RESIDENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

[Mary Chad]

Well cocosyr, most of the people i know (RQ'd) are well settle here in Canada, even myself have a decent job only traveled 1 time to US/Buffalo for day shopping back in 2008 since then not for a single day to any where, provided tons of proofs showing presence, but still stuck in the loop...
My friend is a CA, running his own firm, just because he was in ME before he came to Canada, flagged him for RQ, he submitted his response back in Dec 2010, since no
answer no update....
We are not seeing any reports of RQ people getting oaths, i checked few forums already...
i know we have to be optimistic but .... :'(

 

[Mary Chad]

I am saying these option are not prohibited for CIC, so if these are not prohibited then why they are making people suffer,
i myself pointed these "flags" so how come i am not "telling the full story"?? i was unable to understand why they RQ'd me after 5 months of test,
If they do only consider 4 years prior to filling the Citizenship, then again i don't see problems in my case as far as i am having solid job and strong presence for
relevant time period.

 

[cocosyr]

I am saying these option are not prohibited for CIC, so if these are not prohibited then why they are making people suffer,
i myself pointed these "flags" so how come i am not "telling the full story"?? i was unable to understand why they RQ'd me after 5 months of test,
If they do only consider 4 years prior to filling the Citizenship, then again i don't see problems in my case as far as i am having solid job and strong presence for
relevant time period.

They are not prohibited, but they are just red flags. So you kind of know why you got RQ. It doesn't look like you have strong ties to Canada, whatever that means.

 

[Mary Chad]

They are not prohibited, but they are just red flags. So you kind of know why you got RQ. It doesn't look like you have strong ties to Canada, whatever that means.

Thanks for explaining this

 

[CanaHome]

Make a request for an ATIP to find out what's going on, and also contact your MP for help.

No idea why it's delayed for yrs? And you've been doing nothing for 20 mos?

Thanks a lot cocosyr. I actually wrote the Mississauga office after calling the call center numerous times without obtaining helpful information about my application. They returned my letters and sent me a letter stating the following:

CPC-M provides client services for the following six circumstances only:

1. Your sponsorship application was submitted to this office but you have not received any correspondence from our office within the processing time periods described at: CIC website
2. You wish to withdraw your sponsorship application
3. You wish to inform us of a change in personal situation
4. You wish to pay additional sponsorship fees
5. You wish to request a refund of fees, including the right of permanent residence fee
6. You wish to appoint or change immigration reps

I haven't written another letter since none of the situations listed above applies to me. I will also request an ATIP like you suggested in your response. Perhaps i will find helpful information in it.

Regarding having to see a Citizens Judge to make a determination on citizenship grant. Can anyone share their knowledge on the following:

1. Description of the interview session with the citizenship judge?
2. Information on what the judge is trying to establish during the interview session - is it to determine eligibility based on the criteria for citizenship or interpret ties to Canada as some users have indicated?
3. Is a lawyer allowed during the interview with the judge and what is the benefit of having a lawyer present?
4. What happens if the application is rejected? Does the applicant start again or is the PR card revoked?


Thanks all.

 

[cocosyr]

So everyone out there with an RQ being processed at the Mississauga Office, this information might help sooth some of your anxiety.

I called the MP and they said it will take 36-48 months after RQ submission. There is nothing we can do except be patient and wait. An enquiry will not help my case in any way.

So in short, just like ZYX said .... lets focus on our life and let CIC do their job (though in reality nothing should take 36-48 months to process !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Another post on another forum confirms this (36-48 mo processing time for RQed cases that requires a CJ hearing), but his CIC office is St. Clair. Mississauga and St. Clair are probably the offices most inundated with CIC apps these days since the closings of several local CIC offices in Ontario which forwarded their apps to Miss & St. Clair. What I am curious about is whether this is also true in other Ontario CIC offices like Hamilton, Guelph, London, etc.

I just spoke with a CIC agent regarding the status of my file and RQ. A couple of insights to share - I will also post these in the St. Clair office thread.... With regard to the timeline, the agent advised me that the St. Clair office is now quoting a 14-month delay in further reviewing the RQs. These are an additional 14 months from the date of the RQ issuance. If at that time the office is satisfied with the information presented the oath queue is another 6 months. My application has been "in process" for 12 months already and I am looking at another 20 months minimum as I was told.

In the event that the RQ is not satisfactory or if an officer wants a Citizenship Judge to review the file, that's another 15 months on top of the 14 initially required to review the RQ.

My experience with the CIC has taught me that their timelines are a lot more conservative and they quote longer periods (for obvious reasons) than is actually required to process an application. I hope that this is the case here as well, but am preparing for the worst - another 2 years in a 'suspended' state.

 

[ZYXWVU98]

there is no need to be too much concerned with RQ. as long as we are indeed a resident in canada and be physically here 3 out of 4 years, our citizenship will be approved eventually. i don't think many people here really need to use their canadian passport on a daily basis. only occasionally travelling overseas or shopping in the US. after fulfilling all the requirements and submitted all the documents relating to your citizenship application, it is out of our control. why bother with something we have no control with? the slow process is frustrating and unfair. but life is never fair. we can only do our best with the things we have control. there are a lot of things much more important than obtaining the citizenship.

 

[chinoy99]

Hi Beeto2000: The missing stamps may have created an issue here. In 2009 October i entered Halifax, NS on my non-Canadian passport and the immigration officer at the airport had not stamped my passport. (I always have a habit to flip through pages to ensure whether the entry stamp has been put or not), in my case the stamp was nowhere to be found and i immediately contacted the CBS at the airport and had it rectified.
In future be careful and always make it a habit to see the passport pages. Good Luck to you!

I just received RQ. No reason was provided. The letter that I got indicates the date of my application is xx xx, 20xx. I clearly remember this date is not the date of my application. This date is not sufficient to meet the residence requirement. I was eligible to apply for citizenship on the day of my application.
I called the CIC toll free number and they told me to write the letter to them immediately because this could be just error. So I wrote the letter to them like... kindly advise whether the date of my application in the letter is correct in order to complete the residence questionnaire.

I also found missing stamps on my passport when I entered Canada. I do not know why the immigration officers did not stamp on my passport. Anyway, I attached a copy of the travel invoice and boarding pass when I sent the letter to them this time.

Now I am waiting for them to response to my letter and preparing RQ. Is there anybody similar to my situation??
It's going to be a long process...

 

[rita.p]

Hi guys,

Just got my RQ today (i belong to St Clair office). the girl said most likely the reason was that i was unemployed in the first year being here but somehow went travelling (i find it silly since my husband paid for all of it but oh well)..

Question for you: since i got an RQ, is it now definite that i will have a hearing with the judge or not?

I will probably have a lot more questions once i get over this shock

Thanks everyone

 

[daffodails3]

hi my wife got questionrie also. i think reason is, she missed to have her passport stamped when she came back from homland after 33 days. now we provided cic record from CBSA. i hope will be fine now,,but a huge pack of documents we sent with those forms called 0171.
I suggest whoever come back canada make sure passport is stamped.
we apply nov2011-app in mii. may 2012,,,,forms arrived june 2012,,,,,sent back july 2012. waittinggggg.

 

[english bulldog]

Hi guys,

Just got my RQ today (i belong to St Clair office). the girl said most likely the reason was that i was unemployed in the first year being here but somehow went travelling (i find it silly since my husband paid for all of it but oh well)..

Question for you: since i got an RQ, is it now definite that i will have a hearing with the judge or not?

I will probably have a lot more questions once i get over this shock

Thanks everyone

It depends on your case. How often did you travel? And how long did each travel last? Are you from the Middle East or South Asia?

 

[RAEDSARA]

i dont want to depress anybody but i got my RQ in december of 2009. Still waiting but i think employees of immigration related departments dont tell everything on file. When i went to renew pr card a year ago the officer asked me some stupid questions but since i speak flawless english and my answers were very convencing to him he said " sorrybut many from that area fake their presence in canada but we need people like you to tell of any suspecious cases " but i was suprised by his questions and request but if i was one of those scammers the questions he asked would have exposed him. Tle last thing he said was pretty personal but i cant comment on that because i dont know if that was his personal or government views. After asking what i do and i told i run a business he said" i wish all people who come from their like you because the problem with people who come from that region they want the citizenship but dont want want to invest their money in canada so they scam the system but we will catch up woth them" it was more of a political economical than immigration related meeting. Although i run a business and i have local employees and my money is grnerated and spent here and i only left for 19 days only in 2007 and that i left the middlle east in 1986 when i finished my high school and all of that did not help me in my case so i cant make any thing out of my case. But i dont think they are perfect but they make hard on people who enter the country legally live peacfully and in harmony help the economy but then they get back hardship in return. I think that as it is everywhere, those who get away with something are always the ones being bypassed. My case is explained in details in a diffrent thread. Please look up "longest cases only (prior to 2010) in the forum.

 

[rita.p]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your reply.

As to the english bulldog questions, I am not from Middle East or South Asia, I am Russian. I left country couple times but only to the states and mexico for no longer than a week. Thier reason apparently is that i was unemployed and went on vacation when i got to Canada before i received my PR card.

I do understand how a lot of people are trying to scam the system. However, what bothers my mind is when i hear another person reply:"i'm unemployed and haven't worked since i came here and yes those stamps relate to my six month trip to Europe" and not get an RQ. And then my case, i graduated from the university here, almost completed my CA and been working for one of the largest accounting firms... I just do not understand how they choose people for their RQ because it seems like they choose people who are truly trying to be good citizens...

I feel bad for you RAEDSARA. Government never questions your residency when you remit nice portion of your pay to them but if you want a passport, all questions start.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do. Only gather all the ridiculous papers they want and sit and wait while people who sit unemployed and collect the benefits are enjoying their new citizenship.

 

[ZYXWVU98]

hi, rita.p, it is frustrating receiving this RQ when everything you tell them is honest. these days they mostly issue RQs randomly and without any reasons. i saw people getting RQ without leaving canada for a day. just fill it in. i saw there were some cases when RQ was submitted, they were invited to oath ceremony without seeing the judge. at lease you belong to St clair office. the processing speed there is much faster than most other GTA offices. I belong to scarborough, waited almost a year and still waiting for the test date.

 

[rita.p]

By doing my little research together with my law friends, it appears that in May 2012 a new operational bulletin 407 was issued which appears to have new directions for the issuance of the RQ plus new standards for the officers to follow. It appears that this is what caused a recent spike in RQ's. what i was able to find online has some portions removed i beleive. however, it is an interesting read. I can post a link if anyone wants to.

About St Clair being the fastest: someone posted that we are looking at minimum 20 months. I can't imagine what the timelines for you guys is. However, i will do my case law research. There must be something about unreasonable time, etc etc. I will keep you posted