Citizenship wait period

[KrazkanadianFather]

Ok so after nearly six years in canada, five years with no status in canada. We had a visit from ICE at night and they gave us three months to file properly since I am canadian and wife is foreign with three children born in canada and three in south america. We filed november 2019 and was told we have no issues with immigration hence moving forward. We are soon to get her medical using uci number and our journey will finally come to an end. Question since my wife has stayed in Canada for more than 5 years prior to getting our pr card sometime this year, the way I read the process she isnt eligible for citizenship until mid august 2021 which means the requirement . However I read also she arrived in april2014and when we get the pr card,she could apply immediately for citizenship since she been already 5 years. Any thoughts

 

[scylla]

Ok so after nearly six years in canada, five years with no status in canada. We had a visit from ICE at night and they gave us three months to file properly since I am canadian and wife is foreign with three children born in canada and three in south america. We filed november 2019 and was told we have no issues with immigration hence moving forward. We are soon to get her medical using uci number and our journey will finally come to an end. Question since my wife has stayed in Canada for more than 5 years prior to getting our pr card sometime this year, the way I read the process she isnt eligible for citizenship until mid august 2021 which means the requirement . However I read also she arrived in april2014and when we get the pr card,she could apply immediately for citizenship since she been already 5 years. Any thoughts

No - she cannot apply immediately.

She can get credit for up to a year using pre-PR time. However she needs to live at least 2 years in Canada as a PR before she can apply.

It's also possible she will not qualify to count the pre-PR time towards citizenship if she was in Canada without status during this time. If that's the case, she will need to live in Canada for 3 years after she becomes a PR to qualify.

I would verify the rules around counting pre-PR time torwards citizenship. I believe you cannot count the time if you were out of status.

Also, while not important, Canada does not have ICE. ICE is the U.S. Canada has CBSA.

 

[scylla]

Ok so after nearly six years in canada, five years with no status in canada. We had a visit from ICE at night and they gave us three months to file properly since I am canadian and wife is foreign with three children born in canada and three in south america. We filed november 2019 and was told we have no issues with immigration hence moving forward. We are soon to get her medical using uci number and our journey will finally come to an end. Question since my wife has stayed in Canada for more than 5 years prior to getting our pr card sometime this year, the way I read the process she isnt eligible for citizenship until mid august 2021 which means the requirement . However I read also she arrived in april2014and when we get the pr card,she could apply immediately for citizenship since she been already 5 years. Any thoughts

Just to add - best case scenario she will be eligible for citizenship 2 years after her PR process is finallized and she officially becomes a PR. So if you are expecting her PR process to be finalized sometime this year - then best case scenario she would qualify for citizenship sometime in 2022. This assumes she can count time pre-PR. If she cannot count pre-PR time, the you're looking at 2023.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Just to add - best case scenario she will be eligible for citizenship 2 years after her PR process is finallized and she officially becomes a PR. So if you are expecting her PR process to be finalized sometime this year - then best case scenario she would qualify for citizenship sometime in 2022. This assumes she can count time pre-PR. If she cannot count pre-PR time, the you're looking at 2023.

1. The spouse can't count the time prior to PR with no status for citizenship.

 

[canuck78]

Ok so after nearly six years in canada, five years with no status in canada. We had a visit from ICE at night and they gave us three months to file properly since I am canadian and wife is foreign with three children born in canada and three in south america. We filed november 2019 and was told we have no issues with immigration hence moving forward. We are soon to get her medical using uci number and our journey will finally come to an end. Question since my wife has stayed in Canada for more than 5 years prior to getting our pr card sometime this year, the way I read the process she isnt eligible for citizenship until mid august 2021 which means the requirement . However I read also she arrived in april2014and when we get the pr card,she could apply immediately for citizenship since she been already 5 years. Any thoughts

Why have you not sponsored your spouse before this? In most provinces your wife wouldn’t have had access to healthcare so I assume you’ve paid for 3 Pre/post natal and births.