RQ or residency questionnaire

[Siar]

Hello everyone,

Would it be possible to get RQ after the test/interview is done or it has to be gotten DURING the interview? Any cases in the past?

Thank you

 

[dpenabill]

Hello everyone,

Would it be possible to get RQ after the test/interview is done or it has to be gotten DURING the interview? Any cases in the past?

Thank you

Reminder: The vast majority of applicants, by a wide margin, are NOT issued RQ. Most qualified applicants who followed the instructions and submitted a nearly error-free application have no reason to worry about being issued RQ.

For those who might be issued RQ:

RQ may be issued at any time during the processing of the application, right up to the time the applicant is scheduled for the oath.

This has been well-documented historically, as reflected in scores of anecdotal reports and in accounts of actual cases as reported in published Federal Court decisions.

The issuance of RQ within a few weeks or months after the test and interview appears to be, currently, the most common time when RQ is issued.

While RQ can be and has been issued to some applicants after the applicant was scheduled for the oath (in some cases applicants arriving for the scheduled oath were, instead, issued RQ), this is RARE, typically arising in situations where the applicant has been living abroad while the application was pending, and the applicant was flagged either in the processing of an application for a PR Travel Document so the individual could return to Canada to take the oath, or flagged during a PoE examination upon returning to Canada.

For a few years, the pre-test RQ was the most common time when applicants were issued RQ (this began in the summer of 2012). Since the 4/6 actual presence rule took effect (June 2015), however, it appears the issuance of pre-test RQ is way less common.

While RQ is commonly issued at or attendant the interview, it appears it is more often issued after the interview . . . again within a few weeks or months.

 

[.Steve]

Hello everyone,

Would it be possible to get RQ after the test/interview is done or it has to be gotten DURING the interview? Any cases in the past?

Thank you

There are cases where RQ or CIT0520 was handed out at time of Test/Interview.
Some cases they were sent in mail after the test/interview

RQ - Residency Questionnaire
CIT0520 - Request for Supplemental Information

I have got CIT0520 in postal mail 5 days after my test.

 

[_MK_]

With the intent to reside clause removed, would it still be probable to get RQ if you are living abroad while the application is pending?

 

[scylla]

With the intent to reside clause removed, would it still be probable to get RQ if you are living abroad while the application is pending?

Absolutely. People got those before the intent to reside clause ever existed.

 

[_MK_]

Is there a hidden rule for having to stay in canada while application is ongoing then even if you meet all the requirements?

Absolutely. People got those before the intent to reside clause ever existed.

 

[dpenabill]

Is there a hidden rule for having to stay in canada while application is ongoing then even if you meet all the requirements?

No, there is no hidden rule.

It is reasonable to infer that where someone is living is more likely where they have been living. So when someone has been living outside Canada, particularly for any extended period of time, there is reason to question the veracity of the claims of presence in Canada. That is what RQ is about: due to a reason for questioning the veracity (accuracy and completeness) of the applicant's declarations as to presence, residence, and employment, the applicant is required to submit information and documentation to more fully prove actual presence.

There may be some inherent bias against applicants who appear to be applying-on-the-way-to-the-airport, related to what might be called a deserves-citizenship factor (or, more to the point, in converse those who appear to not deserve citizenship). There is no formal requirement that applicants deserve citizenship. Only a fool is not aware, however, how this can influence the way things go, about how much harder it can be if one does not appear to deserve citizenship.

That said, this government has explicitly expressed a policy of embracing flexibility, suggesting its perspective embraces recognition and allowance for more globally mobile immigrants and new citizens. So, it remains to be seen to what extent leaving Canada while the application is pending might continue to elevate the risk for RQ or more skeptical assessment.

 

[znaty]

Is there average processing time for those who received RQ after the interview in 2017 ? I have received RQ one day after the interview , on Jan 2017 , responded in 2 weeks and still haven't received anything from them yet . I am in Edmonton and applied in Nov 2016
Thanks

 

[_MK_]

No, there is no hidden rule.

It is reasonable to infer that where someone is living is more likely where they have been living. So when someone has been living outside Canada, particularly for any extended period of time, there is reason to question the veracity of the claims of presence in Canada. That is what RQ is about: due to a reason for questioning the veracity (accuracy and completeness) of the applicant's declarations as to presence, residence, and employment, the applicant is required to submit information and documentation to more fully prove actual presence.

There may be some inherent bias against applicants who appear to be applying-on-the-way-to-the-airport, related to what might be called a deserves-citizenship factor (or, more to the point, in converse those who appear to not deserve citizenship). There is no formal requirement that applicants deserve citizenship. Only a fool is not aware, however, how this can influence the way things go, about how much harder it can be if one does not appear to deserve citizenship.

That said, this government has explicitly expressed a policy of embracing flexibility, suggesting its perspective embraces recognition and allowance for more globally mobile immigrants and new citizens. So, it remains to be seen to what extent leaving Canada while the application is pending might continue to elevate the risk for RQ or more skeptical assessment.

Thanks for the detailed reply. So from what I can gather, you get an RQ if there is any reasonable doubt about your claims of residency or any of the other requirements. It does not necessarily have anything to do with where you are living. For C24 applicants, you had to live here to show intent. For prior and likely future C6 applicants, you dont need to necessarily live in Canada while application is ongoing (although it is the recommended one) but have to prove beyond any doubt about your residency claim.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[.Steve]

Is there average processing time for those who received RQ after the interview in 2017 ? I have received RQ one day after the interview , on Jan 2017 , responded in 2 weeks and still haven't received anything from them yet . I am in Edmonton and applied in Nov 2016
Thanks

Can you please update your timeline on this sheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...lbsAxpNlOrvk2uFGZzm_ZFCnfg/edit#gid=619104687

 

[znaty]

Can you please update your timeline on this sheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...lbsAxpNlOrvk2uFGZzm_ZFCnfg/edit#gid=619104687

Will do once I have my laptop handy , but for now here is my time line :

1. We received your application for Canadian citizenship (grant of citizenship) on November 24, 2016.
2. We sent you correspondence acknowledging receipt of your application(s), and a study book called Discover Canada on December 14, 2016.
3. We started processing your application on December 21, 2016.
4. We sent you a notice on January 9, 2017 to appear and write the citizenship test on January 24, 2017
5. RQ received on Jan 30
6. Another RQ received on Feb 10
7. All required documents have been submitted by Mar 6
8. In process since then

 

[vancouverbc2013]

Hey guys I am now on the same situation :-(
I have submitted everything last week... do you think chances are or for sure I will get delayed no matter how small or big discrepancy?
R they people that got oath/DM like a week or 2 Afterwards? Or just months and months of further depression?

 

[dpenabill]

Hey guys I am now on the same situation :-(
I have submitted everything last week... do you think chances are or for sure I will get delayed no matter how small or big discrepancy?
R they people that got oath/DM like a week or 2 Afterwards? Or just months and months of further depression?

Anecdotal, forum reports of RQ have been FEW in the last couple years, with a slight increase recently which appears to correspond to the large increase in applications submitted recently. This limits insights into the how RQ currently affects processing.

Historically, RQ following the test/interview typically signals that IRCC has identified some reason to question the applicant's account of time present in Canada. How seriously, though, is an unknown.

Historically, RQ has tended to result in at least a couple more months of processing, but more often it is several months, and more than occasionally many months approaching a year. There was a period of time, around 2011 to 2013, give or take some, RQ seemed to add well over another year and more than a few applications slipped beyond three years overall, some more than four.

We are NOT seeing reports suggesting there are such delays these days, but we are seeing so few reports it is impossible to extrapolate much about current timelines. My sense, while the RQ may not cause much of a delay at all (but I'd guess at least six to eight weeks at minimum), most who are RQ'd might anticipate another four to eight months before being scheduled for the oath, assuming the response is sufficient to resolve issues and there is NO referral to a Citizenship Judge (CJ referrals tend to mean much, much processing times).

Moreover, Montreal has almost always seemed to be on its own schedule, relative to almost everything, but citizenship application processing in particular. So it is really, really difficult to so much as guess how things are going in the Montreal local office these days.

Most applicants know enough about their own case to know whether there is a significant risk that IRCC has serious concerns or suspicions, which is what would typically suggest the risk of the longer processing times. In very general terms, the factors are:
-- how strong the case is overall and in its details
-- how responsive the applicant's RQ submission is, particularly as to providing corroborating documentary evidence in effect covering every month of actual presence in Canada
-- what IRCC's concern or question or suspicion is and what it is based on, and how that relates to the actual facts in the case

The last of these is not necessarily clearly known to the applicant, but based on the first two the applicant should be able to objectively review his or her application and RQ submission, and the actual facts, and discern if there are reasons for a total stranger bureaucrat to have questions.


A Request: I cannot recall if I have previously asked or if you have previously stated which RQ form you received, and what its specific title is.

The last version of the RQ I have a copy of is still titled "Residence Questionnaire" and is CIT 0171 (07-2014). Obviously this version has been outdated since June 2015.

It would be appreciated if you could confirm what the title is at the top of the form. In particular, does it still have "RESIDENCE QUESTIONNAIRE" at the top.

Is it still CIT 0171?

And, if you please, can you give its date; this appears in parentheses following the form number, in the format mm-yyyy.

Note, there is another form used, referred to as RQ-lite. This is CIT 0520 and it asks for very specific documents. If you received the CIT 0520, this tends to NOT result in much of a delay. We have seen very few reports about CIT 0520 recently, but enough to see it is still in use. And there is no reason to doubt that this questionnaire or request for documents typically does NOT result in lengthy delays.

In any even, if you could confirm which form you received, that would be helpful.

 

[vancouverbc2013]

Anecdotal, forum reports of RQ have been FEW in the last couple years, with a slight increase recently which appears to correspond to the large increase in applications submitted recently. This limits insights into the how RQ currently affects processing.

Historically, RQ following the test/interview typically signals that IRCC has identified some reason to question the applicant's account of time present in Canada. How seriously, though, is an unknown.

Historically, RQ has tended to result in at least a couple more months of processing, but more often it is several months, and more than occasionally many months approaching a year. There was a period of time, around 2011 to 2013, give or take some, RQ seemed to add well over another year and more than a few applications slipped beyond three years overall, some more than four.

We are NOT seeing reports suggesting there are such delays these days, but we are seeing so few reports it is impossible to extrapolate much about current timelines. My sense, while the RQ may not cause much of a delay at all (but I'd guess at least six to eight weeks at minimum), most who are RQ'd might anticipate another four to eight months before being scheduled for the oath, assuming the response is sufficient to resolve issues and there is NO referral to a Citizenship Judge (CJ referrals tend to mean much, much processing times).

Moreover, Montreal has almost always seemed to be on its own schedule, relative to almost everything, but citizenship application processing in particular. So it is really, really difficult to so much as guess how things are going in the Montreal local office these days.

Most applicants know enough about their own case to know whether there is a significant risk that IRCC has serious concerns or suspicions, which is what would typically suggest the risk of the longer processing times. In very general terms, the factors are:
-- how strong the case is overall and in its details
-- how responsive the applicant's RQ submission is, particularly as to providing corroborating documentary evidence in effect covering every month of actual presence in Canada
-- what IRCC's concern or question or suspicion is and what it is based on, and how that relates to the actual facts in the case

The last of these is not necessarily clearly known to the applicant, but based on the first two the applicant should be able to objectively review his or her application and RQ submission, and the actual facts, and discern if there are reasons for a total stranger bureaucrat to have questions.


A Request: I cannot recall if I have previously asked or if you have previously stated which RQ form you received, and what its specific title is.

The last version of the RQ I have a copy of is still titled "Residence Questionnaire" and is CIT 0171 (07-2014). Obviously this version has been outdated since June 2015.

It would be appreciated if you could confirm what the title is at the top of the form. In particular, does it still have "RESIDENCE QUESTIONNAIRE" at the top.

Is it still CIT 0171?

And, if you please, can you give its date; this appears in parentheses following the form number, in the format mm-yyyy.

Note, there is another form used, referred to as RQ-lite. This is CIT 0520 and it asks for very specific documents. If you received the CIT 0520, this tends to NOT result in much of a delay. We have seen very few reports about CIT 0520 recently, but enough to see it is still in use. And there is no reason to doubt that this questionnaire or request for documents typically does NOT result in lengthy delays.

In any even, if you could confirm which form you received, that would be helpful.

Dear dpenabill, thank you so much for your detailed reply!!! much appreciated
Yes I was requested to submit the latter (0520) to submit copies of Passports, Rents, Contracts and 5 years taxes.

I have ALL AND SUBMITTED ALL. Again, I have been here for 11 years. PR since 2013. Never got in trouble with Law...any!!! been using Nexus since I got my PR....MOST IMPORTANTLY I HAVE TRULY TRULY BEEN HERE. I regret moving provinces thats for sure! other then that I really don't see why I a being hustled. My only travels back home for almost a total of 6months (Dad sickness & Funerals). Lest thing I can think of is maybe I submitted my application days before I started working (so I put it unemployed) But my real question is can't they see all that in their systems?!!!!! how is it that what I a submitting they wouldn't know of already???? ALWAYS PAID MY TAXES ON TIME.... I just don't get it!!! like why me?! I can proof trillions ways I was here!

thank you so much again

 

[dpenabill]

Yes I was requested to submit the latter (0520) to submit copies of Passports, Rents, Contracts and 5 years taxes.

This is NOT the full blown RQ and that makes a difference.

The CIT 0520 is usually (not always) a good indicator there are no serious concerns, that IRCC is merely doing due diligence and verifying particular information or documents. In contrast to the full blown RQ, CIT 0171, many reports about the CIT 0520 have reported minimal further delays.

The actual timeline, however, will vary and can vary a lot. I do not follow Montreal timelines much, but as I previously noted historically Montreal has been among the most difficult to forecast (and non-routine cases appear to take particularly longer in Montreal).

Just waiting for the oath after a favourable decision has been made seems to sometimes take longer in Montreal.

Nothing to do now but be patient, wait and be patient.