Do I need to inform CIC about being outside Canada

[mac101]

Hi All,

My citizenship application is being processed but I moved to the US for a job last August.

I recently called CIC to change my address on the application. The person on the other end changed it for me but also told me that I have to send a letter to the office processing my application telling them that I'm outside Canada if I am going to be outside of Canada for more than 2 months. She emailed me the form. I am wondering if this is something I have to do or if it is something I should fill out in order to only process my application when I am in Canada. Any information on this would be really appreciated. Here is the form she emailed me:

Unavailability



You can notify us of your period of unavailability in order for the local Citizenship and Canada (CIC) office not to schedule you during this timeframe. If your period of unavailability will be:



less than two (2) months and this is the first time you are informing us of a period of unavailability, then you can advise us with the dates you will be unavailable so that a note can be entered in your file.


· two (2) months or more or you have previously notified us of any period of unavailability, then you will need to advise the CIC office processing your file. The mailing address and/or fax number for your CIC office appears on the letter you received.



You must send a letter indicating:



o your complete name and date of birth;

o address in Canada before departure;

o address abroad;

o name and phone number of a contact person in Canada;

o the unavailability period(s);

o availability if client returns to Canada for a short stay during the unavailability period;

o the reason(s) for the unavailability period(s);

o supporting document(s) regarding the situation, if applicable.



The responsible office will communicate with you if they require more information or when an appointment becomes available.

 

[ieltspracticetests]

Hello! This is a bit late but what happened to your application? I'm in a similar situation: applying for citizenship soon but am leaving from May-August on a J-1 visa exchange in the US. Did you have any issues with CIC because of your temporary work assignment?

 

[nkam]

Being outside Canada should not impact on your application if uou meet the RO and can satisfy the intent to reside if applicable such as in 4/6.
from my experience it is in your interest because what happened with me I lost my test and was about to lose the second one in which case your application may be considered abandoned.. if you tell CIC they will not schedule you for the test..

 

[links18]

The answer to this questions depends on a number of factors. Was your application under the old law or the current law with the intent to reside clause?

Under the old law, leaving Canada while your application was pending was not supposed to affect it as long as you maintained your PR residency obligation. However, in practicality moving outside Canada often raised a red flag for CIC and often resulted in an RQ or additional attention if they found out about it. Being outside Canada sometimes led them to question your credibility regarding your declared residence during the qualifying period. Moreover, during the Conservative reign, there were many anecdotal reports of CIC delaying such applications, perhaps in an effort to endanger such applicants PR status.

Under the current law with the intent to reside clause, there is still no requirement to remain in Canada during the processing period, but leaving the country could certainly cause a reasonable person to doubt whether such an applicant intends to continue to reside in Canada after the oath. Of course, the extent to which such clause will be actively enforced under the Liberals is questionable.

 

[anon3721]

I was overseas for studies when my first citizenship application was submitted. Then they asked me to go to test, but I could not afford to fly back to Canada for the test. I called CIC agent, and she told me to write a letter and include documentation on my absence to the test for the office that I'm supposed to write test at. She said I can expect invite to test when I get back to Canada.

So I come back home and waited and waited, nothing happened. I called up CIC again, and they said they've received the letter and the reason was NOT ACCEPTED. WTF! At least you could have told me... I was a fool and didn't know ATIP was a thing. I would've taken on some debt and flown back for the test. Outrageous. They asked me to withdraw and apply again.

I regret not blowing some cash and flying back for the test. I guess the same applies to oath as well. Just do exactly as they say or you risk losing your application altogether, esp when you are overseas.

Basically the moment you apply anything to CIC you become their slave, forever living in poverty and shame until oath when you are finally liberated.