Counting the days

[Wolverine]

I have arrived to Canada on April 1st of 2008 on 2 year visa, applied for PR in Canada in October of 2008 and got it in May of 2009 so it's been almost 1 year since I became a permanent resident. During last year I've travelled outside of Canada with my husband who is a Canadian citizen, we read online though that if you're accompanying a Canadian citizen while abroad you can still count those days towards your citizenship. Is that true?

Another question: I know that the days while I was waiting for my PR could be counted as a 1/2 day and after I got it - as a full day. What about the time between my arrival to Canada and applying for PR? Can I count them as 1/2 day too?

 

[Laura78]

If you do not mind me asking...how did you get you PR? Via your marriage?

 

[imigrate]

I have arrived to Canada on April 1st of 2008 on 2 year visa, applied for PR in Canada in October of 2008 and got it in May of 2009 so it is going to been almost 1 year since I became a permanent resident. During last year I've travelled outside of Canada with my husband who is a Canadian citizen, we read online though that if you're accompanying a Canadian citizen while abroad you can still count those days towards your citizenship. Is that true?

Not true. Time spent outside Canada cannot be used towards citizenship. Time spent outside Canada
with Canadian citizen can be counted towards maintaining PR status, but not for citizenship purposes.

Another question: I know that the days while I was waiting for my PR could be counted as a 1/2 day and after I got it - as a full day. What about the time between my arrival to Canada and applying for PR? Can I count them as 1/2 day too?

Any days spent in Canada prior to becoming a PR, including time spent as visitor, can be counted towards citizenship, and counts as 1/2 a day, up to max of one year.

There is a residency calculator in CIC website to calculate when you will be eligible for citizenship.
http://services3.cic.gc.ca/rescalc/resCalcStartNew.do?&lang=en

 

[Wolverine]

If you do not mind me asking...how did you get you PR? Via your marriage?

Yes )))

 

[Wolverine]

Not true. Time spent outside Canada cannot be used towards citizenship. Time spent outside Canada with Canadian citizen can be counted towards maintaining PR status, but not for citizenship purposes.

Any days spent in Canada prior to becoming a PR, including time spent as visitor, can be counted towards citizenship, and counts as 1/2 a day, up to max of one year.

There is a residency calculator in CIC website to calculate when you will be eligible for citizenship.

Thanks for the link, I'll definitely use it That's good news as when I landed they told me I can only count the days starting the date of application!

As for my first question, my husband found that info online. IMHO it doesn't really make sense that you can count those days towards maintaining your PR status but not towards your citizenship. Thanks anyway, your answer was very useful ))

 

[haman]

The only way that your days of being acompanied by your husband outside of Canada works is if he works for Provencial or Federal GOV. or Military and was sent to a different country by the government. Other than that it does not count.

 

[Leon]

They allow the days spent with a Canadian spouse to count for residency requirements because otherwise your spouse would have to keep sponsoring you again. They do not want it to count towards citizenship because they want you to have earned your citizenship by making you suffer having to live in Canada for 3 years