arrival%20and%20departure/session/L3NpZC9veUVaUUZtaw%3D%3D/p/0/c/0

I was planning to submit a written request similar to one for CBSA.  But, CBP website indicates form G-639 to submitted with - I94#, Alien # etc.

If you happened to get CBP records, could you please share your experience.

3. Also, does CBP record provide border crossings via ROAD?. CBSA Traveler report did not get all my records but CBSA Car entry report did show all my road trips. Could we request Car crossings  as well from CBP?

Thanks very much.