Expired passport not in my possession

[Lgjoni]

Hi all,

I plan on applying for citizenship in August 2022 with my current passport, which I have had for 9+ years.
After applying, I have booked a trip back to my home country to renew my current passport as it expires at the end of the year.
My home country keeps the old passport when issuing a new one. Therefore, I will no longer be in possession of it after returning from the trip.
On the IRCC website it says that when taking the citizenship test you need to bring "all your passports and travel documents, current and expired, that you listed on the application form". My application will only have one passport listed, and I'll no longer be in possession of it after renewing and getting the new one.
Is that going to be an issue?

Thanks

 

[CaBeaver]

Hi all,

I plan on applying for citizenship in August 2022 with my current passport, which I have had for 9+ years.
After applying, I have booked a trip back to my home country to renew my current passport as it expires at the end of the year.
My home country keeps the old passport when issuing a new one. Therefore, I will no longer be in possession of it after returning from the trip.
On the IRCC website it says that when taking the citizenship test you need to bring "all your passports and travel documents, current and expired, that you listed on the application form". My application will only have one passport listed, and I'll no longer be in possession of it after renewing and getting the new one.
Is that going to be an issue?

Thanks

Passports are not particularly required for the online test (you can use your PR card for identification), but make colored photocopies of all the pages before renewing your current passport, as they may ask for them at one point, and if you are applying online I believe you should include the photocopies with your application. If they ask you to present your passport like in an interview, you can explain your situation then.

 

[Lgjoni]

Passports are not particularly required for the online test (you can use your PR card for identification), but make colored photocopies of all the pages before renewing your current passport, as they may ask for them at one point, and if you are applying online I believe you should include the photocopies with your application. If they ask you to present your passport like in an interview, you can explain your situation then.

Thanks for the reply. That’s a great idea. Do you think I should double down on that and get the photocopies notarized?
As you put it, bringing your passport doesn’t apply to the online test but by the time they process my application and set my test date, COVID restrictions could have been lifted and they might have shifted back to in-person tests.

 

[CaBeaver]

Thanks for the reply. That’s a great idea. Do you think I should double down on that and get the photocopies notarized?
As you put it, bringing your passport doesn’t apply to the online test but by the time they process my application and set my test date, COVID restrictions could have been lifted and they might have shifted back to in-person tests.

If you have any non-English/French stamps you need to translate them. Other than that, you normally (i.e., if you keep the original document) just provide photocopies. I am not sure if notarization is at all necessary in your case since you won't have the original document. If it's not a big trouble, there is no harm in going the extra mile to be safe.

I agree, things may shift very quickly with the downward trajectory of cases and hospitalization from covid-19. But as it stands, passports are not particularly asked for for the online test.