Issue with CBSA Travel Record – Impact on Citizenship Eligibility

[x001358]

I recently requested a Traveller History Report from CBSA to verify my entry and exit dates for calculating my eligibility for Canadian citizenship. According to records that I maintain in an excel sheet, I exited Canada on July 19, 2024, and re-entered on October 6, 2024. However, I noticed that the traveller history report I received from CBSA is missing the July 19 exit, although it correctly shows the October 6 entry.

Based on the July 19 exit, I meet the physical presence requirement and am eligible to apply for citizenship now. However, if CBSA does not have a record of that exit and instead uses an earlier date (e.g., July 5, 2024), I would need to wait approximately 15 more days before applying.

Note: I used July 5, 2024 in the example , because according to the travel history report shared by CBSA they now I was in Canada until 2024-07-04

Here’s an excerpt from the travel history report:

• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Exit
• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Entry
• 2024-10-06 – Pearson International Airport – Entry

Given this discrepancy, what would you recommend I do to ensure my application reflects the correct travel dates? Should I submit additional proof of my July 19 exit, or is there a way to request a correction from CBSA?

 

[Miss bee]

I recently requested a Traveller History Report from CBSA to verify my entry and exit dates for calculating my eligibility for Canadian citizenship. According to records that I maintain in an excel sheet, I exited Canada on July 19, 2024, and re-entered on October 6, 2024. However, I noticed that the traveller history report I received from CBSA is missing the July 19 exit, although it correctly shows the October 6 entry.

Based on the July 19 exit, I meet the physical presence requirement and am eligible to apply for citizenship now. However, if CBSA does not have a record of that exit and instead uses an earlier date (e.g., July 5, 2024), I would need to wait approximately 15 more days before applying.

Note: I used July 5, 2024 in the example , because according to the travel history report shared by CBSA they now I was in Canada until 2024-07-04

Here’s an excerpt from the travel history report:

• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Exit
• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Entry
• 2024-10-06 – Pearson International Airport – Entry

Given this discrepancy, what would you recommend I do to ensure my application reflects the correct travel dates? Should I submit additional proof of my July 19 exit, or is there a way to request a correction from CBSA?

In your situation, since the CBSA traveller history report is missing your July 19, 2024, exit from Canada, it’s important to address this discrepancy before or during your citizenship application to avoid delays or issues with your physical presence calculation. First, you should gather and prepare any supporting evidence that clearly shows your exit on July 19—this could include airline tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps, travel itineraries, or even credit card statements showing transactions in another country soon after that date. You can submit this documentation with your citizenship application and clearly explain the discrepancy in a cover letter or in the physical presence section, noting that CBSA’s record omits your July 19 departure. Additionally, you may request a correction or review of your travel history from CBSA by submitting a new request or inquiry—mention the missing date and provide proof to support your claim. While CBSA travel records are typically reliable, they are not always complete, especially for land or certain air exits. IRCC accepts applicant-submitted travel records along with explanations and supporting documents, so you can still proceed with your application if you’re confident that you meet the physical presence requirement based on your actual travel history.

 

[armoured]

I recently requested a Traveller History Report from CBSA to verify my entry and exit dates for calculating my eligibility for Canadian citizenship. According to records that I maintain in an excel sheet, I exited Canada on July 19, 2024, and re-entered on October 6, 2024. However, I noticed that the traveller history report I received from CBSA is missing the July 19 exit, although it correctly shows the October 6 entry.

Based on the July 19 exit, I meet the physical presence requirement and am eligible to apply for citizenship now. However, if CBSA does not have a record of that exit and instead uses an earlier date (e.g., July 5, 2024), I would need to wait approximately 15 more days before applying.

Note: I used July 5, 2024 in the example , because according to the travel history report shared by CBSA they now I was in Canada until 2024-07-04

Here’s an excerpt from the travel history report:

• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Exit
• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Entry
• 2024-10-06 – Pearson International Airport – Entry

Given this discrepancy, what would you recommend I do to ensure my application reflects the correct travel dates? Should I submit additional proof of my July 19 exit, or is there a way to request a correction from CBSA?

We applied for my spouse (still in process) with a comparable issue - there was one exit missing (from airport). So it was clear there was an error in the records (two entries in a row).

We proceeded (on our own) more or less as Miss Bee suggested, but less detail: included copy of the CBSA reports, a note that there was one missing, one (only one) piece of evidence of the day of departure, and general nice-nice we may be able to find more if needed.

We got a request for passport copies and interview scheduled, which went fine - physical presence was approved. Citizenship app still proceeding. I can find links to summaries of these. No complaints so far (although would be nice if it was faster).

My summary and conclusion: we had our reasons that we decided to file instead of waiting (as in your case) the approximately two weeks for sufficient buffer to cover any potential gap. (There were still about ten days more than 1095, but not enough to cover the gap.)

However: my advice would be to not proceed as we did and just wait an extra two-three weeks. Not that anything went bad in our case, but might have been a bit smoother. But in most cases I'd say it's worth waiting the extra few weeks.

Up to you though. I don't have any bad experience to say more - except from reading here, make sure you don't apply with, say, 1095-1097 days. Definitely worth another week in that range.

[I think now that if there's going to be any delay in our case, it's going to be security, just because of personal background / work / nationality. Which is to say, unrelated to the physical presence issue. The security stuff is out of our hands (I'm still optimistic, but we just won't know for a while).]

 

[x001358]

Thank you, Miss Bee and Armoured, for your valuable recommendations. Based on my calculations, I am confident that I meet — and possibly exceed — the physical presence requirement by at least 10 days.
Here’s my plan :

• Wait for another 10 to 15 days before submitting the application.
• Coordinate with CBSA to have the discrepancy corrected.
• Include a detailed cover letter with my citizenship application, along with supporting documents, to clearly explain my physical presence.

 

[armoured]

Thank you, Miss Bee and Armoured, for your valuable recommendations. Based on my calculations, I am confident that I meet — and possibly exceed — the physical presence requirement by at least 10 days.
Here’s my plan :

• Wait for another 10 to 15 days before submitting the application.
• Coordinate with CBSA to have the discrepancy corrected.
• Include a detailed cover letter with my citizenship application, along with supporting documents, to clearly explain my physical presence.

If you have an excess number of days EVEN IF the missing date were to be some other date, then I think coordinating with CBSA is unnecessary. Up to you however.

 

[MJSPARV]

I’m asking more for my edification than anything else… CBSA is missing an EXIT not an entry, so doesn’t their data give you credit for 15 more days than you actually have? It looks to me like they have you back in Canada on July 4… I feel like I’m missing something in terms of how it’s giving you 15 days less than it should? I would have assumed that if an exit is missed not an entry, that giving them your dates in the application would be sufficient because you’re claiming fewer than the CBSA records would show, not more than they show.

 

[Lavenaa]

I recently requested a Traveller History Report from CBSA to verify my entry and exit dates for calculating my eligibility for Canadian citizenship. According to records that I maintain in an excel sheet, I exited Canada on July 19, 2024, and re-entered on October 6, 2024. However, I noticed that the traveller history report I received from CBSA is missing the July 19 exit, although it correctly shows the October 6 entry.

Based on the July 19 exit, I meet the physical presence requirement and am eligible to apply for citizenship now. However, if CBSA does not have a record of that exit and instead uses an earlier date (e.g., July 5, 2024), I would need to wait approximately 15 more days before applying.

Note: I used July 5, 2024 in the example , because according to the travel history report shared by CBSA they now I was in Canada until 2024-07-04

Here’s an excerpt from the travel history report:

• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Exit
• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Entry
• 2024-10-06 – Pearson International Airport – Entry

Given this discrepancy, what would you recommend I do to ensure my application reflects the correct travel dates? Should I submit additional proof of my July 19 exit, or is there a way to request a correction from CBSA?

Hey how long did it take you to receive cbsa report?

 

[armoured]

I’m asking more for my edification than anything else… CBSA is missing an EXIT not an entry, so doesn’t their data give you credit for 15 more days than you actually have? It looks to me like they have you back in Canada on July 4… I feel like I’m missing something in terms of how it’s giving you 15 days less than it should? I would have assumed that if an exit is missed not an entry, that giving them your dates in the application would be sufficient because you’re claiming fewer than the CBSA records would show, not more than they show.

Well, that's one way of looking at it. They could of course just add it up and say it's okay.

Or they could interpret as - since something obviously missing - that the exit could have taken place the same day as the earlier of the two entries (betwixt which falls the missing exit). Yes, or the same day as the later.

But if they decide they need positive evidence of the exit being late enough to be able to say you've met the physical presence, then ... they'll ask for the evidence.

Which they didn't exactly do in our case but did ask for copies of all passport pages (which had at least two stamps that supported the date - at least within two days of the missing exit, which was enough to meet the PP requirement).

I don't know if they looked at that, though - what I do know is that in the interview they basically established that my spouse travels a lot (for work), does habitually reside in Canada, and seems to be a credible person.

My guess is they didn't look in detail at the positive evidence we provided and instead decided on credibility / habitual residence (and that if they did check the evidence provided, it would be what we said it was). Or glanced at the evidence and decided 'credible enough', i.e. story too complex to have bothered faking any evidence. Or they might have looked at the actual evidence and were just checking verbally. In sum though I think that in toto would be considered actual positive evidence.

I can't be sure how they decided, of course; but my hunch is they're under some obligation to get something like positive evidence. (And not rely on the clearly mistaken CBSA records / a guess that it probably was enough days).

 

[MJSPARV]

Well, that's one way of looking at it. They could of course just add it up and say it's okay.

Or they could interpret as - since something obviously missing - that the exit could have taken place the same day as the earlier of the two entries (betwixt which falls the missing exit). Yes, or the same day as the later.

But if they decide they need positive evidence of the exit being late enough to be able to say you've met the physical presence, then ... they'll ask for the evidence.

Which they didn't exactly do in our case but did ask for copies of all passport pages (which had at least two stamps that supported the date - at least within two days of the missing exit, which was enough to meet the PP requirement).

I don't know if they looked at that, though - what I do know is that in the interview they basically established that my spouse travels a lot (for work), does habitually reside in Canada, and seems to be a credible person.

My guess is they didn't look in detail at the positive evidence we provided and instead decided on credibility / habitual residence (and that if they did check the evidence provided, it would be what we said it was). Or glanced at the evidence and decided 'credible enough', i.e. story too complex to have bothered faking any evidence. Or they might have looked at the actual evidence and were just checking verbally. In sum though I think that in toto would be considered actual positive evidence.

I can't be sure how they decided, of course; but my hunch is they're under some obligation to get something like positive evidence. (And not rely on the clearly mistaken CBSA records / a guess that it probably was enough days).

I was thinking that if OP hadn’t gotten his CBSA records he would have listed his July 19th exit with no second thoughts. I would assume that if an IRCC officer sees that you report an exit that CBSA doesn’t have (but does have a re-entry from) that the presumption is that CBSA records are incomplete (especially if the discrepancy doesn’t affect the 1095 days). Exits count against your time in Canada so I would assume they’d be more careful about when people report entries that CBSA doesn’t have. But this is all presumption, and I imagine that it’s very likely much more of an issue if you’re close to 1095 days. I had 1200+ so I am not sweating it that I didn’t get my CBSA records as I’d have to have all of my absences from Canada wrong in CBSA records to even get close to it affecting my 1095 days.

 

[armoured]

I was thinking that if OP hadn’t gotten his CBSA records he would have listed his July 19th exit with no second thoughts. I would assume that if an IRCC officer sees that you report an exit that CBSA doesn’t have (but does have a re-entry from) that the presumption is that CBSA records are incomplete (especially if the discrepancy doesn’t affect the 1095 days). Exits count against your time in Canada so I would assume they’d be more careful about when people report entries that CBSA doesn’t have. But this is all presumption, and I imagine that it’s very likely much more of an issue if you’re close to 1095 days. I had 1200+ so I am not sweating it that I didn’t get my CBSA records as I’d have to have all of my absences from Canada wrong in CBSA records to even get close to it affecting my 1095 days.

I bolded what I think is the operative similarity between @x001358 and my spouse's case: that the total number of days was fairly close, AND the discrepancy very much does (potentially) affect the 1095 days.

Now your point is fair, not clear that if (eg) in our case we hadn't flagged the issue ourself that IRCC would have noticed. I think it jumps out and given the large number of entries/exits there was a fairly high likelihood of extra diligence on physical presence - and that therefore getting ahead of it was worth the effort. (I kind of figured we were up for more detailed review anyway, just due to travel).

But it's only a guess. And that's why I'd still qualify as a guess the 'advice' (my opinion anyway) that just waiting 2-4 extra weeks might have been worth it. Maybe an educated guess, but a guess.

Still, having closer to 1200 days than 1095 strikes me as decent insurance, esp for cases that might look a little weird.

(My spouse was doing three-day work trips whenever possible - which actually meant only one day counted as 'away.' Yes, it was intentional to make sure we got to the # of days required, but it also matched what work wanted - and does reflect reality, living here.)

 

[ccaallvviinn]

Sorry for a quick question: do we need to get the CBSA records to compare against our own travel journal before application? If yes, how to obtain the CBSA report? Thank you for your guidance!

 

[armoured]

Sorry for a quick question: do we need to get the CBSA records to compare against our own travel journal before application? If yes, how to obtain the CBSA report? Thank you for your guidance!

Not required. Some do if they feel important to check against their own records.

How? Internet.

 

[milon45]

I recently requested a Traveller History Report from CBSA to verify my entry and exit dates for calculating my eligibility for Canadian citizenship. According to records that I maintain in an excel sheet, I exited Canada on July 19, 2024, and re-entered on October 6, 2024. However, I noticed that the traveller history report I received from CBSA is missing the July 19 exit, although it correctly shows the October 6 entry.

Based on the July 19 exit, I meet the physical presence requirement and am eligible to apply for citizenship now. However, if CBSA does not have a record of that exit and instead uses an earlier date (e.g., July 5, 2024), I would need to wait approximately 15 more days before applying.

Note: I used July 5, 2024 in the example , because according to the travel history report shared by CBSA they now I was in Canada until 2024-07-04

Here’s an excerpt from the travel history report:

• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Exit
• 2024-07-04 – Windsor Tunnel – Entry
• 2024-10-06 – Pearson International Airport – Entry

Given this discrepancy, what would you recommend I do to ensure my application reflects the correct travel dates? Should I submit additional proof of my July 19 exit, or is there a way to request a correction from CBSA through Playuzu?

Contact CBSA to report the discrepancy and request a correction. In the meantime, submit additional proof of your July 19 exit, such as boarding passes or flight itineraries, along with your citizenship application.

 

[dpenabill]

Based on my calculations, I am confident that I meet — and possibly exceed — the physical presence requirement by at least 10 days.
Here’s my plan :

• Wait for another 10 to 15 days before submitting the application.
• Coordinate with CBSA to have the discrepancy corrected.
• Include a detailed cover letter with my citizenship application, along with supporting documents, to clearly explain my physical presence.

@armoured mostly covered your situation. The most important part of that is to be sure YOUR travel history, as reported in the physical presence calculation, is as complete and accurate as YOU can make it.

Most applicants will not compare their own travel history with CBSA records. No need to do that. IRCC discourages doing that. The most important thing is to completely and accurately report all dates of exit, all dates of entry, regardless of the length of time outside Canada, so report even flag poling . . . report the exit and entry even if it was just a walk out on the Rainbow bridge in Niagara Falls without getting to the U.S. side.

Beyond that . . . I do not fully understand the precise nature of the discrepancy you have identified in CBSA records, whether it is about an omission or an inaccuracy, or both. Here again, which I believe is in agreement with what @armoured has covered, odds are high that as long as YOUR travel history is complete and accurate, that should be sufficient.

But if you see reason to apprehend that IRCC may nonetheless question or doubt YOUR (complete and accurate) travel history, it is indeed prudent to wait to apply with a buffer that fully covers the difference. Moreover, if you are concerned that IRCC may need additional information or an explanation to sort this out, waiting to apply with a buffer in the six to ten week range may be a good idea.

Note: additional information, including explanations, are NOT routine. If your objective is to reduce the risk of non-routine processing, reducing the risk of lengthy delays due to non-routine processing, a good buffer easily covering the differences has better odds of success.

Waiting seven more weeks to apply will for sure not delay getting citizenship more than 50 days.

In contrast, if the processing agent, the total stranger bureaucrat assessing your physical presence, just has questions, let alone doubts about the completeness or accuracy of what you report, so that your application goes into a queue where it waits for additional inquiries and checks, that could delay processing by many months, way longer than an additional ten weeks . . . even if it is just to cross-check the additional information and/or explanation the applicant has submitted.

For a PR living and settled in Canada, waiting six to ten more weeks to apply for citizenship is easy, goes by fast, and for many that can avoid suffering months and months of anxious waiting down the calendar (and avoid the interference that can cause with things like plans to travel, be that for work or holidays).

In contrast, while what @milon45 suggested should avoid a negative decision (assuming what you submit is persuasive), that is not as likely to avoid non-routine processing delays.

do we need to get the CBSA records to compare against our own travel journal before application?

A PR who kept complete and accurate records should not need to obtain CBSA records.

A good buffer is still a good idea no matter how certain the PR is that they have kept complete and accurate records.

For most applicants a good buffer is more about making it easy for a total stranger bureaucrat to be satisfied the applicant met the physical presence requirement than it is about making sure the requirement is met . . . making it easy enough the total stranger bureaucrat sees no need to make any additional inquiries (such as no need to check with employers, for example, as to accuracy and completeness in the applicant's report of employment history).

 

[ibimmer]

Ok so for everyone to know. I have both cbsa records and gcms notes. My gcms notes contain travel records, and presence is calculated based on EXITS only, not entry.

I’m missing many exit entries so my physical presence is calculated at 781 in the notes, even though I’m sure I have 1096.